The change in climatic conditions in our country, increasingly mild winters and rare snow cover retention in the lowlands make all-season tires an extremely practical choice for Bulgarian drivers. They save the cost and time of twice-yearly replacements, making them an ideal solution for cars with moderate annual mileage, driven mainly in urban conditions or on well-maintained roads.
A large-scale joint study by the Swiss Tourist Club (TCS) and the German Automobile Club (ADAC) for 2026 subjected 16 popular all-season tire models in size 185/65 R15 88H - one of the most popular for the urban B-segment - to thorough testing. The rating was based on safety on dry, wet and snowy surfaces (70% of the final weight), as well as the environmental footprint, including mileage, wear and fuel consumption (30%). The results show a serious gap in performance, with only one model winning the highest award:
The only clear winner: Highly recommended
Continental AllSeasonContact 2 – The absolute champion in the test and the only tire to earn the highest safety rating. It features an impeccable balance between snow grip, short wet braking distances and low rolling resistance, making it the most reliable all-round choice for year-round use.
Balanced choice: Recommended models
Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 3 – The second best product in the test, demonstrating excellent performance on dry and wet surfaces. It shows slight but minimal compromises in severe winter conditions.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 – Traditionally among the leaders thanks to its record mileage and reliable braking on snow and dry roads, but with minor lags when braking on wet asphalt.
In the group of "recommended" with good, albeit with minor remarks, also come Vredestein Quatrac, Hankook Kinergy 4S 2, Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3, Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2 and GT Radial ClimateActive.
Dramatic differences in braking distance
The tests reveal dangerous discrepancies in critical situations. When braking from 100 km/h on a dry road, the difference between the best and worst-performing tire is a full 5.5 meters - a distance that in the event of an accident means a collision with a residual speed of over 35 km/h. When aquaplaning on 8 mm of water, the best model maintains contact with the road up to 91.9 km/h, while the underdogs lose traction at 74.7 km/h.
Models to avoid
Experts from TCS and ADAC strongly advise against buying 5 of the tested tires due to critically poor performance on winter surfaces and wet roads:
Bridgestone Weather Control A005 Evo (the big disappointment from a premium brand in the test)
Norauto 4 Seasons 2
Mastersteel All Weather 2
Roadhog RGAS02
Tomason Allseason
In terms of durability, the average expected mileage of the tested models is about 39,600 km before reaching the legal minimum. While some models exceed 46,000 km, others lag behind by over 13,000 km, which shows that the savings in buying cheap tires are often erased by their faster wear.
