Starmaxx Ice Gripper W850 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Ahead in each discipline
The Starmaxx Ice Gripper W850 and the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 have met in one independent test so far, and the WinGuard Sport 2 finished ahead. The WinGuard Sport 2 was stronger in wet.
Performance profile
Their shared test recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart shows what owners rate each tire on every question.
Where owners rate each higher
Ice Gripper W850
Not ahead in any category
WinGuard Sport 2
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Ice Gripper W850 66% from 4 reviews and the WinGuard Sport 2 82% from 35. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tires' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tire that did better.
| Measurement | Ice Gripper W850 | Gap | WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet WinGuard Sport 2 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 139 | 13.7% | 120 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared.
Head to head in 1 test in 2020
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Ice Gripper W850 | Field | WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Winter Tire Market Overview - 52 Tire Braking Test | P50 of 51 | P24 of 51 |
Ice Gripper W850 vs WinGuard Sport 2: your questions
Is the Starmaxx Ice Gripper W850 or the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 the better tire?
The Starmaxx Ice Gripper W850 and the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 have met in one independent test so far, and the WinGuard Sport 2 finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Ice Gripper W850 scores 5.5 and the WinGuard Sport 2 8.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Ice Gripper W850 or the WinGuard Sport 2?
The WinGuard Sport 2 led 1 of the 1 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7/10 for the Ice Gripper W850 and 8.6/10 for the WinGuard Sport 2.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Ice Gripper W850 66% from 4 reviews and the WinGuard Sport 2 82% from 35.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Ice Gripper W850 is made in 58 sizes (14 to 19 inch) and the WinGuard Sport 2 in 61 (15 to 20 inch). 31 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Ice Gripper W850 is graded C for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinGuard Sport 2 C and D.
Which is the newer tire?
The WinGuard Sport 2 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2017, the Ice Gripper W850 in 2014. The WinGuard Sport 2 replaced the Nexen Winguard Sport.
More comparisons with these tires
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.