The Giti GitiSportS2+ is a next-generation ultra high-performance summer tire that ranked fourth overall out of 50 tires in the AutoBild 2026 Summer Tyre Test, earning the publication's highest 'exemplary' rating. It finished alongside Pirelli in the top five, above Continental, and at a price point well below the three premium brands that placed above it.

What Is the Giti GitiSportS2+ and Who Is It For?

If you drive a sporty car or a high-performance SUV and want a summer tire that genuinely competes at the top of the European market without requiring you to pay the prices that Michelin, Goodyear, or Hankook command, the GitiSportS2+ is the most objectively validated answer in that space right now. It is not a budget tire positioned around low price. It is a performance tire positioned around independently verified performance results.

The tire targets sporty passenger cars and powerful SUVs. It is available from Spring 2026 in 19 sizes, covering rim diameters from 17 to 20 inches, section widths from 225 to 255mm, and series sizes from 35 to 55. It was developed at Giti Tire's European Research and Development Centre in Hannover, Germany, and tested and fine-tuned on circuits in the UK and Spain before launch.

How the AutoBild 2026 Summer Tyre Test Works

AutoBild is Europe's largest automotive magazine by circulation, and its annual summer tire test is one of the most thorough independent evaluations published anywhere in the world. The 2026 edition assessed 50 tires in the 245/45R19 size on a BMW 5 Series, a vehicle that fits a wide range of upper-mid-size saloons and SUVs and represents a genuine high-performance fitment demand.

The test ran in two stages. In the first, all 50 tires were assessed purely on braking: wet braking from 80 km/h and dry braking from 100 km/h. Only the 20 shortest-stopping tires advanced to the full evaluation. The remaining 30 were eliminated at that stage regardless of any other quality. The 20 finalists then underwent comprehensive assessment across 12 further test disciplines at ATP Papenburg in Germany and the Circuit d'Alcarras in Spain, covering wet and dry handling, aquaplaning resistance, rolling resistance, ride comfort, road noise, and projected tread mileage. The final overall scores determined the rankings and whether a tire received an 'exemplary', 'good', 'satisfactory', or lower classification.

How Did the GitiSportS2+ Perform?

In the qualifying stage, the GitiSportS2+ in size 245/45R19 recorded a combined braking distance of 42.5 metres across the two braking tests, placing it joint fourth alongside the Pirelli Cinturato C3 and putting it comfortably into the 20-tire final. It then maintained that level of performance across all 12 further evaluation categories to finish fourth overall. AutoBild awarded it the 'exemplary' classification and specifically praised its price-performance ratio, superb driving performance, and high safety reserves.

The full top five, with their 'exemplary' ratings confirmed, was: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 K127 in first place, Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 in second, Michelin Pilot Sport 5 in third, and Giti GitiSportS2+ and Pirelli Cinturato C3 jointly in fourth. Continental's PremiumContact 7 finished sixth overall, behind both Giti and Pirelli despite its premium price and brand positioning. Independent analysis from TyreReviews described the Giti result as the standout finding of the entire test, noting it as a brand not typically associated with the premium tier that scored highly enough across wet and dry disciplines to join that group, something the AutoBild test team itself explicitly flagged.

What Makes the GitiSportS2+ Better Than the GitiSportS2?

The predecessor GitiSportS2 was a respected product in the UHP segment. The S2+ is a deliberate engineering upgrade across every metric that matters to a driver who wants performance and safety in equal measure.

The headline improvement is in wet braking, where the new compound reduces stopping distance by 8 percent compared to the S2. On dry roads the gain is 2 percent. The tire achieves the EU's maximum Wet Grip label rating of A, which is an independently verified regulatory benchmark rather than a manufacturer claim. Achieving A-grade wet grip while simultaneously improving dry performance and maintaining the mileage and energy efficiency of the previous generation is a meaningful engineering accomplishment. Optimising for grip typically comes at a cost to wear or rolling resistance. Giti's engineers maintained both.

Fabio Pecci-Boriani, Deputy General Manager for Product Planning PCR and LTR at Giti Tire's European R&D Centre, described the design objective as delivering further improvements in dynamic driving and enhanced control on wet roads, with precise and exciting dry road handling, while maintaining the mileage and energy efficiency of the previous generation. The structural approach uses a particularly stiff design that contributes to stability at high speeds and in cornering, with grip characteristics that are described as more precise, firm, predictable, and consistent than its predecessor.

AdvanZtech EV Ready: One Tire Across Every Powertrain

The GitiSportS2+ carries Giti's AdvanZtech EV Ready designation on its sidewall, confirming it is engineered and validated for use across internal combustion engine vehicles, mild hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and full battery electric vehicles. This is not a cosmetic badge. It reflects validation against the specific performance demands that electric and hybrid powertrains place on a tire: higher kerb weight from battery packs, immediate torque delivery during acceleration, and different braking force distribution from regenerative systems.

All new Giti passenger car and SUV tires carry the AdvanZtech EV Ready designation, which means drivers who specify the S2+ for a current petrol or hybrid vehicle are also covered if their next vehicle is a full EV. The engineering is in the tire from the start, not retrofitted for a market trend.

The Engineering and Company Behind the Tire

The GitiSportS2+ was developed using Giti Tire's AdvanZtech platform, the company's globally integrated R&D system connecting development centres in Hannover, the UK's MIRA facility, and additional centres in China, Indonesia, and the USA. AdvanZtech 2.0, the current evolution of the platform, covers eight engineering domains including safety and security, control and handling, and resilience and endurance, which are the areas most directly reflected in the AutoBild test criteria.

Giti Tire is one of the largest tire companies in the world by volume and revenue, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Singapore. The company employs over 30,000 people and distributes to more than 130 countries. All manufacturing plants supplying Europe carry IATF 16949:2016 quality management accreditation and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System accreditation. IATF 16949 is the gold-standard automotive supply chain quality framework applied to original equipment manufacturers, and its application to replacement market products gives buyers a verifiable production quality assurance that brand recognition alone cannot provide.

Key Takeaways

• Fourth overall from 50 tires in the AutoBild 2026 Summer Tyre Test with an 'exemplary' rating
• Joint fourth with Pirelli Cinturato C3, ahead of Continental PremiumContact 7 in sixth
• Top five alongside Hankook (1st), Goodyear (2nd), and Michelin Pilot Sport 5 (3rd)
• Maximum EU Wet Grip label rating of A, independently verified
• 8% shorter wet braking distance versus the GitiSportS2
• 2% shorter dry braking distance versus the GitiSportS2
• 19 sizes from Spring 2026, covering 17 to 20 inch rims
• Section widths from 225 to 255mm, series sizes from 35 to 55
• AdvanZtech EV Ready certified for ICE, MHEV, PHEV, and BEV vehicles
• Developed in Hannover, Germany, tested on circuits in the UK and Spain
• Mileage and energy efficiency maintained from the previous generation
  
  

AutoBild 2026 Top Five Summer Tires Compared

Frequently Asked Questions About the Giti GitiSportS2+

What rating did the GitiSportS2+ receive in the AutoBild 2026 test?

The GitiSportS2+ received an 'exemplary' rating, which is the highest commendation AutoBild awards in its summer tire test. It finished fourth overall out of 50 tires tested. AutoBild praised its price-performance ratio, superb driving performance, and high safety reserves.

How does the GitiSportS2+ compare to premium brands like Continental?

In the AutoBild 2026 Summer Tyre Test, the GitiSportS2+ finished fourth overall while the Continental PremiumContact 7 finished sixth, despite Continental's higher price point. The brands directly above the Giti were Hankook in first, Goodyear in second, and Michelin Pilot Sport 5 in third. Giti received the same 'exemplary' rating as all top-five finishers.

Is the GitiSportS2+ compatible with electric vehicles?

Yes. The GitiSportS2+ carries the AdvanZtech EV Ready designation, confirming it is engineered and validated for ICE vehicles, mild hybrids (MHEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), and full battery electric vehicles (BEV).

What sizes is the GitiSportS2+ available in?

The GitiSportS2+ is available from Spring 2026 in 19 sizes. Rim diameters run from 17 to 20 inches, section widths from 225 to 255mm, and series sizes from 35 to 55. Existing GitiSportS2 sizes remain available during the initial rollout phase.

How much better is the GitiSportS2+ than the original GitiSportS2?

The GitiSportS2+ delivers an 8 percent reduction in wet braking distance and a 2 percent reduction in dry braking distance compared to the GitiSportS2. It achieves the EU's maximum A-grade wet grip label. Mileage and energy efficiency are maintained at the same level as the previous generation.

Where is the GitiSportS2+ made and developed?

The GitiSportS2+ was designed and developed at Giti Tire's European R&D Centre in Hannover, Germany. Product testing and fine-tuning took place on circuits in the UK and Spain. The AutoBild test itself was conducted at ATP Papenburg in Germany and Circuit d'Alcarras in Spain. Giti Tire's manufacturing plants supplying Europe carry IATF 16949:2016 and ISO 14001 accreditations.

Who should buy the GitiSportS2+?

The GitiSportS2+ is aimed at drivers of sporty passenger cars and high-performance SUVs who want independently verified premium-tier summer tire performance without paying the price premium of Michelin, Goodyear, or Hankook. It is particularly relevant for buyers across the 17 to 20 inch rim range who also want a tire that is already validated for EV and hybrid powertrains.

The Bottom Line

The Giti GitiSportS2+ earns its claims through independent testing rather than marketing. Fourth place in Europe's largest summer tire test from a field of 50, an 'exemplary' rating shared with four other top-tier brands, the EU's maximum A-grade wet grip label, and a measurable 8 percent wet braking improvement over its predecessor add up to a performance case that holds up to the kind of scrutiny buyers should apply to any SUV off road tires purchase.

For drivers of sporty cars or high-performance SUVs in the 17 to 20 inch rim range, the GitiSportS2+ offers a genuinely competitive alternative to spending at the very top of the market. It finished above Continental in the test that matters most, it works across every powertrain type including full EVs, and it was developed in Europe by a company with the quality accreditations and R&D infrastructure to back the performance credentials it has now independently earned.