Independent tyre tester Tire Track tested Michelin, Kumho, and Yokohama SUV tyres to find out which one is best on different conditions. All tyres were almost equal in dry tracks and fuel consumption tests, but Michelin came out as the best choice for wet tracks.
In this test, Tire Rack evaluated three of the newest tyres in the category: the Kumho Crugen Premium, the Michelin Premier LTX and the Yokohama Geolandar G055. The tyres were mounted, at full tread depth, on the 18×8.0 wheels of a 2016 Porsche V6 Cayenne and evaluated on Tire Rack’s own test track and along a six-mile road loop.
At one-third of a mile per lap, the test track at Tire Rack’s South Bend headquarters includes 90-degree corners, a five-cone slalom and simulated expressway ramps. From the track, Tire Rack tested stopping times and distances, maneuverability and traction in both dry and wet conditions.
The real-world road course offers a combination of expressway, state highway and country roads, allowing Tire Rack to evaluate the tyres at a variety of speeds on a variety of surfaces, including smooth and coarse concrete and new and patched asphalt.
In dry conditions, the three tyre models performed remarkably similar. The distances that each needed to complete a panic stop from 50 miles per hour were separated by only one foot. The difference in time needed to complete a lap around the test track spanned just one quarter of a second.
Fuel consumption differences were also negligible. The Michelin model generated an observed 22.7 miles per gallon in fuel economy, with the Kumho and Yokohama tyres close behind at 22.5 miles per gallon each.
However, wet conditions delivered a clear leader. The Michelin Premier LTX tyres stood out from the pack, demonstrating superior traction that raises the bar for tyres in this category. The Kumho tyres performed well in terms of handling, traction and stopping distance, however they couldn’t quite measure up to the Michelin model. Yokohama tyres lagged behind, literally, with a wet-course lap time almost five seconds slower than the best model.
Tire Rack awarded the Michelin Premier LTX the top score in both the road tests and the track tests. These tyres provided good handling and a smooth ride with minimal noise. The Kumho Crugen Premium took second thanks to a slightly lower level of wet traction than the Michelin. In third, the Yokohama Geolandar G055 proved an adequate tyre in search of more wet surface traction.