Auto Express - Best car tyres 2020

Author Name – Jack Underwood

15 Sep 2020 5 people

2020 has been a year of unpredictability, however we can always rely on a yearly tyre review from Auto Express. This year 10 new tyres have been extensively tested through a range of different conditions to give us 2020's best tyre! In this article we are going to tell you which tyre is top dog and the reasoning behind this, giving you an insight when looking for your brand new tyres.

auto express car tyres

What tyres are being tested?

Before revealing the contenders for this year’s tyre test it is important to address that the tyres tested are all summer tyres.

The tyres being tested are -

Bridgestone Turanza T005 91 V
Continental PremiumContact 6 91 V
Dunlop Sport BluResponse 91 H
Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun 94 V
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 91 H
Laufenn S Fit EQ 91 V
Maxxis Premitra 5 HP5 91 V
Michelin Primacy 4 91 V
Nokian Wetproof 91 V
Pirelli Cinturato P7 91 V

How are the tyres tested?

Tyre brands were asked to give a tyre from their range with no restrictions on weight or speed ratings. The tests were conducted over 3 different countries and ranged from practical performance tests such as braking, handling, aquaplaning tests and rolling resistance to more practical features of the tyre such as noise, price and fuel economy. To make the test more realistic all of the tests were carried out in wet and dry conditions.

The 3 test locations are-

Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) proving ground in Warwickshire
Mireval in the south of France
Goodyear’s R&D centre in Luxembourg

To choose a winner the results were converted to percentages that accurately reflect the tyre’s performance, the results were then added together to get the final result.

1st Place: Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2

This year the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 has taken the top spot and deservedly so! The tyre put forward by Goodyear is claimed to be 50% more durable than its predecessor. This point has been proven with the Goodyear tyre outperforming the Michelin Primacy 4, which is an achievement in itself with Michelin's record for durable, long lasting tyres.

Full results:

Overall: 1st
Wet handling: 5th
Wet braking: 4th
Straight aquaplaning: 9th
Curved aquaplaning: 9th
Dry handling: 1st
Dry braking: 3rd
Rolling resistance: 1st
Cabin noise: 1st

As we can see from these results the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 is an excellent all round summer tyre showing that it is capable of assisting in maximum driving performance. This can be seen with excellent dry handling and dry braking and respectable wet handling and wet braking ensuring good driving performance in wet and dry conditions. The tyre also provides added benefits such as low rolling resistance and the lowest cabin noise making a quiet and economic ride.