Summer Tire Test by Al Volante (2024)

The Italian magazine Al Volante (which translates to "at the wheel") conducted tests of tires with a size of 225/40 R18, taking for comparison both models from well-known manufacturers - Michelin Pilot Sport 5 and Hankook Ventus S1 evo3, as well as products from budget brands from China - Triangle EffeXSport TH202 and Winrun R330. While Triangle tires are produced by one of the leading Chinese manufacturers, Winrun is manufactured by partners, and they were chosen because they were the cheapest tires found on the Internet (costing 52 euros per tire, while Michelin costs 130 euros in Italy).

The tests were conducted according to the standard methodology, and one of the main disciplines traditionally is "braking on a wet surface". According to experts, the disadvantages of the budget tire were already evident in the first tests, and the same situation was in the tests for resistance to longitudinal and transverse aquaplaning. At the same time, the other three tires received almost identical ratings at the end of the tests on the wet track, and Triangle slightly lagged behind Hankook, while Michelin was expectedly recognized as the best.

On a dry surface, the differences in tire characteristics were smaller, but Winrun increased the braking distance from 100 km/h by 5.1 meters, which is more than significant. In addition, there were certain claims to Hankook tires, which respond slowly to steering wheel turns, while Winrun sharply worsen their level of grip after just a few minutes of driving in sport mode, leading to skidding in turns. As for the performance of Michelin and Triangle, they received higher ratings.

Michelin tires took first place in the overall standings, which, although an expensive product, work well on both dry and wet surfaces and also provide good ride comfort. In the aquaplaning resistance tests, Michelin did not dominate, however, in this regard, as noted in AV, the tires are able to guarantee a good level of safety. Hankook tires showed excellent braking qualities, but experts said that more was expected from Ventus S1 evo3 in terms of handling and comfort, while Triangle's results were a pleasant surprise, as they were able to closely approach the tires of a higher price segment, and in the aquaplaning resistance tests, they became the best. At the same time, Winrun, which is not much cheaper than Triangle, has a clearly reduced level of grip, resulting in the tires taking last place with a significant gap from the other test participants.