Bang for your buck: Are premium tyres worth it?

Are premium tyres worth the investment? And could they actually save you money?

Tyres are much more than just the black rubber circles which you wrap around your wheels. They are the sole contact between your car and the road, unavoidably linked to the performance, comfort, and safety you experience when driving.

And yes, they do all look the same, but don’t be fooled — there are many more differences between budget, mid-range, and premium tyres than may meet the eye.

Luckily for us, Goodyear offered its ultra-high-performance Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 summer tyre as a rubber guinea pig to highlight the impact premium tyres can make. And — hold up — could they actually be cheaper in the long run?

Time to take the test

First up: a test of braking. Fitted to a trusty BMW 3 Series travelling at 62 mph and pitted against no less than 49 other summer tyres, tyre choice was found to impact stopping distances to the tune of 7 meters on dry roads. 

And maybe that’s not a shock, considering the step-up in both R&D investment and material quality which come with premium tyres. Fancy an example of what these investments can bring? Look no further than the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6’s ‘Dry Contact Plus’ tech, which allows the ever-important contact patch to adapt to both driving style and road surface, boosting grip in the dry, and keeping your braking distance where it should be.

‘But what about when it rains’ we hear you say? Well, the findings were even more dramatic there. Once the heavens open, you’re looking at a disparity of up to 15 meters at just 50 mph, with factors like the Asymmetric 6’s ‘Wet Breaking Pro’ tech (based on an innovative resin) helping to safely make the difference on wet roads.