Skip advert
Advertisement

GT Radial Champiro HPY review

Needs to continue progress towards standards set by European producers

GT Radial Champiro HPY 94 Y

Needs to continue progress towards standards set by European producers

GT Radial debuted in our test of 17-inch tyres two years ago, and demonstrated the progress made by Chinese brands in the tyre labelling era. Sadly, it seems there’s been little change since, with the Champiro HPY finishing pretty much where it did back in 2013.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It felt best on the dry handling strip thanks to a sharp turn-in and rapid direction change. The tyre was under a second off the best, although it struggled to repeat that performance on the braking strip, where it needed three metres more to stop than our winner.

That good front end grip worked against the Champiro on the wet circuit, where it all too easily overcame the rear. It was all progressive and no problem to catch, but not what you want on a wet roundabout. The tyre was a long way off the best in the deeper water of the aquaplaning tests, although the trade-off for this lack of wet grip was good fuel economy. The GT Radial was towards the front of the pack behind our top two.

Price£81.33 
Dry handling98.40%6th
Dry braking92.70%7th
Wet handling94.10%9th
Wet braking87.00%8th
Wet cornering96.30%8th
Straight aqua88.50%11th
Curved aqua68.20%10th
Rolling resistance78.80%4th
Cabin noise96.10%10th
Overall94.10%10th
Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,924 off RRP*Used from £12,295
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,921 off RRP*Used from £8,919
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,763 off RRP*Used from £11,595
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,135 off RRP*
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production
Range Rover Sport SV Black - front

Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production

There’s also a new SV Black trim, and a Range Rover Sport Stealth Package for non SVs
News
1 Jul 2025
Arrivederci Roma: new Ferrari Amalfi slots in as brand’s latest entry-level model
Ferrari Amalfi - front static

Arrivederci Roma: new Ferrari Amalfi slots in as brand’s latest entry-level model

A slick new look and more power are the headlines for Ferrari’s new baby, but it’s probably some simple new buttons that will get customers’ attention
News
1 Jul 2025
Geely is coming to the UK, and its assault will start with EX5 SUV
Geely EX5 - front

Geely is coming to the UK, and its assault will start with EX5 SUV

Geely has looked to Lotus to ensure it's new electric SUV lives up to our driving expectations
News
2 Jul 2025