The 2018 Auto Motor und Sport [AMS] winter tire test has tested eleven winter tire patterns in the popular 205/55 R16 winter tire size, using a Seat Ibiza.
As always, the full results and a summary of the data can be found below. Any questions or comments, please feel free to ask at the bottom of the page.
Dry
The Continental WinterContact TS860 had a big lead during the braking test, with Vredestein and Toyo in second and third places.
Dry Braking
Dry braking in feet
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 95 % | |
| 95 % | |
| 94 % | |
| 94 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 92 % | |
| 91 % |
The difference between best and worst was 9%.
Toyo and Continental continued their strong dry performance, finishing second and third during dry handling. This time, Bridgestone took the top spot with the LM001 EVO. The Pirelli Cinturato Winter struggled, finishing last overall.
Dry Handling
Dry Handling Average Speed
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 100 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 98 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 96 % |
The difference between best and worst was 4%.
Wet
The wet testing once again allowed Continental to prove the TS860 is the best Central European winter tire on the market, winning both wet braking and wet handling. Goodyear placed a strong second in both tests, and Bridgestone rounded out the top three. This time Kumho struggled.
Wet Braking
Wet braking in feet
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 98 % | |
| 98 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 96 % | |
| 96 % | |
| 86 % | |
| 85 % | |
| 85 % | |
| 83 % | |
| 81 % |
The difference between best and worst was 19%.
Wet Handling
Wet Handling Average Speed
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 98 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 96 % | |
| 95 % | |
| 94 % | |
| 92 % | |
| 90 % | |
| 90 % |
The difference between best and worst was 10%.
The Hankook had the best aquaplaning resistance of the test.
Straight Aqua
Float Speed in mph
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 96 % | |
| 96 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 91 % | |
| 91 % | |
| 87 % | |
| 85 % | |
| 84 % | |
| 83 % |
The difference between best and worst was 17%.
Snow
The cheapest tire on test, the Giti Winter W1 dominated the snow testing, beating the establish "snow master", the Nokian WRD4.
Snow Braking
Snow braking in feet
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 96 % | |
| 94 % | |
| 94 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 89 % | |
| 88 % |
The difference between best and worst was 12%.
Snow Handling
Snow handling average speed
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 100 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 98 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 96 % | |
| 95 % | |
| 95 % | |
| 94 % | |
| 91 % |
The difference between best and worst was 9%.
Environment
The Nokian had the lowest rolling resistance on test.
Rolling Resistance
Rolling resistance in kg t
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 98 % | |
| 95 % | |
| 94 % | |
| 93 % | |
| 91 % | |
| 89 % | |
| 82 % | |
| 81 % | |
| 80 % | |
| 78 % |
The difference between best and worst was 22%.
All eleven tires were separated by just 2.2 dB during the noise testing.
Noise
External noise in dB
relative index, 100 = best in test ↑| Position / Tire | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 % | |
| 100 % | |
| 100 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 99 % | |
| 98 % | |
| 97 % | |
| 97 % |
All the tires in the Noise test finished less than 3% apart.
The Giti was the cheapest tire on test by a significant margin, at almost half the price of the test winning Continental.
Results
Continental WinterContact TS 860
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 110.00
Goodyear UltraGrip 9
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 108.00
Nokian WR D4
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 95.00
Hankook Winter i cept RS2
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 91.00
Pirelli Cinturato Winter
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 106.00
Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 EVO
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 97.00
Vredestein Snowtrac 5
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 100.00
Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 73.00
Giti GitiWinterW1
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 66.00
Toyo Snowprox S953
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 79.00
Kumho Winter Craft WP51
205/55 R16
All discipline results (7)
| Test | % |
|---|---|
| Dry | — |
| Wet | — |
| Snow | — |
| Comfort | — |
| Rolling Resistance | — |
| Noise | — |
| Overall | — |
- Price
- 72.00
You rated Bridgestone 6th place as "recommended" and tagged "highly recommended" Nokian with 6.2 on wet (when in winter most of the time we drive on wet) Why is this?
Also the overall points for Bridgestone are 8.6, which is 2-nd place...
AMS scored the test, we just covered the test. I would guess it was marked down for the snow performance, which the Germans put a higher weighting on.
There are other weird choices..
Why the Toyo S953, while the S954 has been available since 2016..
Strange choices are often down to availability in the size at time of testing, but you're right, this is very odd!
Where is Michelin?
At a guess this would have been tested just before the alpin 6 became available so they slipped this test
It would be interesting to see it against the new gen of winter tires
Agreed, it'll be next season now sadly.