Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun review
Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun offers safe and predictable handling, but simply have less grip than the best and is quite thirsty, too
Falken didn’t take part in our last 225/45 R17 test back in 2021, but the Ecorun is a tyre we have experience of in other sizes. Now seven years old and, as a result, overdue for replacement, it was impressive in aquaplaning, finishing third in the curved test and fourth in the straight. It was also commendably refined, almost matching the best in terms of measured cabin noise and backing that up with decent bump suppression on the road route.
However, in wet braking and cornering it was near the foot of the table. So it was no surprise that it was well off the pace on the soaked handling circuit, finishing last, more than a second adrift of the seventh-placed rival. It simply felt like it had less grip than its rivals, although in its defence, its lack of bite came with a safe, predictable, understeer-led handling balance. Less wet grip often comes with low rolling resistance, yet the Ecorun was a thirsty seventh out of eight, more than 12 per cent worse than the leading Pirelli.
It was off the pace in dry braking too, finishing eighth and last, taking a full two metres longer to stop than the best. On the dry circuit it managed sixth, but it didn’t as feel sharp or composed as the best, and squealed at the limit. Plenty of room for improvement, then.
Blackcircles.com says…
“Reviews mention that the tyres perform well in all conditions, and highlight low driving noise.”
Results
| Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun | ||
| Overall | 97.80% | |
| Price | £98.65 | |
| Wet braking | 93.00% | 7th |
| Wet handling | 96.20% | 8th |
| Wet cornering | 98.5% | =6th |
| Curved aquaplaning | 92.70% | 3rd |
| Straight aquaplaning | 97.30% | =4th |
| Dry braking | 94.30% | 8th |
| Dry handling | 98.50% | =6th |
| Cabin noise | 95.40% | =3rd |
| Rolling resistance | 87.20% | 7th |
