Barum Polaris 3 vs Cooper Weather Master SA2+
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 3 finished ahead 3 times and the Weather Master SA2+ not once.
Performance profile
Their shared tests recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart starts from each tire's Tire Reviews Score categories: its whole record, not shared tests.
Where each scores higher
Polaris 3
Weather Master SA2+
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.
Where owners rate each higher
Polaris 3
Weather Master SA2+
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 Weather Master SA2+ 68% from 6. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Head to head in 3 tests, 2016 to 2018
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 | Weather Master SA2+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 51 Winter Tire Shootout | P12 of 52 | P25 of 52 | |
| 2017 50 Winter Tire Shoot Out | P13 of 50 | P24 of 50 | |
| 2016 AutoBild Winter Tire Test | P10 of 20 | P16 of 20 |
Polaris 3 vs Weather Master SA2+: your questions
Is the Barum Polaris 3 or the Cooper Weather Master SA2+ the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 3 finished ahead 3 times and the Weather Master SA2+ not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Polaris 3 scores 7.2 and the Weather Master SA2+ 4.9 out of 10.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.6/10 for the Polaris 3 and 8.2/10 for the Weather Master SA2+.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Polaris 3 86% from 18 reviews and the Weather Master SA2+ 68% from 6. 94% of Polaris 3 owners would buy it again, against 60% for the Weather Master SA2+.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Polaris 3 is made in 6 sizes (13 to 16 inch) and the Weather Master SA2+ in 35 (13 to 18 inch). 0 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Polaris 3 is graded C for wet grip and E for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Weather Master SA2+ B and D.
Which is the newer tire?
The Weather Master SA2+ is the newer design: it reached the market in 2022, the Polaris 3 in 2011. The Polaris 3 replaced the Barum Polaris 2. The Weather Master SA2+ replaced the Cooper WM SA2.
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.