Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 finished ahead 4 times and the Winterhawk 3 not once. The WinGuard Sport 2 was stronger in wet, snow and comfort.
Performance profile
10 measurements from the 4 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winterhawk 3
WinGuard Sport 2
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 95%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Winterhawk 3
WinGuard Sport 2
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
Winterhawk 3
Not ahead in any category
WinGuard Sport 2
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Winterhawk 3 69% from 8 reviews and the WinGuard Sport 2 82% from 35. 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 | Winterhawk 3 | Gap | WinGuard Sport 2 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 147 | 1.3% | 149 | 1-0 |
| Dry Handling mph | 67.5 | 0.8% | 68 | 0-1 |
| Wet WinGuard Sport 2 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 119 | 4.5% | 113 | 0-3 |
| Wet Handling mph | 44.9 | 0.6% | 45.1 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 53.5 | 0.7% | 53.1 | 1-0 |
| Snow WinGuard Sport 2 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 88 | 0.9% | 87 | 1-1 |
| Snow Handling mph | 31.3 | 2% | 31.9 | 0-1 |
| Comfort WinGuard Sport 2 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 72.2 | 0.4 dB | 71.8 | 0-1 |
| Value Level | ||||
| Wear miles | 21,670 | 38.7% | 30,059 | 0-1 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.62 | 5% | 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 4 tests, 2017 to 2020
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 | Winterhawk 3 | Field | WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Winter Tire Market Overview - 52 Tire Braking Test | P33 of 51 | P24 of 51 | |
| 2019 Winter Tire Test Market Overview | P24 of 53 | P15 of 53 | |
| 2017 50 Winter Tire Shoot Out | P18 of 50 | P9 of 50 | |
| 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P19 of 20 | P10 of 20 |
Winterhawk 3 vs WinGuard Sport 2: your questions
Is the Firestone Winterhawk 3 or the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 the better tire?
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 finished ahead 4 times and the Winterhawk 3 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winterhawk 3 scores 6.5 and the WinGuard Sport 2 8.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winterhawk 3 or the WinGuard Sport 2?
The WinGuard Sport 2 led 4 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.5% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 1-1 between the Winterhawk 3 and the WinGuard Sport 2.
Which is better in snow?
The WinGuard Sport 2 led 2 of the 3 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.3/10 for the Winterhawk 3 and 8.6/10 for the WinGuard Sport 2.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winterhawk 3 69% from 8 reviews and the WinGuard Sport 2 82% from 35. 57% of Winterhawk 3 owners would buy it again, against 85% for the WinGuard Sport 2.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Winterhawk 3 is made in 42 sizes (13 to 18 inch) and the WinGuard Sport 2 in 61 (15 to 20 inch). 16 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winterhawk 3 is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinGuard Sport 2 C and D.
Which is the newer tire?
The WinGuard Sport 2 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2017, the Winterhawk 3 in 2013. The Winterhawk 3 replaced the Firestone Winterhawk 2 EVO. The WinGuard Sport 2 replaced the Nexen Winguard Sport.
More comparisons with these tires
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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.