Test Charts / Auto Zeitung

2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test

Compare each discipline in the tested size. See the measured result, position and gap to the best tyre, then read the verdict for the trade-offs behind the finishing order.

Tested size: 205/55 R16
Tyres tested: 14
Disciplines: 10

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Hankook Winter i cept RS2	45.8 m	Best	0 km/h
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	46.5 m	+0.70 m	16 km/h
3Nexen Winguard Snow G3	46.7 m	+0.90 m	18 km/h
4Falken Eurowinter HS01	47.2 m	+1.40 m	22 km/h
5Michelin Alpin 6	47.5 m	+1.70 m	25 km/h
6Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	47.7 m	+1.90 m	26 km/h
7Goodride SW608	47.8 m	+2.00 m	27 km/h
7Toyo Snowprox S954	47.8 m	+2.00 m	27 km/h
9Pirelli Cinturato Winter	48.3 m	+2.50 m	30 km/h
10Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	48.4 m	+2.60 m	30 km/h
11Continental WinterContact TS 860	48.7 m	+2.90 m	32 km/h
12Dunlop Winter Sport 5	48.8 m	+3.00 m	32 km/h
13Fulda Kristall Control HP2	50.1 m	+4.30 m	38 km/h
13King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	50.1 m	+4.30 m	38 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 9.4% (4.3 m ≈ 1 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the King Meiler Winter Tact WT81 would still be travelling at 38 km/h when the Hankook Winter i cept RS2 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Toyo Snowprox S954	10 Points	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	9 Points	-1.00 Points
3Hankook Winter i cept RS2	8 Points	-2.00 Points
3Falken Eurowinter HS01	8 Points	-2.00 Points
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	8 Points	-2.00 Points
6Dunlop Winter Sport 5	7 Points	-3.00 Points
7Continental WinterContact TS 860	6 Points	-4.00 Points
7Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	6 Points	-4.00 Points
9Michelin Alpin 6	5 Points	-5.00 Points
9King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	5 Points	-5.00 Points
9Nexen Winguard Snow G3	5 Points	-5.00 Points
12Fulda Kristall Control HP2	4 Points	-6.00 Points
12Pirelli Cinturato Winter	4 Points	-6.00 Points
14Goodride SW608	3 Points	-7.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 70% (7 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	50.9 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental WinterContact TS 860	54.3 m	+3.40 m	33 km/h
3Michelin Alpin 6	54.4 m	+3.50 m	33 km/h
4Hankook Winter i cept RS2	55.1 m	+4.20 m	36 km/h
5Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	55.4 m	+4.50 m	37 km/h
5Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	55.4 m	+4.50 m	37 km/h
7Dunlop Winter Sport 5	55.5 m	+4.60 m	37 km/h
8Pirelli Cinturato Winter	56.9 m	+6.00 m	42 km/h
9Falken Eurowinter HS01	57.1 m	+6.20 m	43 km/h
10Fulda Kristall Control HP2	58.2 m	+7.30 m	46 km/h
11Goodride SW608	58.6 m	+7.70 m	47 km/h
12Nexen Winguard Snow G3	59.1 m	+8.20 m	48 km/h
13Toyo Snowprox S954	61.5 m	+10.60 m	54 km/h
14King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	67.3 m	+16.40 m	64 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 32.2% (16.4 m ≈ 3.6 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the King Meiler Winter Tact WT81 would still be travelling at 64 km/h when the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Subj. Wet Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 860	10 Points	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	9 Points	-1.00 Points
3Michelin Alpin 6	8 Points	-2.00 Points
4Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	6 Points	-4.00 Points
5Dunlop Winter Sport 5	5 Points	-5.00 Points
5Hankook Winter i cept RS2	5 Points	-5.00 Points
5Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	5 Points	-5.00 Points
8Pirelli Cinturato Winter	4 Points	-6.00 Points
9Falken Eurowinter HS01	3 Points	-7.00 Points
10Goodride SW608	2 Points	-8.00 Points
10Nexen Winguard Snow G3	2 Points	-8.00 Points
12Fulda Kristall Control HP2	1 Points	-9.00 Points
12Toyo Snowprox S954	1 Points	-9.00 Points
12King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	1 Points	-9.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 90% (9 Points).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Hankook Winter i cept RS2	85.2 km/h	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	82.8 km/h	-2.40 km/h
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	82.3 km/h	-2.90 km/h
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter	82 km/h	-3.20 km/h
5Continental WinterContact TS 860	80.2 km/h	-5.00 km/h
6Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	79.9 km/h	-5.30 km/h
7Falken Eurowinter HS01	79.3 km/h	-5.90 km/h
8Toyo Snowprox S954	77.2 km/h	-8.00 km/h
9Dunlop Winter Sport 5	76.7 km/h	-8.50 km/h
10Michelin Alpin 6	76.5 km/h	-8.70 km/h
11Fulda Kristall Control HP2	75 km/h	-10.20 km/h
12Nexen Winguard Snow G3	71.8 km/h	-13.40 km/h
13Goodride SW608	71.1 km/h	-14.10 km/h
14King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	67.1 km/h	-18.10 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 21.2% (18.1 Km/H).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Dunlop Winter Sport 5	25.7 m	Best	0 km/h
1Fulda Kristall Control HP2	25.7 m	Best	0 km/h
3Continental WinterContact TS 860	25.9 m	+0.20 m	11 km/h
4Hankook Winter i cept RS2	26 m	+0.30 m	14 km/h
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	26 m	+0.30 m	14 km/h
6Goodride SW608	26.1 m	+0.40 m	16 km/h
6Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	26.1 m	+0.40 m	16 km/h
8Michelin Alpin 6	26.2 m	+0.50 m	18 km/h
9Pirelli Cinturato Winter	26.3 m	+0.60 m	20 km/h
10Falken Eurowinter HS01	26.5 m	+0.80 m	23 km/h
10Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	26.5 m	+0.80 m	23 km/h
10Nexen Winguard Snow G3	26.5 m	+0.80 m	23 km/h
13King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	27 m	+1.30 m	29 km/h
14Toyo Snowprox S954	27.3 m	+1.60 m	31 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 6.2% (1.6 m ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Toyo Snowprox S954 would still be travelling at 31 km/h when the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Snow Traction
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	2193 N	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	2175 N	-18.00 N
3Hankook Winter i cept RS2	2171 N	-22.00 N
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter	2170 N	-23.00 N
5Michelin Alpin 6	2152 N	-41.00 N
6Continental WinterContact TS 860	2146 N	-47.00 N
7Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	2144 N	-49.00 N
8Nexen Winguard Snow G3	2138 N	-55.00 N
9Dunlop Winter Sport 5	2132 N	-61.00 N
10Fulda Kristall Control HP2	2123 N	-70.00 N
11King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	2087 N	-106.00 N
12Falken Eurowinter HS01	2078 N	-115.00 N
13Toyo Snowprox S954	2067 N	-126.00 N
14Goodride SW608	2039 N	-154.00 N

The difference between best and worst was 7% (154 N).

Subj. Snow Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	10 Points	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 860	9 Points	-1.00 Points
2Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	9 Points	-1.00 Points
4Dunlop Winter Sport 5	8 Points	-2.00 Points
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter	8 Points	-2.00 Points
6Michelin Alpin 6	7 Points	-3.00 Points
7Hankook Winter i cept RS2	6 Points	-4.00 Points
8Fulda Kristall Control HP2	5 Points	-5.00 Points
9Falken Eurowinter HS01	4 Points	-6.00 Points
10Nexen Winguard Snow G3	3 Points	-7.00 Points
11Goodride SW608	2 Points	-8.00 Points
11Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	2 Points	-8.00 Points
13Toyo Snowprox S954	1 Points	-9.00 Points
13King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	1 Points	-9.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 90% (9 Points).

Comfort

Subj. Comfort
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Alpin 6	10 Points	Best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	10 Points	Best
3Dunlop Winter Sport 5	9 Points	-1.00 Points
3Hankook Winter i cept RS2	9 Points	-1.00 Points
3Continental WinterContact TS 860	9 Points	-1.00 Points
3Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	9 Points	-1.00 Points
7Nexen Winguard Snow G3	8 Points	-2.00 Points
8Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	7 Points	-3.00 Points
9Fulda Kristall Control HP2	6 Points	-4.00 Points
9Falken Eurowinter HS01	6 Points	-4.00 Points
11Goodride SW608	5 Points	-5.00 Points
11Pirelli Cinturato Winter	5 Points	-5.00 Points
13Toyo Snowprox S954	4 Points	-6.00 Points
14King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	1 Points	-9.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 90% (9 Points).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Fulda Kristall Control HP2	8.06 kg/t	Best	£0
2Dunlop Winter Sport 5	8.17 kg/t	+0.11 kg/t	£6
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9+	8.26 kg/t	+0.20 kg/t	£11
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	8.4 kg/t	+0.34 kg/t	£19
5Continental WinterContact TS 860	8.47 kg/t	+0.41 kg/t	£22
6Michelin Alpin 6	8.48 kg/t	+0.42 kg/t	£23
7Goodride SW608	8.74 kg/t	+0.68 kg/t	£37
8Nexen Winguard Snow G3	8.81 kg/t	+0.75 kg/t	£41
9Pirelli Cinturato Winter	8.88 kg/t	+0.82 kg/t	£45
10Hankook Winter i cept RS2	9.12 kg/t	+1.06 kg/t	£58
11Falken Eurowinter HS01	9.21 kg/t	+1.15 kg/t	£63
12King Meiler Winter Tact WT81	9.22 kg/t	+1.16 kg/t	£63
13Toyo Snowprox S954	9.41 kg/t	+1.35 kg/t	£74
14Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	9.42 kg/t	+1.36 kg/t	£74

The difference between best and worst was 16.9% (1.36 kg / t). Over 19,000 km a year at £1.45/L, the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 uses about 51 L (£74) more fuel than the Fulda Kristall Control HP2.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions. These calculators use the full test field, independently of your tyre selection above.

Petrol/Diesel Electric

Annual Mileage

19,000 km

km (L)

miles (US gal)

Fuel Price

£1.45/L

GBP (£)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

Set my vehicle consumption

Estimates based on typical driving conditions. Rolling resistance accounts for approximately 20% of IC vehicle fuel consumption and 25% of EV energy consumption. Actual savings vary based on driving style, vehicle weight, road conditions, and tyre age. For comparative purposes only. Lifetime savings based on a 40,000km / 25,000 mile tread life.