Viking Protech Newgen review
The Viking Protech Newgen is widely regarded as a high-value budget tire that excels in wet and dry grip, offering a compelling alternative to premium brands for daily commuting. While users consistently praise its safety and reliability in adverse weather, the consensus highlights a trade-off in handling precision due to notably soft sidewalls.
Owners rate it 31.4 points higher than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
75%By road tests
43.6%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 15 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Viking Protech Newgen is widely regarded as a high-value budget tire that excels in wet and dry grip, offering a compelling alternative to premium brands for daily commuting. While users consistently praise its safety and reliability in adverse weather, the consensus highlights a trade-off in handling precision due to notably soft sidewalls.
Pros
- Excellent wet weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
- Strong value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Reliable dry grip and braking performance
- Good fuel economy and low rolling resistance
Cons
- Lack of steering feedback and precision
- Soft sidewalls leading to a 'vague' or 'jello-like' handling feel
- Not suited for spirited or high-speed performance driving
- Visual browning of the sidewalls reported by some users
Worth knowing
- Users with heavier vehicles, such as the Tesla Model S, noted that the soft sidewalls prioritize comfort over the handling feedback required for heavier chassis.
- Drivers of smaller estate cars reported high satisfaction with the tire's stability and wet-weather composure during normal driving conditions.
7 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2026 Summer Braking Super tire Test - How do 52 tires Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? · 245/45 R19
36th of 50
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 34th of 50 | |
| Dry Braking | 40th of 50 |
2025 Summer tire Test Shootout · 225/40 R18
33rd of 52
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 30th of 52 | |
| Dry Braking | 40th of 52 |
2023 ADAC Summer tire Test · 205/55 R16
25th of 50
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 40th of 50 | |
| Dry Braking | 43rd of 50 | |
| Straight Aqua | 31st of 50 | |
| Value | 18th of 50 | |
| Wear | 20th of 50 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 41st of 50 | |
| Abrasion | 27th of 50 | |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 33rd of 50 |
2023 Summer tire Market Overview · 225/45 R18
37th of 48
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 37th of 48 | |
| Dry Braking | 37th of 48 |
2022 Summer tire Market Overview · 215/55 R17
38th of 44
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 35th of 44 | |
| Dry Braking | 41st of 44 |
2021 ADAC Summer tire Test - 225/50 R17 · 225/50 R17
16th of 17
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 15th of 17 |
2021 53 Summer tire Braking Test · 205/55 R16
36th of 53
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 33rd of 53 | |
| Dry Braking | 34th of 53 |