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Tyres  /  Tyre NewsPerformance Tyres  / Are premium tyres worth it?

Bang for your buck: Are premium tyres worth it?

Goodyear eagle f1 on car
Continental tyres

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?

Goodyear tyres on generic car in sun
The Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6: test prepping?
Image credit: Goodyear

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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.

BMW 3 series models
BMW 3 Series, ideal test cars?
Image credit: BMW

Double the distance?

Next up: mileage, and (probably) the moment you’ve all been waiting for… Could premium tyres really be the cheaper option in the long run?

In another test, now head-to-head against 19 other summer tyres, the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 showcased its endurance prowess, running for over 39,200 miles before needing to be replaced with a fresh set. This not only landed top spot on the test leaderboard but also revealed that the premium rubber could more than double the mileage offered by the lowest ranking tyre in the test.

Goodyear tyre on car
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6.
Image credit: Goodyear

But what does this mean for your bank account? Well, crunch some numbers, and of the competitors involved, the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 came out as the cheapest tyre to run at £12.05 per 1,000 miles. By our rough calculations, that could save you the price of not one, but two London coffees each time you travel the length of the UK. But seriously, multiply that by the tyre’s total potential running distance and you could be looking at some chunky savings, clocking in at around 50% cheaper than the lowest ranked tyre which cost £22.34 per 1,000 miles.

So yes, premium tyres certainly have the potential to save you money in the long run, offering endurance and therefore the opportunity to hold on to them for longer. And with less tyre purchases, comes less tyre changes, and increased opportunity to hold on to some of your hard-earned cash too. To us, it seems like a bit of an investment, and when you sprinkle the premium performance and safety benefits into the mix as well, it’s quite a tempting one too.

So, are premium tyres worth it to you?

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