vandy1997

I am planning on getting a fully-loaded Q7 Premium with 20" tires. I am still deciding between the preformance tires and the all-season tires. The cost is the same for either. I believe that the performance tires are Goodyear, but I have seen different brands mentioned for the all-season tires. Is Audi delivering Continentals or Firestone or Bridgestone? I currently have a Mercedes ML 320 with Continental tires, and they have been great. I test drove the Q7, and it was not as slow as some people have mentioned previously. I am looking forward to placing my order!!

arkbbq

My Q7 is scheduled to be at the dealer this month. When I ordered the 20's, I reasoned that the performance tires would probably be Z rated with hard rubber and would ride rougher, so I went with the all-season tires, which I hope are maybe H rated with softer rubber and better ride. But just a guess. Glad to hear you liked the Continentals, as that's what I'm expecting to be on my Q7.

vandy1997

Thank you for your reasoning. I was thinking of doing the same for the same reason. Please post pictures of the espresso brown interior when you receive your Q7. I was looking to order the beige interior (same as my ML), but I want to see the configuration of the espresso brown. I am opting for the Lava Grey exterior.

UrQ

My all-season tires 20" are Continentals

peegee

Spoke to Audi and the 3 options for 20" are as follows:

Conti - all weather - Y rated
Bridgestone - perf - Z rated
Goodyear - perf - Z rated

On the "hope" that there maybe an H rated tyre - do us a favour and check the ratings - there is no way on earth you'll get that on an audi.

As for the softness of compound - the higher the rating the softer the compound.

Bottomline there isnt a lot of diff in the 3 above - as zr and y ratings are almost identical.

arkbbq

Thanks - best information I've seen on Q7 tires so far. I'm not sure about how speed rating correlates with compound hardness, but I've used higher and lower rated tires in the same size on the same cars, and Z rated tires always rode rougher.

peegee

z rated tyre normal have stiffer sidewalls - and are often on "lower profiles" - which also affects the "rebound" on the tyre - giving a harder ride.

Even though slower tyres may have a harder/longer duration compound their carcass construction is less than that you'd find on a high speed one which in most cases are completely over engineered for normal driving

Thanks for the reply too.

All the best for now.