Apollo Alnac 4G Tyres Long Term Review

Apollo Alnac 4G Tyres Review

Tyres Tested: Apollo Alnac 4G
Tyre Size: 195/60/15
Test Car: Maruti Swift ZDI
Original Size: 185/65/15
Original Tyre: MRF ZVTV
Test Started At: 20,584 kms
Test Ended At: 50,742 kms
Kilometres Tested: 30,158

The Apollo Alnac 4G tyres impressed us with excellent grip and stability

Agree or not but tyres are the most important part of a car as they are the point of contact between your car and the road. Most mass market cars come with tyres which are meant to last but are not great on grip and performance in the wet is questionable. While these tyres are good enough for the average customer, there is always something lacking for those who love to drive spiritedly. The primary reason being that manufacturers need to price the vehicle competitively and they are not going to spend extra on tyres which will appease only a handful of customers. The secondary reason being the quest for increased fuel efficiency.

Our test car, the Maruti Swift is one of the best selling cars in its segment since the time it was launched in the year 2005. Our Swift is the top-of-the-line variant and it came with MRF ZVTV 185/65/15 tyres. The lower variants are grossly under-tyred and are shod with 165-spec tyres. Our car had done about 20,000 kms and the tyres were past their prime. Key issues we faced were screeching on heavy braking, low grip under braking which led to increased braking distances and wet weather grip had dropped considerably. These were some of the reasons we decided to swap for Apollo Alnac 4G series of tyres.

It wasn’t the first time we were going to use this series of tyres. Our long term Fiat Punto had these and we were quite amazed by the overall performance of this tyre but this time our observations were going to be more conclusive. Usually when you upgrade your tyre size, you would normally expect the steering to get a bit heavier but we didn’t find the steering getting noticeably heavy. The Swift has one of the best steerings in its segment and it would be a shame if the way the steering behaves would have changed.

One of the first things to notice about these new tyres was the fact that it gave an enormous amount of confidence behind the wheel. While the MRF tyres were a handful under hard braking, the new Apollo rubber was predictably surefooted. These tyres made the car feel more grounded, especially at high speeds on the highway. Braking distances had reduced by around 17% compared to the stock tyres (when they were in mint condition). Also, ABS seemed to work better as well since the stock tyres would run out of grip before the car has come to a complete standstill.

We were positively surprised by the grip offered by the tyres on wet surfaces

Wet weather performance had us impressed too. With additional surface area of contact, the Apollo tyres offered good grip on wet surfaces. Even in standing water, the tread design dissipates most of the water reducing the chances of aquaplaning. The Swift loves to be pushed around corners and tyres play a crucial role when it comes to dynamics. While the steering is very feedback rich, the Apollo tyres offer good grip when pushing it around the twisties. However, they do tend to understeer on hard cornering. This is a much better situation to be in as the stock tyres would run out of grip rather quickly.

In India, fuel efficiency is a greater concern than safety and it is no surprise why there are only a handful of people who consider upgrading tyres. Especially in the mass market segment, most cars come with narrow section tyres, which also improve fuel efficiency of the vehicle as a narrower contact patch means less friction and greater fuel economy. With these new Apollo tyres, fuel economy dropped by close to 0.5 km/l which was not too much a price to pay for improved grip.

Ride quality has been average with the stock tyres and we did see some positives in this department after changing over to the Apollos. The Alnac 4G tyres absorb undulations far better and the difference is immediately obvious. However, one downside of these tyres was that at high speeds, there was considerable tyre noise. After using these tyres for over 30,000 kms, they have worn out by close to 50%, which means there is still enough juice for another 20,000 kms at least. This is quite good considering our road conditions take a toll on the tyres.

The Apollo Alnac 4G tyres are a very good upgrade option for mass-market cars

Tyre life will depend on your driving style. A more relaxed driving style will lead to tyres lasting long while driving style which involves sudden braking and acceleration will be detrimental to long tyre life. Routine wheel alignment and balancing will reduce the chances of uneven wear, thereby increasing the longevity of the tyres. Chance of punctures are always there on Indian roads. To reduce your chances of picking up a puncture, avoid driving on the extreme end on the first and last lane, this is usually where the dirt and sharp shards accumulate. We have been religiously getting wheel alignment and balancing done every 5000 kms.

The Apollo Alnac 4G series of tyres have lived up to our expectations and have performed well in varied conditions. We felt the wet weather performance was particularly good and deserved a special mention. Each tyre costs roughly Rs. 4500/- and this is not a heavy price to pay considering these tyres bring tons of grip and safety in the equation. The Alnac 4G tyres are a suitable upgrade for most hatchbacks and mid-size sedans in our market. If you are planning to upgrade your tyres, always try and go with the original manufacturer specifications to get the best out of the new shoes for your car.