TYRE TEST 2025

Looking to fit new tyres to your performance car soon? Let the latest edition of the annual evo tyre test help you make the right choice

- by JOHN BARKER PHOTOGRAPHY by OTIS CLAY

WE'VE PREVIOUSLY TESTED THE increasingly popular 235/35 R19 on front-drive cars, but this year our test car is a BMW 135i xDrive, a predominantly rear-drive car that goes four-wheel drive when required.

It's a different challenge for the tyres, finding traction mainly at the rear and only occasionally at the front.

Three manufacturers bring new tyres to this year's test. Falken debuts its new Azenis RS820, Maxxis fields its new Victra Sport 6 and Yokohama brings the Advan Sport V107, all of them aiming to challenge the establishment, represented here in depth. The Continental SportContact 7 topped the table last time out, with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S second and the Bridgestone Potenza Sport and Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport tied for third. Pirelli was a little off the pace and returns with the PZ5 version of the venerable P Zero, while the notable absentee is Vredestein, which is in the process of replacing the Ultrac. We have also included a budget tyre to see what performance you get for a chunk less money.

Once again, we're using the format we introduced last year, with each tyre's strengths and weaknesses conveyed in a profile piece. The tests and the scoring regime are unchanged, with the scoring weighted towards performance in the wet. Objective results make up 60 per cent of each tyre's total score and subjective ratings 40 per cent, the latter appraising qualities such as steering feel and feedback, handling balance and breakaway characteristics. We also use a road route to assess ride comfort and road noise to help generate a rounded picture of each tyre's abilities.

THE CAR