Toyo OBSERVE GSI 6 HP vs Nankang Ice Activa 2
Ahead in each discipline
The Toyo OBSERVE GSI 6 HP and the Nankang Ice Activa 2 have met in one independent test so far, and the Ice Activa 2 finished ahead. The OBSERVE GSI 6 HP was stronger in dry, the Ice Activa 2 in snow, ice and comfort.
Performance profile
14 measurements from the one shared test, each tire shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
OBSERVE GSI 6 HP
Ice Activa 2
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 85%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
OBSERVE GSI 6 HP
Ice Activa 2
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
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 | OBSERVE GSI 6 HP | Gap | Ice Activa 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry OBSERVE GSI 6 HP ahead | |||
| Dry Braking ft | 98 | 6% | 104 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | 8 | 33.3% | 6 |
| Wet Level | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 120 | 4.2% | 125 |
| Wet Handling s | 34.8 | 0.3% | 34.7 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | 7 | = | 7 |
| Snow Ice Activa 2 ahead | |||
| Snow Braking ft | 167 | 1.9% | 170 |
| Snow Traction s | 6.2 | 3.2% | 6 |
| Snow Handling s | 49.3 | 1% | 48.8 |
| Subj. Snow Handling pts | 7 | 14.3% | 8 |
| Ice Ice Activa 2 ahead | |||
| Ice Braking ft | 158 | 1.2% | 156 |
| Ice Traction s | 6.5 | 4.6% | 6.2 |
| Ice Handling s | 67.3 | 8.6% | 61.5 |
| Subj. Ice Handling pts | 5 | 40% | 7 |
| Comfort Ice Activa 2 ahead | |||
| Subj. Noise pts | 8 | 12.5% | 9 |
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 | OBSERVE GSI 6 HP | Field | Ice Activa 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tire Test | P10 of 12 | P9 of 12 |
OBSERVE GSI 6 HP vs Ice Activa 2: your questions
Is the Toyo OBSERVE GSI 6 HP or the Nankang Ice Activa 2 the better tire?
The Toyo OBSERVE GSI 6 HP and the Nankang Ice Activa 2 have met in one independent test so far, and the Ice Activa 2 finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the OBSERVE GSI 6 HP scores 5.3 and the Ice Activa 2 6.6 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the OBSERVE GSI 6 HP or the Ice Activa 2?
Across the shared tests the wet measurements are split 1-1 between the OBSERVE GSI 6 HP and the Ice Activa 2.
Which is better in the dry?
The OBSERVE GSI 6 HP led 2 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The Ice Activa 2 led 3 of the 4 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the OBSERVE GSI 6 HP 84% from 14 reviews; the Ice Activa 2 has no owner reviews yet.
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.