July 20, 2020
If you ask a group of tire engineers which product category presents the most challenge to develop, there’s a good chance most of them will tell you Ultra High Performance All-Season. The blend of performance handling and braking, wet and dry traction, on-road civility, and the ever-increasing demand for light snow capability makes for a difficult set of targets, with many of these goals conflicting with one another. Yet even so, technology marches forward, and each new generation seems to outperform the one that came before, often with no or limited noticeable compromise. The current crop of premium Ultra High Performance All-Season tires are the best we have seen, and with two brand-new entries in the category, it seems the best keep getting better.
The Pilot Sport All Season 4 is Michelin’s latest entry in a storied line, and the manufacturer is determined not to rest on its laurels and reputation. The new tire is designed to step up the wet and dry braking and handling, in addition to a sizable improvement in light snow traction.
The Vredestein Hypertrac All Season is a brand-new design developed specifically for the North American market. The tire is engineered to be a balanced performer with capabilities at or near the top of the category across the board.
To find out how these two new contenders compare to one of the best Ultra High Performance All-Season tires on the market, we tested them against the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate. Our evaluation used 2020 BMW F36 430i Gran Coupes 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 unique personalities of all three tires came to the forefront in our on-road testing, with the Hypertrac All-Season emerging with the highest score from our team. The ride was appropriately firm, yet did the best job rounding off abrupt impacts and damping out smaller bumps. The sound created by the tire was never obtrusive over any of the surfaces on our route, with nothing but a low, white noise that was perceptible in the cabin. The steering responded quickly to a light touch, lending an urgent feel to the vehicle, but it wasn’t quite as precise or satisfying as the other tires in the group. Following very closely behind was the Eagle Exhilarate, which also featured a composed and well-damped ride that was slightly firmer than the Vredestein. In a very similar comparison, tread noise was also minimal, but the volume was just a touch higher than the leader. One place the Goodyear differed noticeably from the other two tires in the test was steering feel. Where the Vredestein and Michelin both responded quickly to minor inputs, the Goodyear required a more deliberate turn of the wheel. With solid on-center feel and satisfying precision, our team enjoyed the experience, but it stood out from the other tires. Rounding out the on-road portion of our test was the Pilot Sport All Season 4. Of the other contenders, the ride was noticeably stiffer, though still acceptable for the category, and it seemed to transmit imperfections that were barely noticed when driving the other tires. Sound quality also drew some comments from our testers. Even though the Michelin wasn’t a loud tire, it created multiple, distinct tones that stood out in this group. We expect consumers will enjoy the steering feel of the Pilot Sport All Season 4, as it should lend a sporty demeanor to the vehicle. It felt confident on-center and responded immediately and intuitively to the driver’s inputs.
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.
The versatile personalities of Ultra High Performance All-Season tires are really put on display during our track testing. Even though these tires were never intended for track use, they can still impress our drivers with their athleticism and outright abilities in both the dry and the wet.
Even though the objective figures generated by all three tires were very close, and in some cases ended in a tie, the experience of driving each tire was noticeably different. On the dry track, the Michelin led the way, earning the highest subjective score from our team by an appreciable margin. Credit for that belongs to the innate athleticism of the tire. It was light on its feet and quick to change directions, yet also had strong mid-corner grip and braking traction. Thanks to the responsive front and balanced handling, it was easy to use the rear to rotate around corners. This allowed our drivers to string together each element into a flowing, cohesive lap. The Goodyear didn’t feel quite as natural on the track, though the results demonstrated it had the capability to match the Michelin. Where the Michelin danced, the Goodyear felt more locked down and deliberate in its movements. The front steering didn’t respond as quickly as the other two, so it didn’t feel as eager through the slalom or at corner entry. However, it was planted and balanced, with great mid-corner grip and through the long, steady-state turn around our skid pad. The Vredestein essentially tied the leaders in objective dry performance, and while it was capable, the driving experience differed noticeably from the others. The highly-responsive front end was appreciated through the slalom but could potentially deliver more than the driver anticipated in other turns. The overall balance leaned toward oversteer, and the tail could step out pretty quickly with throttle inputs that were either too soon or too abrupt. The combined characteristics led to a lot of movement while navigating the track, and not all of it translated into helpful forward progress.
The lower grip of our wet testing essentially magnified the personality traits of all three tires. The driving experience was similar, just much more pronounced with the reduced traction. Here, the Michelin narrowly scored higher than the Goodyear with our drivers. Just like we experienced in the dry, the tire was willing and paired very nicely with our test vehicle to deliver confident, effortless laps. While it felt very good to drive, the Michelin was at a modest disadvantage to the Goodyear in terms of outright traction, and ultimately that tire was able to post faster lap times. Where the Michelin flowed around the track, the Goodyear was more of a point-and-shoot tire, using its impressive grip to brake, turn down to the apex, and accelerate briskly to the next element of our track. It once again felt locked down and deliberate, as opposed to the more nimble and playful nature of the Michelin. The gap between the two leaders and the Vredestein widened considerably in the wet, both objectively and subjectively. While it had enough traction to satisfy drivers on the street, the behavior when pushed around the track was less so. The abrupt front-end response tended to promise more than the available traction could deliver, often resulting in stubborn understeer around the 90 degree turns of our track. In smaller transitions, there was a palpable moment between the tire’s initial response and the vehicle’s change of trajectory due to the low-friction surface. The rear end of the vehicle was very active as well, never feeling fully settled through the lap. Similar to in the dry, the oversteer was easily caught and corrected, but it was persistent, nonetheless, making it seem as though the whole lap was driven with at least some tail-out attitude.
As a result of the global pandemic in 2020, the launch of the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus was delayed until early 2021. Because of this, we weren’t able to include the tire in our Road Ride and Performance Track Drive in the summer of 2020 like we had originally planned. We were eager to test the winter capabilities of the new tire, so we pulled tires from our early inventory to test in the snow and on the ice.
Light snow testing essentially separated our test tires into two groups. The Michelin and Continental led the way, and the Goodyear and Vredestein were a significant step back. In straight-line acceleration and braking, the Michelin had a small advantage of around 7 feet and 5 feet, respectively, over the Continental. Where we saw more separation, however, was the dynamic behavior on the handling track. The Michelin delivered the most "usable" traction of the group while also clearly communicating its limits and offering a broad plateau of grip. The Continental delivered acceleration and braking figures that were very respectable for the Ultra High Performance All-Season tire category and would very likely satisfy the drivers of performance vehicles who choose to run all-season tires in the winter months. Around the track, the performance was balanced and easy to drive, but the Continental didn’t allow the driver to rely as heavily on the front tires while cornering, and it didn’t put the power down with as much authority as the group leader. The Goodyear’s objective performance was a noticeable step back from the Continental, and subjectively our drivers found the best strategy was to look very far ahead, plan the driving line, and use small, gentle inputs to avoiding upsetting the vehicle’s balance. Just like we found in our dry and wet track testing, the Vredestein had a consistently tail-out nature in the snow. While it was easily caught, the persistent sideways behavior was frustrating, as the rear axle wanted to step out even with small throttle inputs.
On the ice, the Continental delivered a surprisingly good performance in acceleration and braking. While it was nowhere near that of a dedicated winter tire, the figures we recorded were a match for many quality touring products and were significantly ahead of the others in the group. The Michelin and Goodyear were a very close second and third place, respectively, and the Vredestein was a significant step behind the rest of the competitive set.
Due to the limited number of drivers participating in our 2020 testing as a result of the global pandemic, the sample size was not large enough to provide reliable fuel consumption data.
The Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate is a consistent performer that delivers at a high level in our warm-weather testing. It’s firm and composed on the road, with good ride and noise quality and handling that is appropriate for the category, but doesn’t feel quite as sporty as its competitors. It’s balanced and has strong grip in the dry and once again led our test in wet performance. Light snow traction is one place we would like to see a big improvement. Michelin’s Pilot Sport All Season 4 is an athletic and eager tire that is very nice to drive in a performance setting. On the road, the ride is taut, with some noticeable tread noise and handling that is light, fast, and precise. In dry testing, the tire is a talented and willing partner that feels natural and very capable. When driving on the wet track, the poise and communication made it the easiest and most satisfying to lap, even if it was slightly outmatched in outright capability. Light snow traction is a strong point for the tire, particularly when combining acceleration, braking, and handling around the track. The Vredestein Hypertrac All Season delivers pleasing on-road refinement that led the way in our test along with category-appropriate steering and light handling. Dry traction and lap times are competitive with the leaders in the test, though the tire isn’t as easy to drive as the others. In the wet, the Hypertrac All Season is a capable performer that would likely be all a driver demands on the road. When compared head-to-head with the other two very good products in our test, it is a noticeable step behind, both in objective figures and the way it behaves when pushed. Similarly, the outright traction in the snow falls short of what we expect from top-tier Ultra High Performance All-Season tires, and it is somewhat frustrating to drive with any sort of urgency around the handling track.
Need help choosing the right products for your vehicle? Our team of highly trained experts has the knowledge and passion to help. Just pick up the phone and give us a ring. Or let's chat via email. We love solving problems and lending a hand (or an ear).
Contact Us