Other tyre brands
Which? verdict on other tyre brands
Hankook tyres perform well enough to justify their high-end market positioning, with good grip and handling in both the wet and dry. They may prove harder to find than other mainstream brands in the UK, though.
You may also have to do some digging to find a set of Nokians, as the UK’s mild(ish) winters and lack of winter-tyre legislation making them mandatory means the company remains a niche offering at tyre fitters. However, they’re worth seeking out, particularly if you’re likely to face slippery conditions as they offer excellent wet-weather grip and have a high resistance to aquaplaning.
Given Kumho’s budget branding, its products offer decent levels of dry grip and handling, though generally have lacklustre performance in the wet. Like most non-mainstream tyre brands, they also suffer from patchy availability.
Maloya tyres also offer good wet grip and handling, as well as resisting aquaplaning well so they could provide decent value compared to the big brand names. However, some of its products offer poor grip in dry conditions.
Mid-range brand Vredestein offers products with high wet grip and handling, though some of its tyres suffer from sub-par performance in the dry. They’re also not widely offered at retailers, with online outlets the best place to secure a set.
Yokohama tyres are enjoying increasing availability across the UK, though still remain something of a niche choice. This is a shame as most of its products offer high levels of wet grip and handling, as well as good resistance to aquaplaning. Like other mid-range brands, though, some of its tyres can’t quite serve up the dry grip offered by premium-brand tyres.