Same goes for the Michelin, which is just over half a second off the Continental. It doesn’t feel as grippy as the top three and so lacks their absolute precision, but it’s adjustable and calm, carrying speed well and delivering good steering, so not far off the best. Willing and very capable.Īs well as setting a strong lap time, the Goodyear is well rated subjectively. Like the Continental, the Toyo is properly hooked up and offers good balance, poise and adjustability. Pipping it subjectively is the Toyo, which is equal third fastest with the Goodyear. It’s not quite as precise but has a malleable balance, great traction and lovely steering connection. The Bridgestone is a mere tenth behind even though it feels like it’s working with a little less grip. It feels a little keen to oversteer midway through the long hairpin but overall it’s controlled, grippy and exploitable: a strong performance. The Continental carries speed confidently into the opening sequence, hangs on well and accurately picks out the lines, taking the last right with a useful, stabilising bit of understeer. Topping both the time sheet and the subjective rankings is the Continental, but in both instances it’s a very close thing. This is followed by a short run to a large-radius left-hand hairpin and another straight leading into a fast left-right chicane to finish. ![]() The short but tricky course starts with a steady-speed sweep into a high-speed, 135kph (84mph) left, quickly followed by a slower but still fast left that is the opening corner of a demanding, gradually tightening left-right-left-right sequence. The Goodyear is just a couple of tenths shy of the Maxxis and seems to bring the best out of the Toyota, with terrific front-end bite and precision, and although the rear is a little snappy, good feedback makes it manageable.Īs usual, the spread of lap times on the dry handling course is much closer than on the wet track but, as in the wet, there’s a bigger difference in how the tyres feel, and this is reflected in their subjective ratings. ![]() Even when it does slide, the rear moves slowly, so you can carry speed with confidence. There is less detail through the steering but its nose-led balance is usefully exploitable, the rear being less eager to slip wide, especially in faster curves. The Maxxis gets within half a second of the Continental but gives the Toyota a quite different balance. The only caveat is that rear breakaway at speed can feel abrupt. It’s the only tyre that generates enough traction to make the Toyota’s engine feel like it’s bogging down out of the slowest turns, and with great steering feel and strong grip, particularly at the front, you can carry speed into braking areas in a way that isn’t possible with most of the others. Quickest is the Continental (82.6sec), which is also rated highest subjectively. It’ll be one of the closest tests we’ve run, with strong performances from all eight tyres. Other tyres in this test are the Continental SportContact 7, Falken Azenis FK520, Maxxis Victra Sport 5, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S (the new S 5 isn’t available in our test size) and Toyo Proxes Sport 2. ![]() In 2021 we used an Audi S3 this year it’s the Toyota GR86, which is both lighter and rear-drive. The top three finishers from our last test of the 225/40 R18 two years ago are here – the Pirelli P Zero, Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport and Bridgestone Potenza Sport – though the test vehicle is quite different this time. As in previous tests, the scoring is weighted 60 per cent objective and 40 per cent subjective, with a general bias towards performance in the wet as you’re much more likely to find the limit in low-grip scenarios. We also assess the tyres subjectively, rating them for qualities such as steering feel and character, progression up to and over the limit of grip, and ride comfort and noise, to give the most rounded picture of each tyre’s performance. What makes the evo test especially challenging for the test tyres and useful for you, the tyre customer, is that we don’t simply rely on measured performance to determine the finishing order. The popular 225/40 R18 high-performance tyre is the subject of our comprehensive 2023 tyre test.
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