Kumho’s Ecsta UHP tyre range is currently represented by the PS91 and PS71 models, covering fitments between 17 and 21”. This Ecsta range has been embellished with runflat and SUV variants, extending its reach into other areas of the market, and in the process collecting an original equipment homologation on the BMW 5 Series.
With SUV tyres the fastest-growing replacement tyre segment during the last decade, branching out in this area has been one of the main targets of Triangle’s ongoing product development strategy. The introduction of AdvanteX SUV TR259 therefore represents a big leap forwards for Triangle towards high-quality and high-value SUV customers.
The Toyota Yaris has gone the way of the Mini and Fiat 500 and bulked out to meet market demand. Toyota has launched the Yaris Cross, a new and larger version of its popular supermini. It designed this B-segment SUV specifically for the European market and has selected Goodyear as an original equipment tyre supplier. The Toyota Yaris Cross will wear the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 in size 215/50R18 with a load/speed rating of 92V.
More than half of European drivers with all-season tyres choose them for their convenience as all-season tyres do not need to be changed twice a year. Another reason, according to the survey conducted by Nokian Tyres in the past year, is the safety aspect. 50 per cent believe that all-season tyres are safe enough to use throughout the whole year in central Europe and they meet all the regulatory requirements for winter tyres. The survey was conducted in four countries: Germany, France, Italy and Poland. The new Nokian Seasonproof all-season tyre is designed for drivers who need reliability and first-class safety for snowy and slushy winter days but who also want top-notch performance and effortless driving feel in the summer.
Read our sister site WhatTyre’s most recommended all-season tyres for 2021, the winner of the inaugural WhatTyre All-Season Tyre of the Year, and why an all-season tyre was WhatTyre’s pick for the overall 2021 Tyre of the Year.
Pirelli has shared further details about its new Powergy range. The tyre maker says it will offer this replacement market summer tyres for cars, crossovers, SUVs and MPVs in 55 sizes for 17- to 20-inch rims and H to Y speed ratings by the end of this year.
Yokohama’s Advan Sport V107 has been approved for fitment on the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC. The SUV went on sale in Europe in December 2019. The GLB 35 can be outfitted with 21-inch 255/35ZR21 98Y size Advan Sport V107 tyres. The deal expands Yokohama’s already thriving relationship with Mercedes-AMG.
Three of the top ten best-selling cars in Europe are SUVs. The growth of this market is such that the meaning of the terms has come to encompass a broad range of vehicle applications. Broadly though, a motorist can expect an elevated driving position, hatchback practicality mixed with some degree of all-terrain ability, and rugged looks. Handling a wide range of conditions and environments is a big part of their appeal, meaning tyre technology in the SUV segment needs to support these applications, as as Thomas Gesenhoff, technical project manager at Goodyear, explains.
As the April edition of Tyres & Accessories went to press, the story of the Ever Given – the 400-metre long container ship that got wedged in the Suez canal – was getting a surprising amount of news coverage. The spectacle of a ship the length of four football pitches was enough to capture the attention of many. For others, the anecdotes of tenacious tug pilots and plucky digger drivers trying to free the gargantuan vessel from its unscheduled moorings did the trick. But for those in the tyre trade – and hundreds of other lines of work connected with global logistics – there were solid business reasons for their interest. “How many boxes have you got on the Ever Given?”, one tyre wholesaler asked. “It’s times like this…”, the other comically replied leaving the rest of his reply to the imagination.
The Ford Ranger Raptor is now exclusively fitted with General Grabber AT3 tyres as standard. The high-performance off-road pickup from Ford features a specially developed motorsport-friendly chassis. And its particular performance qualities come to the fore at high speeds away from paved roads.
Like all vehicle manufacturers, Ford defines a wide range of requirements, which Continental (the manufacturer of the General Tire brand) reports the Grabber AT3 “more than met during intensive testing”.
For the last few years Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) take-up has continued apace. Indeed, according to the latest UK vehicle registrations figures, cars that can be described as SUVs now occupy a significant portion of new vehicle market share. Indeed, the Nissan Qashqai crossover was the third most popular purchase in February 2021, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). And the Volvo XC40 as well as the Volkswagen T-Roc and Tiguan also figure in the top 10. Of course, all these vehicles need tyres so there is every chance that the recent trend towards SUV tyre replacement sales is also going to continue over the next few years. But what about last year? With these trends in mind, the month’s SUV tyre feature takes a closer look the best products on the market beginning with a detailed look at the latest market data produced in association with GfK.
Giti Tire’s original equipment progress has continued with another fitment for Groupe Renault’s Dacia brand. Three months after it announced the new Dacia Sandero and Logan models would roll of factory lines on the GitiSynergyE1, the carmaker has selected the same tyre for the new Dacia Sandero Stepway. Giti will supply the tyre in size 205/60R16 92H for the model, which has recently gone into production. The GitiSynergyE1 is also OE on the Seat Arona crossover, a VW Group model in the same vehicle segment.
The breadth of Kumho’s 4×4 tyre range has been further enhanced by the addition of the new Ectsa PS71 SUV in some 12 sizes, specially developed for large, powerful SUVs and designed for 100 per cent on-road use. As a result, the vast majority of requirements will be covered by the newcomer and other on-road products such as the Crugen HP91 and HP71, plus the cross-functional Road Venture patterned MT51 and AT61. Between them, they cover everything from top-end SUVs such as the Audi Q7, Range Rover and BMW X5 to the ever-popular classic Land Rover Defender.
Contract manufacturer SD-International’s Zeta and Toledo tyre brands offer a range of patterns for all types of SUV vehicles.
For its part, the Zeta brand features the Impero range, which provides “modern and stylish designed high performance SUV patterns” that are said to “guarantee overall superb safe drive” as well as “All Season road handling performance”. The Impero range also offers a new tread compound and profile thar results in a 25 per cent improvement in wet grip. The Zeta Impero is currently available in 54 sizes, ranging from 215/65 R16 to 285/35 ZR22.
With a growing number of SUVs on the roads – both ICE and electric – there is an increasing need for high-performance tyres that can handle heavier loads without sacrificing performance. Whether you need a sporty, lower-profile tyre or a more traditional offering, company representatives say Davanti Tyres has a range that addresses such demands.
Triangle
Nokian
Daimler
Goodyear
Copernicus Sentinel; Pierre Markuse; CC-BY-2.0
General Tire
Dariusz Sankowski; Pixabay
Tread Ltd
Kumho
SD International
Davanti