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Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 2 - All-Season Tyre Test

SF 2s were at their best in the dry and on snow

  • Score: 99.0%
  • Ranking: =5th
  • Price: £128.99

The Cinturato All Season SF 2 (the SF stands for snow flake in a nod to the 3PMSF winter-grip rating) is back after a year’s absence and a disappointing test debut. It was sixth in 2021 and joint fifth this time, but there has been significant progress, finishing just one per cent behind the winner rather than more than two.

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Snow performance has improved, with the Pirelli finishing a close second to the Vredestein across the three tests. It was good to drive on the Flurheden handling track, thanks to a strong front, which helped in the tighter sections. Lap times were also helped by good traction.

The Cinturato was also runner-up in the closely fought dry tests, combining a decent braking result with a competitive lap time. In the latter it was on the soft side but hung on well, although it started to fade as the test progressed.

Its weakest surface was the wet, despite scoring a win in straight aquaplaning. It struggled most in braking, needing around three metres more to stop than the test-winning Vredestein. On the handling circuit it had a sharpness many lacked, which could unsettle the rear without care, but it was easily controlled.

Hopes of climbing further up the results table were dashed by a relatively poor fuel-economy result, with the Cinturato using around two per cent more fuel than the frugal Firestone.

We say:

Pirelli has made big strides with the All Season SF 2 after a troubled debut and it’s much more of a match for the current crop.

Blackcircles.com says:

This tyre meets the expectations of our customers. It has an overall score of 4.3/5, with reviews often highlighting good levels of grip and responsive handling.

Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 2ScorePlace
Snow braking98.5%3rd
Snow traction99.7%2nd
Snow handling99.7%3rd
Straight aquaplaning100%1st
Curved aquaplaning95.5%>3rd
Wet braking90.5%7th
Wet handling98.9%=3rd
Wet circle99.6%2nd
Dry braking96.6%3rd
Dry handling99.4%=3rd
Rolling resistance88.7%7th
Cabing noise99.4%2nd

Buy the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 2 from Blackcircles.com

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Products editor

Kim has worked for Auto Express for more than three decades and all but a year of that time in the Products section. His current role as products editor involves managing the section’s content and team of testers plus doing some of the tests himself. 

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