Vredestein Ultrac Vorti i & Pinza HT Tyre Review

People are buying SUVs like no other time in history. Yet, not everyone is buying an SUV! If you read the two instances of the word SUV differently then you already know what I am talking about. For those who are still confused, allow me to explain. True SUVs are supposed to be big, capable of going anywhere, and making other cars look tiny. However, owing to the rising popularity of the SUV body style nowadays, these qualities are no longer required for a vehicle to be labelled as an SUV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbCQE9t_oHQ

Now, recently, I had a chance to test new Vredestein tyres made for real SUVs – the kind with 4x4 drivetrains, plenty of space, and a high coolness factor. Called Pinza HT and Ultrac Vorti i, these tyres are available in a variety of sizes and are designed to deliver performance and match the mechanical capabilities of these mammoth vehicles. 

Treading the path less travelled

First, we tested the Pinza HT tyres. As the name suggests, these are highway tyres, but the terrain we tackled with them was anything but smooth. Vredestein claims that these tyres can also handle rough roads and even snow. While the possibility of encountering snow in the southern part of the country during the middle of summer was as remote as finding a shark on the top of a mountain, we did have access to a rocky mountain trail, giving us an excellent opportunity to test the off-road prowess of these tyres. We had a fleet of 4x4 SUVs, which included the Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, and Toyota Hilux. Having recently driven the Hilux on similar terrains, I decided to hop in it to see how these tyres compared to the stock ones.

Surprisingly, whether going downhill or climbing up, the Hilux felt incredibly steady. I didn’t notice much difference in grip with the Pinza HTs, which is impressive, considering this isn’t their primary use. We encountered huge rocks, loose stones, and slushy patches, but the tyres handled everything brilliantly. What impressed me even more was how swiftly they adapted to relatively smoother roads. I could floor the accelerator without worrying about losing grip – something that I only felt while climbing uphill slowly in a deep slush.

Also Read: Apollo Apterra AT2 Tyre Review with Maruti Suzuki Jimny

The next day, I had a chance to briefly take the V-Cross for a spin on the highway. Even though it was a short drive, I quickly noticed how quiet these tyres were on smooth tarmac. Inside the noisy diesel pickup, I couldn’t hear a thing from the Pinza H/Ts. The grip while braking was impressive too. I did not notice a major difference in terms of ride quality over stocke tyres, which is not really a bad thing. The Pinza HT range is available in 16-, 17-, and 18-inch options, with prices starting at around ₹15,000 per tyre.

Ultrac Attack

Next, it was time to test the Ultrac Vorti i tyres – something for which I was really excited. Well, to be honest, my excitement had more to do with hitting CoASTT – a brand-new race track, stretching 3.72km in length, in Karumathampatti, Tamil Nadu. It’s a rarity that not many have had the privilege to experience yet. Who wouldn’t get pumped up at an opportunity like that? The new 21- and 22-inch Ultrac Vorti i tyres offer owners of premium SUVs a high-quality, made-in-India tyre option and are priced between ₹30,000 and ₹40,0000 per tyre. I had two SUVs to choose from – a Mercedes-AMG G63 and a diesel-powered BMW X5. I went for the latter. Why? Well, what could possibly be a better combination than a race track and a BMW?

I only had the luxury of running two hot laps on the track, during which time I had to acquaint myself with the track and assess the performance of the tyre. As I navigated the long and sweeping curves of CoASTT, I realised that these tyres offered a solid grip. While I was not breaking any speed records, the pace was fast enough to push the rubber beyond what you’d typically experience on public roads. As the temperatures rose through the day, I noticed a bit more squealing and sliding from the tyres. But hey, that’s all part of the fun. Now, considering that I was tossing around a heavy SUV, with three people inside, on a race track full of twists and turns, the tyres performed admirably well during cornering and braking.

Also Read: TVS Eurogrip Roadhound Tyre Long Term Review with a Triumph Trident 660

A tangled affair

I must say, testing these tyres in diverse conditions was fun and insightful and it has to be one of the most unique drives I have been to. Driving SUVs equipped with highway tyres on off-road trails, and then pushing a big, heavy G63 around an unfamiliar race track – talk about unexpected challenges! But, then, you can’t complain about an experience that you enjoy, can you? Despite the dynamic and diverse nature of the terrains, I really appreciated the way these tyres felt – like the perfect set of boots, ready for all kinds of adventures that you might be up to.

Thinking back on the experience, it seems rather appropriate. If you own an SUV like the ones I drove, chances are, you’d often find yourself on unfamiliar roads and rough terrains. I mean, that’s one of the key reasons for getting an SUV, isn’t it?! And in times like these, you’d want tyres that can match the capabilities of your machine, and the Vredestein Pinza HT and Ultrac Vorti i proved to be just that. The icing on the cake is that these tyres are made in India.