Vredestein Ultrac vs Nokian WetProof: We saw previously how well the latest Michelin Pilot Sport 5 performed against Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 in our previous head to head coverage. This time around we would like to bring out the other 2 mid-tier tire manufacturers in the form of Vredestein Ultrac & Nokian WetProof. Ultrac was launched recently in 2021 with a size range from 15-19″. WetProof on the other hand was launched in 2019 and has since participated in over 17 press tests. Both products are dedicated European products whereby the tires are not sold elsewhere except for Europe. Without further ado, let’s put them head to head and see who comes out on top !
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from the 2022 Auto Zeitung SUV Tire Test Test with a total of 10 tires tested. The graph below shows the comparison between Vredestein Ultrac vs Nokian WetProof based on the relevant performance category. The Ultrac was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
Note that for the handling evaluation, lap times were used as an objective gauge to determine how well the tire performs. The handling lap times are usually correlated to the subjective ratings most of the time. The tire size of interest is 215/55 R17 which is a common tire size for Honda Hr-V and Toyota Camry. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle of choice is the highly sporty Ford Puma.
Wet
Safety has always been the main theme when it comes to the need for wet performances. In objective wet braking, WetProof took the initiative by out braking Ultrac by 2.6m. Things were different in aquaplaning as Ultrac had a better slipping speed of 80.7 km/h against WetProof ‘s 79.7km/h. Both tires were bringing their “A” game in terms of aquaplaning as they finished 1st and 2nd among the other competitors.
In wet handling, Ultrac got the upper hand advantage as it was 3.1 seconds faster in terms of lap time. Ultrac showed who is the king of wet by outpacing everybody around the track and was ranked 1st in wet handling ahead of everyone. Overall, WetProof showed a clear advantage in wet braking while Ultrac was the best tire in the test for aquaplaning and wet handling.
WetProof :
- +5.5% in wet braking
- -3.4% in wet handling (lap time)
- -1.2% in straight aquaplaning
Dry
As for dry, safety is usually not an issue as the braking distance is much longer than wet. However this is the default daily usage and the tires have to perform at a very consistent level. Both tires were extremely close to each other when it came to dry braking as Ultrac managed to brake 0.3m earlier compared to WetProof from a speed of 50mph (80km/h) down to 0. Ultrac was once again the best tire in the competition by ranking 1st among all the competitors in dry braking.
Both tires finish in the middle pack when it comes to dry handling as only 0.1 seconds separated them apart. Overall from the results, both tires were neck to neck with Ultrac slightly edging in front.
WetProof :
- -0.8% in dry braking
- -0.2 in dry handling (lap time)
Noise
Unfortunately for the noise test, the last decimal points were not disclosed so all tires are always rounded up or down. In our comparison, WetProof has an exterior noise of 71dB compared to the 72dB obtained for Ultrac.
WetProof :
- +1.4% in exterior noise (+1 dB)
Rolling Resistance
When it comes to SUV tires, rolling resistance is definitely not something the user has in mind when purchasing the tire. However with the sustainability topic being more prevalent, it is good to know where they stand. Both tires were at the tail end of the charts as Ultrac achieved a slightly better rolling resistance coefficient of 8.46 N/kN against 8.53 N/kN of WetProof.
Nokian WetProof :
- -0.8% in rolling resistance
Price
Tire price for both tires are as below:
Tire size: 215/55 R17
Ultrac: €112
WetProof : €104
Difference: -9% more cheaper for WetProof.
Summary
Overall, Vredestein’s Ultrac showed great strengths in wet handling & dry while Nokian’s WetProof was good in wet braking & exterior noise. Based on the test results, Vredestein Ultrac is the clear winner in this duel with its outstanding dry & wet handling performances !