Test setup & methodology

The test setting, the conditions recorded and how the results contribute to the score.

Recorded test conditions

Dry Braking: 80 → 0 km/h
Wet Braking: 80 → 0 km/h
Snow Braking: 80 → 0 km/h
Snow Traction: 5 → 35 km/h
Ice Braking: 50 → 0 km/h
Ice Traction: 5 → 20 km/h

If you live in a part of the world that sees an extreme winter such as the Northern USA, Canada, and the Northern parts of Europe, you'll know that regular central European winter tyres just don't cut it.

Winters which see snow on the roads for many months and lots of ice need extreme winter tyres, and there are two types to choose from. The original is the studded winter tyre, a tyre which has studs (pieces of metal) inserted into the soft winter compound allowing the tyre to really bite into the snow and ice below.

Sadly, as great as studs are, they're damaging to the roads which is why tyre companies invented a category of winter tyre called studless friction winter tyres. While these don't have studs, they do have a vastly improved ability on snow and ice when compared to a "normal" winter tyre, and with advances in compounding technology they are quickly becoming an excellent alternative for all but the most extreme climates.

To find out which of these are best, and to see the difference between studded winter tyres and studless friction winter tyres, the excellent testers at the Finnish magazine Tekniikan Maailma have tested nine studded winter tyres and seven studless winter tyres in the same test, all in 205/55 R16, to show us the differences in the dry, wet, snow and ice performances!

Unfortunately our website doesn't currently allow us to highlight which tyre is studded and which is a friction winter tyre, it's marked in the results at the bottom of the page which is the best we could do, sorry!

The tyres on test are

Studded	Friction Studless
▪ Bridgestone Noranza 001 ▪ Continental IceContact 3 ▪ Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 ▪ Hankook Winter I*Pike RS2 ▪ Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32 ▪ Michelin X-Ice North 4 ▪ Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 ▪ Pirelli Ice Zero 2 ▪ Westlake IceMaster Spike Z-506	▪ Continental VikingContact 7 ▪ CST Medallion Winter ▪ Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 ▪ Hankook Winter I*Cept IZ2 ▪ Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 ▪ Michelin X-Ice Snow ▪ Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3

Studded VS Friction Winter Tyres

The differences between the two categories of tyre are certainly interesting, and even a little surprising in parts.

Starting with ice, in every ice test all the studded tyres out performed all the friction tyres by a reasonable margin, this is not surprising.

In the snow, the two types of tyre were essentially even, with the first seven places of snow handling alternating between studded and friction! If one type of tyre had to win, it would be the studded tyre, but the margin was almost nothing.

In the dry and wet, the CST friction tyre out performed the pack, but but given it's poor performance on snow and ice it's probably because its design is more of a central european winter tyre intended for milder climates. Dry braking had nearly all the tyres separated by just one meter with a small advantage to the studs where as wet braking had larger margins with a small advantage to the friction tyres.

Unsurprisingly, the studless friction tyres were all considerably quieter than the studded tyres, and on average had a lower rolling resistance.

See below for the full data and the overall results at the bottom of the page.

Dry & Wet

Central European Winter Tyres

Dry Braking: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	29.4 m	—	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Dry Braking: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Michelin X Ice Snow	31.5 m	Best	0 km/h
1Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	31.5 m	Best	0 km/h
1Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	31.5 m	Best	0 km/h
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	31.6 m	+0.10 m	7 km/h
5Continental VikingContact 7	31.8 m	+0.30 m	13 km/h
5Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	31.8 m	+0.30 m	13 km/h

Studded Winter Tyres

Dry Braking: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Pirelli Ice Zero 2	29.9 m	Best	0 km/h
2Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	31 m	+1.10 m	24 km/h
3Michelin X Ice North 4	31.1 m	+1.20 m	26 km/h
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	31.4 m	+1.50 m	28 km/h
5Bridgestone Noranza 001	31.5 m	+1.60 m	29 km/h
5Continental IceContact 3	31.5 m	+1.60 m	29 km/h
7Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	31.7 m	+1.80 m	31 km/h
8Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	32.7 m	+2.80 m	38 km/h
9Hankook Winter i pike RS2	33.44 m	+3.54 m	42 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 13.7% (4.04 m ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Hankook Winter i pike RS2 would still be travelling at 45 km/h when the CST Medallion Winter WCP1 had stopped.

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

Central European Winter Tyres

Wet Braking: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	28.9 m	—	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Wet Braking: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	32.3 m	Best	0 km/h
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	33.5 m	+1.20 m	25 km/h
3Continental VikingContact 7	33.8 m	+1.50 m	27 km/h
3Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	33.8 m	+1.50 m	27 km/h
5Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	34.4 m	+2.10 m	32 km/h
6Michelin X Ice Snow	36.1 m	+3.80 m	42 km/h

Studded Winter Tyres

Wet Braking: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Pirelli Ice Zero 2	33.6 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental IceContact 3	33.7 m	+0.10 m	7 km/h
3Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	34 m	+0.40 m	14 km/h
4Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	34.9 m	+1.30 m	25 km/h
5Hankook Winter i pike RS2	35.4 m	+1.80 m	29 km/h
6Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	35.9 m	+2.30 m	33 km/h
7Bridgestone Noranza 001	36 m	+2.40 m	34 km/h
8Michelin X Ice North 4	37.3 m	+3.70 m	41 km/h
8Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	37.3 m	+3.70 m	41 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 29.1% (8.4 m ≈ 1.9 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32 would still be travelling at 62 km/h when the CST Medallion Winter WCP1 had stopped.

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

Central European Winter Tyres

Wet Handling: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	33.5 s	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Wet Handling: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	35.4 s	Best
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	35.5 s	+0.10 s
2Michelin X Ice Snow	35.5 s	+0.10 s
2Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	35.5 s	+0.10 s
5Continental VikingContact 7	35.6 s	+0.20 s
6Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	35.7 s	+0.30 s

Studded Winter Tyres

Wet Handling: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	35 s	Best
2Hankook Winter i pike RS2	35.2 s	+0.20 s
2Continental IceContact 3	35.2 s	+0.20 s
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	35.3 s	+0.30 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	35.3 s	+0.30 s
6Pirelli Ice Zero 2	35.7 s	+0.70 s
7Bridgestone Noranza 001	35.8 s	+0.80 s
8Michelin X Ice North 4	36.2 s	+1.20 s
9Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	36.5 s	+1.50 s

The difference between best and worst was 9% (3 s).

Snow

Central European Winter Tyres

Snow Braking: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	54.5 m	—	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Snow Braking: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	51 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental VikingContact 7	51.1 m	+0.10 m	6 km/h
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	51.5 m	+0.50 m	13 km/h
4Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	52.1 m	+1.10 m	19 km/h
5Michelin X Ice Snow	52.3 m	+1.30 m	20 km/h
5Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	52.3 m	+1.30 m	20 km/h

Studded Winter Tyres

Snow Braking: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	50.6 m	Best	0 km/h
2Hankook Winter i pike RS2	50.7 m	+0.10 m	6 km/h
3Michelin X Ice North 4	51 m	+0.40 m	12 km/h
4Pirelli Ice Zero 2	51.4 m	+0.80 m	16 km/h
4Continental IceContact 3	51.4 m	+0.80 m	16 km/h
6Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	51.5 m	+0.90 m	17 km/h
7Bridgestone Noranza 001	51.9 m	+1.30 m	21 km/h
8Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	52.1 m	+1.50 m	22 km/h
9Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	52.5 m	+1.90 m	25 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 7.7% (3.9 m ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the CST Medallion Winter WCP1 would still be travelling at 35 km/h when the Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 had stopped.

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

Central European Winter Tyres

Snow Traction: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	6.3 s	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Snow Traction: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	5.7 s	Best
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	5.8 s	+0.10 s
2Continental VikingContact 7	5.8 s	+0.10 s
4Michelin X Ice Snow	5.9 s	+0.20 s
4Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	5.9 s	+0.20 s
4Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	5.9 s	+0.20 s

Studded Winter Tyres

Snow Traction: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Ice Zero 2	5.7 s	Best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	5.7 s	Best
3Michelin X Ice North 4	5.8 s	+0.10 s
3Bridgestone Noranza 001	5.8 s	+0.10 s
3Hankook Winter i pike RS2	5.8 s	+0.10 s
3Continental IceContact 3	5.8 s	+0.10 s
7Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	5.9 s	+0.20 s
7Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	5.9 s	+0.20 s
7Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	5.9 s	+0.20 s

The difference between best and worst was 10.5% (0.6 s).

Central European Winter Tyres

Snow Handling: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	55.9 s	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Snow Handling: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	52.7 s	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	53.1 s	+0.40 s
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	53.2 s	+0.50 s
4Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	53.4 s	+0.70 s
5Michelin X Ice Snow	53.6 s	+0.90 s
5Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	53.6 s	+0.90 s

Studded Winter Tyres

Snow Handling: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin X Ice North 4	52.3 s	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	52.7 s	+0.40 s
3Pirelli Ice Zero 2	53.1 s	+0.80 s
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	53.3 s	+1.00 s
5Bridgestone Noranza 001	53.4 s	+1.10 s
5Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	53.4 s	+1.10 s
7Continental IceContact 3	53.5 s	+1.20 s
8Hankook Winter i pike RS2	53.7 s	+1.40 s
9Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	55.3 s	+3.00 s

The difference between best and worst was 6.9% (3.6 s).

Ice

Central European Winter Tyres

Ice Braking: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	57.2 m	—	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Ice Braking: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Michelin X Ice Snow	44.4 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental VikingContact 7	46 m	+1.60 m	24 km/h
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	46.5 m	+2.10 m	28 km/h
4Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	48.8 m	+4.40 m	39 km/h
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	49.5 m	+5.10 m	42 km/h
6Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	51.7 m	+7.30 m	49 km/h

Studded Winter Tyres

Ice Braking: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	36.4 m	Best	0 km/h
2Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	37.9 m	+1.50 m	26 km/h
3Michelin X Ice North 4	38.8 m	+2.40 m	32 km/h
4Bridgestone Noranza 001	39 m	+2.60 m	34 km/h
5Hankook Winter i pike RS2	40.1 m	+3.70 m	39 km/h
6Continental IceContact 3	40.9 m	+4.50 m	43 km/h
7Pirelli Ice Zero 2	41.8 m	+5.40 m	47 km/h
8Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	42.2 m	+5.80 m	48 km/h
9Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	43.3 m	+6.90 m	52 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 57.1% (20.8 m ≈ 4.6 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the CST Medallion Winter WCP1 would still be travelling at 78 km/h when the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 had stopped.

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

Central European Winter Tyres

Ice Traction: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	6.7 s	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Ice Traction: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	5.1 s	Best
2Michelin X Ice Snow	5.2 s	+0.10 s
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	5.4 s	+0.30 s
4Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	5.5 s	+0.40 s
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	5.6 s	+0.50 s
6Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	6 s	+0.90 s

Studded Winter Tyres

Ice Traction: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	3.6 s	Best
2Bridgestone Noranza 001	3.7 s	+0.10 s
3Michelin X Ice North 4	3.8 s	+0.20 s
4Pirelli Ice Zero 2	3.9 s	+0.30 s
4Continental IceContact 3	3.9 s	+0.30 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	3.9 s	+0.30 s
7Hankook Winter i pike RS2	4 s	+0.40 s
8Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	4.2 s	+0.60 s
9Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	4.4 s	+0.80 s

The difference between best and worst was 86.1% (3.1 s).

Central European Winter Tyres

Ice Handling: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	74.7 s	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Ice Handling: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	65 s	Best
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	65.8 s	+0.80 s
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	66.6 s	+1.60 s
4Michelin X Ice Snow	68.6 s	+3.60 s
5Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	70 s	+5.00 s
5Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	70 s	+5.00 s

Studded Winter Tyres

Ice Handling: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	54.1 s	Best
2Michelin X Ice North 4	54.5 s	+0.40 s
3Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	55.1 s	+1.00 s
4Hankook Winter i pike RS2	55.6 s	+1.50 s
4Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	55.6 s	+1.50 s
6Bridgestone Noranza 001	55.8 s	+1.70 s
7Continental IceContact 3	57.8 s	+3.70 s
8Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	60.3 s	+6.20 s
9Pirelli Ice Zero 2	62.7 s	+8.60 s

The difference between best and worst was 38.1% (20.6 s).

Environment

Central European Winter Tyres

Subj. Noise: Central European Winter Tyres
Tyre	Result	Gap to best
CST Medallion Winter WCP1	8 Points	—

Nordic Friction Winter Tyres

Subj. Noise: Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	10 Points	Best
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	9 Points	-1.00 Points
2Michelin X Ice Snow	9 Points	-1.00 Points
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	9 Points	-1.00 Points
2Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616	9 Points	-1.00 Points
6Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51	8 Points	-2.00 Points

Studded Winter Tyres

Subj. Noise: Studded Winter Tyres
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin X Ice North 4	7 Points	Best
1Pirelli Ice Zero 2	7 Points	Best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	7 Points	Best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	7 Points	Best
1Westlake IceMaster Spike Z 50	7 Points	Best
6Bridgestone Noranza 001	6 Points	-1.00 Points
6Hankook Winter i pike RS2	6 Points	-1.00 Points
6Continental IceContact 3	6 Points	-1.00 Points
9Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32	5 Points	-2.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 50% (5 Points).