Test Charts / Auto Centrum

2017 AC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15

Compare each discipline in the tested size. See the measured result, position and gap to the best tire, then read the verdict for the trade-offs behind the finishing order.

Tested size: 185/65 R15
Tires tested: 8
Disciplines: 10

Read the measurements, not just the rank

Lower is better for braking distances and lap times; higher is better for subjective scores and aquaplaning speed. Bars start at zero. Read the gap alongside the position: adjacent tires can be separated by very different margins.

Positions and gaps always refer to the full test field within each group. Selecting tires does not recalculate rankings or change the best-in-test benchmark.

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian WR D4	91 ft	Best
2Michelin Alpin A4	93 ft	+2 ft
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9	96 ft	+5 ft
4Kumho Winter Craft WP51	97 ft	+6 ft
5Fulda Kristall Montero 3	99 ft	+8 ft
6Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	99 ft	+8 ft
7Debica Frigo 2	100 ft	+9 ft
8Sava Eskimo Ice	103 ft	+12 ft

The difference between best and worst was 12.8% (12 ft ≈ 0.8 Car Lengths).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Alpin A4	98 ft	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip 9	99 ft	+1 ft
3Nokian WR D4	103 ft	+5 ft
4Kumho Winter Craft WP51	107 ft	+9 ft
5Fulda Kristall Montero 3	107 ft	+9 ft
6Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	108 ft	+10 ft
7Debica Frigo 2	121 ft	+23 ft
8Sava Eskimo Ice	130 ft	+32 ft

The difference between best and worst was 32.6% (32 ft ≈ 2.2 Car Lengths).

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9	13.8 s	Best
2Michelin Alpin A4	14 s	+0.20 s
2Nokian WR D4	14 s	+0.20 s
2Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	14 s	+0.20 s
5Fulda Kristall Montero 3	14.1 s	+0.30 s
6Kumho Winter Craft WP51	14.2 s	+0.40 s
7Sava Eskimo Ice	14.8 s	+1.00 s
8Debica Frigo 2	15.1 s	+1.30 s

The difference between best and worst was 9.4% (1.3 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9	55.2 mph	Best
2Michelin Alpin A4	52.9 mph	-2.3 mph
3Nokian WR D4	52.8 mph	-2.4 mph
4Fulda Kristall Montero 3	52.6 mph	-2.6 mph
5Kumho Winter Craft WP51	51.7 mph	-3.5 mph
6Debica Frigo 2	49.6 mph	-5.6 mph
7Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	48.0 mph	-7.2 mph
8Sava Eskimo Ice	46.7 mph	-8.5 mph

The difference between best and worst was 15.4% (8.5 mph).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9	52 ft	Best
2Debica Frigo 2	53 ft	+1 ft
3Michelin Alpin A4	53 ft	+1 ft
4Sava Eskimo Ice	53 ft	+1 ft
5Nokian WR D4	54 ft	+2 ft
6Fulda Kristall Montero 3	54 ft	+2 ft
7Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	55 ft	+3 ft
8Kumho Winter Craft WP51	56 ft	+4 ft

The difference between best and worst was 7.5% (4 ft).

Snow Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9	4.82 s	Best
2Debica Frigo 2	4.86 s	+0.04 s
3Sava Eskimo Ice	4.95 s	+0.13 s
4Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	4.96 s	+0.14 s
5Nokian WR D4	5.04 s	+0.22 s
6Michelin Alpin A4	5.06 s	+0.24 s
7Fulda Kristall Montero 3	5.18 s	+0.36 s
8Kumho Winter Craft WP51	5.43 s	+0.61 s

The difference between best and worst was 12.7% (0.61 s).

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Debica Frigo 2	64 ft	Best
2Nokian WR D4	70 ft	+6 ft
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9	71 ft	+7 ft
4Kumho Winter Craft WP51	72 ft	+8 ft
5Sava Eskimo Ice	74 ft	+10 ft
6Fulda Kristall Montero 3	74 ft	+10 ft
7Michelin Alpin A4	75 ft	+11 ft
8Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	78 ft	+14 ft

The difference between best and worst was 21.8% (14 ft ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths).

Ice Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Debica Frigo 2	6.49 s	Best
2Sava Eskimo Ice	6.57 s	+0.08 s
3Kumho Winter Craft WP51	7.02 s	+0.53 s
4Nokian WR D4	7.03 s	+0.54 s
5Goodyear UltraGrip 9	7.12 s	+0.63 s
6Michelin Alpin A4	7.32 s	+0.83 s
7Fulda Kristall Montero 3	7.33 s	+0.84 s
8Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	8.23 s	+1.74 s

The difference between best and worst was 26.8% (1.74 s).

Ice Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Sava Eskimo Ice	25.8 s	Best
2Debica Frigo 2	27.4 s	+1.60 s
3Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	28.2 s	+2.40 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip 9	29.8 s	+4.00 s
4Nokian WR D4	29.8 s	+4.00 s
6Michelin Alpin A4	30 s	+4.20 s
7Fulda Kristall Montero 3	30.1 s	+4.30 s
8Kumho Winter Craft WP51	30.2 s	+4.40 s

The difference between best and worst was 17.1% (4.4 s).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Debica Frigo 2	7.99 kg/t	Best	$0
2Nokian WR D4	8.12 kg/t	+0.13 kg/t	$5
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9	8.26 kg/t	+0.27 kg/t	$10
4Fulda Kristall Montero 3	8.29 kg/t	+0.30 kg/t	$11
5Sava Eskimo Ice	8.81 kg/t	+0.82 kg/t	$30
6Kumho Winter Craft WP51	8.87 kg/t	+0.88 kg/t	$32
7Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2	8.95 kg/t	+0.96 kg/t	$35
8Michelin Alpin A4	9.07 kg/t	+1.08 kg/t	$40

The difference between best and worst was 13.5% (1.08 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Michelin Alpin A4 uses about 11 gal ($40) more fuel than the Debica Frigo 2.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions. These calculators use the full test field, independently of your tire selection above.

Gas/Diesel Electric

Annual Mileage

12,000 mi

km (L)

miles (US gal)

Fuel Price

$3.60/gal

GBP (£)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

Set my vehicle consumption

Estimates based on typical driving conditions. Rolling resistance accounts for approximately 20% of IC vehicle fuel consumption and 25% of EV energy consumption. Actual savings vary based on driving style, vehicle weight, road conditions, and tire age. For comparative purposes only. Lifetime savings based on a 40,000km / 25,000 mile tread life.

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