205/40 R18 - Best summer tyres 2025 - market overview, tests, reviews

#3
Summer tires

Tests from 2025

225/50 R17 Rank: 1 (Test winner)

215/55 R18 Rank: 2 (Exemplary)

225/45 R18 Rank: 2 (Highly recommended)

225/45 R17 Rank: 2 (Outstanding)

225/40 R18 Rank: 4 (Exemplary)

235/55 R19 Rank: 5 (Good)

225/40 R18 Rank: 8 (-)

Tests from 2024

215/55 R17 Rank: 1 (Good)

205/55 R16 Rank: 1 (-)

225/45 R17 Rank: 1 (Highly recommended)

Continental PremiumContact 7

4.85/5

Continental did it again with the PremiumContact 7. It’s an incredibly well balanced tire with just the right wet and dry grip and above average mileage. Since it’s launch in 2023 it got nothing but the best results in the tests, the only downside being it’s premium price.

50%

Wet braking

Wet circle cornering

Dry handling

Wet handling

Dry braking

Interior noise

Aquaplaning - longitudal

Aquaplaning - cross

Exterior noise

Shop	Product	Stock	Availability	Shipping	Price	Action
Continental PremiumContact 7 ( 205/40 R18 86Y XL EVc ) - In stock £139	Continental PremiumContact 7 ( 205/40 R18 86Y XL EVc )		In stock	Free shipping	£139	Buy mytyres.co.uk
PremiumContact 7 EV XL - In stock £145	PremiumContact 7 EV XL		In stock	Free shipping	£145	Buy tyres.pneus.online.uk

4.35/5

Tests from 2025

225/40 R18 Rank: 1 (Very good)

225/40 R18 Rank: 1 (-)

225/40 R18 Rank: 2 (Good)

225/45 R18 Rank: 3 (Highly recommended)

225/40 R18 Rank: 3 (Exemplary)

225/40 R18 Rank: 6 (-)

Tests from 2024

225/55 R17 Rank: 1 (Exemplary)

235/55 R19 Rank: 3 (Good)

265/35 R19 Rank: 4 (Good)

Tests from 2023

225/40 R18 Rank: 2 (Outstanding)

Bridgestone Potenza Sport

4.35/5

We really like the new Potenza Sport, as it’s more sporty and dynamic than the usual tyre in this category, but still perfectly usable and safe for everyday driving, which makes it unique. It’s rolling resistance, mileage and overall comfort are also on a good level, except for a slighty higher noise.

50%

Wet handling

Wet circle cornering

Dry handling

Dry braking

Wet braking

Interior noise

Comfort

Aquaplaning - cross

Aquaplaning - longitudal

•••

Shop	Product	Stock	Availability	Shipping	Price	Action
Potenza Sport XL EV - In stock £127	Potenza Sport XL EV		In stock	Free shipping	£127	Buy tyres.pneus.online.uk
Bridgestone Potenza Sport ( 205/40 R18 86H XL Enliten / EV ) - In stock £131	Bridgestone Potenza Sport ( 205/40 R18 86H XL Enliten / EV )		In stock	Free shipping	£131	Buy mytyres.co.uk

4.8/5

#4
Summer tires

Tests from 2025

225/40 R18 Rank: 2 (-)

225/40 R18 Rank: 2 (Exemplary)

225/40 R18 Rank: 3 (Good)

225/45 R18 Rank: 4 (Highly recommended)

225/40 R18 Rank: 4 (Good)

Tests from 2024

215/40 R18 Rank: 2 (Very good)

Tests from 2023

225/45 R18 Rank: 2 (Outstanding)

225/40 R18 Rank: 2 (Highly recommended)

225/45 R18 Rank: 3 (Highly recommended)

225/40 R18 Rank: 3 (Outstanding)

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

4.8/5

The Pilot Sport range from Michelin is now almost legendary, with the Cup variants being the fastest road legal tyres available. But the ‚ordinary‘ Pilot Sport 5 not as spory as it’s name suggest - it’s incredibly well balanced, with the priority being low rolling resistance and high mileage over sporty handling. It’s still a Michelin tire, so higher price is to be expected.

50%

Wet circle cornering

Dry handling

Aquaplaning - longitudal

Aquaplaning - cross

Wet braking

Wet handling

Dry braking

•••

4.5/5

#11
Summer tires

Tests from 2025

215/55 R18 Rank: 1 (Exemplary)

Hankook iON Evo

4.5/5

50%

Wet handling

Wet circle cornering

Wet braking

Dry handling

Dry braking

Aquaplaning - longitudal

Aquaplaning - cross

Exterior noise

Shop	Product	Stock	Availability	Shipping	Price	Action
Hankook iON evo (IK01) ( 205/40 ZR18 86Y XL 4PR EV, SoundAbsorber, SBL ) - In stock £159	Hankook iON evo (IK01) ( 205/40 ZR18 86Y XL 4PR EV, SoundAbsorber, SBL )		In stock	Free shipping	£159	Buy mytyres.co.uk
Ventus iOn S IK01 XL - In stock £165	Ventus iOn S IK01 XL		In stock	Free shipping	£165	Buy tyres.pneus.online.uk

4.5/5

Tests from 2025

225/40 R18 Rank: 1 (Very good)

Kumho Ecsta Sport (PS72)

4.5/5

Shop	Product	Stock	Availability	Shipping	Price	Action
Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 ( 205/40 ZR18 86Y XL K-Silent ) - In stock £95	Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 ( 205/40 ZR18 86Y XL K-Silent )		In stock	Free shipping	£95	Buy mytyres.co.uk

4.65/5

#6
Summer tires

Tests from 2025

225/40 R18 Rank: 3 (Highly recommended)

Tests from 2023

225/40 R18 Rank: 3 (Very good)

Tests from 2022

255/35 R19 Rank: 2 (-)

Tests from 2021

255/35 R19 Rank: 1 (Very good)

225/40 R18 Rank: 3 (-)

265/35 R20 Rank: 3 (Exemplary)

Tests from 2020

245/35 R19 Rank: 1 (Exemplary)

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

4.65/5

Pilot Sport 4S is the sportier version of the Pilot Sports and the most sporty one that still cares about the wet performance, which is it's strong suite. It's usually expensive, but also a guarantee of a great performance tyre.

50%

Wet circle cornering

Dry handling

Dry braking

Wet braking

Comfort

Aquaplaning - cross

Aquaplaning - longitudal

Wet handling

Exterior noise

Shop	Product	Stock	Availability	Shipping	Price	Action
Pilot Sport 4 S RG XL - In stock £212	Pilot Sport 4 S RG XL		In stock	Free shipping	£212	Buy tyres.pneus.online.uk

4.1/5

Tests from 2025

225/40 R18 Rank: 4 (Good)

Tests from 2024

225/45 R17 Rank: 3 (-)

Tests from 2023

225/45 R18 Rank: 1 (-)

225/40 R18 Rank: 4 (Recommended)

225/40 R18 Rank: 6 (Good)

225/45 R18 Rank: 7 (Highly recommended)

225/45 R18 Rank: 12 (Satisfactory)

Tests from 2022

225/45 R17 Rank: 3 (Recommended)

245/40 R19 Rank: 3 (Exemplary)

245/45 R19 Rank: 3 (Very good)

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 K127

4.1/5

Hankook Ventus tyres are designed to offer a very sporty experience for affordable price, which is also the case for evo3. It’s also safe on wet and got short braking distances, the only drawback being lower mileage.

50%

Wet braking

Wet circle cornering

Wet handling

Dry braking

Exterior noise

Dry handling

Interior noise

Aquaplaning - longitudal

Comfort

•••

Shop	Product	Stock	Availability	Shipping	Price	Action
Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 K127 ( 205/40 ZR18 86Y XL 4PR SBL ) - In stock £113	Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 K127 ( 205/40 ZR18 86Y XL 4PR SBL )		In stock	Free shipping	£113	Buy mytyres.co.uk
Ventus S1 Evo3 K127 XL - In stock £139	Ventus S1 Evo3 K127 XL		In stock	Free shipping	£139	Buy tyres.pneus.online.uk

3.7/5

Tests from 2025

215/55 R18 Rank: 6 (Satisfactory)

225/50 R17 Rank: 6 (Satisfactory)

Tests from 2024

225/45 R17 Rank: 5 (Highly recommended)

Firestone Roadhawk 2

3.7/5

Firestone, the affordable brand belonging to the Bridgestone group, has a fresh addition to their lineup - the Roadhawk 2. And it seems like it’s set off for success - it offers the Bridgestone’s ENLITEN technology, which makes the rolling resistance and mileage exceptional for a budget tyre and it combines it with safe behavior on wet and dry.

50%

Wet circle cornering

Aquaplaning - longitudal

Wet handling

Aquaplaning - cross

Wet braking

Dry handling

•••

Shop	Product	Stock	Availability	Shipping	Price	Action
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ( 205/40 R18 86Y XL Enliten / EV ) - In stock £101	Firestone Roadhawk 2 ( 205/40 R18 86Y XL Enliten / EV )		In stock	Free shipping	£101	Buy mytyres.co.uk

3.85/5

Tests from 2025

225/45 R17 Rank: 6 (-)

Tests from 2024

225/55 R17 Rank: 3 (Exemplary)

205/55 R16 Rank: 4 (-)

215/55 R17 Rank: 6 (-)

205/55 R16 Rank: 8 (Good)

215/55 R17 Rank: 8 (Satisfactory)

Tests from 2023

225/65 R17 Rank: 5 (Exemplary)

205/55 R16 Rank: 7 (Recommended)

205/55 R16 Rank: 9 (Good)

205/55 R16 Rank: 9 (-)

Hankook Ventus Prime 4

3.85/5

Ventus Prime 4 Is our favorite every day tyre, as it offers premium safety at an affordable price. Short braking distances, good handling, but slightly worse at aquaplaning and comfort.

50%

Dry braking

Dry handling

Wet braking

Wet handling

Exterior noise

Wet circle cornering

Aquaplaning - longitudal

Interior noise

Aquaplaning - cross

•••

4.5/5

#12
Summer tires