Auto Bild SUV All-season Tire Test 245/45 R18 2024

The Auto Bild Allrad 2024 SUV all-season tire test clearly showed that the differences between individual all-season tires for SUVs can be significant. The best models in size 245/45 R18 were able to compete very well with summer tires on dry and wet roads, and in winter conditions they surprisingly came close to the performance of the winter reference models. On the contrary, the weakest all-season tires lagged significantly behind, especially on wet roads, where the differences in braking distances were dramatic.

The test confirms that quality all-season tires are a viable compromise for mild climates, but choosing the right model is key. Premium all-season tires offer balanced performance all year round, while cheaper alternatives can pose a significant safety risk.

Wet tests revealed significant differences between the all-season tyres. The Vredestein Quatrac Pro Plus stopped in just 48.1 metres, while the Davanti Alltoura 4 Seasons needed 65.1 metres, a difference of 17 metres – more than the length of four cars. The reference summer tyre achieved the best result with a braking distance of 45.8 metres, while the winter reference finished significantly worse at 57.3 metres. This clearly confirms that wet conditions are one of the biggest challenges for all-season tyres.

In the wet handling test, the Continental AllSeasonContact 2 dominated with an average speed of 84.2 km/h, while the Davanti was again significantly behind at 74.4 km/h. The summer reference tire maintained its lead here as well (85.9 km/h), while the winter reference was in the lower half of the results (80.2 km/h). The Davanti's poor results in both braking and handling indicate a consistently poor performance on wet roads.

Aquaplaning resistance again divided the field of starters. The Bridgestone Turanza All Season 6 achieved the highest speed at the onset of aquaplaning (75.5 km/h), while the Minerva All Season Master finished at the tail with 64.3 km/h. The summer reference was again the best (76.1 km/h), while the winter one ranked in the middle of the results (72.2 km/h). The poor results of the Minerva tire in both straight and curved aquaplaning indicate insufficient water drainage and an increased risk of losing contact with the road.

The snow tests clearly showed why all-season and winter tires are essential for driving in winter conditions. The best all-season tires were the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3, which stopped after just 22.1 meters, while the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 needed 23.7 meters. The reference winter tire was even slightly better (21.3 meters), while the summer reference completely failed with an extreme braking distance of 56.1 meters .

The Michelin CrossClimate 2 dominated the traction test, achieving the highest traction force of 4,234 N. At the opposite end of the scale was the Minerva All Season Master with a value of 3,779 N. The winter reference tire ranked just behind the best all-season models (4,114 N), while the summer tire was practically useless in the snow (1,127 N). The Michelin CrossClimate 2 confirmed its balance in all winter disciplines.

Also in the snow handling test , the Michelin CrossClimate 2 achieved the highest average speed of 55.6 km/h, while the Minerva All Season Master lagged behind at 51.2 km/h. The winter reference was just behind the top (55.1 km/h), while the summer tire failed to pass the test in safe conditions.

In the snow slalom, Michelin once again confirmed its dominance with a lateral acceleration of 4.0 m/s². The Vredestein Quatrac Pro Plus achieved only 3.4 m/s², indicating weaker cornering stability. The winter reference tire, with a result of 3.98 m/s², practically matched the best all-season tire, while the summer tire was again well below the serviceability limit (1.71 m/s²) .

The results confirm that quality all-season tires – led by the Michelin CrossClimate 2 – can offer very solid performance in snow, but they also clearly show that summer tires are a major safety risk in winter conditions.

A test of 12 all-season tires in the popular 245/45 R18 size showed that modern all-season SUV tires offer wide variations in performance across dry, wet and winter conditions.

In dry tests, the best all-season models were able to approach the performance of the reference summer tire, although they could not completely surpass it - for example, the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 recorded the shortest braking distance among all-season models, but still fell behind the summer reference model.

Performance on both wet and aquaplaning roads revealed differences in safety and handling: some tires, such as the Continental AllSeasonContact 2 and Hankook Kinergy 4S2, maintained a very solid balance, while cheaper models lagged behind, especially in braking tests and water resistance.

In snow, many all-season tires achieved results close to the reference winter tire, with models like the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3 and Hankook Kinergy 4S2 surprising with their ability to provide reliable traction even in cold conditions.

The results confirm that today's quality all-season SUV tires can offer very balanced performance all year round, but in most disciplines they still remain a compromise compared to specialized summer and winter tires .