Depends if you're keeping the car for a while. On my old 1.9 PD130 Passat, the factory-fit Continental Sport Contacts lasted 32,000 on the front and 60K+ on the rear, and I drive quite briskly, using most of the performance available, most of the time.

The replacement Vredesteins for the front were cheaper than the Contis, but only lasted 20K miles. So the Contis were good value, although more expensive.

I've been impressed by the all-round performance of the Kumho Ecsta Sports on my current Mondeo, which I reckon will last around 20K on the front.

The factory-fit Michelins lasted about the same, and I can't tell any difference between the Michelin and Kumho sets, apart from the Kumhos were half the price.

Edited by craig-pd130 on 05/04/2011 at 15:07

I just got some Falken 912s on my A4, these are one of the most outstanding tyres I have come across lately, and were heaps cheaper than Contis or Michelins etc.

This really does depend on the size.

This is because some model of tyre will be available in some sizes but not others. For example the Michelin Exalto is available in 15" and not 16" at the moment.

One of the best tyre for this particular vehicle is a Uniroyal as they are great value for money.

However just like any product you get what you pay for so the better brands such as bridgestone and michelin really do offer great performance.

Edited by Avant on 30/04/2011 at 23:24