Tyre News

Déjà vu aplenty in the 2021 Auto Express all-season tyre test. This year the publication returned to the 205/55R16 size it last looked at two years back, and the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 that participated in the 2019 test was back as a contender in 2021. Same tester, same tyre, same size. But this is where the similarities end; whereas the Hankook tyre finished seventh in 2019, this year it won.

The future belongs to all-season tyres, comments Auto Bild Allrad in the preamble to its 2021 test. It adds that these products have evolved into a true alternative to dedicated summer or winter tyres. This year, the German magazine for 4x4 and SUV enthusiasts evaluated ten brands of all-season tyre in size 215/65 R17. Top honours went to the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 X, a tyre that Auto Bild’s testers declared an “exemplary compromise” for safe driving in all weather conditions.

Hyundai has selected the Kumho PorTran KC53 as the standard tyre for its new Staria MPV. The KC53 was primarily designed for European vans and LCVs, and it is an upgraded version of this pattern that Kumho Tire is now supplying in two sizes – 215/65R17C 108/105H and 235/55R18 104H XL – for fitment on the Staria.

After carrying out no less than five comparative tyre tests for various Auto Bild titles, specialists Dierk Möller and Henning Klipp have a solid understanding of which all-season and winter tyres they’d gladly recommend, and which they wouldn’t. Auto Bild summarises Möller and Klipp’s findings for the current season in its 42/2021 issue and at the same time names its leading manufacturers in the all-season and winter categories. Three brands occupy the podium’s upper step.

Performance car magazine Auto Bild Sportscars has evaluated a dozen brands in its 2021 winter tyre test and also looked at an all-season tyre and a summer tyre for comparative purposes. It chose the front axle size 225/45 R18 and rear size 245/40 R18, testing these on a Mercedes C-Class for performance in dry, wet and snowy conditions.

Auto Bild begins coverage of its 2021 test by noting that motorists in its home market of Germany largely ignored winter tyres until legislation mandated their use in certain conditions. The absence of a comparable law in the UK means winter tyres remain a niche product here, yet they’re a sensible choice for some drivers, such as those living in remote areas of the country or owners of powerful vehicles.