Cheap Chinese Tires Show Wide Safety Gaps in Braking Tests
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Braking tests reveal significant safety differences among budget tires, especially Chinese brands, with stopping distances varying by up to 20 meters on wet roads. While some Chinese manufacturers like Linglong and Giti show improvement, others like Arivo perform poorly. Top performers included Toyo, Vredestein, and Bridgestone, highlighting the critical safety implications of tire choice.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Braking tests show Chinese tires have safety gaps, with stopping distances varying up to 20 meters on wet roads.
- Some Chinese tire brands like Linglong and Giti are improving, while others like Arivo perform poorly.
- Top tires like Toyo, Vredestein, and Bridgestone stopped significantly shorter than the worst budget options.
- Wet braking performance is a key differentiator, especially with winter approaching.
- The gap between premium and worst Chinese tires could mean the difference between avoiding or causing a collision.
A new analysis of braking tests reveals significant safety disparities among budget tires, particularly those originating from China. While some Chinese brands are improving and competing effectively, others exhibit severe weaknesses that could critically extend braking distances. The German automotive publication "Auto Bild" conducted tests on tires in the common size 225/45 R17, comparing various brands, including budget Chinese options, against established European, American, and Japanese manufacturers.
The results indicate a complex landscape within the "Chinese tire" category. More established Asian manufacturers like Giti (Singapore/China), GT Radial (Singapore), Nankang (Taiwan), and Linglong (China) have shown considerable progress, delivering much-improved performance. However, other brands such as Tracmax, Sunny, Black Arrow, Lanvigator, Autogreen, Goodride, Westlake, and Arivo primarily compete on price and represent the lower end of the quality spectrum.
Braking performance differences were particularly pronounced on wet surfaces, a crucial factor ahead of the winter season. The best-performing tire overall on wet asphalt was the Japanese Toyo Celsius 2, stopping from 100 km/h in 42.1 meters. It was followed closely by Dutch Vredestein (42.8 meters) and Japanese Bridgestone (42.9 meters).
Among the better-performing budget Asian brands, Linglong Sport Master 4S stopped in 47.3 meters, GT Radial ClimateActive in 48.1 meters, and Giti AllSeason AS2 in 48.7 meters. These results still represent a deficit of 5.2 to 6.6 meters compared to the top performers.
However, the most dramatic difference was observed between the Toyo and the lowest-ranked Arivo tire. While the test vehicle equipped with Toyo tires had come to a complete stop, the vehicle with Arivo tires continued to travel an additional 20.1 meters. This substantial gap, potentially up to 20 meters on wet roads between premium and the worst Chinese tires, could be the difference between avoiding an accident and a collision.