Westlake SW 608 vs Barum Polaris 6
Ahead in each discipline
The Westlake SW 608 and the Barum Polaris 6 have met in one independent test so far, and the Polaris 6 finished ahead. The Polaris 6 was stronger in wet.
Performance profile
Their shared test 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
SW 608
Not ahead in any category
Polaris 6
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the SW 608 48% from 5 reviews and the Polaris 6 81% from 6. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
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 | SW 608 | Gap | Polaris 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Polaris 6 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 134 | 14.2% | 115 |
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 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 | SW 608 | Field | Polaris 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Winter Tire Braking Test - 52 Sets! | P43 of 51 | P10 of 51 |
SW 608 vs Polaris 6: your questions
Is the Westlake SW 608 or the Barum Polaris 6 the better tire?
The Westlake SW 608 and the Barum Polaris 6 have met in one independent test so far, and the Polaris 6 finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the SW 608 scores 4.6 and the Polaris 6 8.6 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the SW 608 or the Polaris 6?
The Polaris 6 led 1 of the 1 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 5.3/10 for the SW 608 and 8.5/10 for the Polaris 6.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the SW 608 48% from 5 reviews and the Polaris 6 81% from 6. 40% of SW 608 owners would buy it again, against 60% for the Polaris 6.
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.