Leading Brands Battle for Dominant Spot in Tire Market: Michelin’s CrossClimate Faces Rivalry from Pirelli and Continental
Tires serve as the sole connection between your vehicle and the road, making them a crucial component. However, it is important to note that not all tires are made equal. In order to emphasize this fact, automotive specialist Jonathan Benson has released a recent video assessing the performance of various top tire brands in different weather conditions. The evaluation includes seven all-season tires, testing their capabilities on surfaces such as snow, ice, wet roads, and dry pavement, resulting in some surprising discoveries.
The level of competition is intense. The Michelin CrossClimate 2 has been on the market for a couple of years and is renowned for its exceptional performance in snowy conditions, as well as its superior handling on wet and dry roads. The Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3, Continental AllSeasonContact 2, and Bridgestone Turanza All Season 6 are more recent releases that feature directional tread designs similar to that of the Michelin. Meanwhile, Yokohama’s BluEarth 4S AW21 also boasts a directional pattern, but Dunlop breaks away from the norm with its asymmetrical Sport All Season.
The last product on our list is a low-cost tire variant known as the Fronway Fronwing AS. Benson frequently incorporates inferior tires in his reviews to test whether consumers can cut costs without compromising quality or safety. However, the outcome has consistently been negative and this particular tire is no exception.
To begin with, one of the initial findings we discussed is regarding the Fronway’s ability to perform in wet weather conditions. According to Benson, wet performance is the most crucial factor for an all-season tire, but unfortunately, this budget brand falls short by a significant margin. While the top six tires had similar wet lap times within a range of only 2.5 seconds, the Fronway scored over 13 seconds slower than the highest-rated Continental.
The wet braking capabilities were particularly surprising. The Bridgestone tires proved to be the best in this area, coming to a complete stop from 50 mph in just 109 feet. On the other hand, it took 159.7 feet for the Fronway tires to achieve the same result. Upon calculating the speed of the test car, Benson found that the VW Golf was still traveling at a rate of 28 mph when equipped with Fronway tires, while the Bridgestones had already come to a halt. This serves as a reminder to always consider factors such as wet road conditions, as the money saved from purchasing cheaper tires may pale in comparison to the cost of vehicle repairs or medical expenses resulting from a collision at even a moderate speed.
The final takeaway from this article is its concluding observation. While all the top manufacturers received favorable results, it was clear that certain brands outperformed others. The Yokohama mainly excelled at the lower end of the spectrum, while the asymmetrical Dunlop struggled on wintry terrain. Surprisingly, the budget-friendly Frontway displayed impressive snow-handling abilities, leading Benson to believe that it could easily hold up as a dedicated winter tire with a few modifications for all-season use. However, the Pirelli stood out to Benson as the most enjoyable to drive in various weather conditions.
In a surprising turn of events, it was not the Michelin CrossClimate 2 that emerged as the victor. The Continental AllSeasonContact 2 took home the top honors instead. This latest addition to the Continental lineup outshone the CrossClimate 2 in various wet and dry tests, although the latter proved to excel in snow handling. However, the CrossClimate 2 did struggle with straight traction, leading to its overall defeat by both Pirelli and Bridgestone, resulting in a disappointing fourth place finish in this assessment.
Benson’s article on Tyre Reviews provides a comprehensive breakdown of the various testing criteria and outcomes, covering even the minutest details such as noise level and tread wear. Regarding Michelin, we eagerly await updates on their upcoming CrossClimate 3 model, currently in the works.
Source: Tyre Reviews / YouTube
