Tire Test Results

Tires Tested

• What We Liked: Great wet traction and responsive steering.
• What We'd Improve: The variety of noise could be lessened.
• Conclusion: Capable all-around and a positive addition to the lineup.

• What We Liked: Steering and handling were particularly notable for this category.
• What We'd Improve: Some post-impact secondary movement that could be damped.
• Conclusion: A nice balance of sportiness and comfort with no stand-out weaknesses.

• What We Liked: Decent on-road manners and damping with good winter traction.
• What We'd Improve: The handling could be a bit more refined.
• Conclusion: It's a solid performer that can be counted on.

• What We Liked: Good noise comfort and light, accurate steering.
• What We'd Improve: Overall grip and braking could use some work.
• Conclusion: It's adequate for the category but has some catching up to do.

What We Learned on the Road

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.

Ultimately, no matter how it performs, one of the first aspects any touring tire is going to be judged on is how comfortable its ride is: in smoothing over the imperfections of the road, muffling the ambient sounds of travel and more. When it came to actually fulfilling that goal, the Falken Sincera SN250 A/S showed itself to be a capable player, with well-damped travel over uneven concrete for a calm and relaxed ride, while still displaying a responsive, playful attitude in its steering that made it feel athletic. The Falken mitigated resonance from most surfaces, even over the historically higher-volume high-speed portion of our course. It wasn't whisper silent, but our team mostly found that occasional instances of cyclical or pattern noise were mild. The Cooper ProControl drove nicely, damping most impacts and imperfections while maneuvering was bright and responsive. Steering stayed linear throughout the range of speeds we cover on the road; while it did wander just a bit at 55, tracking and on-center feel were primarily spot-on. On most surfaces, we encountered some variety of cyclical pattern noise that varied in pitch and in some cases, moved to a vibrato. Naturally, this effect on noise comfort, both in overall sound, but largely in the variety of noise, was the most profound issue our testers faced in an otherwise positive driving experience. The General AltiMAX RT45 was an even hand on the road, with a leisurely demeanor that rode well on uneven surfaces, leveling them out adequately apart from the most severe impacts. It maintained a consistent dual-tone mix that translated to a "stone grind" sound over most surfaces, but largely faded into a mid-volume white noise. The steering was even and precise at highway speeds, though it could be just a little more response on-center, it left little to complain about. Toyo's Extensa AS II was a different animal on the road altogether, with a stiffer ride, it translated much of the natural movement of travel to the driver, for a sportier, but less comfortable feel over impacts. The Extensa AS II deserves mention for its well-mixed tones and low volume, and the light, eager steering accepted input with notable accuracy with a smooth on-center feel, if somewhat lacking feedback at times.

What We Learned on the Test Track

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.

Wet conditions can be some of the trickiest conditions drivers will face, largely because of the dangers of familiarity. Vehicles behave predictably and understandably, even in a downpour, right up until the moment they don't - a slightly deeper patch of water, animals stirred up by the weather, an unexpected lane change and suddenly everything depends on reaction time and the ability of the tires to brake in time or translate turning in surprisingly slick conditions. We discuss lap times and performance in these segments, though speed isn't the goal in-and-of-itself, it's an indication of the kind of grip and control drivers can expect in the worst conditions, even if far from the only consideration. The Falken Sincera SN250 A/S exemplified these aims admirably; its objective results didn't yield the fastest times, shortest braking, and so on - but it was the most balanced overall. The steering was authoritative, the braking was reliable, our drivers could throw the vehicle into corners and count on the traction to hang on. It would still whip the back end out if pushed too far but could recover without fuss as well. Contrary to the Falken, Cooper's ProControl was technically its better in the wet, sweeping objective results like lap times, braking distance measurements and more, but ultimately, was held back by stiffer steering that felt reluctant to comply, though did so capably with some coercion. The ProControl's strengths were numerous: with nimble, balanced handling, laudable braking, and very nice traction throughout. Whether our testers were powering through corners, slamming to a stop or pushing for power, the ProControl felt secure and planted. General Tire's AltiMAX RT45 put forth a good effort, with the kind of reasonable traction and handling expected from this category, although with room to improve in wet braking. The steering was unique compared to the other tires in the test, taking more input to exit the center, requiring a calculated premeditation during fast maneuvers or cornering. Toyo's Extensa AS II displayed capable, responsive steering, encouraging its drivers that it contained the athletic demeanor to perform with more traction than it could handle, with a tendency toward understeering when pushed. The traction depletion was gradual, progressive enough to respond and slow, allowing the Extensa AS II to regain its footing and continue on.

Once the track dried off, everything tightened up for this group. Objective metrics shrunk to less than a second difference in lap times or more than a couple of feet in braking distances across the board. The difference isn't something we often bring up, but with this group, discussing performance in the dry is a much more granular affair and it's important to keep in mind. The AltiMAX RT45 really came into its own, narrowly taking top spots in nearly every objective metric. Again: while "going fast" is not necessarily a critical factor for most drivers in this tire category, it speaks to the performance, traction, and responsiveness available to drivers in an emergency situation. Steering retained the unique behavior it displayed in the wet, but felt more responsive here, with its neutral attitude more at home in the dry. The ProControl was a stable contender in the dry as well, with capable traction and cornering. Braking was again a noteworthy strength, its predictability allowing our testers to squeeze every drop of speed from a corner. The steering was eager and responsive but could use some greater linearity. The Sincera SN250 A/S was adequate in the dry and managed the shortest 50-0 mph objective braking, but when it came to lateral grip, could be more easily coaxed into oversteer. Finally, the Toyo Extensa AS II managed to turn in laps that were consistent and balanced, with reasonable handling around the track, albeit with a need for more traction in the corners. Its steering felt natural and was noted as a standout amongst the group.

Driving in Winter Conditions

There is a certain level of winter weather capability drivers expect from a Grand Touring All-Season tire of any pedigree. The tires in this test are no different, so our team also expected decent snow traction and handling characteristics. The General AltiMAX RT45 provided that requisite level of grip with the best acceleration and shortest braking distances of the test by a considerable margin. Around the handling loop, our drivers found the General had test leading lateral traction as well, which was easy to maximize thanks to its forgiving feel at the limit and positive turn in when entering corners. The Extensa AS II was a moderate step behind in acceleration and braking abilities compared to the General, but our team found it mostly capable once the limited acceleration traction got the vehicle to speed. The Toyo never felt as locked down as the General, but easily hit its marks with predictable yaw and decent lateral grip mid-corner. With similar objective metrics, the Cooper ProControl had no real bad habits but lacked some of the mechanical grip to hustle around the loop. Working within these limits, the ProControl also never felt out of sorts or beyond its capabilities which yielded consistent, easy to manage corners. Rounding out the group was the Sincera SN250 A/S which seemed at a slight disadvantage for overall grip. Braking distances were in line with its next closest competitor but acceleration distances were over a foot and a half further. Back-to-back, it was noticeable but again, as seemed to be the theme of this group, nothing was particularly difficult to manage, and the tire seemed to operate competently within its comfort zone which was acceptable for a group of touring minded all-season tires.

On the ice, the Falken had the quickest acceleration and shortest braking distances of the group with the General close behind, essentially matching its acceleration, and braking about a foot and a half further. The Toyo was a small step back in both braking and acceleration, staying within sight of the two front runners. The Cooper rounded out the group with another similar sized step down in grip on the ice, with a performance that like in the snow, is most likely acceptable for the category.

Summary

Grand Touring All-Season tires are what frequently carry us, our loved ones, and our children, during the daily commute. It's for this reason our team strives to push these tires beyond their limits around our track even though the road ride conveys the majority of behavior that most drivers will experience, care about, and hopefully ever need. The necessity of blending comfort, handling and all-season capability in a single tire is more daunting than ever as technology and competition improve, and this group of tires is one we're pleased to see perform closely enough that each displays some ideal strengths and weaknesses while still providing good options for an individual driver.

The Falken Sincera SN250 A/S emerged over of the course of testing as a truly versatile and well-designed tire, embodying the mission of this category by being pretty good at everything. It seems Falken made it their mission to present a tire with no standout weaknesses and in that, they've largely succeeded. Cooper is no slouch here either and, in many cases, subjectively scored alongside the Sincera SN250 A/S, when not outright sweeping through objective metrics in the wet, one of their primary focuses during development. We would say it's paid off and the ProControl represents a tire Cooper can be proud of; with some refinement to its noise and just a bit of tweaking in the steering, this could be the tire to beat. General's AltiMAX RT45 remains a stalwart all-rounder, reliable in most situations, comfortable to drive and, when pushed, has the athleticism and balance to push the competition. The General's winter performance was a particular stand out in this group and should help it find favor with consumers that drive in snowy conditions. Finally, the Toyo Extensa AS II represents a relaxed, comfortable, and quiet cruiser that proves capable in most regards, with room to improve on its dry and wet traction, it nonetheless offers an enjoyable drive that should satisfy most drivers.