Karoq 1.5 SE L Tyres

[granty09]

Hi, I've had my Karoq 1.5 SEL DSG for nearly 2 years now, well 20 months. I've done just over 16k miles and have never liked the Bridgestone Turanzas that came from the factory 215/50/R18. I find the grip awful! Anyway, I don't see myself as an aggressive driver, however my fronts are nearly gone and my rears aren't far behind (never had a car where tyres have lasted this little). Does anyone have any recommendations on any tyres they have used? I've been told by a few people that the Michelin Primacy 3 tyres are decent, any thoughts. Money is not so much of an option given the what they are used for and designed to do.

Thanks

[CJJE]

Don't know where you live, but I'm a huge fan of All Season Tyres for cars in the UK. 

 

Sure winter tyres are even better in the weather we've had recently in the Midlands, but I find All Seasons a good compromise, and save changing wheels over every six months.

 

Continental All SeasonContact or Michelin CrossClimate + are both well recommended, if they come in the size you need. (I've only checked that I can buy them for my Sportline when the time comes.)

 

Chris

[gigolo456]

2 minutes ago, CJJE said:

Don't know where you live, but I'm a huge fan of All Season Tyres for cars in the UK. 

 

Sure winter tyres are even better in the weather we've had recently in the Midlands, but I find All Seasons a good compromise, and save changing wheels over every six months.

 

Continental All SeasonContact or Michelin CrossClimate + are both well recommended, if they come in the size you need. (I've only checked that I can buy them for my Sportline when the time comes.)

 

Chris

Are they noisier than Summer tyres do you know? Do they tend to last longer also?

Cheers 

Andrew

[Ootohere]

Michelin Primacy 3 in run flat or non run flat are on Hybrids / EV's because they are ECO tyres that can get range / lower energy use / fuel use.

Achieved by less friction which is grip.   They can be bl00dy hopeless on a FWD / Auto / EV which even with good tyres might spin wheels.

The Primacy 4 tyres my EV came with were even worse than the Primacy 3's i have driven some car with fitted.

 

 

 

 

[granty09]

5 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

Michelin Primacy 3 in run flat or non run flat are on Hybrids / EV's because they are ECO tyres that can get range / lower energy use / fuel use.

Achieved by less friction which is grip.   They can be bl00dy hopeless on a FWD / Auto / EV which even with good tyres might spin wheels.

The Primacy 4 tyres my EV came with were even worse than the Primacy 3's i have driven some car with fitted.

 

 

 

 

Do you have any recommendations?

[AGFalco]

HTH.

Thanks, AG Falco

 

Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 215/50 R18 92VH

1 hour ago, granty09 said:

Does anyone have any recommendations

 

[granty09]

3 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

HTH.

Thanks, AG Falco

 

Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 215/50 R18 92VH

 

Forgive me if I'm missing the point, but would a tyre labelled as Wet Grip A be better than the Goodyear Wet Grip B? I don't fully understand the tyre labelling but assume a rated A would be better than B?

[Ootohere]

@granty09 The other members are making recommendations and this section and the tyre section is full of them.

[granty09]

Just now, e-Roottoot said:

@granty09 The other members are making recommendations and this section and the tyre section is full of them.

Apologies, I didn't know there was a specific tyre section. I will take a look

[AGFalco]

2 minutes ago, granty09 said:

Forgive me if I'm missing the point, but would a tyre labelled as Wet Grip A be better than the Goodyear Wet Grip B?

 

In theory, Yes. But that is not the only factor to consider.

 

Look at the Youtube clip for real info.

 

Thanks, AG Falco

Edited 30 December, 2020 by AGFalco
added. But that is not the only factor to consider.

[CJJE]

2 hours ago, gigolo456 said:

Are they noisier than Summer tyres do you know? Do they tend to last longer also?

Cheers 

Andrew

If you look at the Black Circles website (for example) they will quote the basic parameters for all the tyres on sale - fuel consumption, drive past noise levels, wet grip dry grip etc. AutoExpress and Autobild both give regular tyre tests. (My browser will auto-translate Autobild pages, usually pretty well)

 

Chris

[SurreyJohn]

@granty09 the 18 inch wheel with 235/50 R18s was always bit of obscure tyre size (which means they are not the cheapest, and choice is rather limited)

 

I would go for all season tyres, my recommendation in that size would be Continental all season contact.    An alternative is Vredestein Quatrac Pro

 

In my opinion since all season tyre ranges have been added, the latest summer tyres are no longer suitable for all year use in UK.  They have been formulated for use in more summer like temperatures (even WLTP testing is done at +23c).  Consequently latest versions now poor in cold rain (even if they are good in warm summer rain).  Anything marked Eco is probably going to be poor in wet below about +10c as it is optimised for cruising >20c

 

So be very careful if you look at summer tyres now, they are not the same as few years ago (before all season ranges added).  Being harder might improve longevity but reduces grip (and can’t alter basic laws of physics and make something hard, and tacky to grip well, it’s a trade off)

 

 

 

Edited 30 December, 2020 by SurreyJohn

[granty09]

2 hours ago, SurreyJohn said:

@granty09 the 18 inch wheel with 235/50 R18s was always bit of obscure tyre size (which means they are not the cheapest, and choice is rather limited)

 

I would go for all season tyres, my recommendation in that size would be Continental all season contact.    An alternative is Vredestein Quatrac Pro

 

In my opinion since all season tyre ranges have been added, the latest summer tyres are no longer suitable for all year use in UK.  They have been formulated for use in more summer like temperatures (even WLTP testing is done at +23c).  Consequently latest versions now poor in cold rain (even if they are good in warm summer rain).  Anything marked Eco is probably going to be poor in wet below about +10c as it is optimised for cruising >20c

 

So be very careful if you look at summer tyres now, they are not the same as few years ago (before all season ranges added).  Being harder might improve longevity but reduces grip (and can’t alter basic laws of physics and make something hard, and tacky to grip well, it’s a trade off)

 

 

 

I would prefer it if my tyres were 235/50/R18, I might not get as much wheel spin then, and there are way more tyres in that size over my 1.5 SE L fitted with 215/50/R18. Does anyone know if increasing the width to 235 is a) allowed and b) a good thing to do?

[Carlston]

Turanzas are summer tyres. They don't work very well in cold, wet, and greasy road conditions. You need tyres with the 3PMSF symbol. These have good traction in snow but also work well in the aforementioned road conditions.

 

Going to a wider tyre won't help in these conditions. It's about having the right type of tyre not so much the width. The Karoq doesn't come with less than 215mm width as standard, so that's plenty wide enough. In fact going too wide can sometimes reduce your grip in difficult road conditions.

 

215/50R18 is an expensive size, with tyres often costing around £150 each. It's also far less comfortable than the 215/60R16 size .

 

You can get new Alcar 6Jx16 ET43 5/112 57.1 steel rims for about £40 each, so changing down to the 16" size would soon pay for itself.

 

https://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/michelin/crossclimate-plus/215/60/R16/V/99/m?tyre=36107244

Skoda Karoq 2020 1.5 TSi

– Generation: 2017 .. 2021 

– Power: 148 hp | 110 kW | 150 PS 

– Engine: DADA, I4, Petrol

– Options: SE, SE L, Ambition, Executive, Style, SportLine

– Center Bore: 57.1 mm 

– Wheel Fasteners: Lug bolts 

– Torque: 140 Nm

– Thread Size: M14 x 1.5 

– Trim Production: [2017 .. 2020]

Tire	Rim	PCD
215/60R16 95V	6Jx16 ET43	5x112	2.2
215/55R17 94V	7Jx17 ET45	5x112	2.2
215/50R18 92V	7Jx18 ET45	5x112	2.4

 

https://www.wheel-size.com/size/skoda/karoq/2020/

 

Edited 31 December, 2020 by Carlston

[croquemonsieur]

According to tyre test reviews, all weather tyres are invariably quieter than summer tyres and better riding (winter tyres even more so).  The Michelin Cross-climate out of all the AW choices, is the closest to a summer tyre handling if the best grip on dry roads in summer is the emphasis.  They do seem quite popular here on Karoqs.  They have XL sidewalls - extra robust, but less compliant.  Recent reviews tend to show it is one of the noisiest of AW tyres and others are better in the cold, so I'm looking elsewhere as I'm very fussy about road noise and ride.

 

I'm seriously thinking next year of changing my 17" Turanza shod Karoq to the recent well reviewed, good all round Goodyear 4 Seasons generation 3 on 16" wheels.  One contributor here has pointed out that the narrower 6J rim size of the 16" wheel further improves ride & I suspect noise too (apologies, can't recall his name or find link - has interesting things to say on such matters).

 

One thread on AW tyres from the tyre section, but there are several recent relevant threads in that section too.

 

[SurreyJohn]

8 hours ago, granty09 said:

I would prefer it if my tyres were 235/50/R18, I might not get as much wheel spin then, and there are way more tyres in that size over my 1.5 SE L fitted with 215/50/R18. Does anyone know if increasing the width to 235 is a) allowed and b) a good thing to do?

sorry was my typo, I meant 215 (not 235),

you can’t fit 235 tyres

 

If you find the ride too hard, really need to change to 17 inch wheels (with 215/55 R17 tyres) as fitted to SE and SE Drive spec.   In some European countries a 16 inch wheel is  standard on lower spec Karoq

 

Regarding wheel spin, it is the summer tyres (the brochure even calls them low rolling resistance).  Basically hard and not tacky (grippy).  Simply changing to all seasons will stop the wheel spin.

 

 

 

Edited 31 December, 2020 by SurreyJohn

[Guest]

In all this talk of noise, hard ride ride, rolling resistance, grip etc,  I'm surprised nobody has mentioned to check your tyre pressures before thinking about changing tyres.

 

Slightly different scenario here as I have 19" wheels on my car and naturally the extra low profile tyres carry a disadvantage, but when it comes time to change my preferred option will be All-season. I owned an Octavia with incredibly loud 17" factory fit Dunlop Sport summer tyres. I read all the replies re: sound insulation and rear suspension being the problem but suspected the tyres were the biggest contributing factor so when a very special offer came along, I decided to go for Goodyear 4 Seasons - it made the cost of ditching 4 near new tyres less painful. Best move I ever made. Much less noise and comfort was instantly apparent. I'd expected the car to be less fuel efficient as a result but it made little or no difference.

 

The only downside was less grip in summer,the car felt as if it was slipping around mini-roundabouts if you approached them too fast.

 

But that's the thing with tyres, no tyre will be economical, long lasting, quiet, work great in summer, work great in winter, handle well, provide best comfort etc. so no point in looking for the Holy Grail. I found All Weather tyres to be the best compromise so when the time comes, that's what I'll be replacing the factory tyres with. 

Edited 31 December, 2020 by Guest

[Ootohere]

I hope the OP has checked the tyre pressures and adjusted them as and when required in the past 20 months of ownership.

The OP was about lack of grip and the short life of the tyre.

Edited 31 December, 2020 by e-Roottoot

[granty09]

1 minute ago, e-Roottoot said:

I hope the OP has checked the tyre pressures and adjusted them as and when required in the past 20 months of ownership.

Pressures are checked monthly and topped up as and when needed

[Ootohere]

@granty09Just a pity the tyres / wheels were not changed front to rear to get fair wear out of them and then get them off and 4 new on.

[shyVRS245]

Bought our 1.5TSi manual Karoq new on 26/01/2018 and it came with Michelin Primacy 3 Eco tyres which have been excellent and removed the wheels a few months ago at 27,000 miles and there was still 3/4mm of thread left on all 4 tyres. I would buy them again because they were good even in 2 inches of snow last winter when other vehicles were struggling they still found grip. Have no complaints about them but in the standard 215/50R18 size they are expensive to replace. I had some 19" Superb Vega alloys which bolt straight onto the Karoq so my wife is enjoying the extra grip of the Bridgestone SOO1 Performance tyres in 235/40R19 size. Economy has been 46mpg overall this year in just 6,000 miles since January 2020. Ride is good on both these tyres despite the extra width and lower side profile of the SOO1 and when they are worn out I will probably put the 18" Braga alloys it came with the latest Michelin Eco tyres whether that is Primacy 5 or something similar.

[gigolo456]

1 hour ago, shyVRS245 said:

Bought our 1.5TSi manual Karoq new on 26/01/2018 and it came with Michelin Primacy 3 Eco tyres which have been excellent and removed the wheels a few months ago at 27,000 miles and there was still 3/4mm of thread left on all 4 tyres. I would buy them again because they were good even in 2 inches of snow last winter when other vehicles were struggling they still found grip. Have no complaints about them but in the standard 215/50R18 size they are expensive to replace. I had some 19" Superb Vega alloys which bolt straight onto the Karoq so my wife is enjoying the extra grip of the Bridgestone SOO1 Performance tyres in 235/40R19 size. Economy has been 46mpg overall this year in just 6,000 miles since January 2020. Ride is good on both these tyres despite the extra width and lower side profile of the SOO1 and when they are worn out I will probably put the 18" Braga alloys it came with the latest Michelin Eco tyres whether that is Primacy 5 or something similar.

Hi, is the ride quality really that similar between the 18s and 19s?

[shyVRS245]

2 minutes ago, gigolo456 said:

Hi, is the ride quality really that similar between the 18s and 19s?

Well we find there is a huge amount of suspension travel (just try jacking up a Karoq to change a wheel like I did and you will understand) so the smaller sidewall on the 19" alloy is barely noticeable unlike a conventional hatchback or saloon where the top of the tyre is much nearer to the wheel arch. Just my opinion and when I fuel it I take my wife's Karoq to work and it's 27 miles each way and includes town roads, country roads plus motorway and dual carriageway and the extra grip in corners is worth the small difference in ride quality IMHO. Others may disagree but our car has now covered 28,600 miles. 

[gigolo456]

11 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Well we find there is a huge amount of suspension travel (just try jacking up a Karoq to change a wheel like I did and you will understand) so the smaller sidewall on the 19" alloy is barely noticeable unlike a conventional hatchback or saloon where the top of the tyre is much nearer to the wheel arch. Just my opinion and when I fuel it I take my wife's Karoq to work and it's 27 miles each way and includes town roads, country roads plus motorway and dual carriageway and the extra grip in corners is worth the small difference in ride quality IMHO. Others may disagree but our car has now covered 28,600 miles. 

Many thanks!! Picking up my new SE L next Tuesday, can't wait, but comes with 19s! Test-drove with 18s, and was very impressed with ride quality tbh, and also Sportline with 19s, and not quite as impressed IMHO! 

That said, coming from a Golf R with 19s, so my new SE L will be better no matter what wheels it has lol!!

[shyVRS245]

2 minutes ago, gigolo456 said:

Many thanks!! Picking up my new SE L next Tuesday, can't wait, but comes with 19s! Test-drove with 18s, and was very impressed with ride quality tbh, and also Sportline with 19s, and not quite as impressed IMHO! 

That said, coming from a Golf R with 19s, so my new SE L will be better no matter what wheels it has lol!!

It will feel comfier than the Golf on 19" alloys for sure. Enjoy your new car I still enjoy driving the wife's car with the high driving position lording it over all those small hatchbacks and being as high a seating position as a Range Rover Evoque owner enjoys.