Vehicles used:
2006 BMW E90 325i Sedan

Yokohama's AVID family of value-oriented performance tires was originally developed to offer high performance without high prices. & while AVID tires may not offer all of the design, construction & material technologies incorporated into Yokohama's premium ADVAN tires, the introduction of the W4s line elevates the Yokohama AVID family into the Ultra High Performance All-Season performance category for the first time.

While the popularity of wide, low profile tires & large diameter wheels is creating a growing dem& for Ultra High Performance All-Season tires in the U.S., it is important to remember that all-season tires best serve drivers who live in geographic regions that typically experience temperate weather & only receive occasional light snow during the winter months. These are the ideal driving conditions that make the all-season tires' ability to blend traction on dry, wet & light snow-covered roads desirable (because traditional summer tires prove ineffective in near freezing temperatures & the relatively mild climate doesn't necessitate the use of dedicated winter / snow tires).

In order to confirm how AVID W4s tires measure up to some of today's other value-oriented Ultra High Performance All-Season tires, we compared Yokohama's AVID W4s to Continental's ContiExtremeContact, Kumho's Ecsta ASX & Sumitomo's HTR+ tires. Our evaluation used 2006 BMW 325i E90 sedan, with new, full tread depth 225/45R17 tires mounted on 17x8.0" wheels.

What We Learned on the Road

Our 5.6-mile loop of expressway, state highway & county roads provides a great variety of road conditions that include city & highway speeds, smooth & coarse concrete, as well as new & patched asphalt. This route allows our team to experience noise comfort, ride quality & everyday h&ling, just as you would during your drive to school or work.

Our team found the Kumho Ecsta ASX delivered balanced h&ling & crisp steering response, feeling the most sporty & nimble of the group. The Yokohama AVID W4s was close behind with a nice, solid, on-center feel that responded quickly to driver inputs. Sumitomo's HTR+ h&led well, but displayed less precise on-center feel that would ramp up rapidly as more steering input was put into the wheel. The deep, aggressive tread pattern of the Continental ContiExtremeContact has proven to help this tire perform well in winter conditions, but our team found it also reduced h&ling feel & steering precision on clear roads.

The AVID W4s did a good job smoothing out the small- & medium-sized bumps along our route, minimizing the ripples & expansion joint impacts. The ContiExtremeContact also rode well, but did allow more of the road's irregularities to find their way to the driver. The HTR+'s ride quality was found to be close but just behind the ContiExtremeContact's. While the Ecsta ASX was praised for its responsive h&ling, it did exhibit a trade-off at the expense of ride quality, feeling somewhat harsh over large- & medium-sized impacts & the patched asphalt section of our route.

The Yokohama also proved to be the quietest of the group, & by our recollection among the best Ultra High Performance All-Season tires we have tested. The Sumitomo tire was appropriately quiet, making a few distinct tread noise pitches at various speeds. The Kumho was also quiet but did produce some noticeable pings over the larger & sharper impacts. Again, the aggressive tread pattern of the Continental tire produced the most noise of the group.

What We Learned on the Test Track

Our 1/3-mile per lap test track course includes 90-degree street corners, lane changes & simulated expressway ramps. Run in both dry & wet conditions, the test track allows our team to experience the traction, responsiveness, h&ling & drivability normally only encountered during abrupt emergency avoidance maneuvers or competition events.

In dry conditions, the Kumho Ecsta ASX again displayed the best h&ling of the group, feeling responsive & easy to drive. This tire would immediately go where pointed which helped it post the quickest overall average lap time. The AVID W4s was only slightly less responsive, while its higher ultimate grip helped it achieve the best cornering g forces of this test. The Continental ContiExtremeContact lacked the responsiveness & precision of the other three tires, but displayed good levels of grip, enough to post an average lap time only 1/10th second behind the Yokohama. The Sumitomo HTR+ felt responsive but lacked the ultimate grip to keep up with the other three tires.

The wet is where we usually see larger differences between tires & here the ContiExtremeContact showed a clear advantage over the other three, lapping our short 30-second test course 0.5 second faster than the next best tire. The ContiExtremeContact displayed balanced h&ling & a relatively high level of overall grip that helped it post its quick overall lap time. The HTR+ was the best of the rest, displaying balanced traction in all directions while cornering, braking & under acceleration making it relatively easy to control. The Yokohama AVID W4s felt sure-footed, especially under hard braking, but in the end lapped our course just over 1/10th second slower. While able to lap our course slightly faster than the Yokohama, the Kumho Ecsta ASX displayed abrupt break-away characteristics, making it feel unsettled & very slippery, especially when attempting to accelerate & during braking.

Product Details

Continental ContiExtremeContact (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The Continental ContiExtremeContact is an Ultra High Performance All-Season radial that was developed to satisfy the year-round driving needs of sports car, coupe, sedan & light truck drivers by blending dry & wet road performance with light snow & slush traction.

Kumho Ecsta ASX (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The Ecsta ASX (ASX for All-Season Xtreme) is a member of Kumho's race-proven Ecsta high performance tire family. It is an Ultra High Performance All-Season tire that was developed to meet the needs of the drivers of sports cars, coupes & sedans by blending responsive h&ling with dry, wet & year-round traction, even in light snow.

Sumitomo HTR+ (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The Sumitomo (Su mi to' mo) HTR+ is an Ultra High Performance All-Season radial that was developed to meet the year-round driving needs of sports car, coupe & sedan drivers by blending dry & wet road performance with light snow & slush traction. The HTR+ radial combines Sumitomo's high-tech, ultra high performance materials & methods with their latest All-Season technology.

Yokohama AVID W4s (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The AVID W4s radial is Yokohama's Ultra High Performance All-Season tire designed to take everyday driving to a new level of comfort & confidence. The AVID W4s radial was developed to provide sporty cars, coupes & sedans with good treadwear, responsive h&ling & year-round traction, even in light snow.