Tyre recommendations – worth going premium?

[alyssagrey]

Hi everyone, I’m trying to decide between premium and mid-range tyres for my Clio and could use some opinions.
I’ve been browsing around comparing different brands and sizes (including on sites like TyreSavings), but it’s hard to know if the extra cost of premium tyres is really noticeable in normal driving.

• Is there a big difference in grip and comfort?
• Are mid-range tyres good enough for daily use?
• What are you currently running?

Appreciate any input

 

[Cub.]

What clio is it?

I’m always of the view, no matter what else you do to your car, your tyres are the only thing connecting your car to the road, so I don’t scrimp on them.

That said, on a non-performance car, most mid-range tyres have reached a point in terms of performance that they’ll be more than adequate.

On a performance orientated car, then high end tyres for me.

 

[charltjr]

For UK road driving some of the high performance summer tyres are worse overall in metrics like wet braking than “touring” tyres. A Clio isn’t going to be testing the limits of tyre grip like a two tonne 400bhp+ car.

I’m absolutely a tyre nerd but horses for courses. Don’t get kidded by the “ABC” ratings for grip, wet braking etc. Check out tyrereviews.com

A tyre with a bit less outright grip can feel more fun to drive. Anyone who’s hitting the limits of any decent tyre on the road in a Clio is an absolute mentalist.

 

[R3k1355]

What are your options and what's the cost difference? Have you seen what offers are on, sometimes you can get a good chunk of a set of 4 Michelins.

Just put some Kumho's on the Mrs car and they're good, to be honest there were quite a few 'budget' options that were priced on a similar level.

 

[R3k1355]

A tyre with a bit less outright grip can feel more fun to drive. Anyone who’s hitting the limits of any decent tyre on the road in a Clio is an absolute mentalist.

I prefer to look at it as the amount of grip that's going to be available in an emergency.

Like when someone pulls out in front of you, in the wet. I want a tyre that can stop then, not let me down.

 

[charltjr]

I prefer to look at it as the amount of grip that's going to be available in an emergency.

Like when someone pulls out in front of you, in the wet. I want a tyre that can stop then, not let me down.

Yep, they’re all a compromise one way or another. Hard data is difficult to come by, and the same tyre in a different size can perform quite differently to a tested tyre of a certain size.

 

[alyssagrey]

What are your options and what's the cost difference? Have you seen what offers are on, sometimes you can get a good chunk of a set of 4 Michelins.

Just put some Kumho's on the Mrs car and they're good, to be honest there were quite a few 'budget' options that were priced on a similar level.

Yeah I’ve noticed the same tbh — some mid-range tyres aren’t even that much cheaper once you start comparing properly. I was looking around at a few options and came across TyreSavings while checking prices, and it actually made it harder to decide because there’s so much choice

Kumhos sound like a good shout though, might look into those https://www.tyresavings.com/kumho

 

[alyssagrey]

What clio is it?

I’m always of the view, no matter what else you do to your car, your tyres are the only thing connecting your car to the road, so I don’t scrimp on them.

That said, on a non-performance car, most mid-range tyres have reached a point in terms of performance that they’ll be more than adequate.

On a performance orientated car, then high end tyres for me.

That makes sense to be fair. It’s just a standard Clio, nothing performance-focused, so I’m leaning more towards a good mid-range option rather than going all out.
Just trying to find something that’s decent in the wet as well

 

[RSRowe]

As @charltjr said, look at https://www.tyrereviews.com/ and make an informed decision from actual 3rd party testing data.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

That makes sense to be fair. It’s just a standard Clio, nothing performance-focused, so I’m leaning more towards a good mid-range option rather than going all out.
Just trying to find something that’s decent in the wet as well

I've been running Avon 7V7s on my 182 for a few years now.
I live in the North West of England where it's wet all the time lol. They're good in the wet and dry when pushing on, good wear rate and won't break the bank.
Look on Camskill for prices. They're always the cheapest for me. I order them, then get them fitted at a local tyre place.

 

[Whitetac]

I’ve got Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 on my 330D and really rate them. Have always gone for MPS5 or similar but in day to day driving I’ve not been able to tell any difference. Were about 50% cheaper than Michelin/Contis.

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 - Tyre Reviews And Ratings

Find The Best Tyre For Your Car Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 Reviews And Ratings. Reviews And Road Tests Of The Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 Tyre.

www.tyrereviews.com

 

[Flob]

For most drivers people wouldn't even notice the difference between a budget tyre and a premium tyre.... until they needed to do an emergency stop in the rain at 8deg C.

I fit Michelin CrossClimates to all our non sporty cars by default now. They are a little more expensive however they are all seasons which actually work well in mud and snow, they also last a really long time!