We are testing summer tires of size 195/65 R15 for relatively inexpensive cars and observing how their characteristics have changed dramatically over the past ten years.
Nowadays, even small and inexpensive cars roll off the assembly line on 15-inch wheels. Many Russians also install “tags” with a higher profile on rather expensive cars - they are preferable on our roads. Tire manufacturers, for whom income depends more on the standard sizes of tires sold than on their quantity, are indifferent to budget dimensions. New products are offered at least in the “seventeen-inch” segment, and small sizes are sluggishly updated, usually slightly reducing rolling resistance.
Nevertheless, there are companies for which the Russian market is very important, and they are literally fighting for leading positions, annually “polishing” their products, trying to get ahead of competitors in adhesion properties on dry and wet surfaces. Therefore, there is always intrigue in our tests.

Selecting a company for the test

It is for this reason that we tested summer tires Nokian Hakka Green 2 (3,350 rubles per piece) of Russian production and Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 (4,000 rubles) of Czech “assembly”. They are by no means new, but their characteristics are improving every year. Purebred “Japanese” Bridgestone Turanza T001 at a price of 4,200 rubles, as befits its status, sets the highest price bar. Another representative of the “top 5” is the far from new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance model (3,400 rubles), released in Poland.

Among the new products are the second generation Korean Hankook Kinergy Eco (3,100 rubles) and Dunlop SP Touring R1 (3,000 rubles). Our popular brand Nordman Green 2 (3350 rubles per piece) of Russian production and Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 (4000 rubles) of Czech “assembly”. They are by no means new, but their characteristics are improving every year. Purebred “Japanese” Bridgestone Turanza T001 at a price of 4,200 rubles, as befits its status, sets the highest price bar. Another representative of the “top 5” is the far from new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance model (3,400 rubles), released in Poland.
The middle price segment opens with the Yokohama BluEarth-A AE-50 (3,250 rubles) - a tire of Russian origin (welded in Lipetsk), which recently replaced the C.drive2 model, which was successful in our market. Japanese Toyo Proxes CF2 tires are offered for the same money.
Among the new products are the second-generation Korean Hankook Kinergy Eco (3,100 rubles) and Dunlop SP Touring R1 (3,000 rubles). Our popular Nordman brand slows down on cold wet asphalt.

To warm up

The first set of exercises is something like a warm-up. Tires do not experience significant loads, their treads hardly wear out.
To warm up each set of tires, a ten-kilometer drive along the high-speed ring of an automobile testing ground at a constant speed of 130 km/h is sufficient. This run is more than enough for experts to evaluate the car’s behavior at high speed both on a straight line and during soft lane changes that simulate avoiding obstacles and overtaking.
After running in, you can begin measuring efficiency. We close the windows tightly to optimize aerodynamics, and we move strictly in a straight line, since any maneuvering causes additional resistance. We perform three or four test runs on each set of tires, each consisting of two measurements in opposite directions. In this way, we neutralize the influence of the slightest breeze, although we carry out such tests only in calm weather.
At the same time, we “record” the first sensations: we evaluate the smoothness of the ride, the noise level and other nuances. And then on service roads with cracks and potholes, in conditions as close as possible to real domestic ones, we check the pre-set ratings for comfort.
The final chord of a difficult race is an assessment of the test subjects’ ability to move on an unpaved road. The test is carried out on a dry dirt slope with a slope of 12%. We set off with and without slipping, assessing the confidence of the start and movement, as well as how sharply the wheels slip and whether the clutch noticeably drops at the same time. We perform this exercise solely at the request of our readers; These results are not taken into account in the overall standings, since the tires are road tires and are designed mainly for hard surfaces.
Having completed a series of combined races and recalculated the final results using reference tires, which we install after three or four sets of test ones, we draw a brief summary.

First impressions behind the wheel

The leaders in directional stability are Formula, Nokian and Nordman. On all these tires, Skoda clearly holds the given direction and reacts to steering turns without noticeable delays. At the same time, it is filled with reactive force, which increases with increasing angle of rotation, and provides clear feedback.
Bridgestone, Dunlop, Nitto and Toyo look paler than the others.
They have an incomprehensible wide “zero” when moving in a straight line. At the same time, on Dunlop, the Skoda experiences delays in reactions and pronounced understeer. The rest of the trio suffer from oversteer, which can, under unfortunate circumstances, cause the car to skid.
In the fuel economy tests at city speed (60 km/h), Touo took the lead. Formula consumes the most. However, the difference with the leader was only 0.3 l/100 km.
At 90 km/h, Touo holds the lead, but is joined by Dunlop, Goodyear, Nitto and Yokohama. Nokian has the highest appetite, but the difference with the most economical rivals is rather conditional - a two-hundred-gram glass of gasoline per 100 km.
The quietest tires are Continental, Dunlop, Hankook, Nordman and Yokohama - you can hardly hear them in the car.
And the loudest of the whole company turned out to be Bridgestone, standing out from the others with its increased general roar.
In terms of “road” comfort and smoothness, Dunlop, Formula, Nokian and Nordman are ahead of the rest. However, each of the leaders has minor criticisms, and therefore their score is not “norm” (8 points), but 7.5 points. The toughest is Goodyear: it “swallows” only large irregularities, and on small things, for example, on transverse seams and cracks, it itches and shudders, transmitting vibrations to the body.
On dirt roads, Dunlop and Nordman are more reliable than the rest, while Goodyear, Nitto and Yokohama are lagging behind. They suddenly slip into slippage, significantly losing traction. To overcome unpaved ascents on such tires, the driver will need skill and fine work with gas and clutch.

Braking distance of summer tires in ten years

The most revealing exercise for assessing the grip properties of tires is braking: the shorter the braking distance, the better the grip. On different surfaces, rubber does not work the same when braking, so it is not so easy to ensure good grip on both smooth and rough asphalt. Many tire manufacturers focus mainly on European surfaces - we test tires on rougher surfaces, like most Russian roads.
The “international” speed for starting braking on a wet surface is 80 km/h, on a dry surface – 100 km/h. But the speed at which the measurement ends is different for tire companies - 5 km/h, 7 km/h, sometimes even 10 km/h. The goal is to eliminate short-term wheel locking, which even modern ABS allows at low speeds. We use the 5 km/h “point”. Before taking measurements, we carefully clean the braking lane, removing dust and small stones from the asphalt. “Cleaning up” is carried out by braking ten times - naturally, on non-qualifying tires.
One of our inventions is a self-contained watering system that we use for “wet” exercises. It consists of rotating garden sprinklers, connecting hoses, a motor pump and a 500-liter water tank in a trailer pulled by a Chevrolet Niva.
When measuring braking distances, the tester is required to hit the pedal in the same place, have the same speed at the point where braking begins, and cool the brakes after each measurement. The braking distance is recorded with centimeter accuracy by the VBOX measuring system, which operates on the basis of GPS.
On average, six measurements for each set give a completely reliable result. In addition to improving rolling resistance, tire manufacturers try every year to improve grip on wet surfaces at least a little.
Our measurements show that Nokian tires have the shortest braking distance: 24.4 meters. Very close is Continental with a result of 24.8 meters. The longest braking distance, 28 meters, was obtained on Nitto. Bridgestone performed slightly better - 27.8 meters. In our tests ten years ago on the same surface, the best braking distance on tires of the same size was 28.3 meters, and the worst was more than 34 meters. Progress!
In the dry races, the champion has changed - it is Continental: 37.6 meters, followed by Nokian (38.5 m), Formula (38.7 m) and Hankook (38.8 m), losing about a meter. Nitto completes the list with a score of 42 meters and Bridgestone with 41 meters. Ten years ago, the dry braking record was 43.8 meters; outsiders needed more than 50 meters to stop!
Both on wet and dry surfaces, over ten years the grip has been improved by “on average” by 15% - you almost gain the body of the car! It is clear that cars that have changed during this time make their contribution, but the lion's share of progress is ensured by tires.

ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF BRAKING DISTANCE IN THE TEST ON COLD WET ASPHALT

Sudden changes of cars in traffic are a fairly common phenomenon on our roads. That’s why we long ago included in our test set a rearrangement that simulates such a maneuver. This exercise provides an opportunity to evaluate the lateral grip properties of tires and how they affect the vehicle's performance.
The tester begins the races at a known passing speed, each time raising it by 1-2 km/h, until the car begins to “cut” cones, falling out of the designated corridor. VBOX records the speed at the moment the maneuver begins, and the behavior of the car and how easy it is to control it is assessed by the tester, assigning points based on the comments formulated. The maximum speed must be confirmed in subsequent races to exclude an accidental result.
On wet surfaces, the record is set by Nokian - 67.8 km/h, followed by Formula - 67.7 km/h. At the tail end of the group are Nitto and Bridgestone, their results are 63.5 and 63.6 km/h respectively. At Nitto speed, the Skoda is stubborn, refusing to perform a tough maneuver - straightening the trajectory. Bridgestone introduces instability into the Octavia's reactions: at first it is in no hurry to accept the first turn of the steering wheel, sliding almost straight along the first lane, and if the car can be forced to turn into the next lane, when stabilizing, it shoots with its tail, knocking down all the cones on both sides. That's why this pair has the lowest ratings for handling.
Dunlop was rated just as low (6.5 points) - due to delays in reactions, increased steering angles and sudden slips. Goodyear earns the highest score - testers noted clear reactions and understandable behavior of the car, which does not require proactive steering actions.
A similar test on dry asphalt generated a lot of emotions. Firstly, the maximum speed for performing this maneuver has increased significantly in recent years. The test leaders Continental (70.5 km/h) and Nordman (70.4 km/h) are incredibly fast in this extreme exercise, with speeds exceeding 70 km/h.
But ten years ago, 67-68 km/h in such conditions seemed like the ultimate achievement.
Secondly, we were disappointed by the low ratings for handling in extreme conditions. Six participants received serious comments.

Excellent and good students of 2018

Nokian Hakka Green 2 tires took first place with a score of 919 points. The Skoda wearing them impresses with outstanding grip on wet asphalt, and on long trips it will delight you with good directional stability and decent ride smoothness.
Just 3 points behind the leader, the Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 takes second place on the podium. Features include impressive dry grip and impressively quiet rolling.
Formula Energy tires (Pirelli sub-brand) took an honorable third place, scoring 912 points. The adhesion properties are not the best, but quite high. Like the Nokian, these tires are suitable for long trips, where precise course tracking and decent ride comfort are important. But the most pleasant bonus is the modest price.
We are forced to admit that even in the sun there are spots out of eleven. The complaints are similar: delays and large steering angles or low information content. Moreover, these comments do not depend on the handling balance - be it understeer with front end drift (Yokohama), unstable, wide balance with drift in the initial phase and skid in the final phase (Bridgestone, Formula, Nitto) or oversteer leading to a sharp skid in the second corridor (Continental, Nokian).

And the best ratings were received by Goodyear, Hankook and Nordman - 7.5 points each, which means “light complaints”. Nobody received eight points. We believe that creating an elastic frame capable of withstanding significant peak lateral loads for high-profile (65%) and at the same time fairly narrow tires is not an easy task. And it is especially difficult when developing tires with super-high grip properties. Experts found similar flaws in the leading three's behavior during extreme maneuvering on dry asphalt after reaching maximum speeds. In addition, a significant decrease in grip on cold wet asphalt is alarming.
In fourth and fifth positions, remaining in the “excellent” category, are Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 and Nordman SX2, which scored 906 and 904 points, respectively. Quiet, well balanced, without pronounced surges or dips. The Nordman has slightly better directional stability and smoothness, while the Hankook boasts a little more tenacity when braking on dry surfaces.
In general, their grip properties are close to average.
At the same time, both participants are indifferent to cold wet asphalt - in spring and autumn this is an absolute plus.
In sixth place in our rating is Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance (895 points), which opens a group of very good tires. The asset is the best handling on wet asphalt during extreme maneuvers, the liability is excessive rigidity, and grip on wet is below average and noticeably deteriorates in the cold.
The seventh and eighth lines of the table of ranks were occupied by Yokohama BluEarth-A AE-50 and Dunlop SP Touring R1 with a minimal gap - 890 and 889 points, respectively. Similar in terms of grip and comfort - both are quiet. Dunlop is perhaps a little softer; the difference can only be felt during extreme maneuvering. There are complaints against Yokohama regarding handling during sudden lane changes on dry surfaces, and against Dunlop on wet surfaces, and even their directional stability is let down. However, Dunlop has the best braking performance on cold wet asphalt, and the price is more modest.
Ninth place with 879 points was taken by Toyo Proxes CF2 tires. They have decent braking properties, but they are disappointed by their rather weak lateral grip on wet asphalt and difficult directional stability at high speeds. Toyota compensates for these shortcomings with its ability to save at least a little fuel (these tires “roll” better than anyone else) and with very good braking properties on wet, cold asphalt.

Our list is completed by those who fit into the category of good performers (more than 840 total points) the famous Bridgestone Turanza T001 with 850 points and the little-known Nitto NT860, which was able to scrape together 844 points. This pair has in common the weakest braking properties on wet and dry asphalt and experts’ complaints about handling and directional stability. The only difference can be identified in comfort: Bridgestone is a little softer, Nitto is a little quieter. The bridge also demonstrates the most stable grip on wet roads, which is almost independent of temperature.
But in the ranking of best buys the situation is different. The most tempting purchase is the Formula Energy, followed by the Nitto NT860, Nordman SX2, Dunlop SP Touring R1 and Hankook Kinergy Eco 2. The Yokohama BluEarth-A AE-50 is exactly in the middle, and the most expensive Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 and Bridgestone Turanza T001 close the list. Choose!

In addition to improving rolling resistance, tire manufacturers try every year to improve grip on wet surfaces at least a little

TURNING UP UP

Impressed by the tires' braking performance on wet pavement in summer conditions and remembering our last year's "temperature tour" on dry asphalt, we decided to repeat the "wet" braking on a cold surface. The temperature chosen for this was borderline: +6 °C. Tire manufacturers consider it critical for switching to winter tires in the fall, and to summer tires in the spring. We did not include the results obtained in the final table, since manufacturers “sharpen” tires for operation at high temperatures above zero.
The results left us in a state of shock. At extremely low temperatures, the braking distance of all subjects increased by an average of three meters, or almost 12%, compared to greenhouse conditions. This is more than half a car body!
In addition, the order of summer braking results has completely collapsed. On cold asphalt, the shortest braking distance was achieved by the Dunlop SP Touring R1, which was modest in summer conditions. Following it are all brands of Japanese and Korean brands, with the exception of Nitto NT860, which shows the weakest result at any temperature. But the most amazing thing is that all three braking leaders in “room” conditions (Nokian Hakka Green 2, Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 and Formula Energy) collapsed into the second half of the list.
It is possible to create a different rating of clutch stability (braking distance) at different temperatures. The title of the most “temperature independent” tire in wet braking is won by Bridgestone Turanza T001 tires: their braking distance when the temperature drops to the maximum permissible compared to “summer” increased by only 4%! In second place are Toyo Praxes CF2 tires, with a little more than 5%. It is noteworthy that this couple did not shine in the summer conditions. The traditional leaders of our summer tests, Nokian Hakka Green 2 and Continental ContiPremiumContact 5, in cold conditions increased their braking distance by almost 20% - by five meters! It turns out that the better the tires brake on wet surfaces in summer conditions, the worse they are in the cold. Outsiders are less dependent on temperature changes.

This can be explained in one word - “balance”. Achieving ultra-high grip in summer conditions is possible only due to its deterioration on cold surfaces - there is a shift towards the preferred temperature. And relatively average indicators across the entire temperature range indicate a more even balance.
But this is only a special case regarding grip on wet surfaces. Tires are also characterized by other indicators - dry grip, rolling resistance, noise, smoothness, durability, mileage - which often do not get along with each other. So manufacturers have to select the optimal balance between all performance characteristics, experimenting with materials, tread patterns and manufacturing technology.
What should the consumer do? Of course, use the results to your maximum benefit! Select summer tires based on the climatic conditions of your region.
And if you have already purchased tires, take into account their features, which you learned about from our test. Change your car's shoes in a timely manner, and when traveling, calculate a safe distance taking into account temperature changes.

Characteristics of the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 summer tire

The Ecopia 850 is the first model in Bridgestone's green tire line, designed for sporty crossovers.

The “green” Bridgestone Ecopia line has an innovative rubber compound composition, with the addition of silicon and a group of polymer compounds. The manufacturer claims that chemical additives can reduce losses due to friction, heating and deformation of the wheel during rolling. Combined with an improved tread pattern, the new rubber provides confident braking on wet and dry surfaces.

The manufacturer indicates the following as the main advantages of its eco-tyre Ecopia 850:

Low level of rolling resistance, providing fuel savings of 3.9%;
- comfortable and quiet driving;
- improved braking on wet surfaces;
- increased wear resistance.

The latest development among eco-tires, Ecopia EP850, is designed to provide drivers of SUVs and crossovers with comfortable and quiet driving. This tire is aimed not only at driver comfort, but also at protecting the environment - reduced tire noise reduces vehicle noise on the road, and reduced rolling resistance reduces both fuel consumption and harmful emissions from the engine.

The tread of the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire is completely road - the pattern is obviously designed for the best grip on the road. There is no need to talk about any outstanding off-road characteristics here: the Ecopia 850 tire is aimed primarily at dynamic driving, and not at off-road driving, especially when pressed.

When compared with the Ecopia 150 and 200 variants, designed for single-wheel drive vehicles, the first thing that stands out is the asymmetry of the tread and the increased frequency of the sipes. It can be assumed that the rubber developers did not count on any single parameter or technological development, but sought to use a synergistic effect that would allow the rubber to perform as well as possible on cars with two drive axles, as well as an increased weight in relation to single-wheel drive cars.

Launching the new eco-friendly tire, Kazuhito Hasegawa, Head of Bridgestone Crossover Tire Development, said: “Working on the ECOPIA EP850 SUV tire was a real challenge for our team. Crossover owners typically expect their large, heavy vehicles to provide not only the ability to handle a variety of road surfaces, but also superior car-like handling, safety and comfort. For us, this meant combining environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency with optimal wet and dry handling, abrasion resistance and, of course, low noise levels. We developed this tire from scratch, carefully selecting materials, checking the smallest nuances of structure and shape, creating the optimal tread design. The result of our hard work is an innovative product - a tire with reduced rolling resistance and extremely quiet operation."

The new environmental tire is distinguished by a rich grid of standard sizes, which allows it to be used both on small city crossovers and large family cars.

Bridgestone Ecopia 850 test on a Daihatsu Terios SUV

The compact SUV Daihatsu Terios and its “twin” Toyota Cami (like the second generation - Daihatsu Terios II or Toyota Rush/Be-Go) were not officially delivered to Russia, so the car is known only in fairly narrow circles.

The Daihatsu Terios is a lightweight SUV with permanent symmetrical all-wheel drive, similar to the Niva 4x4. It’s a stretch to call a sports car, however, it was all the more interesting to check the road properties of the new Bridgestone tires for crossovers - after all, most often we are talking about heavy cars, and they forget about “kids”.

The tire size for the Daihatsu Terios is quite rare - 205 70/R15. However, this size is present in the Ecopia 850 size grid, so we were able to conduct our own interesting test.

The first installation of Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tires on the test Daihatsu Terios was easy. The rubber is molded smoothly and the thickness is the same, so balancing the freshly installed tires was easy.

Usually, new tires do not begin to fully show their properties right away - for about the first three hundred kilometers they need to be run-in. Our tires immediately faced a serious test - the weather threw a surprise in the form of a sharp cold snap. Let us remind you that the time for summer tires in spring comes when average daily the air temperature exceeds +7C (or even better, it is set around +10C). In this case, night temperatures dropped noticeably below +7C - closer to zero degrees.

The Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire turned out to be very sensitive to a decrease in air temperature - the rubber was dull, and the handling and braking characteristics could only be rated as a weak “C”. The situation improved a little with the completion of the run-in, but noticeable sensitivity to low temperatures remained. It can be assumed that the sharp reaction of rubber to a decrease in air temperature is due to the presence of polymers in the composition, which manifest themselves positively only at higher air temperatures.

As a result, we can draw the first conclusion: paired with studded winter tires, the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire is not the most convenient option, since you have to use winter tires longer than you would like.

As expected, the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire shows its main advantages on the road in warm weather. First of all, the tires are very quiet - after “studding” the contrast is especially noticeable. The road grip is very good: the car moves confidently and smoothly, perfectly handling small bumps. The little bouncy car on these tires has become much more “mannered” - soft and smooth, more like sedate city cars.

In conditions of ruts on the road, the behavior of the car also changed: control of the car became more confident, handling improved. The reaction to rutting in general has noticeably decreased (and for a light car with a narrower than standard track, this can be critical in some conditions, for example, in the rain).

So, the second conclusion: When temperatures are right for operating conditions, the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 rubber really improves the small SUV's handling.

But it was not possible to achieve a reduction in fuel consumption for the test Daihatsu Terios: improved driving characteristics provoke high-speed driving. As a result, the average driving speed turned out to be 10-15 km/h higher than usual, so fuel consumption even increased by about 200 ml/100 km.

Third conclusion: the real effect of Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tires on fuel consumption remains questionable - other test conditions are required for the purity of the experiment.

The next test parameter for the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire is braking performance. Here the developers of the environmental tire managed to achieve very good results. It so happened that I had to brake on these tires in an extreme situation on a road with ruts and uneven surfaces, sharply slowing down from 110 to 40 km/h. For a tall, small car that does not only have some ultra-modern braking assistance and stability control systems, but also primitive ABS, such a maneuver is very risky. However, on Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tires, braking was almost perfect. Interestingly, after this experiment, no traces of sudden braking could be found on the tires.

Conclusion four: The Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire brakes excellently.

On wet roads, the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tires also perform excellently - both handling and braking. The difference in behavior between dry and wet asphalt is surprisingly insignificant, although, of course, we cannot forget that a wet road requires increased vigilance.

Fifth conclusion: Warm summer rain, and even downpours, are no problem for a car on the Bridgestone Ecopia 850.

Off-road, the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tires, as expected, are nothing special. These tires can drive on dirt roads, easily pass through shallow sand, and even overcome areas with mud and clay. However, you don’t really need to count on more. On dry or dense sand, the tires, thanks to the even, shallow tread, may even be quite good (the wheels will not dig in). But on clay you can only drive until the first slip. As soon as the wheel skids, dirt sticks to the sipes and the tires turn into “slicks”. So, the car overcame an 800-meter climb up a wet clay slope, but I didn’t risk stopping again - the nature of the wheels’ grip on the road was too borderline. Having stopped, it was already possible not to move.

Conclusion six: Although for SUVs, Bridgestone Ecopia 850 is a completely road tire, designed for comfortable driving on the roads. It is better to conquer off-road conditions on other tires.

It’s too early to talk about the wear resistance of the Ecopia 850 over 3,500 km.

SUMMARY

Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tires are designed for dynamic, comfortable and economical driving of 4x4 vehicles in different axle torque transmission options on paved roads.

In the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire we have a number of technical solutions:

A specially designed asymmetrical tread pattern allows water to be removed from the rubber contact patch with the road surface as quickly as possible and prevents skidding,
- polymer additives to the rubber compound, improving braking performance and increasing tire wear resistance,
- reduced noise level and rolling resistance.

The combination of these technical solutions makes it possible to obtain a synergistic effect of innovation specifically on all-wheel drive versions of 4x4 vehicles.

The wide range of Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tire sizes covers almost the entire range of all-wheel drive crossovers, minivans and SUVs sold and imported into the Russian Federation.

The greatest effect from the use of Bridgestone Ecopia 850 tires can be achieved during long tourist trips on public roads, especially if you go on a trip to European countries.

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On June 4 and 5, Bridgestone conducted a test drive of summer tires on the tracks of the Land Rover Experience international off-road training school. Journalists from leading automotive publications had a unique opportunity to test Ecopia and Dueler summer tires, as well as experience their key features in real off-road conditions.

The test drive of Bridgestone summer tires took place in partnership with the Land Rover Experience school. At the beginning of 2014, Bridgestone and the Representative Office of the international off-road training school Land Rover Experience in Russia signed a cooperation agreement. All Land Rover Experience training vehicles are now fitted with Bridgestone tyres, providing the ultimate driving experience on the most challenging off-road trails.

During the test drive, participants were able to try three Bridgestone summer tires for SUVs and crossovers: Ecopia EP850, Dueler A/T 697 And Dueler H/P Sport. Each model was tested on a separate track, demonstrating key advantages and high cross-country ability.

The main track with concrete slopes, climbs, side slopes and ditches allowed us to test the possibilities Ecopia EP850. Test drive participants were able to get acquainted with the main advantages of the new 2014 product: comfortable and quiet driving, optimal handling on various surfaces. Ecopia's signature highly directional blocks provide effective braking (the EP850 has a 4.1% shorter braking distance than conventional tyres) and control on dry and wet roads, while a combination of short and long grooves reduces noise levels. Increased rigidity of the tread blocks, especially in the longitudinal direction, and an innovative rubber compound provide the Ecopia EP850 with low rolling resistance, which in turn provides fuel savings of 3.9%, as well as reduced CO 2 emissions.

For bus Dueler H/P Sport, specially designed for premium SUVs, the “Dynamic” track was chosen - an unprofiled dirt track 1100 meters long with turns of varying difficulty. The asymmetrical tread pattern and high silica content provide reliable grip on wet roads, stability at high speeds, and unsurpassed comfort. Dueler H/P Sport provides precise vehicle control and stable cornering performance.

In turn, the tire Dueler A/T 697 tested on the Lesnaya highway, a difficult section of a forest track with ups and downs. The unique characteristics of the Dueler A/T 697 allow the driver to drive confidently in off-road conditions. Stiffer blocks and a reinforced sidewall make it possible to evenly distribute the load in the contact patch and, thereby, increase the grip and mileage of the tire. The redesigned tread pattern collectively reduces noise and vibration, ensuring comfortable and quiet driving.

“We are proud to strategically partner with the international off-road training school Land Rover Experience. By organizing joint test drives, we provide everyone with the opportunity to learn more about safe driving techniques and the key role of tires in this matter, providing the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge. For us, as for Land Rover Experience, safety is always a top priority,” comments Mr. Kuroki Minoru, General Director of Bridgestone CIS LLC.

A test drive of Bridgestone summer tires took place on Land Rover Defender and Land Rover Discovery, and Land Rover Range Rover.

As the main advantages of your ecotire Ecopia EP850 the manufacturer indicates the following:

low level of rolling resistance, providing fuel savings of 3.9%;
comfortable and quiet driving;
improved braking on wet surfaces;
increased wear resistance.

The tread of the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire is completely road - the pattern is obviously designed for the best grip on the road. There is no need to talk about any outstanding off-road characteristics here: the Ecopia EP850 tire is aimed primarily at dynamic driving, and not at off-road driving, especially when pressed.

When compared with the and options intended for single-wheel drive vehicles, the first thing that catches your eye is the asymmetry of the tread and the increased frequency of the sipes. It can be assumed that the rubber developers did not count on any single parameter or technological development, but sought to use a synergistic effect that would allow the rubber to perform as well as possible on cars with two drive axles, as well as an increased weight in relation to single-wheel drive cars.

Launching the new eco-friendly tire, Kazuhito Hasegawa, Head of Bridgestone Crossover Tire Development, said: “Working on the Ecopia EP850 SUV tire was a real challenge for our team. Crossover owners typically expect their large, heavy vehicles to provide not only the ability to handle a variety of road surfaces, but also superior car-like handling, safety and comfort. For us, this meant combining environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency with optimal wet and dry handling, abrasion resistance and, of course, low noise levels. We developed this tire from scratch, carefully selecting materials, checking the smallest nuances of structure and shape, creating the optimal tread design. The result of our hard work is an innovative product – a tire with reduced rolling resistance and extremely quiet operation.”

The new environmental tire is distinguished by a rich grid of standard sizes, which allows it to be used both on small city crossovers and large family cars.

Test Drive

The compact SUV Daihatsu Terios and its “twin” Toyota Cami (like the second generation – Daihatsu Terios II or Toyota Rush/Be-Go) were not officially delivered to Russia, so the car is known only in fairly narrow circles.

The Daihatsu Terios is a lightweight SUV with permanent symmetrical all-wheel drive, similar to the Niva 4x4. It’s only a stretch to call a sports car, however, it was all the more interesting to check the road properties of the new Bridgestone tires for crossovers - after all, most often we are talking about heavy cars, and they forget about “kids”.

The tire size for the Daihatsu Terios is quite rare - 205 70/R15. However, this size is present in the Ecopia EP850 size grid, so we were able to conduct our own interesting test.

The first installation of Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tires on the test Daihatsu Terios was easy. The rubber is molded smoothly and the thickness is the same, so balancing the freshly installed tires was easy.

Usually, new tires do not begin to fully show their properties immediately - they need to be run-in for about the first three hundred kilometers. Our tires immediately faced a serious test - the weather threw a surprise in the form of a sharp cold snap. Let us remind you that the time for summer tires in spring comes when the average daily air temperature exceeds +7C (or even better, it is set around +10C). In this case, night temperatures dropped noticeably below +7C – closer to zero degrees.

The Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire turned out to be very sensitive to a decrease in air temperature - the rubber was dull, and the handling and braking characteristics could only be rated as a weak “C”. The situation improved a little with the completion of the run-in, but noticeable sensitivity to low temperatures remained. It can be assumed that the sharp reaction of rubber to a decrease in air temperature is due to the presence of polymers in the composition, which manifest themselves positively only at higher air temperatures.

As a result, we can draw the first conclusion: When paired with studded winter tires, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire is not the most convenient option, since you have to use winter tires longer than you would like.

As expected, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire shows its main advantages on the road in warm weather. First of all, the tires are very quiet - after “studding” the contrast is especially noticeable. The road grip is very good: the car moves confidently and smoothly, perfectly handling small bumps. The little bouncy car on these tires has become much more “mannered” - soft and smooth, more like sedate city cars.

So, the second conclusion: When the temperature is right for operating conditions, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 rubber really improves the handling of the small SUV.

Third conclusion: the real effect of Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tires on fuel consumption remains in question - other test conditions are required for the purity of the experiment.

The next test parameter for the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire is braking performance. Here the developers of the environmental tire managed to achieve very good results. It so happened that I had to brake on these tires in an extreme situation on a road with ruts and uneven surfaces, sharply slowing down from 110 to 40 km/h. For a tall, small car that does not not only have some ultra-modern braking assistance and stability control systems, but also primitive ABS, such a maneuver is very risky. However, on the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tires, braking was almost perfect. Interestingly, after this experiment, no traces of sudden braking could be found on the tires.

Conclusion four: The Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire brakes excellently.

On wet roads, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tires also perform well – both in handling and braking. The difference in behavior between dry and wet asphalt is surprisingly insignificant, although, of course, we cannot forget that a wet road requires increased vigilance.

Fifth conclusion: Warm summer rain, and even downpours, are no problem for a car on the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850.

Off-road, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tires, as expected, are nothing special. These tires can drive on dirt roads, easily pass through shallow sand, and even overcome areas with mud and clay. However, you don’t really need to count on more. On dry or dense sand, the tires, thanks to the even, shallow tread, may even be quite good (the wheels will not dig in). But on clay you can only drive until the first slip. As soon as the wheel skids, dirt sticks to the sipes and the tires turn into “slicks”. So, the car overcame an 800-meter climb up a wet clay slope, but I didn’t risk stopping again - the nature of the wheels’ grip on the road was too borderline. Having stopped, it was already possible not to move.

Conclusion six: Although for SUVs, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 is a completely road tire, designed for comfortable driving on the roads. It is better to conquer off-road conditions on other tires.

It’s too early to talk about the wear resistance of the Ecopia EP850 over 3,500 km.

SUMMARY

Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tires are designed for dynamic, comfortable and economical driving of 4x4 vehicles in different axle transmission options on paved roads.

In the Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire we have a number of technical solutions:

a specially designed asymmetrical tread pattern that allows water to be removed from the contact patch between the rubber and the road surface as quickly as possible and prevents skidding,
polymer additives to the rubber compound that improve braking performance and increase tire wear resistance,
reduced noise level and rolling resistance.

The combination of these technical solutions makes it possible to obtain a synergistic effect of innovation specifically on all-wheel drive versions of 4x4 vehicles.

The wide range of Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tire sizes covers almost the entire range of all-wheel drive crossovers, minivans and SUVs sold and imported into the Russian Federation.

The greatest effect from the use of Bridgestone Ecopia EP850 tires can be achieved during long tourist trips on public roads, especially if you go on a trip to European countries.

The Ecopia brand comes from the words Ecology and Utopia - the result is a kind of environmental perfectionism. The previously unheard-of desire for efficiency is driven by modern European regulations: emissions can be reduced mainly by reducing fuel consumption. I am sure that few readers have seriously looked for economical tires - the ratio of grip properties and price usually comes first. But the characteristics that Japanese tire makers promise are very interesting: the Ecopia passenger line that appeared this year (EP150, EP200 and EP850) allows to reduce fuel consumption compared to B250 tires by 7.1%, 12.3% and 3.9%, respectively. ! It’s hard to believe such numbers, but if they are close to the truth, then this is a serious breakthrough in the tire industry.

A/T 697 - the most off-road New tires in the range

At the Land Rover Experience off-road test site, I was able to do a mini-test of another line of tires designed specifically for SUVs: Dueler H/P Sport, Ecopia EP850 and Dueler A/T 697. From recently, all vehicles of the training center will be equipped with these tires. First in line are the Ecopia EP850, which boast comfortable and quiet driving, good braking on wet surfaces and Bridgestone's traditional high sidewall strength. Due to the rolling resistance reduced by 15.7%, this tire promises a 3.9% reduction in fuel consumption compared to the Dueler H/L 683. The linear range includes as many as 23 sizes (15–19 inches). Of course, it’s difficult to immediately feel all the subtleties of the new product, but you can get some information. For example, driving up a mountain with a 45-degree incline or driving on a 30-degree incline. Firstly, Discovery grips the concrete surface perfectly without showing any signs of slipping. And secondly, with a steep side slope there is practically no bending of the tire sidewall - everything is withinacceptable. Another model, the Dueler H/P Sport, which follows the design of the Potenza RE050, is aimed at premium SUVs such as the Range Rover. For these purposes, a high-speed section has been prepared at the test site, laid along a dirt ring road. Already more interesting. But “understanding” tires here is perhaps even more difficult. Oddly enough, on pure asphalt tires the Range can be driven quite enthusiastically, only occasionally floating out of the turn with the front axle - and everything is extremely predictable. The third new product is the Dueler A/T 697, which is currently the most off-road tire in the SUV range. MT mud tires are not yet supplied to us, which is very strange - where, if not in Russia, will there be at least close demand for them? But the 697 Dueler also behaves well at intersections. And judging by the characteristics distribution diagram shown at the presentation, the tires have become more durable and passable (compared to the 694th model), although there are fewer lamellas on the shoulder block forreducing noise levels. Overall, Bridgestone is on the right track. It’s especially gratifying that the company constantly tests for strength and wear resistance, as a result of which Japanese tires are perfectly adapted to Russian realities. But for our country, these features are still more important than fuel efficiency.

Selecting a company for the test

To warm up

First impressions behind the wheel

Braking distance of summer tires in ten years

ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF BRAKING DISTANCE IN THE TEST ON COLD WET ASPHALT

Excellent and good students of 2018

TURNING UP UP

Characteristics of the Bridgestone Ecopia 850 summer tire

Bridgestone Ecopia 850 test on a Daihatsu Terios SUV

SUMMARY

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