Michelin Energy Saver+ tyre

If fuel economy is all you want from a tyre, this is the answer – but there’s a price to pay.

Michelin won’t be pleased to see the new Energy Saver+ down in last place – although it clearly delivers on its fuel efficiency claims. The tyre topped the table in our rolling resistance test, with only the Continental getting close and then Bridgestone a long way back in third place. The Michelin should use around four per cent less fuel than most of its rivals in this test.

Trouble is, it’s not easy to produce a tyre that’s efficient and good in the wet. And while the Energy Saver+ is given an A rating for wet braking by the tyre labels, it was the worst performer across our wet track tests. It finished seventh in our wet braking assessment, as it took three metres longer than the best to bring the car to a halt, while italso struggled in aquaplaning and wet handling. You could clearly feel the limited grip from behind the wheel, with poor traction and a lack of balance.

On dry roads, braking ability was better – it came third – and while it was seventh for dry handling, it was only a second off the best. The Michelin was quiet, too. But while it did well away from the wet tracks, this wasn’t enough to lift it off the bottom.