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Firestone Winterhawk 3 Test Results

Tested 2013 to 2020 3 publications

Tested 18 times by independent publications, the Firestone Winterhawk 3 averages a finish of 14th.

  • 18Independent tests
  • 0Test wins
  • 3Podium finishes
  • 14thAverage finish
  • 49%Field beaten on average
  • 3Publications
Firestone Winterhawk 3

18 tests, 2013 to 2020

0%50%100%20132014201520162017201820192020Average 49%2013 ACE Winter Tyre Test (2013): P4 of 9, Beat 63% of the field2013 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/60 R15 (2013): P3 of 17, Beat 88% of the field2014 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 175/65 R14 (2014): P4 of 14, Beat 77% of the field2015 Winter Tyre Market Overview (2015): P16 of 51, Beat 70% of the field2015 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 (2015): P8 of 19, Beat 61% of the field2015 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 165/70 R14 (2015): P12 of 16, Beat 27% of the field2015 Auto Bild Top 18 Winter Tyre Test (2015): P14 of 18, Beat 24% of the field2016 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/45 R17 (2016): P3 of 13, Beat 83% of the field2016 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (2016): P14 of 15, Beat 7% of the field2016 Winter Tyre Market Overview (2016): P24 of 49, Beat 45% of the field2017 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 195/65 R15 (2017): P10 of 16, Beat 40% of the field2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (2017): P19 of 20, Beat 5% of the field2017 50 Winter Tyre Shoot Out (2017): P18 of 50, Beat 61% of the field2018 51 Winter Tyre Shootout (2018): P19 of 52, Beat 65% of the field2018 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 175/65 R14 (2018): P3 of 12, Beat 82% of the field2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (2018): P19 of 20, Beat 5% of the field2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview (2019): P24 of 53, Beat 50% of the field2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test (2020): P33 of 51, Beat 34% of the field
Share of the field beaten in each test, oldest to newest. Hover or tap a point for the test.
  • Test win
  • Second
  • Third
  • Average 49%

Record by discipline

Where the Firestone Winterhawk 3 finished in each measured discipline, across every test that measured it against at least two other tyres. Field beaten is the share of the other tyres it outranked in that measurement.

Discipline Tests Avg finish Field beaten Firsts
Dry
Dry Braking 2 P12.5 of 21.5 45% -
Dry Handling 2 P16 of 21.5 27% -
Wet
Wet Braking 4 P25.3 of 34 21% -
Wet Handling 2 P18 of 21.5 18% -
Straight Aqua 2 P16.5 of 21.5 24% -
Snow
Snow Braking 3 P13.3 of 24.3 49% -
Snow Handling 2 P13 of 21 39% -
Comfort
Noise 2 P9.5 of 21.5 59% -
Value
Wear 2 P11 of 20.5 48% -
Value 2 P7.5 of 20.5 66% -
Rolling Resistance 2 P18.5 of 21.5 14% -

Head-to-head record

Overall finishing position against the tyres that have most often shared a test with the Firestone Winterhawk 3. Only tyres tested alongside it at least three times are listed.

Rival Shared tests Ahead Behind Level Finished ahead
Uniroyal MS+ 77 12 shared: 2 ahead, 10 behind 12 2 10 - 17%
Barum Polaris 3 11 shared: 2 ahead, 9 behind 11 2 9 - 18%
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 10 shared: 1 ahead, 9 behind 10 1 9 - 10%
Nokian WR D4 9 shared: 3 ahead, 6 behind 9 3 6 - 33%
Hankook Winter i cept RS2 9 shared: 1 ahead, 8 behind 9 1 8 - 11%
Dunlop Winter Response 2 9 shared: 0 ahead, 9 behind 9 0 9 - 0%
Vredestein Snowtrac 5 8 shared: 2 ahead, 6 behind 8 2 6 - 25%
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 8 shared: 0 ahead, 8 behind 8 0 8 - 0%
Continental WinterContact TS 860 8 shared: 0 ahead, 8 behind 8 0 8 - 0%
Viking Snow Tech II 7 shared: 4 ahead, 3 behind 7 4 3 - 57%
Michelin Alpin 5 7 shared: 2 ahead, 5 behind 7 2 5 - 29%
Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 7 shared: 2 ahead, 5 behind 7 2 5 - 29%
Falken Eurowinter HS449 7 shared: 2 ahead, 5 behind 7 2 5 - 29%
Yokohama W drive V905 7 shared: 2 ahead, 5 behind 7 2 5 - 29%
Michelin Alpin A4 7 shared: 1 ahead, 6 behind 7 1 6 - 14%
Kleber Krisalp HP3 7 shared: 0 ahead, 7 behind 7 0 7 - 0%
Continental WinterContact TS 850 7 shared: 0 ahead, 7 behind 7 0 7 - 0%
Kleber Krisalp HP2 6 shared: 5 ahead, 1 behind 6 5 1 - 83%
Matador MP 92 Sibir Snow 6 shared: 3 ahead, 3 behind 6 3 3 - 50%
Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 6 shared: 3 ahead, 3 behind 6 3 3 - 50%

Against its own line

The same record for the tyre it replaced and the tyre that replaced it.

Tyre Tests Wins Avg finish Field beaten
Firestone Winterhawk 2 EVO Predecessor 9 0 14th 32%
Firestone Winterhawk 3 This tyre 18 0 14th 49%
Firestone Winterhawk 4 Successor 21 0 11th 45%

Performance Analysis

Drawn from 18 tests. Updated October 29, 2026.

The Firestone Winterhawk 3 has a variable test record, with wet braking the most persistent concern in its later appearances. Auto Bild placed it 19th of 20 overall in both 2017 and 2018. Wet braking was 19th of 21 in 2017 and last of 22 in 2018, while wet handling was also last in 2018. Snow braking was less problematic, placing 10th of 21 in 2017 and ninth of 22 in 2018, although testers criticised snow grip or handling in several tests. Low noise and ice performance received repeated praise, and ADAC also highlighted low fuel consumption on several occasions.

Earlier ADAC results were considerably stronger: third of 17 in 2013, with praise for dry and wet roads, ice and wear, and fourth of 14 in 2014. Those positive wet assessments are unusual against the later pattern of wet-road criticism. Third of 12 in the 2018 ADAC test is another unusually strong overall result, although even there testers noted slightly weak wet performance. Efficiency also varied: despite ADAC praise, rolling resistance was 20th of 21 in the 2017 Auto Bild test. Dry performance was similarly inconsistent, from ADAC praise to 18th of 22 in dry braking in the 2018 Auto Bild test.

Performance Strengths

Performance Weaknesses

Every test, newest first 18

Strong = top two of the field in that measurement. Weak = bottom two.

2020 1 test
2019 1 test
2018 3 tests
2017 3 tests
P19 of 20 Beat 5% of the field

2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test

Auto Bild 225/50 R17

Average.

WeakRolling Resistance WinnerContinental WinterContact TS 860

2016 3 tests
2015 4 tests
2014 1 test
2013 2 tests
P4 of 9 Beat 63% of the field

2013 ACE Winter Tyre Test

ACE 185/60 R15

Recommended

WinnerContinental WinterContact TS 850

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