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Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 - Test Results

Test Statistics

10

Tests Completed

3rd

Average Position

1st

Best Result

7th

Worst Result

Performance Analysis

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 - Official Image

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 consistently excels on snow and delivers competitive subjective handling and comfort, translating into strong average results (3.4) and multiple podiums including a win and a Highly Recommended award. Across Nordic friction tests it repeatedly ranks top-three for snow braking/handling and often near the front for dry braking and subjective control, with very low rolling resistance and class-leading comfort/noise in several tests. However, its wet performance and aquaplaning resistance are recurring weaknesses, and ice braking/traction can lag the leaders even when ice handling feels strong.
Overall, the R5 is a driver-friendly Nordic winter tyre prioritizing snow security, efficiency, and refinement. Its primary trade-offs are wet braking/aquaplaning margins and occasional ice braking/traction deficits versus the very best, though ice and snow handling remain strong.

Performance Strengths
  • Snow Performance Strong
    • 1st place snow handling (2023 Test 10, 83.04 s)
    • 1st place snow handling/traction/braking sweep as reference (2025 Test 4, 1/6 across snow categories)
    • Top-3 snow braking/handling (2024 Test 5: 2/8 snow braking +0.2% from best, 2/8 snow handling +0.1%)
    • 3/7 snow braking +1.4% and 1/7 subjective snow handling (2025 Test 2)
  • Subjective Handling & Comfort/Noise Strong
    • 1/7 subjective snow handling and 1/7 subjective ice handling (2025 Test 2)
    • 1/14 subjective noise (2025 Test 3)
    • 1/8 subjective comfort and 1/8 noise (2022/23 Test 11)
  • Dry Braking and Driver Confidence Moderate
    • 1/14 dry braking (2025 Test 3, 30.8 m) and 1/14 subjective dry handling
    • 2/6 dry braking and handling (2025 Test 2, +4.4% / +2.3% from best)
  • Rolling Resistance / Efficiency Strong
    • 2/9 rolling resistance (+1.2% from best) (2022/23 Test 11)
    • 2/6 rolling resistance (+2.6% from best) (2025 Test 2)
    • 1/8 fuel consumption (2024 Test 6) and 2/8 fuel consumption (2024 Test 5, +1%)
  • Ice Handling (subjective/objective lap) Moderate
    • 2/8 ice handling (+0.2%) (2023 Test 10)
    • 2/8 ice handling (+0.4%) and 2/8 ice traction (2023 Test 8)
    • 1/7 subjective ice handling (2025 Test 2)
Performance Weaknesses
  • Aquaplaning Resistance Strong
    • 20/20 straight aquaplaning (+27.5% from best) (2025 Test 1)
    • 8/8 straight and curved aquaplaning (2022/23 Test 11, +28.1% / +27.9%)
    • 6/8 straight aquaplaning (+30.5%) (2024 Test 5)
    • 8/8 straight aquaplaning (+20.8%) (2024 Test 6)
  • Wet Braking and Wet Grip Strong
    • 8/8 wet braking (+32.7%) (2023 Test 10)
    • 6/8 wet braking (+52.5%) (2024 Test 5)
    • 10/14 wet braking (+10.5%) (2025 Test 3)
    • 2/6 to 5/6 mixed wet results but weak curved aquaplaning 5/6 (+51.5%) (2025 Test 2)
  • Ice Braking/Traction (peak grip) Moderate
    • 10/14 ice braking (+48.3%) and 9/14 ice traction (+45.7%) (2025 Test 3)
    • 8/8 ice braking (+62%) and 8/8 ice traction (+104.3%) in studded context (2024 Test 6)
    • 5/7 ice braking (+37.9%) and 5/7 ice traction (+67.9%) (2025 Test 2)
  • Comfort Variability Minor
    • 12/20 subjective comfort (+40% from best) (2025 Test 1)
    • Noise mid-pack 5/8 (+0.6%) (2024 Test 5)
Performance Over Time

Test History

5
of 20
2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test

2025
Winner: Continental VikingContact 8

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 delivers winter grip that's almost as good as the test's best tyres, but the car becomes somewhat more unsettled with these tyres - the stability isn't quite as good as ...
Strong:
Subj. Snow Handling
Weak:
Straight Aqua
View Test
3
of 7
The Best Snow Tyres for 2025/26 Highly Rec.

2025
Winner: Continental VikingContact 8

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 would finish in second with a score weighting more towards dry and wet as it was simply in a league of its own in those conditions. Sadly, this dry and wet performance h...
Strong:
Subj. Comfort, Dry Braking, Dry Handling, Subj. Dry Handling, Ice Handling, Subj. Ice Handling, Subj. Snow Handling, Rolling Resistance, Subj. Wet Handling, Wet Braking, Wet Circle, Wet Handling
Weak:
Noise, Curved Aquaplaning
View Test
2
of 14
2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test

2025
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

The Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 is easy to control on ice, offering consistent grip and remaining manageable even when pushed beyond its limits. It also performs well on snow, with excellent late...
Strong:
Subj. Noise, Dry Braking, Subj. Dry Handling, Snow Braking
View Test
3
of 8
2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test

2024
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 took third place, dominating the winter conditions alongside Continental. It excelled in both ice and snow performance, offering the best cornering grip and proving part...
Strong:
Ice Braking, Ice Handling, Ice Traction, Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Fuel Consumption
View Test
7
of 8
2024 Studded Tyre Test

2024
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 friction tyre proved that non-studded tyres can match studded ones in many winter conditions, particularly on rough ice and snow. Its soft compound gives understeery han...
Strong:
Noise, Dry Braking, Ice Handling, Snow Traction, Fuel Consumption
Weak:
Subj. Dry Handling, Ice Braking, Ice Traction, Straight Aqua, Wet Braking
View Test
4
of 17
The Best Studded / Friction Winter Tyres for 2024

2024
Winner: Pirelli Ice Zero 2

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5, a Nordic non-studded tyre, showed improved performance in wet conditions compared to previous years while maintaining strong ice and snow capabilities. It demonstrated ...
View Test
3
of 8
2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test

2023
Winner: Continental VikingContact 7

Nokian's latest friction tire scores the most points of all in the snow and ice rounds. It has lively reactions and steers quickly into curves. For a soft friction tire, it is a joy to drive with a...
Strong:
Ice Handling, Ice Traction, Snow Handling
View Test
1
of 4
Nokian Outpost nAT vs Hakkapeliitta R5 vs WRG4 vs One

2023

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 is totally joyful tyre to drive on snow, and proof that a good winter tyre can make anything fun in the snow as it made the test Toyota Hilux exceptional fun! Compared t...
Strong:
Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Snow Traction
View Test
2
of 8
2023 Studless vs Studded Snow Tyre Test

2023
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3

Ice and Snow: Best control, excellent grip on snow, good braking grip; Wet Conditions: Excellent extreme situation behavior, good driving characteristics on dry surfaces, oversteers in wet conditi...
Strong:
Ice Braking, Ice Handling, Snow Braking, Snow Handling
Weak:
Wet Braking
View Test
1
of 9
2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter Tyre Test

2022

The Nokian ever so slightly edged the Michelin in the dry, matched it in the wet grip tests but was the worst in hydroplaning resistance, but then was the best in the snow overall. It had the best ...
Strong:
Noise, Subj. Comfort, Subj. Dry Handling, Ice Traction, Subj. Ice Handling, Snow Circle, Snow Handling, Snow Traction, Subj. Snow Handling, Rolling Resistance
Weak:
Curved Aquaplaning, Straight Aqua
View Test