As winters across Europe become increasingly mild, more drivers are turning to all-season tires as a convenient and cost-saving alternative to switching between summer and winter sets. With just one set of tires needed year-round, drivers save both time and money — especially in moderate climates. But are all-season tires really up to the challenge?
Germany’s leading automobile club, ADAC, has released its latest test results on 16 all-season tires in the widely used 225/45 R17 size, a common dimension for vehicles in the lower mid-size segment. The findings are mixed: while some tire models performed impressively, others failed to meet basic safety standards.
Top Performers Show Progress
The test brought encouraging news: four tire models earned a “good” rating, a marked improvement from the previous year’s results. This indicates that manufacturers are responding to the growing demand with better technology and quality.
Topping the rankings are the Goodyear Vector 4-Seasons Gen-3 and Continental AllSeasonContact 2, both achieving an ADAC rating of 2.3 (with 1 being best). The Continental stood out as the only tire to receive a “good” overall rating in driving safety, while the Goodyear impressed with its projected durability — lasting up to 68,000 kilometers, the highest in the test.
Close behind are the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 3 and Bridgestone Turanza All Season 6, each scoring 2.5. These four lead the pack, offering strong performance across dry, wet, snowy, and icy conditions.
Middle Tier Offers Decent Options
The next group includes products from Michelin, Dunlop, BF Goodrich, and Viking. While not as strong as the top-tier models, these tires received satisfactory ratings and are considered safe choices by the ADAC.
Poor Performers Raise Safety Concerns
However, not all results were reassuring. Half of the tested tires received only “adequate” or worse ratings, with four models showing serious deficiencies. At the bottom of the list are the Arivo Carlorful A/S and the Petlas Multi Action PT565, both scoring a dismal 5.5. These tires failed to perform adequately on any surface and exhibited significant weaknesses in at least one key category.
The differences between models were stark. On wet roads, for example, the Continental tire came to a full stop from 80 km/h in just 31.3 meters. In contrast, the Arivo Carlorful A/S required 11.3 meters more — a critical difference in real-world driving.
ADAC: Consider Your Driving Needs
While all-season tires are increasingly viable for everyday drivers in mild regions, the ADAC emphasizes that they are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Drivers planning long summer trips with heavy loads, or winter journeys into snowy mountain regions, are still better off using dedicated summer and winter tires for optimal performance and safety.
The message is clear: not all all-season tires are created equal. For those considering the switch, careful selection is key — and consulting trusted tests like ADAC’s can make all the difference.
Source: ADAC
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