Tires Reviews

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Tires Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	All-season tires Editors of Consumer Reports Jan. 2008		Editors at Consumer Reports update their November 2005 tire test, which featured accelerated tests to see if the treadwear grades on tires' sidewalls are accurate. Although some stated treadwear scores were accurate, others were understated or overstated. Consumer Reports editors recommend using the sidewall UTQG treadwear grades only as a loose guideline. Instead they recommend consulting their measured treadwear ratings and the manufacturer's warranty to make the tire life part of the buying decision. Other factors such as price, braking and handling are also evaluated in this report, which culminates in a ratings chart of 15 all-season tires.
2. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Performance all-season tires: Seasoned performers Editors of Consumer Reports Jan. 2008		High-performance all-season tires, once found mostly on luxury or sports cars, now come standard on everyday cars like the Toyota Camry, say editors at Consumer Reports. Performance tires handle and grip better than standard all-season tires, although they have traditionally worn out faster. To see just how fast performance tires really wear out, Consumer Reports' testers drive 31 different performance-tire models for 16,000 miles each (more than twice as far as in Consumer Reports' earlier treadwear tests). They also evaluate the tires' braking, traction and more on dry, wet, snowy and icy roads. This article includes ratings charts for H-rated (up to 130 mph) and V-rated (up to 149 mph) tires.
3. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Ultra-high-performance tires: Big grippers Editors of Consumer Reports Jan. 2008		Z-rated ultra-high-performance tires appeal to car owners looking for the best wet and dry handling and cornering, but these aspects come at the expense of ride quality and tread life. Many of these tires are plus-size tires, so you may also need a larger wheel before upgrading. Thirty-six ultra-high-performance tires receive ratings here – some all-season tires, and some meant only for summer. Ratings are based on performance in both wet and dry conditions. Ice and snow handling are also tested, but ultra-high-performance tires are not meant for winter driving. Noise, ride quality, tread life and rolling resistance are also figured into ratings.

Tires Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews

4. Automobile Protection Association	Summer tires ratings Editors of APA.ca Not dated		This Canadian nonprofit is dedicated to protecting consumer interests in the marketplace. It is funded by individual consumers' membership fees, with no subsidies from the automobile, oil or insurance industries. APA rates three types of non-winter car tires: all-season (both standard and touring styles), performance and high-performance. Reviews note the tires' price levels, performance, treadwear and noise levels. None of the 39 tires are given a numeric rating, but 21 tires are praised and recommended in the brief reviews, including models from Bridgestone, Michelin, Yokohama, Toyo, BFGoodrich, Dunlop, Goodyear and Pirelli.
5. Which.co.uk >> Details/Subscribe	Tyres Editors of Which.co.uk Feb. 28, 2008		Which? magazine is a UK-based publication and website that rivals Consumer Reports in thoroughness. In this review editors test 97 premium and economy car tires for wet grip, dry grip, wear and noise. Twenty-five models in various sizes are named "Best Buys," including seven that are available in the U.S. from Michelin, Vredestein, Bridgestone, Continental and Pirelli.
6. The Tire Rack	Tire Reviews Editors of The Tire Rack As of Mar. 2008		The Tire Rack is a retail site whose staff also tests and reviews tires. Although the editors' evaluations are clear, logical and easy to read, tests are run in groups of three or four tires, and there's no ultimate ranking system. This makes it difficult to determine which tires are ultimately best in class. Comparison tests are conducted a couple of times a year, so the overall sampling size of tested tires is small compared to other reviewers. The latest test compares winter performance of four all-season ultra-high-performance tires.

Tires Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews

7. The Tire Rack	Tire Survey Contributors to The Tire Rack As of Mar. 2008		In addition to doing its own testing as described above, The Tire Rack has collected nearly 144,000 consumer surveys on 416 different tire models since 1997. The scores are presented in easy-to-read charts that rank currently available tires in 13 categories (high-performance summer, all-season, and so forth). Consumers report how many miles they've driven each tire, and on what type of car. They score the tire on 12 measures -- ice grip, hydroplaning, etc. Users can also click and read narrative consumer reviews for each tire -- usually many reviews, several of which are quite thorough and thoughtful.
8. Car and Driver >> Details/Subscribe	Tire Test: The Quick and the Tread Larry Webster Dec. 2005		Car and Driver carried out this test of eleven high-performance tires a few years ago, but it's still useful – all six of the top picks are still on the market. Car and Driver used The Tire Rack's BMW 325i test car and test track in three days of wet and dry testing. The top-rated tires listed are the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3, the Continental ContiSportContact 2 and the Yokohama Advan Neova AD07, followed closely by the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, Hankook Ventus R-S2 Z212 and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx. Car and Driver says the Eagle was the best performer in wet testing and rated second in dry conditions. Editors state that "as an all-around high-performance tire, you can't beat this Goodyear."
9. GreenSeal.org	Low Rolling Resistance Tires Editors of GreenSeal.org Mar. 2003		This review is a few years old, but it is still useful – it’s the only review we found that concentrates on tires' rolling resistance, a key factor in fuel economy. Green Seal, a nonprofit organization that encourages environmentally responsible purchasing, points out that consumers could increase their cars' gas mileage by as much as 2 mpg simply by choosing tires that roll more easily on the road. This comprehensive overview of rolling resistance concludes with a list of tires that combine good rolling resistance scores with good traction, treadwear and customer satisfaction. Five of the picks are car tires that are still available: the Bridgestone B381, Sumitomo HTR 200, Dunlop SP40 A/S, Continental ContiTouring Contact CH95 and Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus.
10. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration	Tire ratings Editors of NHTSA As of Mar. 2008		NHTSA requires manufacturers to test their tires for treadwear, traction and heat resistance, and to label the tires with these ratings. Consumers can look up tires in the ratings on this website, either by brand or by rating. NHTSA offers thorough explanations of the ratings, but it does not recommend any tire over another.

Tires Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews

11. Epinions	Tire reviews Contributors to Epinions As of Mar. 2008		Nearly 400 tire models have accumulated reviews from consumers who post at Epinions. Several tires have just a handful of reviews, and some reviews are dated. Different kinds of tires are mixed together – snow tires, big off-road truck tires and standard car tires – but if you have a specific tire in mind, you can do a keyword search. Two currently available car tires have achieved high ratings with at least ten reviews: the Kumho 716 Ecsta HP4 BSW and the Goodyear Assurance TripleTred.
12. CarReview.com	Tires Top Picks Contributors to CarReview.com As of Mar. 2008		This site collects user reviews of tires, with 486 models listed. Many of those have no reviews posted, though. Editors of the site have chosen six "Top Picks" -- tires that have scored at least four out of five points with between five and 71 users reviewing them. Two of these are the BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW and Dunlop SP Sport 5000.
13. The Truth About Cars	General Tire Exclaim UHP Review Michael Posner Nov. 29, 2007		This small auto review site bills its content as "no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners automotive reviews and industry-related editorials." In this single-tire review, tester Michael Posner decides to buy the General Exclaim UHP performance tire for his Audi because it is a favorite among consumers at The Tire Rack – and because it costs quite a bit less than the top-rated tire, the Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2. Posner tests the Exclaim UHP on wet and dry roads, and concludes it is a performance-tire bargain.
14. The Truth About Cars	NITTO Invo Ultra-High Performance Tire Review Michael Posner Jan. 31, 2008		On the advice of his longtime "tire guy," Ernie, reviewer Michael Posner chooses the Nitto Invo ultra-high-performance tire for his BMW Roadster on both road and track. After 5,000 miles, Posner explains why the tires have been well worth the price.
15. Canadian Driver	Evaluating Pirelli's new high performance P Zero tire Tony Whitney Apr. 17, 2007		This article covers only one tire, the Pirelli P Zero, but testing is thorough and detailed. The P Zero has become "the" performance tire over the years, reviewer Tony Whitney points out, and Pirelli's new improved version carries on the tradition in a racetrack test with Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
16. Canadian Driver	Tire test: The new Michelin MXV4 James Bergeron June 4, 2007		Performance touring tires now come standard on sedans from BMW to Hyundai, reviewer James Bergeron notes in this single-tire review. When it comes time to replace them, sticking with the same type of tire will keep your car performing the way you like. The Michelin Primacy MXV4 is an excellent value in a replacement performance touring tire, Bergeron concludes, after a test in which the MXV4 confidently handles both wet and dry roads.
17. Tirestest.com	Tire ratings Contributors to Tirestest.com As of Mar. 2008		This German site is in English, although several of the user reviews are written in German. Consumers post numeric ratings for tires, and the tires with the best average scores at a given time are placed on the site's "Top 5" list. The top pick when we checked, the Toyo Proxes T1-R, is available in the U.S.