Every year ADAC perform some of the most in depth tyre tests in the world, and this years 17 inch winter tyre test is no different.
For 2023 ADAC have taken15 of the most popular winter tyres in 225/45 R17 and tested them in all the usual tests, such as dry, wet and snow performance, but also put all 15 sets through ice braking, a real world road wear test, and measured particulate matter to tell you which tyre is best for the environment.
Before you get to the final results it's important to explain how the ADAC scoring system works, as if you go to the score weighting page for this test, the calculated results will look a little different from the actual ADAC results.
To calculate their final results, ADAC score based on the German school system scoring, which rates each tyre in each test from 1 (best) to 6 (worse), and each score can be broken down with a plus or minus (eg 3+.) How these score systems are bracketed is up to ADAC and is not made public so we can't be sure exactly how they reached their conclusion, however we do know that if a tyre performs very poorly in a certain category, it gets manually deranked and can't finish in a top position. This is why the Bridgestone finishes very low in the ADAC rating (deranked because of high wear), and why the Kumho is in a different spot
Value
Wear is naturally a very important metric, but we believe value (cost per 1,000 km driven) is even more important as low wearing tyres with high purchase prices are still an expensive choice for the consumer.
ADAC don't calculate value, so we have done so using their reported purchase price and projected wear. In this metric the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 had a predicted tread life of 64,000 KM and a cost of €1.72 per 1000km. In contrast, Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 had a tread life of 36,100 KM and a cost of €4.35 per 1000km. The nearly 28,000 KM difference in tread life and the €2.63 difference in cost per 1000km are worth keeping in mind when reading the rest of the test.
We can't talk about value without considering fuel consumption which ADAC tested on a vehicle, not on a machine. The Sava Eskimo HP2 and Dunlop Winter Sport 5 both recorded 5.5 litres per 100 km, while Michelin Alpin 6 was less efficient at 5.8 litres per 100 km. The 0.3-litre difference may seem small but can add up over time, affecting the total cost of ownership.
Abrasion is becoming more and more important, which measures the wear of a tyre through the life and the weight of particles it ejects into the environment. This is a category Michelin always excels in, with a clear lead over the Kumho in second place. The fast wearing Bridgestone was almost twice as bad for the environment with the worse result on test.
Dry
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 had the shortest dry braking distance at 42.6 meters, followed by Continental's WinterContact at 43.5 meters. Sava Eskimo HP2 lagged behind at 46.4 meters. The difference of nearly 4 meters between the best and worst performers can be significant in real-world scenarios, potentially affecting collision avoidance.
Wet
Hankook Winter I cept RS3 led in wet braking with a distance of 34.2 meters. Sava Eskimo HP2 was at the bottom with 42.7 meters. The 8.5-meter difference between the two could be a matter of safety, especially on slippery roads.
The Continental WinterContact TS870 had a significant lead in both straight and curved aquaplaning, with the Nokian Snowproof and Vredestein Wintrac Pro struggling in both.
Snow
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 stopped at 9.4 meters in snow braking, while Apollo Aspire XP Winter recorded 10.5 meters.
The Dunlop was back at the front for snow traction testing
Ice
The Continental WinterContact TS870 drew with the Vredestein Wintrac Pro, having the best ice braking distances.
Comfort
The Kumho WinterCraft WP52 had the quietest passby noise.
Results
1st: Continental WinterContact TS 870 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Precise and safe properties on dry roads, absolutely safe properties on wet roads, absolutely safe properties on winter roads, high predicted mileage. No particular weaknesses. The Continental WinterContact TS 870 tyre offers strong performance across the board. On dry roads, it provides good steering feedback, precision, and safety reserves, along with above-average braking. In wet conditions, it excels in all sub-criteria, including short braking distances and good aquaplaning behavior. On winter roads, it performs slightly above average in braking and traction, with good handling and large safety reserves. Environmentally, it has a very good predicted mileage, good wear, and scores well in efficiency due to its low weight and fuel consumption. Overall, it has a clearly good environmental performance. Read Reviews Buy from £149.53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd: Michelin Alpin 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Precise and safe properties at the limit on dry roads, overall still safe properties on wet roads, very high predicted mileage, low weight, low fuel consumption. Slight weaknesses in aquaplaning transverse behavior, slight weaknesses in wet handling. The MICHELIN ALPIN 6 tyre performs well on dry roads, offering good steering feedback and safety reserves. It has an average braking distance but still secures a good rating. In wet conditions, it excels in braking but falls short in transverse aquaplaning and handling, requiring better force distribution for a higher rating. On winter roads, it performs slightly below average in braking but above average in traction, with good handling and ice braking. Environmentally, it stands out for its above-average predicted mileage, low wear, and impressive efficiency due to low tyre weight and fuel consumption. Overall, it has a strong environmental performance. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Safe driving characteristics on dry roads, still good properties on wet roads, very high predicted mileage, low abrasion, good efficiency. Slightly longer braking distances on wet roads. The GOODYEAR UltraGrip Performance+ tyre offers good steering feedback and safety reserves on dry roads, with an average braking distance earning it a good rating. On wet roads, it performs well in aquaplaning and handling, securing a good overall rating despite narrowly missing a good mark in braking distance. In winter conditions, it shows above-average performance in braking and traction, and excels in snow handling and ice braking. Environmentally, the tyre is rated well for its very good predicted mileage, good wear, and low fuel consumption, despite its above-average weight. Overall, it achieves a good environmental rating. Read Reviews Buy from £119.92 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Precise and safe properties at the limit on dry roads, very safe on winter roads, very high predicted mileage, low weight, low fuel consumption. Slight weaknesses on wet roads. The DUNLOP WINTER SPORT 5 tyre provides good steering feedback and safety reserves during critical driving maneuvers. Its braking performance is rated as good. On wet roads, it performs well in aquaplaning but only achieves satisfactory results in braking and handling, lacking the precision for a higher rating. In winter conditions, it excels in braking, traction, and particularly in snow handling, where it receives a very good rating. Environmentally, the tyre performs well due to its high predicted mileage, low wear, low weight, and low fuel consumption, securing it a good overall rating. Read Reviews Buy from £114.58 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5th: Vredestein Wintrac Pro | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Still good properties on winter roads, good predicted mileage, low abrasion, low fuel consumption. Weaknesses in driving comfort on dry roads and in behavior at the limit, slight weaknesses on wet roads. The VREDESTEIN WINTRAC PRO tyre exhibits satisfactory steering feedback and precision on dry roads, requiring occasional corrections during turns and corners. It tends to oversteer during dynamic maneuvers, and its braking distance is average but rated as good. In wet conditions, it excels in braking but scores only satisfactory in aquaplaning and handling. While it offers sufficient safety reserves, it lacks the precision for a higher rating. On winter roads, it receives good ratings for braking on snow and ice, as well as for snow traction and handling, although it could improve in precision. Environmentally, the tyre performs well with good predicted mileage and wear. Despite its slightly above-average weight, its low fuel consumption earns it a good efficiency rating. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th: Semperit Speed Grip 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Still safe properties on dry roads, still good performance on wet roads, very high predicted mileage, low abrasion. Slight weaknesses in precision on dry roads, slight weaknesses in wet handling, slight weaknesses on wintry roads. The SEMPERIT SPEED-GRIP 5 tyre shows minor weaknesses in steering precision on dry roads but maintains good safety reserves and an average braking distance, earning it a good rating for dry conditions. On wet roads, it also secures a good rating for braking and aquaplaning but falls short in handling due to early tendencies to understeer. Its performance on winter roads is less than ideal, missing a good rating due to shortcomings in ice braking, snow traction, and handling. The tyre tends to understeer or oversteer early, affecting precise control. Environmentally, the tyre receives a good rating; its predicted mileage is very good and wear is also rated as good. Although it narrowly misses a good rating for weight, its low fuel consumption secures it a good efficiency rating. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7th: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Safe properties on wet roads, safe properties on winter roads, low weight, low fuel consumption. Slight weaknesses in precision and behavior at the limit on dry roads. The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 tyre exhibits minor weaknesses on dry roads, particularly in steering precision and driving safety, with a tendency to oversteer during sudden maneuvers. However, its braking distance is rated as good. On wet roads, the tyre performs well across all metrics, including precise handling and good safety reserves. It also ranks third in winter road performance, excelling in braking and acceleration on snow and offering precise and safe handling. Its ice braking performance is average. Environmentally, the tyre scores well with good predicted mileage and wear. Its efficiency is also commendable due to its low weight and fuel consumption. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8th: Giti GitiWinterW2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Safe properties on dry roads, good performance on wet roads. Slight weaknesses in precision on dry roads, slight weaknesses in wet handling, slight weaknesses on wintry roads, below average mileage, slightly higher abrasion. The Giti GitiWinter W2 tyre shows minor weaknesses in steering precision on dry roads but maintains good safety reserves and braking distance, earning it a good rating for dry conditions. On wet roads, it also secures a good rating for braking and aquaplaning but falls short in handling due to early tendencies to understeer. Its performance on winter roads is less than ideal, missing a good rating due to shortcomings in ice braking, snow traction, and handling. The tyre tends to understeer or oversteer early, affecting precise control. Environmentally, the tyre receives only a satisfactory rating; its predicted mileage and wear are below average. Despite good fuel consumption, its efficiency is compromised by its weight, also earning a satisfactory rating. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good properties on winter roads, highest predicted mileage in the test, low abrasion, low fuel consumption. Weaknesses in driving comfort and behavior at the limit on dry roads, slight weaknesses on wet roads, very high tire weight. The Kumho WINTERCRAFT WP52 tyre provides only satisfactory steering feedback and precision on dry roads, requiring occasional corrections due to its elastic response. It tends to oversteer during dynamic maneuvers, but its above-average braking distance earns it a good grade. On wet roads, the tyre excels in braking and longitudinal aquaplaning but falls short in lateral aquaplaning and handling. On winter roads, it performs well, particularly in snow and ice braking, and offers good controllability in handling. However, it narrowly misses a good rating in snow traction. Environmentally, the tyre has the highest predicted mileage in the test and good abrasion ratings but falls short in efficiency due to its above-average weight, despite good fuel consumption. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th: Apollo Aspire XP Winter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overall safe properties on wet roads, high predicted mileage and low abrasion, low fuel consumption. Slight weaknesses in precision and behavior at the limit on dry roads, slight weaknesses in wet handling, higher tire weight. The Apollo ASPIRE XP WINTER tyre shows minor weaknesses on dry roads, particularly in steering precision and driving safety, with a tendency to oversteer during sudden maneuvers. However, its braking distance is rated as good. On wet roads, the tyre performs well in braking and aquaplaning, but lacks precision in handling. Its performance on winter roads is satisfactory, doing well in snow braking but falling short in snow traction, ice braking, and snow handling. Handling is imprecise, with early tendencies to understeer or oversteer, although some reserves are available. Environmentally, the tyre narrowly misses a good rating; it has good predicted mileage and abrasion, but its efficiency is only satisfactory due to its above-average weight, despite good fuel consumption. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11th: Nokian WR Snowproof | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good predicted mileage, low abrasion, low fuel consumption. Weaknesses in driving comfort and behavior at the limit on dry roads, weaknesses on wet roads, weaknesses on winter roads. The Nokian Tyres WR Snowproof offers only satisfactory steering feedback and precision on dry roads, requiring occasional corrections due to its elastic response. It tends to oversteer during dynamic evasive maneuvers or lane changes, and its limit behavior is also rated as just satisfactory. However, its braking distance is slightly above average, earning it a good rating. On wet roads, the tyre's performance is unconvincing, resulting in an overall satisfactory rating. Whether in braking tests or aquaplaning behavior, its performance is below average. The tyre tends to understeer or oversteer early in corners, showing imprecision and limited reserves. Overall, its handling receives an insufficient rating. On winter roads, it also earns a satisfactory rating, although it secures a good note for snow braking. Its snow traction, ice braking, and snow handling are all rated as satisfactory. The vehicle's handling is not very precise, and it tends to understeer or oversteer early, offering limited reserves. Regarding environmental impact, the tyre receives a good rating for its predicted mileage and wear. Its efficiency is also rated as good, mainly due to low fuel consumption, although its weight receives a satisfactory rating. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12th: Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good properties on wet roads, good properties on winter roads, high predicted mileage, low abrasion, low weight, low fuel consumption. Significant weaknesses in driving comfort and weaknesses in behavior at the limit on dry roads. The PIRELLI CINTURATO WINTER 2 tyre exhibits clear weaknesses on dry roads, particularly in steering response and driving safety, with tendencies to oversteer and delayed stabilization. However, its braking distance is good. On wet roads, the tyre performs well in braking and aquaplaning but lacks precision in handling. Its performance on winter roads is good, particularly in braking on snow and ice, and it offers good controllability in handling. It narrowly misses a good rating in snow traction. Environmentally, the tyre scores well in predicted mileage, wear, and efficiency, with both its weight and fuel consumption at good levels. Read Reviews Buy from £146.77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13th: Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Safe properties on wet roads, low fuel consumption. Weaknesses in precision and slight weaknesses in behavior at the limit on dry roads, weaknesses on winter roads, second lowest predicted mileage in the test, slightly increased abrasion, higher tire weight. The YOKOHAMA BluEarth*WINTER V906 tyre has notable weaknesses on dry roads, including imprecise steering feedback and a tendency to oversteer during sudden maneuvers. Its braking distance, however, is rated as good. On wet roads, the tyre performs well in braking and handling but falls short in aquaplaning with a below-average rating. Its performance on winter roads is satisfactory; it does well in snow braking but struggles with traction, ice braking, and snow handling. Handling is imprecise, and the tyre tends to understeer or oversteer early, offering limited reserves. Environmentally, the tyre receives a good grade, but its predicted mileage and wear are only satisfactory. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14th: Sava Eskimo HP2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Safe properties on winter roads, high predicted mileage, low abrasion, very low weight, lowest fuel consumption in the test. Weak in terms of precision on dry roads, weaknesses in driving behavior at the limit on dry roads, weaknesses on wet roads. The Sava eskimo hp2 tyre exhibits only satisfactory performance on dry and wet roads, requiring frequent steering corrections and showing tendencies to oversteer during dynamic maneuvers. Its braking distance is below average. On wet roads, it performs well only in aquaplaning but is otherwise just satisfactory. Handling is also merely adequate, with early understeer and imprecise cornering. However, the tyre excels on winter roads, achieving above-average results in braking, acceleration, and snow handling. Environmentally, the eskimo hp2 performs well, with good predicted mileage and wear, and it ranks highest in efficiency due to low weight and fuel consumption. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15th: Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Safe properties on dry roads, best result on wet roads in the test, low fuel consumption. Weak on wintry roads, low predicted mileage, increased abrasions, above average weight. Read Reviews Buy from £133.37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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