Tires are wheel elements in the form of special rubber products that are installed on the rim of a disk. These important components for the safe operation of a vehicle consist of several parts: frame, tread, etc. They ensure contact of the vehicle with the road surface, absorb vibrations and vibrations when driving over holes, potholes and other defects.
Tires come in winter and summer. The former are made from softer rubber compounds compared to the latter, have a different tread pattern, behave differently on dry and wet roads in warm weather and severe frost. There is also special class tires – all-season, intended for year-round operation in the southern regions of the Russian Federation with a mild climate.
When snow melts and stable positive temperatures set in, replacement is required. winter tires for the summer. Not all tire models provide reliable grip and good smoothness, contribute to effective braking and reduced fuel consumption.
Video: TOP 10 Best Summer Tires for Passenger Cars 2016
To feel confident and comfortable behind the wheel, you need to choose and buy high-quality tires for the summer.
Our rating today is dedicated to the best tire market models of 2016, suitable for passenger cars. But first, let's talk about the general points that you should pay attention to when choosing new “car shoes” for summer season.
Learn to read and decipher markings (at least European ones). This is a useful skill that will allow you to quickly navigate the variety of tire models and independently (without additional questions to sales consultants) learn about the standard size, load limit, speed potential and other characteristics of rubber from domestic and foreign manufacturers.
Standard size
Tire markings - basic designations
Selected for each car individually. Available tire sizes can be found in the vehicle operating instructions on the automaker's official website. One or more options are indicated.
- The appearance of errors on the speedometer.
- Friction of the front wheels against the arches when the steering wheel is turned strongly.
- Accelerated.
Tread pattern
It can be symmetrical and asymmetrical, directional and non-directional. The most common is symmetrical non-directional. Is different good characteristics acoustic comfort, stability and reliability in control. Often included in original tires for cars (from the factory).
Asymmetrical and symmetrical directional patterns are highly resistant to hydroplaning. The tread of such tires quickly and effectively removes water from the contact patch.
Asymmetrical non-directional is the most sporty pattern. The protector is resistant to heavy loads. Provides short braking distances. Allows the car to sharply enter turns and actively change lanes. Suitable for sporty-aggressive driving style.
Low or high profile tires?
Tires with low profile look more presentable. Installed standardly on sports cars, are used when tuning together with cast or forged wheels. They are distinguished by increased rigidity. They are better suited for active and high-speed driving on smooth asphalt roads. They have high braking performance and improved road grip.
Full-profile tires are characterized by increased strength and wear resistance. Better adapted to uneven road surfaces (potholes, potholes). More practical and inexpensive. . They contribute to a smoother ride of the vehicle and save on suspension repairs.
Less precise in control. This is especially noticeable at high speed. They do not have high grip characteristics compared to low-profile ones. Tires with a standard (full) profile do not look so stylish.
Maximum load capacity and speed
Two indexes. Indicated by numbers (101, 103, 106, etc.) and letters (H, V, etc.). Each number and letter corresponds to an indicator in kilograms and km/h. High-speed sports summer tires are marked with the indices V (up to 240 km/h), W (no more than 270 km/h).
Rating of the best summer tire models of 2017
6th place. Cordiant Sport 3
In our rating, this is the only representative of domestic tire products. Produced by the Russian holding company Cordiant. In 2016, the range of standard sizes for the Sport 3 model expanded significantly, adding 12 new options. This gave a new impetus to sales of the flagship summer tire from Cordiant.
It has an asymmetrical tread pattern, developed based on the three-dimensional modeling method. The tire is based on a SPORT-MIX rubber compound with 2 types of rubber.
In the production of tires, two proprietary technologies are used - WET-COR and DRY-COR. Improves resistance to aquaplaning and increases the stability of the contact patch when cornering.
Advantages
- Affordable price compared to competitors.
- Good machine stability on high-speed straight sections.
Flaws
- insufficient acoustic comfort;
- questions arise when actively taxiing high speeds. Do not have high adhesion properties.
5th place. Dunlop SP Sport FM800
Made from a modified rubber compound. The addition of new components, including a special highly dispersed Selick, has improved grip characteristics on wet roads. The tread pattern contains 4 large longitudinal grooves. They also work to improve handling on wet roads and reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
Compared to its predecessor model, the new member of the SP Sport family has increased the rigidity of the shoulder areas. This affected the sustainability and general level handling on dry asphalt surfaces.
Advantages and disadvantages
- According to the European tire labeling, it has the highest rating (“A”) for grip on wet roads.
- Large selection of available standard sizes (more than 40).
- High resistance to aquaplaning.
- Brakes well on wet roads.
There are also disadvantages:
- slightly noisy;
- low grip characteristics on dry asphalt when driving more or less fast.
4th place. Yokohama ADVAN Fleva V701
Eco-friendly sports tires. A unique component is added to the rubber mixture (nanoBlend) - orange oil. Another special ingredient is polymer. It helps reduce rolling resistance, that is, improves fuel efficiency.
Yokohama brand tires have a directional tread pattern with grooves of different shapes (lightning-shaped, claw-shaped, etc.). The unique tread design promotes balanced performance on both dry and wet roads.
Advantages
- Comfortable and soft ride.
- Allows you to feel confident on wet roads thanks to its high resistance to aquaplaning.
- Good braking performance in rainy weather.
Flaws
- “blurred” handling at high speeds;
- not impressive with acceleration-braking characteristics on dry asphalt.
3rd place. Michelin CrossClimate
Tires of the unique “Summer +” class. There are currently 17 different sizes available from R14 to R17. Suitable for use in the summer, but show good performance in light frost and sudden snowfall. They have a directional V-shaped tread pattern, the central place of which is given to deep channels for drainage. It also contains special self-locking slats.
In the manufacture of Michelin tires, an innovative rubber compound was used. Maintains optimal elasticity in wide range temperatures
Video: How to choose summer tires? Which ones are better to buy?
In rubber German manufacturer EverGrip technology is used. It allows you to safely operate tires even with extensive tread wear.
Advantages
- Good grip properties in the transverse and longitudinal directions on wet roads.
- Possibility of year-round operation in the cities of the southern regions of the Russian Federation.
- High precision steering responses.
Flaws
- high cost;
- Quite noisy.
2nd place. Nokian Hakka Green 2
A new member of the Hakka family with an asymmetrical tread pattern. It replaced the first generation Green model in 2016. The main differences are an improved hybrid rubber compound, optimized tread design, and increased fuel efficiency.
The tire is also characterized by long mileage and a large number of wear indicators (a droplet in the central rib, a digital line and crosses in the side blocks), signaling deterioration in performance and the need for replacement.
In tests on a wet track, the new product from Nokian received the highest rating of “A”, according to tire labeling in Europe. This result was achieved due to 4 main grooves and additional blade grooves in the tread blocks. The tires also feature Tires Coanda technology for better grip on wet road surfaces.
Despite the light weight of the tires, Nokian engineers managed to make the sidewalls more durable due to reinforced fiber. The breaker was also reinforced with steel wire protected by a brass coating.
Video: Nokian Hakka Green 2 - reviews after 10,000 km. Wear test.
Advantages
- High road safety in rainy weather.
- Soft and comfortable.
- Resistant to aquaplaning.
- Good grip properties on dry asphalt.
Flaws
- increased wear.
1 place. Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE003
High-speed summer tires with exciting handling. Designed for middle-class cars with a sporty character (for example, Golf GTI, Subaru BRZ, Toyota GT86, etc.). Main competitor– ContiSportContact 6 from Continental. They replaced the RE002 model. Compared to its predecessor, there have been 3 main changes:
1. The tread design has been improved.
The pattern is asymmetrical, with an unusual structure. The changes affected the location of the 3 main grooves and the structure of the blocks. Thanks to this, the shape of the contact patch was optimized.
2. The silica content in the rubber mixture has increased.
The manufacturer has increased the silica-based inner layer. Distributed silicon more evenly in the bus structure. This led to improved performance.
3. The tire design has been improved.
A new half-groove with a zigzag shape has been added to the 3 grooves. Together they are responsible for increased tread rigidity and increased vehicle stability on the road. The center track has become wider, which contributes to more precise handling on dry roads.
Advantages
- Excellent grip on dry and wet roads.
- Precise and exciting handling.
- High directional stability.
- Sidewall strength.
- Actively resist hydroplaning.
- Increased wear resistance.
Flaws
- hard on roads of average and poor quality;
- high price.
About the difficulties of choosing tires
When choosing a new set of tires for the summer season, you need to focus on the characteristics of their operation (city or countryside, climatic conditions, etc.) and your personal preferences. Some tires are more comfortable and soft, others have sharp handling and a sporty character, while others specialize in safe driving in wet weather.
It is impossible to find tires with perfectly balanced performance characteristics. That is why you have to search and choose the most suitable model from several options, arriving at a compromise solution.
The summer season is approaching and it’s time for motorists to think about buying summer tires. What new products is the market ready to offer us today? Or maybe go the proven route and buy a familiar model that you are used to and are confident in its quality, wear resistance, practicality and other properties?
Most manufacturers notify the market in advance about the appearance of new products, some other models, etc. In general, it is worth noting that purchasers the latest models The number of tires fresh off the assembly line increases every year. But, keep in mind that we are talking rather about those models that continue the line from branded manufacturers. There are several reasons for this:
New items, as a rule, are initially offered at an attractive price range.
The quality of such products is almost 100% likely to be excellent.
What to look for when choosing?
Well, of course, the first thing you pay attention to when choosing is the type of tread pattern. There are several options:
1. Non-directional symmetrical. This is a classic, so to speak, this option is perfect for both city and country driving. By the way, such a nuance, a similar class of rubber can be swapped without any problems, the characteristics do not in any way affect the operating conditions, much less the direction of movement.
Symmetrical non-directional pattern - a classic of the genre
It is believed that this is a budget type of tire; they can most often be found on new cars that are “put on” at the factory. Of course, we are talking about the budget class of cars.
2. Symmetrical directional. That is, you understand, unlike the previous version, taking into account the directional patterns, water is removed from the tread much faster and more efficiently. Accordingly, the grip on the road surface is much better, which is why such tires are chosen not only by fans of high-speed driving, but also by car enthusiasts living in regions where it often rains.
By the way, do not forget that correct installation is important for such tires; if the previous type had no difference as such, then this must be taken into account here. It is for this purpose that all manufacturers in mandatory
, are marked with corresponding arrows in the direction of rotation. 3. As you may have already guessed, we will talk about an asymmetrical pattern. It is great for both rainy and dry weather. Moreover, this is a universal protector that can be installed on a sedan, crossover, SUV, coupe and even sport car
. The peculiarity of such tires is that they essentially have two pairs of tread. That is, the outer part is created for good grip on dry asphalt, the inner part, on the contrary, for wet pavement.
The rules for installing such tires are even more serious; here you need to pay attention to the Inside / Outside markings, indicating the inner or outer side.
1. Size, that is, the ratio of outer diameter, height and width. The designation thus looks, for example, 175/55/R13. Accordingly, 175 is the width of the tire, 55 is the height of the profile, it is expressed as a percentage of the width. The value 13 is the so-called landing diameter, in our case, disk will do 13 radius.
By the way, remember that the radius of the wheel does not necessarily have to comply with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Minor deviations are allowed. The only thing in this case is that the impact on the suspension increases, if, for example, you install wheels and tires of larger diameter. The same situation applies to width and height. Wide tires hold the road much better, but when it rains, the effect of aquaplaning increases, in addition, dynamics deteriorate, maneuverability is lost, and fuel consumption increases. That's why best option— follow the stated parameters of the manufacturer.
When it comes to height, there are three types – low profile, high profile and full profile. The third type is intended for SUVs, the first two for cars. We won’t advise which one to choose, but you should understand that the lower the profile, the better the handling, but the impact on the suspension and the units in general is higher, and vice versa.
So: M/130,N/140,P/150,Q/160,R/170,S/180,T/190,U/200,H/210,V/240,W/270,Y/300.
The higher the speed index, the more effective braking and control.
3. Load index, important indicator, indicating how much weight the tire is ready to withstand, taking into account maximum speed and load (kg) of the car.
So, the combination of index and load:
70/335, 75/387, 80/450, 85/515, 90/600, 95/690, 100/800, 105/925, 110/1060, 115/1215, 120/1400.
4. The shape of the rubber frame. First of all, remember that there are two classic types: radial and diagonal.
The latter are no longer found anywhere, but the former are the most common. As many thought, the letter R in this context is not a radius, but a designation radial tires. They are suitable for any car, depending on size, etc. Both types of rubber can have enhanced characteristics, this is designated C or LT. Suitable for minivans, SUVs, minibuses, that is, those cars that carry increased loads.
What brands are represented in Russia?
The variety in the domestic rubber market is quite wide; a lot of foreign manufacturers are represented here, including products from China. And this is in addition to Russian tires from such manufacturers as Cordiant, Kama, Amtel. The list of foreign brands includes models from Continental, Michelin, Nokian, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Pirelli and others. These manufacturers, despite high cost Their products are popular all over the world, including in Russia, because they offer high-quality products, confirmed by many years of experience in owning drivers. From the data of sales sites, ratings of the world's leading auto agencies, you can create a comparative rating of models and manufacturers for the current season - summer 2018. Both new products of the current season and models of past years will be presented here. In general, we will divide the rating into several groups:
1. Budget models.
1. TRIANGLE tires TR652 from a Chinese manufacturer, inferior in quality and technical indicators more expensive models, but as an alternative, for low price will fit:
R14 from RUB 2,296
- R15 from RUB 3,766.
- R16 from RUB 3,502.
2. Domestic models KAMA Euro. They differ extremely favorable price, however, the quality, judging by the reviews, is inferior even to Chinese models.
R14 from RUB 1,943
- R15 from 2,150 rub.
- R16 from RUB 2,649.
3. CORDIANT is also from the domestic line, the most popular is the Road Runner model, the tires are distinguished by high-quality off-road performance, and overall handling is “C” grade.
Price:
R14 from RUB 1,939
- R15 from 2,190 rub.
- R16 from 2,740 rub.
In addition to the listed manufacturers, in the budget segment you can find tires from the following brands: Federal, Nexen, Tigar, Amtel, Tunga, Ambassador...
2. Middle class.
1. BFGoodrich G-GRIP - American tires that are produced under the “wing” of the famous Michelin brand, but with a more reasonable price:
R14 from RUB 2,870
- R15 from RUB 3,199.
- R16 from RUB 3,769.
- R17 from 4,920 rub.
2. Matador MP-47 Hectorra 3 is a Slovak company that is subordinate to the German tire manufacturing giant, Continental.
Judging by the reviews, the quality is decent, attracting, first of all, the affordable price:
R15 from RUB 3,389
- R16 from 3,047 rub.
- R17 from 5,400 rub.
- R18 from 7,651 rub.
3. Nokian Nordman SZ - tires from 2016, are characterized by high wear resistance, good grip on any surface, even dirt, where the car feels decent.
Price:
R16 from 3,540 rub.
- R17 from 4,826 rub.
- R18 from 6,050 rub.
In the middle class there are many other brands, such as: Kormoran, Nexen, Kumho, Cooper, Tigar, Sava...
3. Premium segment
1. Continental ContiPremiumContact 6, the model is not new, has been known on the market for several years, and has managed to successfully establish itself.
In terms of cost, it does not rank highest:
R15 from RUB 4,604
- R16 from 4,771 rub.
- R17 from 6,252 rub.
- R18 from 7,570 rub.
2. MICHELIN Energy XM2 appeared back in 2012, and opened new line"Energy".
This model successfully demonstrated its capabilities in the rain, with an extremely low probability of hydroplaning. Price:
R13 from 2,240 rub.
- R14 from 2,700 rub.
- R15 from 3,360 rub.
- R16 from 3,850 rub.
3. Bridgestone Turanza T001 - another representative of the premium segment
It features high technical characteristics, wear resistance, good level grip on any surface. And most importantly, the price is attractive:
R14 from 2,800 rub.
- R15 from 3,300 rub.
- R16 from 4,065 rub.
- R17 from 6,100 rub.
- R18 from 7,800 rub.
4. MICHELIN Primacy 4 - new for 2018, characterized by excellent grip properties on wet and dry surfaces.
The model is offered at the price:
R16 from 4,300 rub.
- R17 from 5,980 rub.
- R18 from 6,570 rub.
Besides this list, pay attention to these models - Pirelli Cinturato P7, Nokian Hakka, Bridgestone Ecopia EP300, Bridgestone Alenza 001, Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance. In general, the price range for them is the same, from 4,000 rubles. The popularity of a particular brand is determined most likely by the premium quality of the brand and reviews from car enthusiasts.
A small classification of tires by country. Keep in mind that a huge part of the brands have facilities in China and Taiwan, so you should not think that the quality will be appropriate. Quality certificates comply with European, Japanese and American standards. So:
1. Europe – Continental, Michelin, Pirelli, Marangoni, Insa turbo, Gisloved, Nokian, Barum,
2. USA - Goodyear, Cooper.
3. Japan - Bridgestone, Yokohama, Toyo.
4. Korea – Hankook, Kumho, Nexen.
5. China – Triangle, Linglong, Sunny, Firenza.
6. Taiwan - Federal, Maxxis.
6. Russia – Viatti, Kama, Cordiant, Amtel.
Concerning Russian manufacturers, then all capacities are located on the territory of our country. Manufacturers from the USA, Japan, Europe, in addition to their own countries, place production “branches” in different parts of the world, including in Russia. Particularly noteworthy is the role of China; production from the world's leading brands is established here, while the quality does not suffer in any way, which is confirmed by expert opinions and reviews.
What can not be said about such true Chinese models tires like Sunny SWP11, Rotallia Radial F108 and others, according to experts, cope much worse with hydroplaning and practically do not hold the road on wet surfaces. They are distinguished by a long braking distance, regardless of the condition of the road. Therefore, when buying such tires, the car owner takes a serious risk; even the low cost cannot overshadow all the shortcomings.
In conclusion, I will give some tips on choosing tires:
1. Before purchasing, make sure you have the correct size so that the parameters match the factory ones. Or, if you decide to take rubber that is the same size as the standard ones, make sure that it fits confidently into the arch and does not touch anything anywhere.
2. It is much easier to choose a product when you have planned a budget for its purchase.
3. New tires are always better than used ones, even if they are from a famous brand. After all, it is unknown what hidden “sores” may pop up after purchase.
Rubber is usually used as the main component of tire rubber; soot, starch, silicates, etc. are also added. All of these substances can increase the grip properties of tires, improve contact with wet road surfaces, or reduce rolling resistance. Most often, manufacturers indicate the main characteristics of their products, so try to immediately pay attention to them. Summer tires have one distinguishing characteristic, which affects not only the quality of their grip on the road, resistance to wear, but also the price, as well as for which car they are more suitable - this is the tread pattern.
What pattern the protruding parts of the tread have, the depth of the gaps between them, their area in the contact patch - this increasingly shapes the performance properties of the product. Depending on the type and shape, the following protectors are distinguished:
Advice. According to European standards The tread height of passenger cars must be at least 1.6 mm. To check if it's time to change the tires on your car, insert a 10-kopeck coin into the groove. If it sticks out strongly enough, it’s time to “change the shoes” of the car.
Regardless of the tread pattern, tires have grooves of varying depths. The larger it is, the calmer a motorist can feel on the road in rainy weather. The majority of summer tire models have a special Aqua/Rain marking, which indicates that they can significantly reduce aquaplaning. V-pattern tires are designed exclusively for driving in dry weather.
Criteria for optimal selection of summer tires
First, let's figure out why they change winter tires to summer tires when it gets warmer and is it worth doing it at all? The answer is clear - it’s worth it. The fact is that winter tires are made of rubber compounds that differ significantly in composition from those for summer tires. In addition, winter tires are softer, and summer tires are harder, respectively.
At low temperatures, the latter will certainly harden, which will make their use on the road dangerous (since they will not be able to provide sufficient adhesion to the road surface). Accordingly, winter tires will not be able to maintain their performance properties in the summer.
There are also so-called “off-season” devices, which supposedly can function equally well at any time of the year. But the question is: are they really that good? After all, versatility does not always mean the best. In practice, it has been verified that such tires can be used, but they are inferior in their characteristics to both summer and winter counterparts.
In order to choose the best tires for your car, take into account several important points:
- Rubber composition. Depending on the rubber composition, tires are wear-resistant, but with worse grip, and tenacious, but wear out faster. And here it’s up to you to decide what’s more important: mileage, road stability or fuel economy.
- Tread pattern. Since we have already discussed this point in detail, we will only say that the choice of tread largely depends on the driving style and weather conditions of your region.
- Standard size. A properly selected standard size is extremely important, as this will help minimize the possibility of vehicle breakdowns.
- Manufacturers. If you prefer global brands, then focus on tests from authoritative publications and security institutes. If your choice is budget categories, then the network has a large number of articles (including this one) and forums with reviews from car enthusiasts.
Advice. If your thermometer shows +7 degrees, this means it's time to take the summer tires out of the garage.
Top 4 best summer tires according to motorist reviews
We bring to your attention the top five according to car enthusiasts in 2016.
Michelin Primacy 3- representative of top-class tires. They have an asymmetrical tread designed to provide safe driving in any weather and in any condition road surface. These are very grippy tires with good braking performance.
The rubber compound used in the tires is a proprietary compound that guarantees excellent wear resistance and low rolling resistance. Are in demand among owners of medium and high class. The tires received the highest mark from ADAC auto club experts when testing 205/55 R16 tires.
Winner of several independent tests.
- makes the car perfectly controllable on both dry and wet road surfaces;
- It has low coefficient rolling resistance;
- makes the ride extremely comfortable.
This model can significantly reduce the braking distance of the car and reduce the effect of aquaplaning. The tires are perfectly balanced for middle class cars.
Nokian Hakka Green- ideal for cold regions where summer temperature air fluctuates from +15 to +25 degrees. Although high temperatures do not reduce its tenacity at all. It copes well with aquaplaning and is not afraid of temperature changes and wet asphalt.
Matador MP 16 Stella 2- tires with an asymmetric tread pattern. Representative of the budget category. Water drainage is carried out at a fairly decent level, guaranteeing a fairly comfortable and silent ride. These are durable, soft and quiet tires.
In conclusion, we can add that tires are an important component of the car. The safety of your ride will depend on the quality of the chosen model in the future, and this is worth a lot. We wish you a pleasant shopping experience.
Tires for summer: video
Buying summer tires for your car can be compared to buying shoes for yourself. And car owners approach this process very responsibly. First of all, this is due to the rules for proper and safe operation of the car. Using winter tires in summer is unwise and impractical. But what tires to choose for the summer, what should you pay attention to, what parameters are more important? In order not to make a mistake, it is best to pay attention to the characteristics and take into account your driving style, so we will look in more detail in the article.
With the onset of spring, the question of choosing winter tires is no longer relevant. However, some people are not particularly worried about this, and at the end of the winter season they continue to drive on winter tires.
Forgetting that a soft winter tire high temperature loses its important characteristics, and wears out faster. Using them in the summer season, you are 2 times best case scenario, you reduce their resource.
Installation summer tires- let the road be comfortable!
Is it time to change your tires to summer ones? Come and we will help you choose the right tires, taking into account the characteristics and style of your driving, and we will select tires with optimal parameters.
What is the difference between summer tires and winter tires:
- Tire composition. Summer is harder. And as already noted, winter tires will wear out much faster.
- Tread pattern. It is different for a reason, and it is applied not for beauty, but to ensure high-quality grip on the road.
Let us remind you that delaying the re-shoeing of one’s iron horse and use winter tires in summer, it is fraught with loss of studs and their rapid wear.
Choosing the right tires for the summer. What you should pay attention to, read on.
There is nothing complicated in choosing summer tires for a car; the main thing is to follow the recommendations of the car manufacturer and focus on the following parameters:
- Standard size;
- Tread pattern;
- Speed and load indices;
- Tire design.
Before deciding which tires to choose for the summer, you need to understand the sizes.
This is the ratio of the width, height, and outer diameter of the tire. Each tire has its own marking, for example 185/65 R14. These parameters are applied to the sidewall of the tire, where the tire width is 185 mm, the profile height is 65%, and the outer diameter is 14 inches.
Incorrectly selected tire outer diameter dimensions will not allow you to install it on your car.
There are 3 types of profile:
- Low profile (up to 55%);
- High profile (60-75%);
- Full profile (more than 80%).
The advantage of low profile is that they give the car owner excellent handling and excellent driving performance. However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that driving on poor-quality roads on such tires will greatly affect the suspension of your car. If your iron friend has a stiff suspension, then with a low profile the rigidity will be even more pronounced.
High profile and full profile tires more suitable for off-road use and driving on bad roads. They perfectly absorb all the potholes in the road and also improve the performance characteristics of the car's suspension.
The wider the tire, the larger the contact patch with the road. As a result, grip improves and the car behaves more predictably, with sharper handling. Minuses the fact is that controllability, maneuverability deteriorate and fuel consumption increases. On a wet road, the risk of hydroplaning increases. Wide tires typical for heavy premium cars.
Due to the incorrectly selected summer tire width, the front wheels may catch on the wheel arches when cornering.
When choosing tires for the summer according to their profile, remember that the lower the profile, the better you will feel all the unevenness of the road and the higher the risk of damaging the disc on potholes, but at the same time you will get better handling. Therefore, here you need to choose a compromise, and not sacrifice comfort for the sake of speed.
The projector can be:
- Symmetrical non-directional;
- Asymmetric.
- This is a classic, common version of the rubber tread. A car with such tires can be driven both outside the city and on the highway. This pattern is most often found on tires in the budget price category.
Summer tires with a symmetrical non-directional pattern have the following pros:
- controllability,
- wear resistance,
- comfort,
- resistance to aquaplaning.
Wheels on such tires can be moved from one side to the other.
Tires with a symmetrical non-directional pattern are an excellent choice for car owners who do not yet know which summer tires to choose for leisurely and moderate driving.
– an excellent choice for use in rainy weather. Has excellent vehicle stabilization on wet roads and high performance drainage
The symmetrical directional pattern allows water to be drained instantly and efficiently, thereby achieving better performance resistance to aquaplaning. Will appeal to those who love speed.
Minuses:
- These tires cannot be supplied with rear axle to the front, and vice versa.
- You can't take these as a spare tire.
They should be installed strictly in the direction of the arrow on the sidewall of the rubber.
– universal, which combines the advantages of the previous two, excellent for use in both wet and dry weather.
This tire has 3 zones– internal, middle and external. The middle tread is designed to shed water, while the inner and outer treads are designed to increase responsive handling and increase grip for cornering.
Pros:
- High controllability indicators, unlike the previous ones;
- Tires are allowed to be swapped.
When deciding which projector pattern to choose summer tires with, focus on weather in your region.
Speed and load parameters
It has letter designation. It reflects what maximum speed you can drive with such tires.
What tires are best to choose for the summer if you are a fan of quiet and moderate driving. Focus on max. the speed of your car, what's the point of overpaying for something you won't use. For speed enthusiasts, tires marked H and V are perfect.
– this is the maximum weight that can be supported by one wheel of the car.
Tire noise
When choosing summer tires, you need to focus your attention on technical specifications tires and conditions of use of the car.
Driving on city roads and rarely outside the city. Take with a profile up to 65%, both symmetrically directed and with an asymmetrical pattern. By speed indices S or T.
Driving at maximum speeds. Here it is worth paying attention to low profile tires(up to 55%) with symmetrically directed and asymmetrical patterns. H-W speed index.
Off-road operation. High-profile or full-profile (SUVs) with a suitable load index for the weight of the vehicle.
There are dozens of various manufacturers, which produce a wide range of tires for different cars. Which tires to choose for the summer? In our opinion, it is better to give preference famous brands, despite the slightly inflated cost, the tires will serve their entire life flawlessly. Brands we can recommend: Nokian, Bridgestone, Hankook, Michelin, Toyo, Continental.
| Tire name | pros | Minuses |
| Nokian Hakka Green | Affordable price, high wear resistance, low level noise, good handling, reduces fuel consumption, high braking performance | Short service life, “cotton” at high speed |
| Nokian Nordman SX | Low price asymmetrical pattern, good driving performance | High noise level |
| BFGoodrich Grip | Low price, good structural rigidity, excellent directional stability, good maneuverability. | Poor grip properties on wet asphalt, low smoothness |
| Hankook Kinergy Eco | Low price, excellent road grip, good moisture removal due to the three-channel groove | Tooth type protector, noise, poor performance handling on wet surfaces |
| Yokohama Blue Earth | Affordable price, fuel savings up to 10%, low noise, low tire weight | Difficult controllability extreme driving, low level of comfort |
| Michelin Primacy 3 | Asymmetrical pattern, good road grip, comfort, high braking performance, reduce fuel consumption, high wear resistance, excellent value noise and comfort | High price, soft tire sidewall |
| Michelin Energy Saver+ | Excellent wear resistance, low rolling resistance | Noisy, harsh, handling problems on dry surfaces |
| ContiPremiumContact 5 (Continental) | Excellent balancing, high braking performance, elasticity | Soft cord leads to premature wear, only for good roads |
| Bridgestone Turanza T001 | Performs well in wet weather and provides short braking distances | Not suitable for cars with rigid suspension, only high-quality and smooth roads (primer is not suitable) |
| Toyo Proxes T1-R | Excellent road grip, high resistance to aquaplaning, good handling at high speeds | Noisy, quick wear, high price |
About, how to choose tires for the summer, watch the video.
