Recap

Recap

The Apollo Alnac 4G tyres fitted on our Honda Jazz have been serving their purpose as intended — with low mileage and within the city use. A 1,200km inter-state trip was the longest time they were on the run for a week. Yes, they may not have travelled quite a long distance, but have stood the test of time in our changing weather conditions. So, let's get into the details of how they have been performing.

Did these help?

Firstly, as mentioned earlier, the brand-new tyres showed a perceptible change in the feel of grip compared to the old tyres. Our Vbox tests also ascertained that with reduced braking distances at slow speeds. Then, there's still no increase in NVH or tyre noise even at triple-digit speeds. Apollo's claim of reduced noise stands true with this fourth generation (4G) of their Alnac tyres. I was amazed to not hear them scream on tight turns of our basement’s cement parking where usually most vehicles beg for a grip. There's no extra effort required to steer and the steering doesn't feel heavy. Similarly, it still inspires that confidence upon panic braking or wet driving conditions.

Conversely, the ride quality of our Jazz is on the firmer side, a bit noisy, and the last thing I wanted is to have a noisier set of tyres. Mercifully, the Alnac 4Gs have managed to take on different tarmac and road conditions with ease. There have been plenty of times when I was caught by surprise while encountering sharp-edge potholes and unfinished cement edges in the never-ending construction and road work. The side walls have managed to take these beatings without causing any damage to the rims. In terms of fuel economy, our car still averages between 13-14kmpl and I haven't seen any spike or drop in the range as such.

Wear and tear

For the front tyres, the central tread and even the side tread for that matter, has lost just 0.3mm as the tread figures still stand at 7.2mm. The change in tread depth for the rear tyres is also meagre. And this is impressive as they are not losing rubber fast and hopefully will continue to last more. An appropriate tyre rotation from its position to another will further ensure consistent wear and prolonged usage.

The tyres have not been subjected to extreme heat/cold as such. The only few instances were outdoor parking in gravel/mud in Madhya Pradesh. This was for a week and in temperatures ranging from 35-42 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the car has remained in covered parking. However, this area has been subjected to constant water accumulation due to the car wash and water tank’s spillage being close to the parking area. Now, despite the lack of the car's usage, meaning the tyres stay put for longer times, they never went flat as they were topped up with air periodically. Thankfully, none of these tyres has picked up a single puncture. Also, there are no signs of any rubber chipping off or any cracks regardless of them being stationary for longer periods. All in all, things are certainly going well, and I've never had to keep my fingers crossed.

Statistics

Brand - Apollo

Product - Alnac 4G

Kms Driven – 5,555km

Fuel Economy - 13-14kmpl

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi