Put safety first: tire tests show that some summer tires can go wrong

• Forbes reports that after testing all-season tires up to Bridgestone Potenza Sport, it found that they wear out faster due to prolonged braking
• Material provided by Motor Trend, Tire Rack and Edmunds on what happened during the test of the tire’s UHPAS
• Jalopnik also points to Tire Rack’s test findings for UHPAS tires, where Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 did not perform as well as expected, and the results showed a clear preference for the tire’s performance

Summer tires without fail have an impact on the way an automobile drives, affecting its handling, and even the way it brakes. Forbes examined the way tires handle in a variety of conditions and found that the best results come from all-season tire models with a summer focus.

The author notes that all-season tires are compared, and that summer tires outperform them in terms of braking. That’s why Bridgestone Potenza Sport — a member of the “Summer Ultra-High Performance” class — proved best on a Porsche Macan. The review concludes that Potenza Sport is designed for dry and wet roads, with sharper cornering and better traction in cold weather.

Forbes also cites Motor Trend and Tire Rack and Edmunds testing. The material says that Max-Performance summer tires outperform 10–20% in rolling resistance, and that the grip of tires on dry pavement at 60 mph is 30–40 feet. The wet braking distance for summer tires is about 50–60 feet. The article also notes that what summer tires can change is the rate at which they wear, and that this is visible in the way the tires behave when braking.

Jalopnik, in an article published June 30, 2026 at 12:25 pm EST, reports on Tire Rack’s test of “ultra-high-performance all-season” tires. The publication finds that Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is the best choice: on the basis of tire performance, the best results are shown by the Goodyear Eagle Sport All-Season, and in wet tests, Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season and Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 take the lead.

Jalopnik also notes that Tire Rack’s test of the Tesla Model 3 for tire suitability found that EV-specific tires can provide better results. The article explains that the reason is that the results may differ for different tire models, and that the choice depends on the vehicle’s characteristics and driving conditions.

Tags: Automotive