Summer SUV tire test from "Behind the Wheel" — 2026
For their latest test, the "Behind the Wheel" magazine selected tires of size 225/60 R18 from different categories and price segments, and the main contenders for victory were the premium Ikon Autograph Aqua 3 SUV, which is a renamed Nokian Hakka Blue 3 SUV, as well as the Michelin Pilot Sport 4. Both the Finnish and French brands have left the Russian market, which has affected the cost of Michelin (27,000 rubles at the time of publication), and in ZR, it was noted that a set could be found a third cheaper, but of Chinese production, and they wanted to compare it with a European product, so tires made in Poland were tested.
The list of participants also included Hankook Dynapro HPX, Pirelli Scorpion Verde and Yokohama BlueArth-XT AE61, and from the range of Chinese brands, Linglong Grip Master C/S and Sailun Atrezzo Elite 2 were chosen. Hankook and Linglong have the M+S marking, but if the first tires' pattern with numerous lamellae justifies this status, then the second ones do not.
The selected size is designed for crossovers and SUVs, such as the popular in Russia Belgee X70, Chery Tiggo 7 and 8, Haval F7, etc., and the tests were conducted in November at a small aviation airfield near Krasnodar at a temperature from +8 to +17°C using Exeed LX.
In key tests for braking efficiency, premium tires were expected to become leaders, and Michelin was slightly more efficient on dry, and Ikon on wet surfaces, and both models significantly outpaced their competitors. Hankook performed worse than others on dry surfaces, and on wet surfaces, Linglong lagged behind the rest.
In the "restructuring" discipline, both the maximum speed of restructuring and the behavior of the tires were evaluated, and the tests were also conducted on both dry and wet surfaces. The most predictable in both cases were the premium-class tires, but Michelin lost to Pirelli and Yokohama in terms of maneuver speed on a wet track. All-season Hankook, as expected, yield to summer tires in such situations, however, the testers stated that "although the frank understeer of the front does not frighten the driver as much as the skids on LingLong and Sailun".
After driving on a closed dry track, the experts gave the tires ratings for handling and course stability, and Michelin tires were called "uncompromising sports" with precise reactions to the driver's actions and "a balanced balance of understeer and oversteer at all speeds". At the same time, Ikon is less prone to oversteer and slightly better holds the course on a straight line, and "on the steering wheel, everything is also clear".
Pirelli tires initially respond quickly to steering, but then the informativeness begins to suffer, and understeer can occur relatively sharply, and here they are similar to Sailun, although the reactions of the Chinese brand tire are more delayed. Yokohama has a tendency to understeer in sharp turns, but during a sharp maneuver, a skid begins relatively early, while Hankook react somewhat slowly, require steering on a straight line and large steering angles when maneuvering, but at the same time, they reliably maintain grip on the rear axle. As for Linglong, their behavior, according to the experts, is characterized by "early and deep departure from the trajectory outside the turn", and besides, they also require steering on a straight line.
Linglong also did not please with a high level of comfort, although Michelin turned out to be even worse in terms of smoothness, which is likely due to their rigid construction designed for sports handling. The most comfortable were Yokohama and Hankook, although the first ones still transmit low-frequency vibrations to the cabin, and the second ones hum a little at speeds up to 60-80 km/h.
In terms of economy, Hankook was the best, and Pirelli, Ikon, and, in particular, Linglong had increased rolling resistance.
Verdict
The first place in the results of all tests is taken by Ikon Autograph Aqua 3 SUV, and the testers stated that although Michelin Pilot Sport 4 is excellent for owners of powerful high-speed cars, for which they are designed, Ikon will be "the best choice for everyone", since they have balanced characteristics and a higher level of comfort, while in terms of safety handling, they practically do not concede to the sports European "premium".
Pirelli Scorpion Verde and Yokohama BlueArth-XT AE61 showed almost identical results, but the first tires behaved more balanced, and the second ones turned out to be the most comfortable among the participants, while Sailun Atrezzo Elite 2 also managed to get a "Good" rating, and the experts noted that they do not reach for the stars, but "what's called, you can drive".
Hankook Dynapro HPX turned out to be among the outsiders, but their pattern is designed, among other things, for light off-road, so there is no surprise in this, and Linglong Grip Master C/S were called "nervous, noisy, uneconomical, and simply unsafe".
Source: "Behind the Wheel"