June 10, 2016
February 10, 2017 (Winter Update)
In the summer of 2013, Michelin introduced the Ultra High Performance All-Season Pilot Sport A/S 3, a tire that set a new standard for dry and wet traction and handling from an All-Season tire. Initial testing and consumer feedback were positive, but when winter arrived, the tire’s light snow traction did not live up to expectations. Even though Ultra High Performance All-Season tires sit at the peak of the all-season performance hierarchy, time revealed consumers shopping the category were not willing to sacrifice wintertime capability in pursuit of best-in-class dry and wet handling.
Fast forward to spring 2016 when Michelin introduced the redesigned Pilot Sport A/S 3+. In an industry where product cycles typically last a minimum of five years, a two-year redesign is impressively fast and speaks to Michelin’s level of commitment to providing the products consumers want. The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ features the same performance-oriented tread pattern and proven internal construction from the previous-generation tire, matched with Michelin’s new Helio+ tread compound for a claimed 28% improvement in snow traction. The manufacturer’s goal for the new Pilot Sport A/S 3+ is best-in-class handling and braking in the dry and wet with light snow capabilities that are competitive with the best in the category.
Though no official statement has been released concerning the tire Michelin had in mind as the bogey when designing the Pilot Sport A/S 3+, the anecdotal high water mark for light snow traction in the Ultra High Performance All-Season category is the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 (new in 2015), which itself bears a strong family resemblance to its predecessor. Our previous test of the ExtremeContact DWS 06 demonstrated this reputation is justified, as its Snow/Ice Performance Drive results were the best in the test by a comfortable margin. Though not as focused on objective performance figures as the Michelin, the ExtremeContact DWS 06 features an agreeable balance of traits and has found a sweet spot in the category, making it one of the most popular Ultra High Performance All-Season tires with consumers.
In the spring of 2016, Pirelli quietly updated the compound of their P Zero All Season Plus, a change aimed at improving the tire’s wet and wintertime performance. Without the same publicity lavished upon the Pilot Sport A/S 3+, it may appear to be a minor tweak, but the tread compound has undergone a significant change, so the expectations are undoubtedly high.
The pressure to succeed for all three tires is great, with a lot riding on each one. The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and P Zero All Season Plus each have received considerable investment in updates and redesigns, and the ExtremeContact DWS 06 has a legacy to protect and the expectations that go along with being the incumbent leader. To better understand the effects of these updates and determine how the tires now compare relative to one another, the Tire Rack team conducted a Real World Road Ride and Performance Track Drive featuring all three tires. Our evaluation used 2014 BMW F30 328i sedans fitted with new, full tread depth 245/40R18 tires mounted on 18x8.0 wheels.
Our 6.0-mile loop of expressway, state highway and county roads provides a great variety of road conditions that include city and highway speeds, smooth and coarse concrete, as well as new and patched asphalt. This route allows our team to experience noise comfort, ride quality and everyday handling, just as you would during your drive to school or work.
The civilized on-road manners of these three performance tires demonstrated that top-tier manufacturers can design tires that deliver a high level of satisfaction in many areas. The standout in this test was Pirelli’s P Zero All Season Plus, with its ideal blend of attributes striking a nearly perfect balance. The steering feel was direct, nicely weighted and linear, with "just right" response to the driver’s inputs that was immediate without feeling twitchy. The ride was taut and controlled like one would expect from a performance tire, and it did a very good job rounding off larger bumps and minimizing smaller impacts. Our testers also gave the Pirelli top marks for noise comfort, owing to its generally serene ride that transmitted very little noise into the cabin.
After the surveys were tabulated, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ took second place honors over the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 in our Real World Road Ride, but the comparison between the two boils down to preference. While it is unlikely a driver would consider either tire loud, they each produced noticeable tread noise. The way the Michelin’s pattern interacted with various road surfaces, particularly coarse pavement, created a low hum, and the Continental’s familiar light growl was present at low speeds over a variety of pavement types. The two tires’ on-road similarities ended there, with each one following a path that defined its personality. Compared to the other tires in the evaluation, the handling of the performance-focused Michelin was razor sharp, with immediate turn-in and on-center response that earned the top score from our testers, but could be seen as edgy by some. Accompanying the high strung handling response was a commensurately stiffer ride. The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ was firm over all impacts and bordered on harsh when encountering larger bumps. Contrasting the Michelin and offering a counterpoint in execution, the ExtremeContact DWS 06 provided steering that was more relaxed and deliberate, which came off as slightly lethargic in this company. The ride quality was noticeably softer than the Michelin, but there was less disparity between the two than one would expect based on their handling characteristics, and the Continental did not feel as controlled as the other tires in the test, especially when encountering a bump while cornering.
Our 1/3-mile per lap test track course includes 90-degree street corners, a five-cone slalom and simulated expressway ramps. Run in both dry and wet conditions, the test track allows our team to experience the traction, responsiveness, handling and drivability normally only encountered during abrupt emergency avoidance maneuvers or competition events.
Ultimate handling and braking statistics won’t win the day on their own in the Ultra High Performance All-Season category, but if a tire can’t carve down a mountain road, put a smile on the driver’s face when taking the back way home, or brake confidently in the wet, it is not delivering on its Ultra High Performance promise. Coming as no surprise, all three tires in this comparison produced results indicating they are up to the task. The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ retained the best-in-class dry performance title earned by its predecessor, posting the fastest lap time, highest lateral grip, shortest 50-0 braking and earning the highest subjective ratings from our testers. The immediate steering response we found on the street translated to the track, and combined with the tire’s absolute grip meant it had quick reflexes and could really hang on through turns. Hot on the heels of the Michelin was the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus, posting objective numbers just a small percentage behind the Michelin’s and delivering what was arguably an easier to drive and more complete package. Where the Michelin sometimes felt edgy near the limit and out of phase in fast transitions, the Pirelli was always balanced with a soft, easily approachable limit that was easy to come back from if the driver pushed too far. The ExtremeContact DWS 06 posted objective results that were only a small step behind the P Zero All Season Plus, with a comparable subjective feel, as well. The Continental was easy to drive and forgiving, but was noticeably slower to react than the Pirelli, and certainly the Michelin, and did not like to be rushed. Response to steering inputs was met with a slight delay, and the natural tendency was to understeer when overdriven. If the driver recognized this and drove within the Continental’s limits, the reward was a lap time only half a second slower than the hard-edged Michelin.
In wet conditions, all three tires performed at a level that should satisfy even the most demanding drivers. Though the results were close, the Pirelli came away as our testers’ favorite and also posted the leading subjective numbers. With a .4 second spread between the three tires’ average lap times and approximately six feet separating the shortest and longest stopping distances, the objective differences are largely academic. The on-track experience in the wet largely mirrored that of the dry, with the Pirelli proving easiest to drive, most communicative and forgiving at the limits. The Continental and Michelin produced nearly identical average lap times, with the small advantage in stopping distance and more synced-up driving experience giving the Continental a slight edge. Once again, the Michelin displayed high ultimate capabilities, with a slight disconnect between what the front and rear axles wanted to do when really being pushed to the max.
Winter weather is often unpredictable, and snow-covered roads change with every passing vehicle as they churn snow into slush or pack it down to polished ice. A constantly changing test surface makes side-by-side comparisons difficult, so we use a dedicated winter testing facility in Northern Sweden with acres of groomed snow that provides the consistency we need to get reliable acceleration and braking comparisons. This facility also has a prepared snow-handling course where we evaluate the stability and control of each tire during abrupt maneuvers. To simulate the icy conditions found at intersections or the black ice experienced out on the highway, we use ice at a local hockey rink and measure acceleration and braking traction.
Not that long ago real winter traction was out of reach for Ultra High Performance All-Season tires, due to their focus on performance during the summer months. Modest to marginal snow traction was the price paid for very good traction and handling on dry and wet roads. But that paradigm is shifting, with the most advanced tires delivering ever-improving mobility in winter weather.
Continental has led the way with the ExtremeContact DWS 06 (and its predecessors), which has established itself as the winter performance benchmark for the category. This tire delivers good acceleration and braking traction, along with surprisingly capable handling around our snow-covered test course. Special attention should also be paid to Michelin for the work they have done with the Pilot Sport A/S 3+. After its predecessor fell short of expectations in winter conditions, Michelin deployed a significant tread compound change for the "plus" version used in this test, and we can confirm it delivers on Michelin’s promise of strong snow traction. The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ was able to accelerate and brake slightly better than the ExtremeContact DWS 06. The Pilot Sport A/S 3+’s straightforward five-rib tread pattern didn’t have quite as much lateral grip as the ExtremeContact DWS 06 with its trademark cross-hatch tread pattern, and consequently displayed greater understeer during cornering. The Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus featuring Pirelli’s revised compound provided adequate snow traction for a tire in this category, but could not match the performance of the Michelin and Continental tires, especially when it came to handling.
Ice traction levels are still an area where these tires struggle somewhat, and they are not able to match the grip of dedicated winter tires, or even regular passenger all-season tires.
Due to technical difficulties, we were not able to compare fuel consumption data for this test.
With Pirelli’s revision of the P Zero All Season Plus, all aspects of its warm-weather performance seemed optimized and in perfect balance, resulting in a tire that performed at a very high level in most disciplines with the exception of its winter performance, which was acceptable, but not exceptional. The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ was the most performance-focused entrant in this comparison, delivering confident wet grip and setting the bar in our dry testing. On-road manners were agreeable, with ride quality that was a touch firm for daily use, and snow traction that was on-par with the best in the category. The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 features civilized on-road behavior, as well as high levels of wet traction and continues to demonstrate why it is the benchmark for light-snow capability; though it does fall a little short of the other tires in any measure of athleticism.
Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The ExtremeContact DWS 06 (DWS for Dry, Wet & Snow) is Continental’s Ultra High Performance All-Season radial developed for drivers of sports cars, sports coupes, performance sedans and sport trucks. Designed to satisfy year-round driving needs, ExtremeContact DWS 06 tires blend dry and wet road performance with wintertime slush and snow traction. Read more.
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ includes a W- and Y-speed rated Ultra High Performance All-Season tire member of Michelin’s Pilot family of low profile, high-speed tires developed for the drivers of high-end sports cars, sporty coupes and sedans looking for total performance. The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tire is designed to provide Michelin’s highest level of ultra-high all-season performance, emphasizing dry road handling and wet road grip with balanced all-season traction for occasional light snow. Read more.
Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The P Zero All Season Plus is the Ultra High Performance All-Season member of Pirelli’s P Zero tire family. Developed for driving enthusiasts behind the wheels of powerful sports cars, coupes and sedans looking for Pirelli prestige and year-round performance, the P Zero All Season Plus is designed to be driven in all seasons, even in light snow. Read more.
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