The tyres we fit when money is no object (yet they only cost a touch over mid range) are Uniroyal RainSport2. We cannot find anything better and anything that is loses out in wet grip. RS2's grip like in the dry, in the wet. My previous brand new Chinese tyres struggled with grip when pulling away gently on my 2.4, tonight in the rain I was flooring it and still not getting any wheel spin/traction with the RS2's. There is literally at least TWICE as much grip.

I wouldn't tar all economy tyres with the same brush. Mine are bloody brilliant, and I've had them well over a year now. I can chuck it round a corner in the wet as fast as me and the car's leaning/creaking body can take it. Mine were £65 each. There's no way anyone who'd tried them would buy anything else (me included).

XL tyres are a requirement, specified in the manual, for a Croma when the 18" wheels are fitted. XL is part of the spec, not a driver choice (either for or against). A Croma is a heavy lump, and on low-profile without the XL tyres it really doesn't want to go round corners. And it's probably dangerous. A Croma with 18" wheels without XL tyres is uninsured.

Just to add to this post. I have Federal Formoza 2 all round on the croma. They were on when I bought the car and have done around 7k.

I have only driven around 500 miles in both dry and wet recently and they seem to be absolutely fine. Good even.

Will change to winter tyres soon. Nokian WA3, which I have used before in France - alps skiing, and they are excellent.