THE FINAL SUMMARY:
Michelin PSS:
The best tyre in the dry. Best for handling and steering feel. Their wet performance, though slightly down comparatively, is also very good and with the 4WD R they should be more than fine. They are also considered to be reasonably quiet. Good rim Protection 4.5mm. Mid weight at 10.1 kgs.
Pirelli P Zero;
Another excellent tyre but not popular with owners of performance Golfs. So perhaps I would remove this from your choice list. Rim protection 3 mm. Not good. Weight 9.8 kgs. Second lightest.
*Came 2nd Evo test 2015 with GTI Mk7, 18" wheels.
*Came 1st on Golf 7R, 19" wheels, Sport Auto Review 2015.
Continental ContiSportContact 5P:
Some performance Golfs come fitted with these and owners are generally very happy with them. However, they are noisy in comparison to the Michelin and Pirelli. Considered a very a noisy tyre which would put me off. Audi S3s come equipped with these. Rim protection 5mm. Lightest tyre at 9.6 kgs.[/b]
*Came 1st Evo test 2015 with GTI Mk7, 18" wheels.
*Came 3rd on Golf 7R, 19" wheels after the Pirelli and Hankook, Sport Auto Review 2015.
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2:
The latest versions have won many awards and rated the top tyre for the BMW M4 in 19" size, followed by the Michelin PSS. Has not fared well with 18" wheels on a Golf GTI, but did well with 19" wheels on a Golf 7R. Considered the quietest tyre and very good in the wet. Audi TTS comes equipped with these. Hopeless rim protection on old versions of 2.5mm. Old version weight 10.2 kgs.
*Came 8th out of 10 Evo test 2015 with Golf GTI Mk7, 18" wheels. Bridgestone S001 tyres came last.
*Came 2nd on Golf 7R, 19" wheels after the Pirelli, Sport Auto Review 2015.
Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric 2:
A very balanced tyre. Does everything well but does not really excel at anything. Will work well on most cars. Old version weight 11.5 kg (heaviest). Rim Protection (old version) 4.5 mm.
*Came 3rd Evo test 2015 with GTI Mk7, 18" wheels.
Goodyear is bringing out a new performance tyre next year which should be very good as is Continental. So perhaps you should wait until then. I will probably do the same, that is unless the Bridgestones drive me to distraction and destruction!
For the here and now, my choice of tyre for 18" wheels on a Mk7 Performance Golf and specifically the Golf 7R, would be the Michelin PSS, even though they have not been reviewed on this car. Is this a risk worth taking? It is more of a calculated risk and worth taking. For myself, the PSS is the 'safest' bet. None of the other tyres is worth the risk with respect to noise, wear, handling, grip and ride. Some tyres start out great but deteriorate really badly within a few thousand miles. The PSS has been developed with Michelin's deep knowledge of Le Mans. The PSS will most probably be the most consistently performing tyre throughout its life.
For 19" wheels, I would still go for the Michelin PSS tyres even though they have not been reviewed on the Golf 7R.. Most owners love this tyre and I will take their recommendations seriously. For 19" tyres reviewed on this car, I would go for Pirelli followed by Hankook, but their Rim Protection might still be lousy. If this is the case then go with the reviewed Conti 5P tyres.
The really difficult aspect is choosing the best manufacturer for a particular wheel size. No one manufacturer is best for all wheel sizes. Who is best for 18" is different for 19". Plus, the choice of tyre is very car dependent.
One very clear conclusion: Bridgestone Tyres are the worst.
Hope all this helps a bit.
