Generalists don’t brake as well
All-weather tires have been tested to the same standards as their competitors Summer tires It is Winter Tires. On average, specialists are superior to generalists: Summer tires brake better on dry and wet roads than all-weather tires. And winter tires perform better on ice and snow than their all-season competitors. That’s no wonder either. The rubber compound in all-season tires has to perform from very cold temperatures to summer asphalt temperatures.
However, the difference between the different models is large in all three segments. There are also defective summer or winter tires – a satisfactory all-weather tire is always better. And this time there is even a good all-rounder in there.
The first good all-weather tire
In the 2024 test, ADAC found an all-weather tire with good overall performance for the first time: the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3. It costs 120 euros. In terms of driving safety, it received a satisfactory rating of 2.7. When braking on snow and ice, it could definitely keep up with winter tires. However, on a dry road at 100 kilometers per hour at zero, the Goodyear needed 43 meters, the best Summer tires In the test it was only a good 35 to 38 meters before it stopped. This is a clear difference.
In the environmental balance, Goodyear achieved a rating of Good 1.8 – with a straight A grade for mileage and good grades for tire wear and efficiency.
Mileage safety
The safest all-season tire, the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF2 (114 euros per tire), stops on a dry track after just 40.4 meters. Even on wet asphalt and concrete at speeds of 80 km/h, a car with Pirelli stops after a good 33 and 37 meters. Goodyear needs 5 to 8 feet more here. The best summer tires need 28.5 to 36 meters. When braking, the Pirelli would be on par with good summer tires.
However, the driver of a Pirelli Cinturato buys good driving safety with a very low mileage of 33,000 kilometers. That is why Pirelli only receives a satisfactory overall rating. For comparison: the Goodyear test winner covers 60,700 kilometers, like the best summer and winter tires in this discipline. The Pirelli is therefore at best a good choice for those who drive infrequently.
Satisfactory passable from 89 euros
Two satisfactory models in the 2024 test are slightly worse in terms of driving safety, but quite good in terms of environmental balance: the Hankook Kinergy 4S² (98 euros) and the Michelin CrossClimate 2 (131 euros). They have weaknesses here and there. The Hankook only offers mediocre driving safety on wet roads, while the Michelin has a relatively short mileage of 44,000 km (Hankook: 51,500 km).
For those who are concerned about the price, the Kumho Solus 4S HA32+ could also be an option. It costs 89 euros each. Overall, it offers satisfactory braking performance: on dry roads, the 44 meters to standstill are not very impressive, but on wet roads it can keep up with the best. And its mileage is a respectable 50,600 km.
Good noise and good fuel consumption
All-weather tires ran as loudly as summer tires and slightly quieter than winter tires in the ADAC test. Rolling resistance and therefore fuel consumption for a compact car with the best all-season tires was around 5.4 liters per 100 kilometers – around 0.3 liters less than with summer tires and winter.
Two imperfect people with great weaknesses
The two defective tires in the test are typical false bargains. The Infinity Ecofour costs 81 euros, the Kenda Kenetica 4S only 78 euros. But in the braking modes on dry and wet roads, they need five or six meters more to stop than the best in the test.
Kenda drivers are also quite helpless in the snow and with the Infinity, noticeable aquaplaning occurs at speeds below 70km/h – with the best in the test only above 80km/h. As for the compromises in terms of safety, the mileage of only around 44,000 km is not very convincing.
In the 2020 test: all-season tires for mid-range SUVs
The previous test of ADAC all-season tires 2020 dates. Seven models of size 235/55 R17 were tested. The size fits many mid-size SUVs and vans. None of these wide all-weather tires were more than satisfactory. Summer or winter tires generally performed better. The differences were greatest on dry and snowy roads.
Continental and Goodyear test winners
The best all-rounders in the 2020 test were the Continental AllSeasonContact at 169 euros and the Goodyear Vector 4Season Gen-2 at 166 euros per tire. Neither showed any major weaknesses and ended up with a moderately satisfactory rating (grades 3.6 and 3.8).
8 to 16 meters more braking distance on dry roads
The best summer tires brake from 100 to 0 km/h in about 35 meters on dry roads, ADAC calculates. In the 2020 test, the braking distance of the two best all-weather tires in this discipline, Michelin CrossClimate+ (172 euros each) and Bridgestone Weather Control A005 (163 euros), was 43.5 and 44 meters. The worst, Uniroyal AllSeasonExpert 2 for 146 euros, was only 51.6 meters away. A difference of almost 8 or even more than 16 meters – in practice it is either a rear-end collision or not.
Here is the link for it ADAC all-season tire test. Also with 2020 and 2018 all-weather tire test results.