Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 vs Barum Polaris 5
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 5 finished ahead 2 times and the WinGuard Sport 2 once. The Polaris 5 was stronger in wet.
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
WinGuard Sport 2
Polaris 5
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
WinGuard Sport 2
Polaris 5
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the WinGuard Sport 2 82% from 35 reviews and the Polaris 5 61% from 16. 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 | WinGuard Sport 2 | Gap | Polaris 5 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Polaris 5 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 117 | 2.3% | 115 | 1-2 |
| Snow Level | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 88 | 0.1% | 88 | 1-1 |
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, 2019 to 2023
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 | WinGuard Sport 2 | Field | Polaris 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Winter Tire Test 54 Set Braking Test | P27 of 54 | P14 of 54 | |
| 2020 Winter Tire Market Overview - 52 Tire Braking Test | P24 of 51 | P11 of 51 | |
| 2019 Winter Tire Test Market Overview | P15 of 53 | P21 of 53 |
WinGuard Sport 2 vs Polaris 5: your questions
Is the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 or the Barum Polaris 5 the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Barum Polaris 5 finished ahead 2 times and the WinGuard Sport 2 once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WinGuard Sport 2 scores 8.1 and the Polaris 5 7.6 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the WinGuard Sport 2 or the Polaris 5?
The Polaris 5 led 2 of the 3 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.3% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in snow?
Across the shared tests the snow measurements are split 1-1 between the WinGuard Sport 2 and the Polaris 5.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.6/10 for the WinGuard Sport 2 and 6.8/10 for the Polaris 5.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the WinGuard Sport 2 82% from 35 reviews and the Polaris 5 61% from 16. 85% of WinGuard Sport 2 owners would buy it again, against 33% for the Polaris 5.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The WinGuard Sport 2 is made in 61 sizes (15 to 20 inch) and the Polaris 5 in 81 (13 to 19 inch). 27 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the WinGuard Sport 2 is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Polaris 5 C and D.
Which is the newer tire?
The Polaris 5 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2018, the WinGuard Sport 2 in 2017. The WinGuard Sport 2 replaced the Nexen Winguard Sport. The Polaris 5 replaced the Barum Polaris 3.
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.