From the fifty tyres tested, there were some surprise drop outs. The Vredestein Snowtrac 5, Yokohama W.Drive, Toyo Snowprox S943 and Avon Ice Touring were a few of the 32 tyres which failed to make the grade. Equally, tyres like the Semperit Speed Grip 2, Barum Polaris 3, Gislavel Euro Frost 5 and Viking Snow Tech II were are few surprise inclusions, it will be interesting to find out if they can live up to the established competition in the full winter tyre test.
Snow
Unsurprisingly the usual candidates dominated the snow tests, with Continental, Michelin, Goodyear and Dunlop all scoring consistently well. The Pirelli all season struggled, finishing last in all four snow events, but still far enough ahead of the summer to make it usable in t he event of snow. The summer tyre couldn't even complete a lap of the snow handling track!
Wet
In the wet the Dunlop and Goodyear really shone, beating the summer tyre in both handling and braking. The Continental was extremely close in third, and the Pirelli all season finished fourth in handling, but having a
mid pack performance in wet braking.
As usual, cheap tyres and wet grip were difficult to blend, with the cheaper tyres such as Firestone, Fulda and Kelber all struggling in the wet categories when compared to the benchmark.
Dry
It came as no surprise to see the summer tyre winning both the dry braking and dry handling tests, but was a surprise the Nokian and Apollo winter tyres beat the Pirelli all season under dry braking. The Hankook winter tyre, which could only manage a mid pack dry braking score beat the all season and finished second to the summer tyre in dry handling, showing a strange imbalance between braking and handling performance.
Other
The Michelin kept its crown as the hardest wearing tyre on the test, delivering a projected 45,000 kms compared to the Continentals 34,200 kms, but the crown of "best value tyre on test" went to the Hankook, having the second beat wear on test and being significantly cheaper than the Michelin. The Dunlop proved to be the quietest of the top tyres, but the combined cabin noise results were very close across all the tyres.
Overall
Overall the Continental WinterContact TS850 takes another first place, thanks to a complete performance, only let down by slightly higher wear than some of the competition. Pirelli take second place with their Winter SnowControl Serie 3, not dominating any particular category but having another impressive all round performance, and Continental owned Barum take a surprise third place with the Polaris 3.
Results
1st: Continental WinterContact TS 850 | |
| The test winner impresses with best road performance in all weather conditions. Precise steering response and a dynamic handling in the wet and on snow covered roads. Good safety reserves with aquaplaning, and good ride comfort Only average wear, high price. Read Reviews |
2nd: Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 | |
| Premium winter profile with balanced performance potential. Sporty handling and stable cornering on snow and wet roads. Good snow braking. Precise steering with good feedback, good comfort. Only average wear and average fuel consumption. Read Reviews |
3rd: Barum Polaris 3 | |
| Cheap alternative to the premium manufacturers. Good winter performance with consistently safe driving characteristics, excellent traction and short braking distances on snow-covered slopes. Balanced driving characteristics on dry roads, good price-performance ratio. Only average wear, slightly high rolling resistance. Read Reviews |
4th: Dunlop Winter Response 2 | |
| Premium winter tire with excellent performance on snowy and wet roads. Excellent handling qualities and shortest braking distances on snow and wet roads. Pleasant feedback derLenkung, quieter roll, good comfort. Average wear, average cornering on dry roads. Read Reviews Buy from £87.28 |
5th: Michelin Alpin A4 | |
| Winter specialist with excellent snow quality and impressive mileage. Direct handling and precise steering with good feedback. Good resistance to aquaplaning, stable handling on wet track, good value for money. Slightly prolonged dry braking distances, high cost. Read Reviews |
6th: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | |
| Premium tires with best handling characteristics on wet roads, highest safety reserves with aquaplaning, precise steering response and dynamic handling qualities on wet and snow-covered roads, pleasantly quiet ride comfort, good economy. Only average level of grip on a dry track. Read Reviews Buy from £75.18 |
7th: Hankook Winter i cept RS2 | |
| The value master among the winter tires with excellent handling qualities on a dry track and optimum economy. Stable cornering and good braking on snow-covered slopes. Very good mileage, moderate price, fuel-saving rolling resistance. Moderate cornering and longer stopping distances on a wet track. Read Reviews |
8th: Semperit Speed Grip 2 | |
| Winter tyres with good handling characteristics on snowy and wet roads, short braking distances and high traction on packed snow, precise steering response on wet track, very good value for money. Only average aquaplaning characteristics, dry braking Read Reviews |
9th: Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 | |
| Good traction values ​​and short braking distances on snow, balanced handling with pleasant steering feel in the wet, good safety reserves in aquaplaning, high mileage and good value for money. Moderate cornering on snow, prolonged wet braking distances. Read Reviews |
10th: Nokian WR D3 | |
| Finnish all-rounder with a balanced performance. Convincing winter qualities, safe handling and short braking distances on hard-packed snow. Good safety reserves with aquaplaning, good wear. Moderate cornering and extended braking distances on wet roads, only average ride comfort. Read Reviews |
11th: Apollo Alnac Winter | |
| Excellent performance and high steering precision in wintry conditions, harmonious wet and dry handling, good braking on dry roads, cheap price. Moderate aquaplaning properties, average mileage, slightly high rolling resistance. Read Reviews |
12th: Viking Snow Tech II | |
| As a third brand of Continental Group Viking benefits from the development work of the parent company. Good traction and braking on snow covered roads, safe handling on dry roads, cheap price. Braking performance and cornering on wet roads only satisfactory, slightly high rolling resistance. Read Reviews |
13th: Falken Eurowinter HS449 | |
| Winter tires with balanced handling characteristics on snowy and wet roads, pleasant ride comfort, quiet passing noise, low price. Moderate safety reserves in aquaplaning, low mileage, high rolling resistance. Read Reviews |
14th: Firestone Winterhawk 3 | |
| Affordable winter tyre with good aquaplaning characteristics, balanced driving characteristics on dry roads, pleasant ride comfort, low noise, good price-performance ratio. Wet and snow grip, long wet braking distances. Read Reviews |
15th: Uniroyal MS+ 77 | |
| Winter specialist with balanced safe driving performance on ice and snow, good safety reserves in aquaplaning, stable cornering in the wet, low rolling resistance. Braking, steering response and balance on a dry track, prolonged wet and dry braking distances, poor wear. Read Reviews |
16th: Kleber Krisalp HP2 | |
| Balanced safe driving on snow-covered slopes, short snow braking distances, fuel-saving rolling resistance, good value for money. Poor braking and understeering driving behavior on a wet track, long wet and dry braking distances. Read Reviews |
17th: Fulda Kristall Montero 3 | |
| Superb braking result and good traction values ​​on hard-packed snow, safe aquaplaning properties, quiet, low rolling resistance. Only average handling, braking and steering response on snowy and wet roads, extended wet and dry braking distances. Read Reviews |
18th: Gislaved EuroFrost 5 | |
| Cheap winter tyre with good snow capability. Short braking distances and balanced driving characteristics on snow and ice, good price-performance ratio. Limited cornering and poor balance in the wet, poor grip and dry braking, poor dry steering response, average comfort. Read Reviews |
Best UUHP Tyres
Best All Season Tyres
Best Winter Tyres
