Barum Polaris 6 vs Ceat WinterDrive
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 6 finished ahead 2 times and the WinterDrive not once. The Polaris 6 was stronger in wet and comfort, the WinterDrive in snow.
Performance profile
15 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Polaris 6
WinterDrive
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 94%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Polaris 6
WinterDrive
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
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tire did better.
| Measurement | Polaris 6 | Gap | WinterDrive | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 151 | 5.4% | 143 | 0-1 |
| Dry Handling mph | 71.5 | 0.3% | 71.3 | 1-0 |
| Wet Polaris 6 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 147 | 5% | 155 | 2-0 |
| Wet Handling mph | 50.2 | 1.3% | 49.6 | 1-0 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.62 | 0.6% | 12.69 | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 44.4 | 0.7% | 44.7 | 0-1 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 6.9 | 2.4% | 6.8 | 1-0 |
| Snow WinterDrive ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 93 | = | 93 | 0-0 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 556 | 3.1% | 573 | 0-1 |
| Snow Handling mph | 36 | = | 36 | 0-0 |
| Snow Slalom ft/s² | 9.1 | 2.9% | 9.3 | 0-1 |
| Comfort Polaris 6 ahead | ||||
| Subj. Comfort pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Noise dB | 65.2 | 0.3 dB | 65.5 | 1-0 |
| Value Level | ||||
| Wear miles | 27,993 | 15.3% | 32,274 | 0-1 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.77 | 14.3% | 9.07 | 1-0 |
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 2 tests in 2025
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 | WinterDrive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test | P8 of 20 | P15 of 20 | |
| 2025 Winter Tire Braking Test - 52 Sets! | P10 of 51 | P19 of 51 |
Polaris 6 vs WinterDrive: your questions
Is the Barum Polaris 6 or the Ceat WinterDrive the better tire?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 6 finished ahead 2 times and the WinterDrive not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Polaris 6 scores 8.6 and the WinterDrive 9.4 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Polaris 6 or the WinterDrive?
The Polaris 6 led 5 of the 6 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 5% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 1-1 between the Polaris 6 and the WinterDrive.
Which is better in snow?
The WinterDrive led 2 of the 5 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Polaris 6 81% from 6 reviews; the WinterDrive has no owner reviews yet.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the two were priced within 1% of each other on average.
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Ceat WinterDrive vs Uniroyal WinterExpert
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Ceat WinterDrive vs Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
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Ceat WinterDrive vs Kleber Krisalp HP3
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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.