Continental VikingContact 7 vs Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental VikingContact 7 finished ahead 2 times and the Hakkapeliitta R5 not once, with one level. The VikingContact 7 was stronger in dry and wet, the Hakkapeliitta R5 in snow and value.
Performance profile
12 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
VikingContact 7
Hakkapeliitta R5
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 97%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 9 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
VikingContact 7
Hakkapeliitta R5
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
VikingContact 7
Not ahead in any category
Hakkapeliitta R5
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the VikingContact 7 74% from 25 reviews and the Hakkapeliitta R5 86% from 17. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
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 | VikingContact 7 | Gap | Hakkapeliitta R5 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry VikingContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 125 | 2.2% | 128 | 2-0 |
| Dry Handling s | 72.6 | 0.5% | 72.96 | 1-0 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | 16.7% | scored | 1-0 |
| Wet VikingContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 122 | 1.5% | 124 | 2-0 |
| Wet Handling s | 61.1 | 2.2% | 62.6 | 2-0 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 42.8 | 3.6% | 41.3 | 2-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 190.6 | 4.1% | 183.1 | 1-0 |
| Snow Hakkapeliitta R5 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 46 | 0.3% | 46 | 1-1 |
| Snow Traction s | 5.09 | 0.4% | 5.06 | 1-1 |
| Snow Handling s | 81.89 | 0.3% | 81.65 | 0-2 |
| Subj. Snow Handling pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Snow Circle s | 29.49 | 1.7% | 28.98 | 0-1 |
| Ice Level | ||||
| Ice Braking ft | 37 | 0.1% | 37 | 1-1 |
| Ice Traction s | 6.96 | 2.2% | 6.79 | 0-2 |
| Ice Handling s | 48.34 | 1.5% | 49.1 | 2-0 |
| Subj. Ice Handling pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Comfort Level | ||||
| Subj. Comfort pts | scored | 5.3% | scored | 0-1 |
| Noise dB | 67.95 | 0.2 dB | 68.1 | 1-0 |
| Value Hakkapeliitta R5 ahead | ||||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.56 | 2.9% | 7.34 | 0-1 |
| Fuel Consumption l/100km | 5 | 2% | 4.9 | 0-1 |
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 3 tests, 2022 to 2024
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 | VikingContact 7 | Field | Hakkapeliitta R5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Best Studded / Friction Winter Tires for 2024 | P3 of 6 | P4 of 6 | |
| 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tire Test | P1 of 8 | P3 of 8 | |
| 2022/23 Tire Reviews Studless Winter Tire Test | P1 of 7 | P1 of 7 |
VikingContact 7 vs Hakkapeliitta R5: your questions
Is the Continental VikingContact 7 or the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental VikingContact 7 finished ahead 2 times and the Hakkapeliitta R5 not once, with one level. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the VikingContact 7 scores 8.6 and the Hakkapeliitta R5 8.7 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the VikingContact 7 or the Hakkapeliitta R5?
The VikingContact 7 led 7 of the 8 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it resisted straight aquaplaning at a 3.6% higher speed across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The VikingContact 7 led 4 of the 5 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.2% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The Hakkapeliitta R5 led 5 of the 8 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.5/10 for the VikingContact 7 and 8.9/10 for the Hakkapeliitta R5.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the VikingContact 7 74% from 25 reviews and the Hakkapeliitta R5 86% from 17. 64% of VikingContact 7 owners would buy it again, against 88% for the Hakkapeliitta R5.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The VikingContact 7 is made in 134 sizes (14 to 22 inch) and the Hakkapeliitta R5 in 60 (14 to 20 inch). 53 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the VikingContact 7 is graded D for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Hakkapeliitta R5 D and B.
Which is the newer tire?
The Hakkapeliitta R5 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the VikingContact 7 in 2018. The VikingContact 7 replaced the Continental VikingContact 6. The Hakkapeliitta R5 replaced the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3.
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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.