Independent testing uncovers major safety gaps between tyre tiers
Independent tests commissioned by tyre sales franchise, Point S, claim to have demonstrated a significant gap in safety and performance between premium, mid-range and budget tyres.
The tests, which were conducted by independent technical testing organisation, TÜV SÜD Product Service, examined the five premium tyre brands against three mid-range and three budget tyre brands across a range of safety-critical criteria on a high demand 18 inch tyre, the 225/40R18 92Y, using a Volskwagen Golf VIII GTD
According to Point S, the results “demonstrate the markedly superior performance of premium tyres over their mid-range and budget rivals, particularly in wet conditions”.
On the wet braking test, mid-range tyres took on average 7.65ft extra braking distance to bring the test vehicle to a complete stop from 49.7mph.
The budget tyres, meanwhile, required 14.67ft – the length of a large SUV or a fully grown female giraffe – extra braking distance compared to the premium models.
The five premium tyres also performed better in TÜV SÜD Product Service’s road grip and handling tests. The mid-range tyres required a 1.86mph reduction in speed to match the handling of the average premium tyre on wet roads, while the budget tyres needed a 3.11 mph reduction.
Point S said it commissioned the testing to give its members “the most up-to-date, evidence-based advice on tyre safety, enabling them to offer customers the right tyre rather than the cheapest”.
The move comes amid widespread industry debate over the financial viability of premium tyres.
Point S International CEO, Fabien Bouquet, said: “In today’s challenging economic climate, where inflation is causing price rises, it is natural that drivers are more cost-conscious when it comes to maintaining their vehicles.
“We are increasingly asked by our end customers to justify the price differences between tyre ranges, so we commissioned these tests with TÜV SÜD Product Service to get a truly independent and objective view on this issue.
“What the testing has confirmed is that premium tyres categorically perform better across all safety-critical test criteria. The question we should be asking ourselves as an industry, therefore, is: can you really put a price on safety?”