Avon ZV5

These tyres come in a range of sizes but my review is of the 17" 215 profile type.

These tyres can be picked up at Farmer Autocare at a bargain £40 each.

I've tried many types of tyres on my 17" wheels and these Avons have been the best performing so far. As budget tyres go they grip far better than some premium tyres I've tried.

I've had these tyres since October, so in the last 4 months they've been subjected everything a Scottish Autumn and Winter can throw at them.

In dry conditions these tyres grip like your car is on rails and I have never found the limit of their aheasion. I don't typically drive too hard, but I do enjoy a spirited drive along my favourite quiet backgroads and these tyres gripped so well that in the first few days I was turning corners quicker than expected and having to correct my steering angle as the car truely darts into corners.

In wet conditions the tyres grip well, albeit not as well as in the dry, and give up their grip progressively so you don't tend to find yourself understearing too much if you reach a corner carrying too much speed.

In snow they are far better than expected. I was recently in the North West Highlands during the worst winter weather, I was one of very few front wheel drive cars that didn't need assistance in the icy snow conditions. So much so that I caught up traffic that were stuck, had to give them a push before driving off after them. I would say that snow grip is about 30% of the grip in dry conditions, but it was sufficent to always be in control, with only 1 skid when i took my eye off the ball and had to slow for stopped traffic ahead, however the tyres dug in sufficiently to stop me in plenty of time.

Wear rates appear to be fine, having covered 5,000 miles I have at least 6mm of treat remaining, which by my guestimate should mean the tyres are good for 15,000miles. The back tyres look unworn, so a set could well be good for 30,000 with rotation of wheels front to back. Making these tyres exceptional value.

So are they worth buying? Over budget tyres I have to say a 100% yes, i you can get these tyres for only a fraction more than the cost of budgets then you'd be mad not to buy them.

Comparing them with premium tyres they probably run a close second, but they'll also cost you £100 a tyre less, I'd rather have 3 sets of Avons for 1 set of expensive premiums you have to wear down the legal limit to get your monies worth.