Test Charts / Vi Bilagare

2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction 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: 205/60 R16
Tyres tested: 8
Disciplines: 11

Read the measurements, not just the rank

Lower is better for braking distances and lap times; higher is better for subjective scores and aquaplaning speed. Bars start at zero. Read the gap alongside the position: adjacent tyres can be separated by very different margins.

Positions and gaps always refer to the full test field within each group. Selecting tyres does not recalculate rankings or change the best-in-test benchmark.

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	28.69 m	Best	0 km/h
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	29.38 m	+0.69 m	20 km/h
3Continental VikingContact 7	29.64 m	+0.95 m	23 km/h
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	30.22 m	+1.53 m	29 km/h
5Pirelli Ice Zero FR	30.3 m	+1.61 m	30 km/h
6Nereus NS805+	30.78 m	+2.09 m	34 km/h
7Michelin X Ice Snow	31.49 m	+2.80 m	39 km/h
8Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	32.28 m	+3.59 m	43 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 12.5% (3.59 m ≈ 0.8 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 would still be travelling at 43 km/h when the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice 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
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	5 Points	Best
1Pirelli Ice Zero FR	5 Points	Best
3Continental VikingContact 7	4 Points	-1.00 Points
3Michelin X Ice Snow	4 Points	-1.00 Points
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	3 Points	-2.00 Points
6Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	2 Points	-3.00 Points
6Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	2 Points	-3.00 Points
8Nereus NS805+	1 Points	-4.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 80% (4 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	34.41 m	Best	0 km/h
2Nereus NS805+	37.29 m	+2.88 m	36 km/h
3Pirelli Ice Zero FR	37.84 m	+3.43 m	39 km/h
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	38.15 m	+3.74 m	41 km/h
5Continental VikingContact 7	38.39 m	+3.98 m	42 km/h
6Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	39.2 m	+4.79 m	45 km/h
7Michelin X Ice Snow	40.23 m	+5.82 m	49 km/h
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	43.12 m	+8.71 m	58 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 25.3% (8.71 m ≈ 1.9 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice would still be travelling at 58 km/h when the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 had stopped.

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

Wet Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	43.11 s	Best
2Pirelli Ice Zero FR	44.13 s	+1.02 s
3Michelin X Ice Snow	44.71 s	+1.60 s
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	44.78 s	+1.67 s
5Continental VikingContact 7	44.99 s	+1.88 s
6Nereus NS805+	45.31 s	+2.20 s
7Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	46.35 s	+3.24 s
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	47.14 s	+4.03 s

The difference between best and worst was 9.3% (4.03 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	73.3 km/h	Best
2Michelin X Ice Snow	65.3 km/h	-8.00 km/h
3Nereus NS805+	65.2 km/h	-8.10 km/h
4Continental VikingContact 7	64.1 km/h	-9.20 km/h
5Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	63.4 km/h	-9.90 km/h
6Pirelli Ice Zero FR	63.3 km/h	-10.00 km/h
7Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	62.5 km/h	-10.80 km/h
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	61.4 km/h	-11.90 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 16.2% (11.9 Km/H).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	11.3 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental VikingContact 7	11.46 m	+0.16 m	15 km/h
3Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	11.5 m	+0.20 m	17 km/h
4Pirelli Ice Zero FR	11.54 m	+0.24 m	19 km/h
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	11.58 m	+0.28 m	20 km/h
6Michelin X Ice Snow	11.61 m	+0.31 m	21 km/h
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	11.61 m	+0.31 m	21 km/h
8Nereus NS805+	11.7 m	+0.40 m	24 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 3.5% (0.4 m). From 130 km/h, the Nereus NS805+ would still be travelling at 24 km/h when the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 had stopped.

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

Snow Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	72.25 s	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	72.73 s	+0.48 s
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	72.86 s	+0.61 s
4Pirelli Ice Zero FR	73.09 s	+0.84 s
5Michelin X Ice Snow	73.44 s	+1.19 s
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	73.6 s	+1.35 s
7Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	73.63 s	+1.38 s
8Nereus NS805+	75.24 s	+2.99 s

The difference between best and worst was 4.1% (2.99 s).

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	2.54 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental VikingContact 7	3.06 m	+0.52 m	54 km/h
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	3.34 m	+0.80 m	64 km/h
4Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	3.35 m	+0.81 m	64 km/h
5Michelin X Ice Snow	3.39 m	+0.85 m	65 km/h
6Pirelli Ice Zero FR	3.43 m	+0.89 m	66 km/h
7Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	3.54 m	+1.00 m	69 km/h
8Nereus NS805+	3.62 m	+1.08 m	71 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 42.5% (1.08 m). From 130 km/h, the Nereus NS805+ would still be travelling at 71 km/h when the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 had stopped.

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

Ice Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	48.82 s	Best
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	49.09 s	+0.27 s
3Pirelli Ice Zero FR	49.43 s	+0.61 s
4Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	49.83 s	+1.01 s
5Nereus NS805+	50.63 s	+1.81 s
6Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	52.2 s	+3.38 s
7Michelin X Ice Snow	52.54 s	+3.72 s
8Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	53.46 s	+4.64 s

The difference between best and worst was 9.5% (4.64 s).

Comfort

Subj. Noise
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	5 Points	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	4 Points	-1.00 Points
2Pirelli Ice Zero FR	4 Points	-1.00 Points
2Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	4 Points	-1.00 Points
5Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	3 Points	-2.00 Points
5Michelin X Ice Snow	3 Points	-2.00 Points
7Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	2 Points	-3.00 Points
7Nereus NS805+	2 Points	-3.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 60% (3 Points).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Michelin X Ice Snow	5.89 kg/t	Best	£0
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	5.94 kg/t	+0.05 kg/t	£4
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	6.03 kg/t	+0.14 kg/t	£10
4Continental VikingContact 7	6.05 kg/t	+0.16 kg/t	£12
5Pirelli Ice Zero FR	6.11 kg/t	+0.22 kg/t	£16
6Nereus NS805+	6.14 kg/t	+0.25 kg/t	£19
7Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	6.18 kg/t	+0.29 kg/t	£22
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	6.2 kg/t	+0.31 kg/t	£23

The difference between best and worst was 5.3% (0.31 kg / t). Over 19,000 km a year at £1.45/L, the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice uses about 16 L (£23) more fuel than the Michelin X Ice Snow.

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.