| Test Summary | |
| Dry Braking | ▲Petlas Glacier W661: 29
M ▼Sava Eskimo Ice: 32.1 M |
| Subj. Dry Handling | ▲Petlas Glacier W661: 10 Points ▼Linglong Green Max Winter Grip 2: 06 Points |
| Wet Braking | ▲Petlas Glacier W661: 29.7
M ▼Linglong Winter Unicorn: 40.4 M |
| Wet Handling | ▲Petlas Glacier W661: 33.7
s ▼Michelin X Ice North 4: 35.4 s |
| Subj. Wet Handling | ▲Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2: 9
Points ▼Bridgestone Blizzak Ice: 6 Points |
| Snow Braking | ▲Continental VikingContact 7: 50.2
M ▼Sunny SN3860: 53.6 M |
| Snow Traction | ▲Continental VikingContact 7: 5.9
s ▼Sunny SN3860: 6.5 s |
| Snow Handling | ▲Continental VikingContact 7: 48.3
s ▼Sunny SN3860: 53.2 s |
| Subj. Snow Handling | ▲Bridgestone Noranza 001: 9
Points ▼Sunny SN3860: 5 Points |
| Ice Braking | ▲Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9: 37.8 M ▼Sunny SN3860: 54.6 M |
| Ice Traction | ▲Michelin X Ice North 4: 3.7
s ▼Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43: 6.9 s |
| Ice Handling | ▲Michelin X Ice North 4: 57.3
s ▼Sunny SN3860: 72 s |
| Subj. Ice Handling | ▲Michelin X Ice North 4: 10 Points ▼Petlas Glacier W661: 04 Points |
| Subj. Noise | ▲Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3: 9
Points ▼Michelin X Ice North 4: 6 Points |
| Rolling Resistance | ▲Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3: 0.01 kg / t ▼Linglong Winter Unicorn: 5.30 kg / t |
All tyres are in the popular 205/55 R16, and were tested using a VW Golf. There were some interesting new tyres in the test, including the first test of the studless Michelin X-Ice Snow.
Many of the premium brands included have both studless friction and studded winter tyres in the test, which is why you'll see them twice in the data, so as you're going through the results looking at your favourite tyre make sure you're looking at the right version of it.
Overall, the usual contenders in the winter segment came out top. Continental, who dominate the European winter tyre tests, joint won the test alongside Michelin.
The studded Continental IceContact 3 proved to have an excellent all round ability, with no huge weakness for a studded tyre, and the new studded Michelin X-Ice North 4 dominated on ice, and performed well in nearly all other criteria, showing only a slight weakness during wet handling testing.
Winter specialists Nokian aren't having the best time in the European winter segment at the moment, but they'll be happy with third place for their studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 tyre, and even happier as the winning studless friction tyre on test being awarded to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3.
One other interesting point for European readers, you'll notice some of the best tyres in the dry and wet are rated as some of the worst tyres overall in this test. This serves as a nice reminder that friction and studded tyres are tyres designed for climates that see extreme winters, which mean snow and ice on the ground for many months constantly. None of these tyres are suitable for a central European winter, where dry and wet is the dominant weather, so don't try fitting them in climates like the UK.
In the dry the budget Petlas Glacier W661 narrowly beat the Michelin X-Ice North 4. Sadly there was no objective dry handling data, the subjective data can be found in the overall results below.
The Petlas also proved best during wet testing, winning wet braking and wet handling.
Colder testing reversed the fortunes of the Petlas tyre, finishing at the back of the pack in all the snow and ice testing.
Continental dominated snow braking, taking first place with the studless VikingContact and second place with the studded IceContact 3
Continental again took the top two spots during snow traction testing, this time with the studded tyre ahead of the studless.
Snow handling testing brought a little advantage to the studless tyres, with the VikingContact again proving best, and the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 finishing second.
Ice testing naturally brings the advantage back to studded tyres, with the Michelin X-Ice North 4 matching the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 as the best during ice braking.
Michelin, Continental and Nokian also took the top three sports during ice traction.
Michelin rounded out the ice testing with anoher win for the X Ice North 4.
The tyres were rated subjectively for noise, with seven of the tyres on test finishing joint top.
Rolling resistance scores were based on the best tyre (Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3) being set at zero, then other the tyres ratings being how much more fuel they would use represented as a percentage.
1st: Continental IceContact 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Short braking distances and good lateral stability on ice (but with a sharp maneuver there is a risk of skidding), good handling and control on snow, good handling in the dry. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st: Michelin X Ice North 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Excellent handling on ice - the tires reliably hold grip in any situation, including, for example, when hitting an icy area while cornering, good handling and a high level of safety on snow, good wet grip. Tendency to understeer in the dry, high rolling resistance. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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High grip and excellent handling on ice, good handling in the snow, good directional stability. Slow steering and poor handling in the dry. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No obvious flaws, short braking distances and excellent handling on ice, very good handling and confident behavior on snow, above average performance in the dry and wet, stable during sharp maneuvers, low noise level, low rolling resistance. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5th: Bridgestone Noranza 001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good overall performance on ice, stable snow performance. Long braking distances in the snow, dry and wet, inaccurate steering response and oversteer in the dry. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th: Hankook Winter i pike RS2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good traction on ice, good handling and grip in the wet. Relatively long ice braking with a tendency to oversteer on ice and in the snow, average braking in the dry. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th: Continental VikingContact 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Short braking distances and excellent handling in the ice, optimum controllability in the snow, good handling in the wet. Oversteer balance in the dry. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8th: Michelin X Ice Snow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Short braking on ice (for a studless tyre), good handling and high level of safety in the snow, well balanced in the dry. Slight slower steering response on ice, relatively long dry braking. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th: Linglong Green Max Winter Grip 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Short braking distances on ice, balanced in the snow, short dry braking distances. Average ice handling, slow steering response in the dry, high rolling resistance, unbalanced ride quality. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th: Pirelli Ice Zero FR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Short dry braking distances. Unstable behavior on ice and snow, very long wet braking distances, lack of directional stability. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good traction and short braking distances on ice, short braking distances and good handling in the wet, low rolling resistance. Relatively low lateral stability on ice, tendency to understeer in the snow, poor steering response in the dry. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12th: Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Logical behaviour without unpleasant surprises in the snow, low rolling resistance, slow to react in the dry. Unstable handling in the wet and on ice. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13th: Sava Eskimo Ice | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good braking performance on ice, confident and stable dry handling. Inaccurate steering in the wet, long dry braking distances. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15th: Linglong Winter Unicorn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Slow steering response response on ice and snow, low grip and insufficient handling in the dry and wet, high rolling resistance. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16th: Bridgestone Blizzak Ice | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good handling in the snow, balance handling and short braking distances in the dry. Understeer balance in the wet. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17th: Nankang Ice Activa 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Acceptable handling in the snow and on wet roads. Low traction and braking on ice, poor grip and imprecise steering in the dry. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18th: Nexen Winguard Ice+ WH43 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Poor grip on ice and snow, long braking distances and poor controllability in the dry and wet, high rolling resistance. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18th: Petlas Glacier W661 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Very good braking and handling in the dry and wet. Very weak grip on ice, understeer in the snow. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18th: Toyo OBSERVE GSI 6 HP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stable handling in the snow, short braking distance in the wet, stable and short braking distances in the dry. Poor ice performance, high rolling resistance, high noise. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21st: Sunny SN3860 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Very short wet braking distances. Practically no grip on ice and almost as bad in the snow, erratic handling in the wet. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||