Data and numbers do not lie. However, they also do not tell the whole story. In life, emotions, feelings and experiences also play a part in any test, project or assignment.

That is why this award is just as important as the rest. The Editor’s Choice is where we weigh in on the tyre that produced consistent results and impressed us on the less tangible areas.

Have you ever asked yourself if tyres could make driving more enjoyable daily? Or maybe you might have wondered if there was a tyre that would perform consistently regardless of the car it was fitted on?

Well, as motoring journalists ourselves, we’ve tested hundreds of cars that have been fitted with different tyre brands and models.

Like the cars we drive, tyres also serve up a specific feel when you are testing them. So even though a car may seem to promise the world on paper, in reality, there is a lot more to it than specifications. The chemistry between the car and driver is truly a combination of data and feel.

The Editors’ Choice award is given to the tyre that performed consistently in various tests and gave the team positive feedback in real-world terms.

Personally, tyres are the first thing I change when buying a car. Yes. Even if the car is new, partly because the stock rim design is often not to my liking. So naturally, tyres are always a significant consideration, and I choose not to scrimp on tyres.

Having tried various flagship tyre models from Bridgestone, Goodyear and Michelin, I have had the privilege of ‘connecting’ tyres with the road on many occasions. However, during our testing of the UHP tyres, one set stood out in terms of having an extremely balanced driving feel: the Pirelli P Zero PZ4.

Everyone knows Pirelli’s global partnership in Formula 1. But did you know that they are also one of the largest Original Equipment suppliers, co-developing tyres with numerous car manufacturers? A process that takes up to 3 years, they work alongside brands like Ferrari, Porsche and BMW to develop the perfect fit.

For many reasons, the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 is the winner of AUTA’s Editor’s Choice of the Year 2022. Coming in a close second place to the UHP winner, it was only off by 3.5% to the newer Bridgestone Potenza Sport. This speaks volumes for a tyre launched three years ago. It was also the winner of the Best Wet Grip Award, a critical category for a tropical climate like South East Asia.

Let’s put it this way; how many of us really push the limits of our tyres in dry conditions during our daily commute? However, in Asian countries like ours, when it can rain anytime, we need to have the assurance and safety of capable tyres that can perform well in the wet, and the P Zeros are the best in this area.

On a personal note, I currently run P Zeros on two of my cars, and the all-rounded performance is genuinely outstanding. One of the setups I have is 285/35 ZR22 on an E70 BMW X5, and it feels even quieter than when it was on the stock 20-inch wheels! The other car, a Volkswagen Golf, is also on a set of PZ4s, which provide consistent and well-balanced performance in our local conditions.

Based on these extended experiences with the various flagships tyres, and more recently, with the Pirellis, we can confidently crown the P Zero, AUTA 2022 Editor’s Choice of the Year.