Auto Express – August 07, 2019

60 7August2019 http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

TYRE TEST 2019

Blackcircles.comsays...

Blackcircles.comsays...

GOOD START

New Eagle F1

rubber delivered

an excellent wet

performance

MAXX POWER

In aquaplaning
tests, the Dunlop
proved to be one
of the verybest

ALLnewtyresareimportantforthe

producer,buttheAsymmetric5,

launchedearlierthisyear,comes

atakeytimeforGoodyear.

AfteryearslettingsisterbrandDunlop

takethesportinglimelight,Goodyearis

attemptingtoreviveitsownreputationat

thefasterendofthemarket.Thisisour

firstfulllookattheAsymmetricafteran

initialtestinIssue1,578,anditspromise

lookstohavebeenfulfilled.We couldn’t

separateitfromtheDunlopoverall,and

thegapsweresmallinthetests,too.

TheGoodyearhadtheedgeinits

traditionalareaofexpertise–thewet.It

starredintheaquaplaningtests,andin

theshallower-waterhandlingandbraking

tests.Itfeltassuredbehindthewheel,too,

withgoodtractionandapositiveturn-in.

InthedrytheAsymmetric5wasless

effective,althoughthemarginswere

smallcomparedtotheleaders.Itfaded

whenwelappedthedryhandlingcircuit;

asthetemperaturesrosethetyrefelt

softerandthelaptimessuffered.Inthe

Drybrakingtest,itfinishedlessthana

metrebehindthewinningFalken.

Italsodealtwellwithourselection

ofsurfacesinthecabinnoisetest.Less

impressivewasthefuelconsumption,

whichwe’dhopedwouldbebetter

onanewdesign,althoughmostof

itsrivalsperformedmuchthesame.

THERE’Snodoubtthatthisis

somethingofatransitionperiodfor

BritishbrandDunlop.ThedealGoodyear

hadwithownerSumitomochangedin

2016,withtheformersellingDunlop

tyresinfewercountries.Thishasseen

GoodyearlookingtotakeoverDunlop’s

original-equipmentlistings,leavingthe

latterasareplacementtyrebrand.

However,puttingasetofDunlopSport

MaxxtyresonyourSUVisaprettygood

idea.ThisSUVversionoftheRT2was

launchedearlyin2018,anditmatched

itsGoodyearAsymmetric5stablemate’s

performancethroughmostofourtests.

Ithadtheedgeonfueleconomy–

althoughitwouldmakelittlereal-world

difference–andinthedry, despitenot

beingabletomatch theContinental’s

sharpness,oreventheGoodyear’s.

Butitdidproveeffectivearoundthe

swoopsandsweepsofthedryhandling

track.LiketheGoodyearitsufferedasthe

temperaturerose,butitwasgoodenough

tobewithinasecondofthebest.

Itwaseffectiveinthewet,too,allbut

matchingtheAsymmetric5inthedeep-

watertests.Itwasalsooneofthebest

onthehandlingtrack,feelingsharpwith

goodgripasthespeedbuiltupthrough

thefasterbends.Finally,itmatchedthe

Goodyear’sperformanceinthenoise

test,whereitfinishedaclosefourth.

Wesay...

Wesay...

Decentall-roundperformancemakes

thisagoodoptionforSUVowners.

Despitethisbeingquitenew,buyershaveresponded

positively,witharatingof4.7/5.Theircomments

focusongodgrip,butnoiselevelsareanegative.

Promisingtestdebut,withgoodperformance

inthewet,butlessgoodatthepumps.

Initialreviewshavepraisedthisnewtyre.It’searly

days,butimpressivetestresultswilllikelypique

theinterestofmotoriststhroughouttheyear.

OverallOverall 99.5%

OverallOverall 99.5%

=3 Goodyear EagleF1Asymmetric5

=3 Dunlop SportMaxxRT2SUV

Price £156.47

Wethandling99.8% =2nd

Wetbraking 99.1% 3rd

Wetcornering98.6% 4th

Straightaquaplaning 99% =2nd

Curvedaquaplaning 100% 1st

Dryhandling 98.8% =6th

Drybraking97.8% 5th

Rollingresistance78.3% 7th

Cabinnoise99.7% =2nd

Price £131.88

Wethandling99.5% 4th

Wetbraking 99.5% 2nd

Wetcornering97.9% 5th

Straightaquaplaning 99% =2nd

Curvedaquaplaning 94.1% 3rd

Dryhandling 98.9% 5th

Drybraking99.2% 2nd

Rollingresistance81.8% 4th

Cabinnoise99.3% 4th

2019

TYRE TEST

2019

TYRE TEST