Tyre News

We don’t usually indulge in bull talk, but we’ll ask forgiveness this once – because the bull in question is Fenomeno. This fearless beast not only proved a formidable rival for Mexico’s toreros but also captured the imagination of Lamborghini’s engineers, inspiring the name of their latest V12 supercar. Backed by three electric motors, the Lamborghini Fenomeno unleashes 1,065 bhp, catapulting from 0-62 mph in just 2.4 seconds on semi-slick tyres – and reaching twice this speed a mere 4.3 seconds later. Exclusive Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres complete the package, fitted as original equipment on this rare, limited-edition machine.

Welcome to the fifth edition of the WhatTyre Tyre of the Year Awards and Buyers Guide. The website’s editorial team, which has almost 60 years’ collective experience in writing about tyres and the tyre industry, has selected more than 70 outstanding tyres across nine categories that collectively represent the best products currently available for road-going cars in all categories. While this sounds like a lot, bear in mind the vast array of brands and products available in the UK’s replacement tyre sector: since WhatTyre began, more than 700 tyre brands have been available in tyre retail outlets around the country. In 2025, a record 21 brands have been recognised for the quality of their products, including the world’s most recognisable tyre marques and several sub-premium brands with which general motorists may not already be familiar. This year also sees Chinese brands Sailun and Linglong recognised for their rapidly advancing capabilities and products that are increasingly competing with more lauded mid-range brands on performance.

The pinnacle of the performance tyre spectrum belongs to the Supersports or ultra-ultra-high performance (UUHP) tyre. While fully road legal, these tyres are meticulously engineered to deliver unparalleled performance on the track. Yet their primary mission is to offer a dynamic and safe driving experience for the world’s most powerful cars, excelling in both wet and dry conditions.

Although tyres for 17- and 18-inch rims are gradually losing market share to larger diameter products, the range of high-performance tyres available in the UK remains enormous, with budget brands accounting for around one third of purchases. However, cheaper options may not always offer the best handling and stopping power. Choosing the right tyre is therefore crucial for safety and performance.

To identify the best summer tyres for 2025, we leveraged our extensive Tyrepedia database, which houses performance data on hundreds of thousands of tyres from around 700 brands. We then applied our proprietary Tyrescore algorithm to narrow down the top contenders based on key performance indicators. The Tyrescore begins with an analysis of the EU-mandated tyre label, which includes ratings for wet grip, fuel efficiency (measured via rolling resistance), and external pass-by noise. These letter-based ratings are converted into numerical scores, with greater weight given to wet grip and fuel efficiency, reflecting their higher relevance to most drivers.

The dynamism of the electric car market sees new, specialist manufacturers, especially those from China, rubbing shoulders with EV editions of familiar shapes from the world’s biggest auto brands. Electric-powered cars (EVs) are different in a few ways those with internal combustion engines (ICE) and tyre manufacturers have been altering their product strategies for the segment. Many alterations are in conjunction with the car makers, who need the product to be suitable enough for their new models to roll off production lines and into customers’ hands. The tyres originally fitted to these vehicles are altered in order to improve synergy with the vehicle – this is nothing unusual, but the difference in a characteristic such as wear rate with EVs is much more stark than normal variations between ICE vehicles. Michelin, a leading supplier of original tyres to EV models in their initial growth phase, estimates that the same tyre variant fitted to a comparable EV will wear 20% faster than the same tyre fitted to an ICE powered car.