Barum Polaris 6 vs Optimo Winter Touring
Ahead in each discipline
The Barum Polaris 6 and the Optimo Winter Touring have met in one independent test so far, and the Winter Touring finished ahead. The Polaris 6 was stronger in snow, ice, comfort and value, the Winter Touring in dry and wet.
Performance profile
12 measurements from the one shared test, each tire shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
Polaris 6
Winter Touring
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 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Polaris 6
Winter Touring
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 | Polaris 6 | Gap | Winter Touring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Winter Touring ahead | |||
| Dry Braking ft | 156 | 5.9% | 146 |
| Wet Winter Touring ahead | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 131 | 1.8% | 128 |
| Wet Braking - Concrete ft | 146 | 5.6% | 138 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 53.4 | 10% | 58.7 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 10.8 | 18.2% | 12.8 |
| Snow Polaris 6 ahead | |||
| Snow Braking ft | 33 | 6.5% | 35 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 658 | 3% | 639 |
| Ice Polaris 6 ahead | |||
| Ice Braking ft | 66 | 6% | 71 |
| Comfort Polaris 6 ahead | |||
| Noise dB | 69.9 | 2.4 dB | 72.3 |
| Value Polaris 6 ahead | |||
| Wear miles | 18,020 | 2.8% | 17,523 |
| Fuel Consumption l/100km | 5.3 | 5.4% | 5.6 |
| Abrasion mg/km/t | 108 | 1.8% | 110 |
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 2026
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 6 | Field | Winter Touring |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P8 of 16 | P5 of 16 |
Polaris 6 vs Winter Touring: your questions
Is the Barum Polaris 6 or the Optimo Winter Touring the better tire?
The Barum Polaris 6 and the Optimo Winter Touring have met in one independent test so far, and the Winter Touring finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Polaris 6 scores 8.6 and the Winter Touring 8.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Polaris 6 or the Winter Touring?
The Winter Touring led 4 of the 4 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The Winter Touring led 1 of the 1 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The Polaris 6 led 2 of the 2 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Polaris 6 81% from 6 reviews; the Winter Touring has no owner reviews yet.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Polaris 6 is made in 92 sizes (14 to 20 inch) and the Winter Touring in 10 (14 to 15 inch). 10 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Polaris 6 is graded C for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter Touring C and D.
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.