Test Charts / Motor

2026 Motor 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: 225/45 R17
Tyres tested: 9
Disciplines: 15
Test vehicle: VW Golf

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Dunlop Winter	42 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	42.2 m	+0.20 m	9 km/h
3Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	42.5 m	+0.50 m	14 km/h
4Nokian Snowproof 2	42.6 m	+0.60 m	15 km/h
5Kleber Krisalp HP3	43.8 m	+1.80 m	26 km/h
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	44.6 m	+2.60 m	31 km/h
7Debica Frigo HP2	45.4 m	+3.40 m	36 km/h
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	45.9 m	+3.90 m	38 km/h
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	47 m	+5.00 m	42 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 11.9% (5 m ≈ 1.1 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus would still be travelling at 42 km/h when the Dunlop Winter 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
1Nokian Snowproof 2	53.9 s	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	54 s	+0.10 s
3Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	54.1 s	+0.20 s
4Kleber Krisalp HP3	54.2 s	+0.30 s
5Firestone Winterhawk 4	54.3 s	+0.40 s
6Dunlop Winter	54.4 s	+0.50 s
7Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	55 s	+1.10 s
8Debica Frigo HP2	55.1 s	+1.20 s
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	55.7 s	+1.80 s

The difference between best and worst was 3.3% (1.8 s).

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	7 Points	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	6.9 Points	-0.10 Points
2Nokian Snowproof 2	6.9 Points	-0.10 Points
4Kleber Krisalp HP3	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
5Dunlop Winter	6.4 Points	-0.60 Points
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	6.3 Points	-0.70 Points
7Debica Frigo HP2	5.5 Points	-1.50 Points
8Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	5 Points	-2.00 Points
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	4.9 Points	-2.10 Points

The difference between best and worst was 30% (2.1 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Continental WinterContact TS 870	45.4 m	Best	0 km/h
2Dunlop Winter	46.8 m	+1.40 m	22 km/h
3Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	47 m	+1.60 m	24 km/h
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	48.7 m	+3.30 m	34 km/h
5Kleber Krisalp HP3	50.4 m	+5.00 m	41 km/h
6Nokian Snowproof 2	50.6 m	+5.20 m	42 km/h
7Debica Frigo HP2	53 m	+7.60 m	49 km/h
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	59.7 m	+14.30 m	64 km/h
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	67.4 m	+22.00 m	74 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 48.5% (22 m ≈ 4.9 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus would still be travelling at 74 km/h when the Continental WinterContact TS 870 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
1Continental WinterContact TS 870	83.5 s	Best
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	84.3 s	+0.80 s
3Dunlop Winter	85 s	+1.50 s
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	86.4 s	+2.90 s
5Nokian Snowproof 2	87.3 s	+3.80 s
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	87.5 s	+4.00 s
7Debica Frigo HP2	89.4 s	+5.90 s
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	94.6 s	+11.10 s
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	98.8 s	+15.30 s

The difference between best and worst was 18.3% (15.3 s).

Wet Circle
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 870	0.79 g	Best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	0.79 g	Best
3Dunlop Winter	0.76 g	-0.03 g
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	0.74 g	-0.05 g
5Nokian Snowproof 2	0.73 g	-0.06 g
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	0.72 g	-0.07 g
7Debica Frigo HP2	0.71 g	-0.08 g
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	0.61 g	-0.18 g
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	0.53 g	-0.26 g

The difference between best and worst was 32.9% (0.26 g).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	85.9 km/h	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	79.1 km/h	-6.80 km/h
3Continental WinterContact TS 870	78.9 km/h	-7.00 km/h
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	75.6 km/h	-10.30 km/h
5Nokian Snowproof 2	75.3 km/h	-10.60 km/h
6Dunlop Winter	72.9 km/h	-13.00 km/h
7Debica Frigo HP2	71.5 km/h	-14.40 km/h
8Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	61.2 km/h	-24.70 km/h
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	57.7 km/h	-28.20 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 32.8% (28.2 Km/H).

Curved Aquaplaning
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	3.23 m/sec2	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	3.02 m/sec2	-0.21 m/sec2
3Continental WinterContact TS 870	2.93 m/sec2	-0.30 m/sec2
3Nokian Snowproof 2	2.93 m/sec2	-0.30 m/sec2
5Debica Frigo HP2	2.75 m/sec2	-0.48 m/sec2
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	2.69 m/sec2	-0.54 m/sec2
7Dunlop Winter	2.37 m/sec2	-0.86 m/sec2
8Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	2.2 m/sec2	-1.03 m/sec2
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	1.33 m/sec2	-1.90 m/sec2

The difference between best and worst was 58.8% (1.9 m/sec2).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Kleber Krisalp HP3	28.3 m	Best	0 km/h
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	28.8 m	+0.50 m	17 km/h
3Debica Frigo HP2	29 m	+0.70 m	20 km/h
3Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	29 m	+0.70 m	20 km/h
5Dunlop Winter	29.3 m	+1.00 m	24 km/h
5Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	29.3 m	+1.00 m	24 km/h
7Continental WinterContact TS 870	29.5 m	+1.20 m	26 km/h
8Firestone Winterhawk 4	30.2 m	+1.90 m	33 km/h
9Nokian Snowproof 2	31 m	+2.70 m	38 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 9.5% (2.7 m ≈ 0.6 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Nokian Snowproof 2 would still be travelling at 38 km/h when the Kleber Krisalp HP3 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
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	8.64 m	Best
2Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	8.77 m	+0.13 m
3Debica Frigo HP2	8.85 m	+0.21 m
4Kleber Krisalp HP3	8.91 m	+0.27 m
5Dunlop Winter	8.93 m	+0.29 m
6Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	8.96 m	+0.32 m
7Continental WinterContact TS 870	9.02 m	+0.38 m
8Firestone Winterhawk 4	9.03 m	+0.39 m
9Nokian Snowproof 2	9.4 m	+0.76 m

The difference between best and worst was 8.8% (0.76 m).

Snow Traction
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	2613 N	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	2597 N	-16.00 N
3Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	2590 N	-23.00 N
4Debica Frigo HP2	2564 N	-49.00 N
5Dunlop Winter	2515 N	-98.00 N
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	2511 N	-102.00 N
7Firestone Winterhawk 4	2499 N	-114.00 N
8Continental WinterContact TS 870	2393 N	-220.00 N
9Nokian Snowproof 2	2328 N	-285.00 N

The difference between best and worst was 10.9% (285 N).

Snow Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	78.9 s	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	79.6 s	+0.70 s
3Firestone Winterhawk 4	80.6 s	+1.70 s
4Debica Frigo HP2	81 s	+2.10 s
5Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	81.2 s	+2.30 s
6Dunlop Winter	81.3 s	+2.40 s
7Continental WinterContact TS 870	81.5 s	+2.60 s
8Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	83 s	+4.10 s
9Nokian Snowproof 2	85.6 s	+6.70 s

The difference between best and worst was 8.5% (6.7 s).

Comfort

Subj. Comfort
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Dunlop Winter	7 Points	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
2Debica Frigo HP2	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
6Nokian Snowproof 2	6.1 Points	-0.90 Points
7Firestone Winterhawk 4	6 Points	-1.00 Points
7Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	6 Points	-1.00 Points
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	5.9 Points	-1.10 Points

The difference between best and worst was 15.7% (1.1 Points).

Noise
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	63.8 dB	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	64.8 dB	+1.00 dB
2Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	64.8 dB	+1.00 dB
4Dunlop Winter	64.9 dB	+1.10 dB
5Firestone Winterhawk 4	65.7 dB	+1.90 dB
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	65.9 dB	+2.10 dB
7Debica Frigo HP2	66.7 dB	+2.90 dB
8Nokian Snowproof 2	67.5 dB	+3.70 dB
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	68.3 dB	+4.50 dB

The difference between best and worst was 7.1% (4.5 dB).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Nokian Snowproof 2	7.46 kg/t	Best	£0
2Dunlop Winter	8.34 kg/t	+0.88 kg/t	£52
3Continental WinterContact TS 870	8.41 kg/t	+0.95 kg/t	£56
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	8.69 kg/t	+1.23 kg/t	£73
5Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	8.74 kg/t	+1.28 kg/t	£76
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	8.81 kg/t	+1.35 kg/t	£80
7Debica Frigo HP2	9.29 kg/t	+1.83 kg/t	£108
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	9.39 kg/t	+1.93 kg/t	£114
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	9.66 kg/t	+2.20 kg/t	£130

The difference between best and worst was 29.5% (2.2 kg / t). Over 19,000 km a year at £1.45/L, the Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus uses about 90 L (£130) more fuel than the Nokian Snowproof 2.

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.