The Evo Tyre Tests are considered the most extensive within the automative industry. They are conducted annually to ensure drivers can make an informed choice about the purchase of what can be an expensive but crucial motoring consumable.

The tests have revealed that brands that may be thought of as ‘budget’ can actually be better performers than more established makes. While there may look like there’s little difference between last year’s rubber and the newer version, the latest tyre test conducted by experts at Evo proves the difference can be marked. It means that drivers could miss out on better handling and braking by choosing old-stock tyres After a series of exhaustive tests taking into account handling and braking in both the wet and dry in addition to overall feel, the Continental which won in 2016 dropped to third place this year while the top two best performers were newly-launched tyres from Michelin and Pirelli.

It tested the most popular size of performance tyre – 225/40 R18 – from nine brands in the controlled environment of a test track. A Volkswagen Golf GTI was chosen as the car for the trials. Tyres from less established brands such as Falken and Hankook were rated higher than rubber from Goodyear.

Stuart Gallagher, Editor of evo, said: “Those black rings of rubber are the only component that connects your car to the tarmac, so you should research any tyre purchase thoroughly. Besides the safety aspects, the right choice of tyre can make your car far more enjoyable to drive”.

The overall winner was the Michelin Pilot Sport 4, followed by the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 with the Continental Premium Contact 6 coming in third. The Hankook Ventus S1 EVO2 and the Toyo Proxes Sport also came in the top ten. The full test is published in the September issue of Evo.