2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test

As always, an (unnamed) summer and all season tire have been included as reference, and to make a change from the past few years, it isn’t the remarkable Continental WinterContact TS860 taking the top spot overall…

Dry

During the dry braking test the summer tire dominated, with the all season tire bridging the gap between the best winter tire and the summer tire (which leads us to guess the all season tire was either the Michelin CrossClimate or Continental AllSeasonContact.) Yokohama had a small dry braking advantage, but the rest of the pack was extremely close, covered by just a few meters.

Dry handling resulted with the summer tire with a similar advantage, but this time the Hankook was the leading winter tire.

Wet

Wet performance is a key factor for UK winters, so these are the most important results in the test. Both Bridgestone and Continental were the standouts of wet braking, with Dunlop, Fulda and Hankook extremely close.

Continental and Hankook were the two brands that managed to score consistently in the wet grip tests.

Continental once again proved its wet consistency with a third wet podium in the straight aquaplaning testing.

Snow

It will come as no surprise the summer tire struggled in the snow testing, with dangerous / unusable levels of performance. During snow braking Goodyear lead, but the results were close overall.

Snow handling once again had the Goodyear leading, with both the Pirelli and Nokian also consistent across the two tests.

Environment

Nokian and Goodyear continued the strong results in the rolling resistance tests, with the Nokian having a huge advantage in fuel use.

The noise testing highlighted the fact many winter tires are now quieter than their summer counterparts.

Value

As we’ve seen with other Michelin patterns, the Alpin 5 had a clear lead in wear testing, which made them the best value tire on test. Hankook also proved to be a very low wear tire, which when combined with the lower purchase price, proved to be as equally good value as the Michelin.

Results

The overall results are below, and be sure to check out autobild.de, or the September 20^th issue of the Auto Bild magazine for the full results.

1^st

Dunlop Winter Sport 5

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

The best tire on test, with no drawbacks. Stable handling in all conditions, precise steering behavior and good feedback.

None mentioned.

Total: 49

Dry 6

Wet 7

Snow 7

Comfort 7

Rolling Resistance 7

Noise 7

Wear 8

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2^nd

Continental WinterContact TS 860

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Excellent all rounder with excellent winter performance. High steering precision and dynamic handling on snow and in the wet, good comfort, low rolling resistance.

None mentioned.

Total: 50

Dry 6

Wet 8

Snow 7

Comfort 9

Rolling Resistance 7

Noise 7

Wear 6

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3^rd

Kleber Krisalp HP3

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Inexpensive winter tire with excellent snow performance. Short braking distances in all conditions, low noise, good price to performance ratio.

None mentioned.

Total: 46

Dry 6

Wet 6

Snow 9

Comfort 5

Rolling Resistance 7

Noise 8

Wear 5

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4^th

Fulda Kristall Control HP2

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Winter specialist with a balanced performance in the dry and wet. High aquaplaning safety, quiet, low fuel use.

None mentioned.

Total: 43

Dry 5

Wet 7

Snow 7

Comfort 5

Rolling Resistance 7

Noise 7

Wear 5

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5^th

Hankook Winter i cept RS2

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Premium tires with excellent handling qualities in all weather conditions. Low wear, good price / performance ratio.

Slightly high rolling resistance.

Total: 45

Dry 6

Wet 7

Snow 8

Comfort 6

Rolling Resistance 4

Noise 5

Wear 9

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6^th

Goodyear UltraGrip 9

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Good steering precision on snow covered and wet roads, safe aquaplaning properties, high mileage, low rolling resistance.

Extended dry braking distances.

Total: 48

Dry 5

Wet 7

Snow 9

Comfort 6

Rolling Resistance 8

Noise 6

Wear 7

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7^th

Debica Frigo HP2

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Good value winter tires with balance driving on snow and dry roads. Short braking distances in all weather conditions.

Average handling in the wet.

Total: 39

Dry 6

Wet 5

Snow 6

Comfort 5

Rolling Resistance 6

Noise 6

Wear 5

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8^th

Falken Eurowinter HS01

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Balanced winter tires with a good ability on on snow and dry roads. Best aquaplaning performance.

Average wet cornering.

Total: 40

Dry 6

Wet 6

Snow 5

Comfort 7

Rolling Resistance 4

Noise 7

Wear 5

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9^th

Nokian WR D4

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Best tire for snow covered roads, good price / performance ratio with low rolling resistance.

Average wet performance.

Total: 46

Dry 5

Wet 4

Snow 9

Comfort 5

Rolling Resistance 10

Noise 7

Wear 6

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10^th

Uniroyal MS+ 77

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Excellent in the wet, good aquaplaning resistance, comfortable, well priced.

Long dry braking and poor dry handling.

Total: 40

Dry 4

Wet 7

Snow 7

Comfort 7

Rolling Resistance 5

Noise 5

Wear 5

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11^th

Michelin Alpin 5

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Even as one of the most expensive tires on test it finished as the best value tire due to extremely low wear. Good in the wet and dry.

Average snow performance, high rolling resistance.

Total: 37

Dry 6

Wet 6

Snow 4

Comfort 2

Rolling Resistance 4

Noise 5

Wear 10

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12^th

Semperit Master Grip 2

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Good in the snow and wet, low noise.

Long dry braking, average dry handling.

Total: 43

Dry 4

Wet 6

Snow 7

Comfort 6

Rolling Resistance 6

Noise 8

Wear 6

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13^th

Pirelli Cinturato Winter

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Dynamic sporty handling in the snow and wet, good steering precision.

Poor wear, low value, average dry grip.

Total: 42

Dry 5

Wet 7

Snow 8

Comfort 7

Rolling Resistance 5

Noise 8

Wear 2

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14^th

Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 EVO

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Wet specialist with short braking distances and good aquaplaning properties, good value.

Poor snow performance.

Total: 45

Dry 5

Wet 7

Snow 4

Comfort 9

Rolling Resistance 7

Noise 8

Wear 5

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15^th

Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Dry specialist with short braking distances and good handling in the dry. Good comfort.

Average snow performance.

Total: 43

Dry 7

Wet 6

Snow 4

Comfort 8

Rolling Resistance 6

Noise 7

Wear 5

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16^th

Barum Polaris 3

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Good snow performance, short wet braking distances, low price.

Understeer in the wet, long dry braking, poor wear.

Total: 36

Dry 5

Wet 4

Snow 7

Comfort 4

Rolling Resistance 7

Noise 5

Wear 4

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17^th

Vredestein Snowtrac 5

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Balance performance in the snow and dry, low rolling resistance.

Low grip in the wet, poor wear.

Total: 35

Dry 6

Wet 4

Snow 6

Comfort 5

Rolling Resistance 6

Noise 5

Wear 3

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18^th

Matador MP 92 Sibir Snow

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Good snow handling, good comfort, low priced.

Poor wet performance, long dry braking, high wear.

Total: 37

Dry 5

Wet 4

Snow 5

Comfort 7

Rolling Resistance 6

Noise 7

Wear 3

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19^th

Firestone Winterhawk 3

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Low price, ok in snow.

Low grip and slow steering in the wet, long wet and dry braking, low comfort.

Total: 36

Dry 5

Wet 4

Snow 5

Comfort 4

Rolling Resistance 6

Noise 6

Wear 6

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20^th

Gislaved Euro Frost 6

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

Balanced snow performance.

Poor wet grip, slow wet steering, low aquaplaning resistance, long dry braking distances.

Total: 37

Dry 5

Wet 4

Snow 6

Comfort 6

Rolling Resistance 6

Noise 6

Wear 4

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21^st

Reference All Season

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

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22^nd

Reference Summer

195/65 R15

• 3PMSF: no

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