Vredestein’s New Tyres For SUVs Could Be Your Next!

The new Vredestein Pinza HT for mass-market SUVs and Ultrac Vorti for luxury SUVs are now available in India. Question is, should you go for these?

Selecting a new set of tyres for your SUV can be tricky. Selecting a relatively less expensive tyre can be very tempting, because you ideally need to buy 5 of them. But the compromise it will bring in terms of comfort, handling and tyre noise could haunt you for the next 30,000 kilometres or so. Vredestein is now offering a premium range of tyres which won't break the bank, and yet promises to offer better performance than most inexpensive tyres. We tested the Pinza HT on and off road, and the Ultrac Vorti on India’s newest racetrack to get a feel of the tyres. 

Vredestein Pinza HT

These new range of tyres are available in the sizes mentioned below for SUVs like the old and new Tata Safari, Old and new Scorpio (including the Scorpio N), Tata Harrier, and Toyota Fortuner. 

Our first taste of these tyres came on a very steep and partly rocky trail. The reason why we were driving HT (Highway Terrain) tyres off the road first was because Vredestein wanted to show off its grip for the occasional farmhouse trips that the SUV usually makes. The trail was quite steep with tight hairpins and some rocky patches. The rubber was fitted on a Fortuner, a Hilux, and an Isuzu D-Max V-Cross. 

Despite it being HT Tyres, the grip that was offered on the trail was impressive. Going downhill, the SUVs always felt in control and the tyres were holding onto the ground well. Even with a sharp steering lock, the SUVs were able to make the hairpin without any slip. What was even more impressive was the uphill climb. Despite taking it slow (low momentum), the tyres offered good levels of grip and kept on climbing without wheelspin. Given that we were driving in 4-wheel-drive, low ratio, the way the tyres found traction was commendable. These tyres will be more than adequate for occasional wandering off the road, given that the surface is largely dry. For slush and frequent off roading, Pinza AT (All Terrain) range will be preferred. 

Out on the highway, the balance of stability and comfort was also quite impressive. The Fortuner we were driving was comfortable making quick lane changes at triple digits and was taking on the level changes with ease as well. Though, we wish the tyre noise was better controlled. However, in a more polished SUV, that issue could be neglected. 

Vredestein Ultrac Vorti

If you own a larger than life luxury barge, getting tyres for it is not just a challenge, but almost mission impossible. And even if you find some 21- or 22-inchers in stock, the prices would be what the importer wants them to be, and you can forget about warranty. But now, Vredestein is here to save your luxury SUV, with the newly launched Ultrac Vorti series for premium tyres in India. These are made in India, come with a complete warranty backing, and are easily up to 50 percent less expensive than the imported units. 

If you own something like a Mercedes GLS, Range Rover Sport, Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini Urus, BMW X7, BMW X5, Porsche Macan, Mercedes-AMG G 63, Aston Martin DBX, or even a Bentley Bentayga , finding new tyres has now become easier and less expensive than finding the right fuel. 

We drove the BMW X5 and the G Wagon (63 AMG) on CoASTT, Coimbatore, India’s newest race track to get a sense of what these tyres can do. And boy, were we impressed! While these are not outright sporty or racing tyres, the grip offered was sublime. The compound has been specially engineered to offer excellent high-speed stability while offering enough strength to the sidewall to be able to tackle high speed corners on a race track. The tyres felt in control throughout the track, while heavy braking, hard cornering, and rapid acceleration. When entering a corner at speed, the tyres offered ample feedback before starting to lose some traction, which is an excellent quality to have. The 3 laps we had ended too soon, but left us with an overall positive feedback of the rubber. 

Vredestein claims that both the tyres have been designed for all weathers, and in fact that is something that have been the experts for. As far as claims go, this is a tall one and we have no reason to doubt it at all. Most importantly: warranty. All these tyres will come with a five years manufacturing defect warranty. Not only that, Vredestein is also offering accidental damage coverage, where they will replace the tyre on a pro-rata basis for up to two years, after deducting a minor cost based on the damage and tyre life. 

Considering the performance of both of these tyres, and taking the aftersales service into account, both Vredestein tyres – the Pinza HT and Ultrac Vorti – could very well be the next set of shoes for your family SUV. This balance of cost and performance is hard to match in the segment.