Barum Polaris 3 vs Viking Snow Tech II
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 3 finished ahead 7 times and the Snow Tech II once.
Performance profile
Their shared tests 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
Polaris 3
Snow Tech II
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Polaris 3 86% from 18 reviews and the Snow Tech II 71% from 10. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Head to head in 8 tests, 2013 to 2017
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 | Polaris 3 | Field | Snow Tech II |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 50 Winter Tire Shoot Out | P13 of 50 | P31 of 50 | |
| 2016 Winter Tire Market Overview | P8 of 49 | P32 of 49 | |
| 2016 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P12 of 15 | P13 of 15 | |
| 2015 Auto Bild Top 18 Winter Tire Test | P3 of 18 | P12 of 18 | |
| 2015 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 205/55 R16 | P10 of 19 | P16 of 19 | |
| 2015 Winter Tire Market Overview | P9 of 51 | P15 of 51 | |
| 2013 Auto Bild Top 15 Winter Tire Shootout | P6 of 15 | P13 of 15 | |
| 2013 Winter Tire Overview - Braking | P7 of 50 | P4 of 50 |
Polaris 3 vs Snow Tech II: your questions
Is the Barum Polaris 3 or the Viking Snow Tech II the better tire?
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 3 finished ahead 7 times and the Snow Tech II once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Polaris 3 scores 7.2 and the Snow Tech II 6.5 out of 10.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.6/10 for the Polaris 3 and 7.4/10 for the Snow Tech II.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Polaris 3 86% from 18 reviews and the Snow Tech II 71% from 10. 94% of Polaris 3 owners would buy it again, against 70% for the Snow Tech II.
More comparisons with these tires
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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.