Test Charts / Auto Zeitung

2021 AZ SUV 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: 235/55 R18
Tyres tested: 10
Disciplines: 11

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	42.5 m	Best	0 km/h
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro	42.9 m	+0.40 m	13 km/h
3Nokian WR SUV 4	43.3 m	+0.80 m	18 km/h
4Pirelli Scorpion Winter	43.6 m	+1.10 m	21 km/h
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	43.6 m	+1.10 m	21 km/h
6Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	44 m	+1.50 m	24 km/h
7Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	44.3 m	+1.80 m	26 km/h
7Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	44.3 m	+1.80 m	26 km/h
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	44.6 m	+2.10 m	28 km/h
10Firestone Winterhawk 4	44.7 m	+2.20 m	29 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 5.2% (2.2 m ≈ 0.5 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 would still be travelling at 29 km/h when the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV had stopped.

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

Dry Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Scorpion Winter	63.4 s	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	63.9 s	+0.50 s
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	64.3 s	+0.90 s
4Nokian WR SUV 4	64.4 s	+1.00 s
4Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	64.4 s	+1.00 s
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	64.5 s	+1.10 s
6Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	64.5 s	+1.10 s
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro	64.7 s	+1.30 s
9Firestone Winterhawk 4	64.9 s	+1.50 s
10Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	65.1 s	+1.70 s

All the tyres in the Dry Handling test finished less than 3% apart.

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	50.8 m	Best	0 km/h
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro	51.3 m	+0.50 m	13 km/h
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	52 m	+1.20 m	20 km/h
4Nokian WR SUV 4	54 m	+3.20 m	32 km/h
5Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	54.5 m	+3.70 m	34 km/h
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	54.6 m	+3.80 m	34 km/h
7Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	55 m	+4.20 m	36 km/h
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	58.2 m	+7.40 m	46 km/h
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	60 m	+9.20 m	51 km/h
10Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	60.7 m	+9.90 m	53 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 19.5% (9.9 m ≈ 2.2 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X would still be travelling at 53 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.

Wet Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Vredestein Wintrac Pro	89.8 s	Best
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	90.1 s	+0.30 s
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	90.2 s	+0.40 s
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	91.2 s	+1.40 s
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	91.9 s	+2.10 s
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	92 s	+2.20 s
7Nokian WR SUV 4	92.4 s	+2.60 s
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	93.3 s	+3.50 s
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	93.5 s	+3.70 s
10Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	96.2 s	+6.40 s

The difference between best and worst was 7.1% (6.4 s).

Wet Circle
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	12.6 s	Best
2Pirelli Scorpion Winter	12.7 s	+0.10 s
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	12.7 s	+0.10 s
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	12.7 s	+0.10 s
5Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	12.8 s	+0.20 s
5Nokian WR SUV 4	12.8 s	+0.20 s
5Vredestein Wintrac Pro	12.8 s	+0.20 s
8Firestone Winterhawk 4	12.9 s	+0.30 s
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	13.3 s	+0.70 s
10Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	13.4 s	+0.80 s

The difference between best and worst was 6.3% (0.8 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	81.6 km/h	Best
2Firestone Winterhawk 4	78 km/h	-3.60 km/h
3Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	77.9 km/h	-3.70 km/h
4Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	75.6 km/h	-6.00 km/h
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	75.2 km/h	-6.40 km/h
6Vredestein Wintrac Pro	74.9 km/h	-6.70 km/h
7Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	73.3 km/h	-8.30 km/h
8Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	73.1 km/h	-8.50 km/h
9Pirelli Scorpion Winter	72.2 km/h	-9.40 km/h
10Nokian WR SUV 4	69.6 km/h	-12.00 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 14.7% (12 Km/H).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Vredestein Wintrac Pro	27.9 m	Best	0 km/h
2Nokian WR SUV 4	28.1 m	+0.20 m	11 km/h
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	28.2 m	+0.30 m	13 km/h
4Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	28.3 m	+0.40 m	15 km/h
5Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	28.9 m	+1.00 m	24 km/h
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	29 m	+1.10 m	25 km/h
7Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	29.1 m	+1.20 m	26 km/h
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	29.3 m	+1.40 m	28 km/h
9Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	29.5 m	+1.60 m	30 km/h
10Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	29.8 m	+1.90 m	33 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 6.8% (1.9 m ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1 would still be travelling at 33 km/h when the Vredestein Wintrac Pro 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
1Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	3084 N	Best
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	3081 N	-3.00 N
3Vredestein Wintrac Pro	3035 N	-49.00 N
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	3017 N	-67.00 N
5Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	2981 N	-103.00 N
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	2964 N	-120.00 N
7Nokian WR SUV 4	2955 N	-129.00 N
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	2921 N	-163.00 N
9Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	2879 N	-205.00 N
10Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	2823 N	-261.00 N

The difference between best and worst was 8.5% (261 N).

Snow Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	29 s	Best
2Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	29.2 s	+0.20 s
2Firestone Winterhawk 4	29.2 s	+0.20 s
4Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	29.6 s	+0.60 s
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	29.9 s	+0.90 s
5Nokian WR SUV 4	29.9 s	+0.90 s
5Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	29.9 s	+0.90 s
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro	30 s	+1.00 s
9Pirelli Scorpion Winter	30.1 s	+1.10 s
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	30.1 s	+1.10 s

The difference between best and worst was 3.8% (1.1 s).

Comfort

Noise
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	70 dB	Best
2Firestone Winterhawk 4	71 dB	+1.00 dB
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	72 dB	+2.00 dB
3Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	72 dB	+2.00 dB
3Nokian WR SUV 4	72 dB	+2.00 dB
3Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	72 dB	+2.00 dB
7Pirelli Scorpion Winter	73 dB	+3.00 dB
7Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	73 dB	+3.00 dB
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro	73 dB	+3.00 dB
7Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	73 dB	+3.00 dB

The difference between best and worst was 4.3% (3 dB).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	7.3 kg/t	Best	£0
2Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	7.7 kg/t	+0.40 kg/t	£24
3Nokian WR SUV 4	7.9 kg/t	+0.60 kg/t	£36
3Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	7.9 kg/t	+0.60 kg/t	£36
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	8 kg/t	+0.70 kg/t	£42
5Firestone Winterhawk 4	8 kg/t	+0.70 kg/t	£42
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro	8.2 kg/t	+0.90 kg/t	£54
7Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	8.2 kg/t	+0.90 kg/t	£54
9Pirelli Scorpion Winter	8.5 kg/t	+1.20 kg/t	£72
10Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	9.3 kg/t	+2.00 kg/t	£121

The difference between best and worst was 27.4% (2 kg / t). Over 19,000 km a year at £1.45/L, the Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV uses about 83 L (£121) more fuel than the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.

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.