I don’t know if it’s of any help, but I have the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT on my car (245/40/18s) and although they seem pretty grippy, they are very noisy over hard tarmac and concrete, even more so than the run flats I used to have on my BMW. They also feel funny when parking and using full lock for the first few thousand miles, a sort of grumbling feel as if the rubber is super hard. They are fine now though. I think they came second in the tyre test in Autocar (it was on a Merc though, not an Octy)

Got my copy of Auto Express today. tested 225 /40 R 18 on Octavia FL. Test was at Continentals proving ground, the Contidrom

Overall verdict

1. Continental Sport Contact 3

2. Michelin Pilot Sport 3

3. GoodyearEagle F1

4. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT

5. Hankook Ventus S1 evo

6. Pirelli P Zero

7. Vredestein Ultrac Cento

8. Uniroyal Rainsport 2

9. Bridgestone Potenza RE 50 A

10. Sava

11. Maxxis

12. Runway

Continental was best all rounder. Pirelli best in dry but not so good in wet. You need to read tyre test to get full picture.

I noticed one thing, it was done at Continental's proving ground grown and they came top. It's a bit like their light bulb tests at Philips, Can you guess what comes top? Having said that in the past other manufacturers of tyres have come top (Vredestein for some years and Goodyear).

If you look at the tests solely for noise, then here are the results.

1. Sava

2. Dunlop

3. Vredestein

4. Hankook.

5= Continental

5= Runway

7. Maxis

8. Michelin

9. Pirelli

10. Goodyear

11. Uniroyal

12. Bridgestone.

I noticed one thing, it was done at Continental's proving ground grown and they came top. It's a bit like their light bulb tests at Philips, Can you guess what comes top? Having said that in the past other manufacturers of tyres have come top (Vredestein for some years and Goodyear).

If you look at the tests solely for noise, then here are the results.

1. Sava

2. Dunlop

3. Vredestein

4. Hankook.

5= Continental

5= Runway

7. Maxis

8. Michelin

9. Pirelli

10. Goodyear

11. Uniroyal

12. Bridgestone.

Ah I think I read the Autocar tyre shoot out, not the Auto Express one. Wish I could remember what tyres I had on my Octy as they were beautifully quiet (admittedly a lot narrower and higher profile etc than my current car)

Sport Maxx do tend to get fitted to a fair few cars as OEM - Dunlop must have done some good deals! Strangely though, most 'enthusiastic' owners replace them for something else!

They may well have been Michelin Premacy on your Octy Amanda?

Steve

Sport Maxx do tend to get fitted to a fair few cars as OEM - Dunlop must have done some good deals! Strangely though, most 'enthusiastic' owners replace them for something else!

They may well have been Michelin Premacy on your Octy Amanda?

Steve

You might well be right. I think I will be swapping my Dunlops for something else when these wear out. I suspect the fronts wont last too long with all that weight up there

People often find that they wear quite well - so you might be waiting a while

But yes, plenty of better contenders out there.

People often find that they wear quite well - so you might be waiting a while

But yes, plenty of better contenders out there.

I’ve done over 6K miles in the first couple of months mind The BMW was fantastic with tyres. The rears lasted well over 30K and I was too gentle on them either

Still fancy a set of Winters though, just for the fun factor....ops for the necessary traction when working ooop North

Interesting that Vredestein are pushing the Centro and not the Ultrac Sessanta.

As a premium/comfort tyre I'd say (from what I have read) that the Cento is pretty good BUT an Octavia vRS deserves the sportier Ultrac Sessanta (have a look at the hierarchy on Vredestein's website you'll see what I mean).

IMHO if Vred had used the Ultrac Sessantas in the Auto Express and AutoCar test it would have rated higher. It came second in the Evo Tyre Test 2007.

On wear rates I'd say you get what you pay for. Yes Michelins generally last and last and last BUT they are expensive. I had Michelin Pilot Exaltos c.£150 on my vRS from new and then switched to Ultrac Sessantas c.£100 (225/40 18) but checking wear rate over 15 - 20,000 miles on a £££ per mile basis they cost the same BUT I preferred the wet grip of the Sessantas so stuck with them (now on my 3rd set).

PS> The Ultrac Sessantas are noisier than the Michelins though (just to throw in a comment relevant to the OP thread).

Edited 10 September, 201015 yr by bahnstormer vrs

When I was at the Motor Expo at Canary Wharf in June, all the Jaguars on display had Dunlop Sport Maxx. So why are they a pain on Skoda Octavia`s?

No mention of Avon Tyres? Are any of the others British made?

I have found Avon's OK if not wonderful but pretty good value. Michelins etc were often half as much again or more to buy.

Any place for "buy British"? The more money we export as a nation the less money there is for UK government and therefore taxes will have to rise further! Just a thought.

Edited 11 September, 201015 yr by lol

When I was at the Motor Expo at Canary Wharf in June, all the Jaguars on display had Dunlop Sport Maxx. So why are they a pain on Skoda Octavia`s?

Just because they fit them doesn't mean there isn't better out there. As mentioned previously, Dunlop seem to have done some good deals with manufacturers.

Interesting that Vredestein are pushing the Centro and not the Ultrac Sessanta.

As a premium/comfort tyre I'd say (from what I have read) that the Cento is pretty good BUT an Octavia vRS deserves the sportier Ultrac Sessanta (have a look at the hierarchy on Vredestein's website you'll see what I mean).

IMHO if Vred had used the Ultrac Sessantas in the Auto Express and AutoCar test it would have rated higher. It came second in the Evo Tyre Test 2007.

On wear rates I'd say you get what you pay for. Yes Michelins generally last and last and last BUT they are expensive. I had Michelin Pilot Exaltos c.£150 on my vRS from new and then switched to Ultrac Sessantas c.£100 (225/40 18) but checking wear rate over 15 - 20,000 miles on a £££ per mile basis they cost the same BUT I preferred the wet grip of the Sessantas so stuck with them (now on my 3rd set).

PS> The Ultrac Sessantas are noisier than the Michelins though (just to throw in a comment relevant to the OP thread).

As mentioned, the post was about which tyres are quietest and I stand by the link to the review I posted earlier in this thread. Having moved from Sessantas all round to Centos, I also stand by what I said about grip so I guess it depends on what folks (including Vredestein) define by sporty. This was written a while ago before any published reviews and I hope my assessment was unbiased and acknowledging the plusses and minusses.

I would agree with the comments on the Sessantas vs Michelins - this was my take too.

Edited 12 September, 201015 yr by muckipup

After a bit of research I had Kumho Ecsta Sport KU31 fitted by my local tyre place, £90 each fitted for 225/40/18s. VERY impressed so far!. Ditching the Continentals for these has made an unbelieveable difference to the cabin noise.

With the Continentals, there was a constant roar at motorway speeds, which dissapeared on the rare occason that I found a newly surfaced secton. Well the Kumho's are nearly that quiet all the time. Bliss.

Skoda should fit queter tyres from the outset, makes a huge dfference!

Uniroyal Rainsport 2's for me in the spring

After a bit of research I had Kumho Ecsta Sport KU31 fitted by my local tyre place, £90 each fitted for 225/40/18s. VERY impressed so far!. Ditching the Continentals for these has made an unbelieveable difference to the cabin noise.

With the Continentals, there was a constant roar at motorway speeds, which dissapeared on the rare occason that I found a newly surfaced secton. Well the Kumho's are nearly that quiet all the time. Bliss.

Skoda should fit queter tyres from the outset, makes a huge dfference!

Do remember that any new tyre should sound quieter and feel softer as it will have 7 - 8mm of rubber/silica in the tread to provide noise suppression and comfort versus the 2 - 3 mm that would have been left on your 'old' tyres.

Do remember that any new tyre should sound quieter and feel softer as it will have 7 - 8mm of rubber/silica in the tread to provide noise suppression and comfort versus the 2 - 3 mm that would have been left on your 'old' tyres.

The old tyres were awful (sound like truck tyres!) from when I got the car with 4000 miles on the clock, to 20000 miles when I changed them. All 4 were worn evenly, so I am sure that the tracking/geometry will have been OK.