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2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test

Jonathan Benson
Data analyzed and reviewed by Jonathan Benson
8 min read
Below are all the data points for the 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test, displaying how each tyre performed across all test categories. The spider chart below provides a complete overview of performance, where one hundred percent represents the best performance in each category. The larger the area covered by each tyre's plot, the better its overall performance.
How to read these charts: For each test category, data is presented relative to the best performing tire. The direction indicates whether lower or higher values are better - pay close attention to this when interpreting results.

Performance Overview

This radar chart shows relative performance across all test categories, with 100% representing the best performance in each category. Reference tires may have gaps where data is not available.

Michelin X Ice North 4
Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Continental IceContact 3
Michelin X Ice Snow
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
Kumho WinterCraft Ice
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
Continental VikingContact 8
Radar Dimax Ice
Hankook Winter i cept IZ3

Quick Navigation

Dry Performance Overview

Dry Braking (M)

Spread: 2.60 M (8.4%) | Avg: 31.84 M

Dry braking in meters (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 with a result of 30.8 M. The difference between best and worst was 7.8%.
  1. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    30.8 M
  2. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    30.8 M
  3. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    31.3 M
  4. Continental VikingContact 8
    31.4 M
  5. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    31.5 M
  6. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    31.9 M
  7. Michelin X Ice Snow
    32.2 M
  8. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    32.2 M
  9. Radar Dimax Ice
    32.6 M
  10. Continental IceContact 3
    31.5 M
  11. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    31.6 M
  12. Michelin X Ice North 4
    32.1 M
  13. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    32.4 M
  14. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    33.4 M

Subj. Dry Handling ( Points)

Spread: 3.00 Points (33.3%) | Avg: 7.79 Points

Subjective Dry Handling Score (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 with a result of 9 Points. The difference between best and worst was 33.3%.
  1. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    9 Points
  2. Continental VikingContact 8
    9 Points
  3. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    8 Points
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    8 Points
  5. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    8 Points
  6. Michelin X Ice Snow
    7 Points
  7. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    7 Points
  8. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    7 Points
  9. Radar Dimax Ice
    6 Points
  10. Michelin X Ice North 4
    8 Points
  11. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    8 Points
  12. Continental IceContact 3
    8 Points
  13. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    8 Points
  14. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    8 Points

Wet Performance Overview

Wet Braking (M)

Spread: 6.80 M (19.8%) | Avg: 37.76 M

Wet braking in meters (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Pirelli Ice Zero 2 with a result of 34.3 M. The difference between best and worst was 16.5%.
  1. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    36 M
  2. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    37.5 M
  3. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    37.5 M
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    37.7 M
  5. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    37.9 M
  6. Radar Dimax Ice
    39.4 M
  7. Continental VikingContact 8
    39.5 M
  8. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    40.8 M
  9. Michelin X Ice Snow
    41.1 M
  10. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    34.3 M
  11. Continental IceContact 3
    35.5 M
  12. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    36.3 M
  13. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    37.3 M
  14. Michelin X Ice North 4
    37.8 M

Wet Handling (s)

Spread: 2.20 s (5.5%) | Avg: 40.99 s

Wet handling time in seconds (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 with a result of 39.9 s. The difference between best and worst was 5.2%.
  1. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    39.9 s
  2. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    40 s
  3. Continental VikingContact 8
    40.3 s
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    40.6 s
  5. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    40.6 s
  6. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    41.4 s
  7. Michelin X Ice Snow
    41.8 s
  8. Radar Dimax Ice
    41.8 s
  9. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    42.1 s
  10. Continental IceContact 3
    40.1 s
  11. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    41 s
  12. Michelin X Ice North 4
    41.3 s
  13. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    41.5 s
  14. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    41.5 s

Subj. Wet Handling ( Points)

Spread: 3.00 Points (33.3%) | Avg: 7.64 Points

Subjective Wet Handling Score (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 with a result of 9 Points. The difference between best and worst was 33.3%.
  1. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    9 Points
  2. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    9 Points
  3. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    8 Points
  4. Continental VikingContact 8
    8 Points
  5. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    8 Points
  6. Michelin X Ice Snow
    7 Points
  7. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    7 Points
  8. Radar Dimax Ice
    7 Points
  9. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    6 Points
  10. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    8 Points
  11. Continental IceContact 3
    8 Points
  12. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    8 Points
  13. Michelin X Ice North 4
    7 Points
  14. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    7 Points

Snow Performance Overview

Snow Braking (M)

Spread: 1.50 M (3%) | Avg: 50.11 M

Snow braking in meters (Lower is better)

Key Insight: All the tyres in the snow braking test finished less than 3% apart.
  1. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    49.5 M
  2. Continental VikingContact 8
    49.6 M
  3. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    49.8 M
  4. Michelin X Ice Snow
    49.9 M
  5. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    50.1 M
  6. Radar Dimax Ice
    50.2 M
  7. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    50.3 M
  8. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    50.4 M
  9. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    51 M
  10. Continental IceContact 3
    49.8 M
  11. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    49.9 M
  12. Michelin X Ice North 4
    50.1 M
  13. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    50.3 M
  14. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    50.6 M

Snow Traction (s)

Spread: 0.30 s (5.2%) | Avg: 5.96 s

Snow acceleration time (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Continental VikingContact 8 with a result of 5.8 s. The difference between best and worst was 4.9%.
  1. Continental VikingContact 8
    5.8 s
  2. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    5.9 s
  3. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    5.9 s
  4. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    6 s
  5. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    6 s
  6. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    6 s
  7. Radar Dimax Ice
    6 s
  8. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    6 s
  9. Michelin X Ice Snow
    6.1 s
  10. Michelin X Ice North 4
    5.9 s
  11. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    5.9 s
  12. Continental IceContact 3
    5.9 s
  13. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    6 s
  14. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    6 s

Ice Performance Overview

Ice Braking (M)

Spread: 21.20 M (65.6%) | Avg: 43.11 M

Ice braking in meters (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3 with a result of 32.3 M. The difference between best and worst was 39.6%.
  1. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    33.1 M
  2. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    36.9 M
  3. Michelin X Ice Snow
    45.6 M
  4. Continental VikingContact 8
    47.1 M
  5. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    47.9 M
  6. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    47.9 M
  7. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    50.2 M
  8. Radar Dimax Ice
    53.3 M
  9. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    53.5 M
  10. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    32.3 M
  11. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    33.9 M
  12. Michelin X Ice North 4
    37.7 M
  13. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    41.6 M
  14. Continental IceContact 3
    42.5 M

Ice Traction (s)

Spread: 3.60 s (78.3%) | Avg: 6.20 s

Ice acceleration time (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3 with a result of 4.6 s. The difference between best and worst was 43.9%.
  1. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    4.7 s
  2. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    5.7 s
  3. Continental VikingContact 8
    6.3 s
  4. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    6.7 s
  5. Michelin X Ice Snow
    6.8 s
  6. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    7.2 s
  7. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    7.2 s
  8. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    7.6 s
  9. Radar Dimax Ice
    8.2 s
  10. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    4.6 s
  11. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    4.8 s
  12. Michelin X Ice North 4
    5.1 s
  13. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    5.8 s
  14. Continental IceContact 3
    6.1 s

Comfort Performance Overview

Subj. Noise ( Points)

Spread: 4.00 Points (40%) | Avg: 8.00 Points

Subjective in car noise levels (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Michelin X Ice Snow with a result of 10 Points. The difference between best and worst was 40%.
  1. Michelin X Ice Snow
    10 Points
  2. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    10 Points
  3. Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1
    9 Points
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
    9 Points
  5. Continental VikingContact 8
    9 Points
  6. Radar Dimax Ice
    9 Points
  7. Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
    9 Points
  8. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    7 Points
  9. Kumho WinterCraft Ice
    7 Points
  10. Michelin X Ice North 4
    7 Points
  11. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
    7 Points
  12. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    7 Points
  13. Continental IceContact 3
    6 Points
  14. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
    6 Points

Overall Findings

Based on the weighted scoring from all tests, here are the overall results:

This test compares winter tyres from different sub-categories (Central European, Nordic friction, and studded). We've ranked them within each category so you can compare like-for-like.
Position Tyre Score
Nordic Friction Winter Tyres
Continental VikingContact 8 0%
2 Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 0%
3 Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 0%
4 Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 0%
5 Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 0%
6 Falken Winterpeak F Snow 1 0%
7 Michelin X Ice Snow 0%
8 Kumho WinterCraft Ice 0%
9 Radar Dimax Ice 0%
Studded Winter Tyres
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 0%
2 Continental IceContact 3 0%
3 Michelin X Ice North 4 0%
4 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3 0%
5 Pirelli Ice Zero 2 0%

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