Tyre Focus – Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2

Auto Express recently announced the results of its latest tyre tests to find the best tyre products of 2016. Overcoming stiff competition in the all-season market, Goodyear's Vector 4Seasons tyre came out on top for the second time in a row winning the title of Best Buy in the All Season Tyre category. Auto Express tested the tyres in several disciplines including wet, dry and snow conditions, rolling resistance and cabin noise, where the Goodyear tyre performed best overall.

This is yet another award to add to the pack for the Vector 4Seasons Gen-2, with the tyre also taking first place in Auto Trader's earlier 2016 Product Awards as well as being named winner in the All Season tyre test by the German magazine, AutoBild.

A new generation of all-season tyres

The Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 is an all-season tyre with a focus on winter performance and excellent summer capabilities that can meet the most challenging road conditions all year round. The tyre builds on over 30 years of all-season tyre innovation, as well as many years of insights derived from all-season fitments by previous generations on hundreds of original equipment vehicles including leading brands such as Volkswagen, Audi, Fiat, Jeep, Opel, Ford, and Renault.

The Vector 4Seasons Generation 2 is designed to meet an increasing demand for convenience from drivers in the UK and continental Europe who do not always change their tyres according to seasonality. Recent research by Goodyear showed that a significant number of consumers in Europe see an all-season tyre as a comfortable alternative for the second family car and that the convenience of a single tyre fitment is gaining popularity on these vehicles.

Developed for mild winters

The new Vector 4Seasons is developed to meet and also match key winter needs – especially in regions with a softer winter such as here in the UK. While sub-zero temperatures are less common here in the UK than in Germany, France, and other mountainous regions, we still face conditions such as light snow and ice on a regular basis. Compared to its predecessor, the Vector 4Season’s improved arrangement of smaller and connected blocks improves the tyre’s overall performance on snowy roads while a wide cavity delivers improved overall performance on icy roads. Because UK winters are more characteristically wet than they are snowy, Goodyear included its advanced SmartTred plasticiser, the latest polymer technology and an increased silica proportion to deliver better overall performance on wet, slushy, and icy roads compared to its predecessor. The inclusion of hydrodynamic grooves delivers further improved aquaplaning resistance on wet and slushy roads. The new generation Vector 4Seasons also delivers improved stability and handling on dry roads versus its predecessor thanks to enhanced tread stiffness – provided by its 3D sipes. Finally, a solid tread pattern with gradient stiffness provides excellent performance over the tyre’s entire life.

The Results

Independent test by TUV Süd has shown that the tyre is a leader on snow with a 12% shorter braking distance on snowy roads as compared to the average of its competitors. In the same tests, the Vector4Seasons also showed 19% more traction grip on snow and a 13% shorter braking distance on icy roads compared to the average of its competitors.

In Auto Trader's tests, the tyre performed exceptionally well in the disciplines of wet braking (1st place), wet handling (1st place), snow handling (1st place), and cabin noise (1st place) – as well as snow braking (2nd place) and rolling resistance (2nd place). Testers summed up the tyre as "a fine all-rounder that’s really safe in wet and on snow".

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 at Kwik Fit

In total, a line-up of 43 different sizes, including 3 Run Flat models, are available to buy online at www.kwik-fit.com. We stock Goodyear Vector 4Seasons tyres in a range of dimensions from 13’’ through to 19’’ rims.

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