Rav4 Tyres Test - Auto Express

[Mereside]

Dear all,

This weeks auto express have done a tyres test for small of-roaders and chose the Rav as the test mule fitted with 235/55/R17 tyres. The test was done in Texas at the Continental's testing ground.

They tested the following tyres:-

Continentaql CrossContact UHP (H)

Goodyear Excellence (H)

Hankook Dynapro (H)

Kumho Ecsta SPT KU31 (W)

Michelin Latitude Diamaris(H)

Pirelli Scorpion Zero Asimmetrico(V)

The overall result is:-

1, Goodyer

2, Continental

3, Michelin

4, Kumho

5, Pirelli

6, Hankook

I now know what tyres are best to fit to my car....... Ooops no I can't as I have to fit RFT's, gosh how lucky am I that Toyota made the decision for me.

Some of the above tyres are better in wet than others, or cornering , or noise.

If you are really interested then Shell out the £2 for the mag.

Regards

Mereside

[duncerduncs]

Some of the above tyres are better in wet than others, or cornering , or noise.

If you are really interested then shell out the £2 for the mag.

Or read it for free HERE :D

[shcm]

Those are nice links. Thanks Mereside and Duncs.

Being a very sad geek, I wanted to see all the results from the individual tests, side-by-side - to help make my own mind up. I wonder if they have presented it like that in the magazine?

Anyway, FWIW and if it is any use (maybe not ) to anybody here it is:

I appreciate that my rankings don't follow the normal pattern of, for example, missing out a 3rd place if there is a joint second. You'll have to forgive me, if there are any errors.

I expect that ranking them has exaggerated very minor differences in performance. However, I'm not en"tyre"ly convinced of their selection of overall winner - but make you own mind up.

Have to look carefully at those hankooks in the wet. :o

It would have been nice to see the original Bridgestones or Yokohamas in the test as a comparison as well as adding some indicator of actual wear rate, but maybe that would take too long to complete.

Cheers

[local hero]

Those are nice links. Thanks Mereside and Duncs.

Being a very sad geek, I wanted to see all the results from the individual tests, side-by-side - to help make my own mind up. I wonder if they have presented it like that in the magazine?

Anyway, FWIW and if it is any use (maybe not ) to anybody here it is:

I appreciate that my rankings don't follow the normal pattern of, for example, missing out a 3rd place if there is a joint second. You'll have to forgive me, if there are any errors.

I expect that ranking them has exaggerated very minor differences in performance. However, I'm not en"tyre"ly convinced of their selection of overall winner - but make you own mind up.

Have to look carefully at those hankook's in the wet. :o

It would have been nice to see the original Bridgestones or Yokohamas in the test as a comparison as well as adding some indicator of actual wear rate, but maybe that would take too long to complete.

Cheers

Very cleverly done SHCM, as you say would have been nice to see how Yoko + Bridgestone would have faired as they seem to be O/E here, wonder how runflats would have done? Stew Thanks Mereside + Duncs for saving me £2 :D

[Hoovie]

interesting alternative ranking, schm.

not read the review yet, but from the names in the list and previous experience of non-SUV tyres in various makes, I would stump for the Continentals CrossContacts which you had top on your alternate scoring method :)

Looking at values you have, how can the Goodyears have beaten the Conti's in the review when they are more expensive PLUS worse in evey category bar one?

ps... as I have General Grabbers, I have Conti's by another name ;)

[shcm]

Looking at values you have, how can the Goodyears have beaten the Conti's in the review when they are more expensive PLUS worse in evey category bar one?

Well, quite! Just chucking all their numbers down together, I couldn't see it either.

I'm not sure it is that clear how they weighted the individual tests, but there's a sort of brief explanation.

Perhaps when combining overall, they weighted aquaplaning fairly high (where the Goodyear came top) and it does say the Goodyears won because of their wet performance.

Just noticed I've missed the "curved aquaplaning" off. Might add it later.

[junebug1701]

I'm surprised they were allowed to bring a UK-spec short wheelbase RAV4 into the US for testing. Our government would not let Bill Gates' Porsche 959 out of storage for 13 years because it wasn't certified "street legal".

Oh, and BTW, most of our RAV's here come supplied with P225/65R17 tires. The cheapest base model comes with 16's and the Sport model comes with 18's.

[Smiler AS]

Gutted :( , I run Vredestein Sportracs on the Rav in the summer (and Vredestein Ultracs on my Impreza), which are cheaper and (to me) perform better than the Goodyears in all aspects. Then I run the OEM Yokohamas in the winter on the Rav, and yet no sign of either of them??? I run 225/55/17's but they are both available in the size tested too.