The ADAC summer tyre test plays a very important role, as it is the basis for the German specialists' ranking of the tyres recommended for safe use. The models with the best ratings will meet the expectations of even the most demanding drivers, while the others recommended by ADAC will provide an interesting alternative. What is the basis for the ADAC summer tyre ranking?
The German Automobile Club is an organisation that works primarily to improve road safety and therefore takes a special approach to tyre tests. Recommendations are only given to models that have met the specified conditions in all evaluated aspects. This is based on the premise that only a versatile summer tyre that can cope with all conditions gives the driver complete safety. As a consequence of these principles: a model that performed well in terms of dry road grip, noise emission and wear resistance, but performed less so in counteracting aquaplaning, will be ranked lower in the overall ADAC ranking than a model that received an average rating in each category without exception.
The ADAC summer tyre tests cover 2 main categories with a specific weighting for the main score - driving safety (70%) and environmental life cycle assessment (30%). For greater clarity and reliability of the tests, these criteria are divided into subcategories. Each has a different weighting for the final score.
Driving safety assesment (fahrsicherheit):
- dry surface (40%) trockene fahrbahn,
- wet surface (60%) nasse fahrbahn.
Environmental life cycle assessment (umwelbilnz):
- mileage (40%) laufleistung,
- tyre wear (20%) reifenabrieb,
- efficiency (20%) effizienz,
- noise level (10%) geräusch,
- sustainability (10%) nachhaltigkeit.
The tests are carried out on several tracks, always under controlled conditions. Experts select models of different brands and price segments in the same size for the test each year. Manufacturers have no influence on the final results or on the tyres selected for testing.
Tyre performance is rated on a five-point scale:
- sehr gut - very good (currently not awarded)
- gut - good (recommended model)
- befriedigend - satisfactory (recommended model)
- ausreichend - passable (model fulfilling basic requirements)
- mangelhaft - inadequate (model not recommended)