Autoreview: 12 models of summer tires for crossovers 215/65 R16 2013
Autoreview: 12 models of summer tires for crossovers 215/65 R16 2013
The Autoreview publication tested 12 sets of tires in the most popular crossover size 215/65R16. Manufacturers offer such tires in road versions, but also for off-road use. In order not to rack your brains over the choice, Autoreview experts gave the right to choose tire modifications to the manufacturer. For example, Pirelli provided the Scorpion Verde road model, although the Italians’ model line also includes the “toothy” Scorpion MTR model. German tire manufacturer Continental also provided ContiCrossContact UHP road tires. The Latitude Cross model with a very aggressive tread fought for the honor and dignity of Michelin. Yokohama has chosen the versatile new Geolandar SUV. Although Bridgestone and Dunlop declined to participate in the test, sets of Bridgestone Dueler H/T 689 and Dunlop Grandtrek AT3 tires were purchased specifically for the test.
There were also Korean manufacturers represented by Hankook DynaPro HP and Kumho Solus KH17 tires. The honor of the domestic tire industry was defended by the Viatti Bosco A/T, Amtel Cruise 4X4 and Cordiant All-Terrain models. The twelfth set, as fate would have it, turned out to be a set of tires on which the test Renault Duster was shod – ContiCrossContact LX.
The tires were already tested for the first time on a tire balancing machine. The tires that needed the least weights were Hankook, Kumho, Yokohama and Amtel. The leaders in terms of balancing ballast were Cordiant All-Terrain and Dunlop Grandtrek AT3 tires. A set of Cordiant tires took almost half a kilo of weights. This is an indicator of the so-called mass heterogeneity of tires. After all, the fewer weights were installed on the tire, the better quality it was made.
The first serious test is braking on wet asphalt from a speed of 80 km/h. To eliminate errors, all tire sets passed this test six times. The best tires were Pirelli Scorpion Verde, the braking distance of which was 26.5 meters. By the way, the braking distance of Dunlop Grandtrek AT3 tires turned out to be almost 10 meters longer.
The second “wet” test was to keep the car at the maximum possible speed in a marked corridor simulating a 35-meter turning arc. In other words, the experts assessed the tire's ability to resist lateral hydroplaning. The result is the same: the best are Pirelli, the worst are Dunlop.
The final test on wet asphalt was to avoid an unexpected obstacle. In this test, you must perform the maneuver cleanly at the highest possible speed. Once again, Pirelli shows the best results - 71.8 km/h. The Renault Duster shod with Dunlop tires was able to pass the corridor at a speed of 66.5 km/h, once again showing the worst results.
Next - emergency braking and “rearrangement” on dry asphalt. The results are the same as before: Pirelli is in the lead, Dunlop is an outsider and the Cordiant All-Terrain tire set joins them.
The original goal of pneumatic tires was comfortable movement, and here the leaders of the previous disciplines, Pirelli Scorpion Verde and Continental ContiCrossContact UHP, turned out to be the toughest. On bad roads it is much more pleasant to drive on Michelin Latitude Cross tires, which are much less noisy than others. Quite comfortable tires also include Continental CrossContact LX, Cordiant All-Terrain and Yokohama Geolandar SUV tires.
The next discipline tested the rolling resistance of tires. Accelerate on a straight line to a speed of 110 km/h, switch the gearbox to neutral and wait for the car to come to a complete stop. The further the car travels, the lower the rolling resistance. In this discipline, Kumho and Bridgestone tires performed better than others, while the domestic Cordiants turned out to be the worst. In practice, this can mean a difference in fuel consumption of approximately 5-6 percent.
Experts went to a dirt track to check the tires' permeability. Here the leader was the Yokohama Geolandar SUV tires, on which the Renault Duster confidently drove out of deep ruts and climbed slippery slopes. Dunlop tires also showed good results on off-road. But the Pirelli Scorpion Verde with a “smooth” tread is still more intended for asphalt roads.
As a result, assuming that the average crossover owner drives off-road for a maximum of 20% of the mileage, and the remaining 80% of the car travels on asphalt, the experts prioritized the disciplines. According to this approach, the winners of the test are the Pirelli Scorpion Verde and Continental ContiCrossContact LX tires. Moreover, the former are suitable for motorists who use the car primarily on asphalt roads, and the latter for those who value versatility. For car owners who value off-road performance, the best choice would be the Yokohama Geolandar SUV. We were pleasantly surprised by the price-quality ratio of tires from a Russian manufacturer from Nizhnekamsk – Viatti Bosco A/T.
Tires from the manufacturer Cordiant
Cordiant is a brand from . The manufacturer began producing tires relatively recently, this happened in 2005, and already in 2006 there was a large-scale reorganization of the enterprise, which to this day remains a large tire holding in Russia and in the world.
The Cordiant corporate center is located in Moscow, branches are located in 5 cities of our country. Cordiant tires belong to the middle class rubber, so their price is slightly higher than that of Amtel, but the quality is absolutely not inferior, and perhaps even superior to its competitors.
European advanced technologies, which are constantly being improved, are used not only in European factories, but also in Russian ones. For example, the Yaroslavl tire plant.
In 2008, Cordiant introduced a winter series. The Sno-Max tires especially attracted attention. When tested with other brands, they took second place, appearing on the list next to competitors - manufacturers of expensive high-quality tires.
Selection of summer tires for passenger cars
As every driver knows, summer tires tend to quickly “get killed” due to poor quality roads, higher speeds, dust and stones. Friction on the road increases, and heat also adds, so it is very important to have reliable, and most importantly, stable tires that will last a season, or even more.
When choosing which summer tires are better: Amtel or Cordiant, you can take any and you won’t go wrong. Among this price category, these are two competing manufacturers, so it would not be a mistake to compare them yourself and take one for one season, and the other the next time.
Judging by the reviews of motorists, many doubt whether Amtel or Cordiant summer tires are better, but more satisfied drivers are in favor of Amtel, because this rubber has a double protective coating, thanks to which they do not wear out so quickly. But at the same time, Cordiant also presents more than 6 models of summer tires, which are absolutely not inferior in quality to their competitors.
In turn, the driver may be faced with another question: which is better: Amtel, Cordiant or Kama? If we talk about the summer season, we should give preference to the third manufacturer, Kama.
This is a new tire manufacturer on the market, but since 2011 it has actively gained popularity among car enthusiasts. Kama summer tires are distinguished by their wear resistance, strength and good fastenings. Kama tires for summer will not sway over time, they have a good response to the brakes and do not make noise when driving.
At the same time, the price of Kama tires is approximately the same as that of Amtel or Cordiant. You can buy tires at car dealerships, specialized tire stores or automobile stores, or in an online store.
What are Amtel tires?
Rules and laws are often created based on negative consequences, which is why good tires are so important. Rubber tends to wear out quickly due to bad Russian roads and excessive speeds. Whatever the reason, heat or cold, rubber changes its properties, and only the reliability of tires can keep the car stable on the track. It is important for the driver that it lasts more than one season.
Amtel is a Russian-Dutch holding company. They put on his rubber:
- Passenger vehicles.
- Jeeps.
- SUVs.
- Minibuses.
Russia has harsh winters. Therefore, the manufacturer initially took such conditions into account and created a suitable composition for the product so that the mechanism would not slip and would hold the road even in difficult places. The developers have released products with increased traction properties for off-road use, which have:
- Special tread pattern.
- High quality material.
The structure of the protectors removes moisture, snow, and dirt. Good adhesion to the road surface prevents the car from driving into the oncoming lane or into a ditch during sudden braking. The relief pattern of the tires is divided into large blocks, with a distance between them. Due to this, pollution is removed. The company produces both winter and summer Amtel tires of the following types:
- Planet 2P.
- Planet DC.
- Cruise 4x4.
- NordMaster Evo.
Winter tires of the NordMaster type are equipped with originally located lamps, and a special composition allows them to be used in difficult weather; the service life is increased by studs. The main advantage, besides quality, is the cost of the tires. For this reason, they are used on expensive vehicles and budget units.
Choosing tires for winter
Which winter tires are better: Amtel or Cordiant? To answer this question, you should compare the range and quality of tires from manufacturers, and also study user reviews. After this, we can say with confidence that it is better to choose Cordiant tires for the winter. Why is that?
The range of Cordiant winter tires is the widest. It includes different models, each of which has its own characteristics and innovations. It’s very easy to choose the right option, because Cordiant “fits” not only your passenger car, but even your truck!
Amtel NordMaster winter tires are also good for their coating and composition; the only drawback of these tires is the impossibility of choosing in the line, because from Cordiant you can choose the type to suit your car.
To summarize, we can say that it’s up to everyone to decide for themselves which is better amtel or Cordiant, because everything depends on your requirements, as well as on the car itself. There may be times when tires simply aren't right for you due to fast driving speeds or bad roads. You need to choose tires “for yourself”. If you are a fast rider, turn to the Cordiant sports series, and if you want thicker tires, then you should pay attention to the Amtel Ultra. You can compare Amtel - Cordiant tires based on your own experience or by selecting them for your car according to all characteristics. There is no point in comparing car tire brands; consider specific tire models that interest you. This is the only way to achieve something, because any manufacturer has better products!
What to choose: Cordiant or Yokohama
Yokohama is a Japanese company that has been a leader in the tire market for many years. Rubber of this brand is superior to Cordiant in a number of operational and technical aspects. It is also known that the Russian manufacturer borrows technology for making “shoes” for wheels from its opponent and copies the tread pattern on some winter models.
Pros and cons of Cordiant winter tires
Kordiant winter tires meet all international standards of quality and ride comfort. Products are manufactured using modern equipment and tested using computer simulation.
Motorists are well aware of the affordable price and adaptation of Cordiant tires to the specific road conditions of Russia. The tires last for 3-4 seasons of operation, they retain traction even in severe frosts. Among the disadvantages, buyers note the noise of studded tires and insufficient traction on ice with Velcro.
Pros and cons of winter tires "Yokohama"
The famous Japanese company produces 6 types of winter tires:
- Ice Guard IG55;
- Ice Guard IG 604;
- Ice Guard IG50+;
- Ice Guard SUV G075;
- Drive V905;
- Drive WY01.
The range includes 1 studded and 5 friction types of tires. The main disadvantages of winter tires from the Japanese company are weak cords on some models, unpredictable behavior in ruts, and overpriced.
The tread of the Yokohama Ice Guard IG55 studded winter tires is covered with special high-strength studs with a shaped body and transversely oriented “dumbbell” inserts. The directional tread pattern is both an advantage and a disadvantage of such wheels. Its structure provides maximum traction, but drivers note that when driving in wet snow, the wide slots in the pattern quickly become clogged.
Cordiant and Yokohama tires: which are better?
Tire brands differ in the composition of the rubber mixture. Japanese products are made from a higher quality polymer substance with a high concentration of silica, which increases adhesive properties and wear resistance. Orange oil is also added to the mixture, which maintains elasticity at very low temperatures.
If we talk about which winter tires are better suited for Russian roads, Cordiant or Yokohama, everything comes down to price and quality. The Japanese brand offers expensive, but time-tested products of the highest level, superior to its competitors in all respects. Therefore, if they have money, most car owners give preference to Japanese tires.
The Cordiant company is well-known among many motorists. It is very popular due to the fact that it produces many high-quality products. The assortment also includes many winter models that are suitable for harsh Russian winters. However, when choosing, some people think: what is better, Cordiant or models from other manufacturers? To answer this question, compare Cordiant tires with competitors.
It is worth noting that the comparison will be made only with top models, since manufacturers use all the advanced technologies when developing them and try to produce the highest quality tires with high performance.