The weekly UK publication Auto Express has just published their 2018 winter tire test! This year Auto Express have tested eight winter tire patterns in 205/55 R16 using a VW Golf.
As Auto Express have previously asked us to keep our coverage of their tests to a minimum, below is a summary of what went on. As always, head over to the Auto Express website for the full glorious details of this excellent winter test!
The standout point from the test has to be the Michelin CrossClimate+ being one of the best tires during the snow testing. The "summer bias" all season Michelin generally proves to be very strong in the dry, but slightly behind winter and regular all season tires in the snow. The fact it was third overall in snow testing and was the best on test during snow braking is a real surprise.
Everything else in the test was as you'd expect. Continental win, Hankook continue to post strong results taking second place of the winter tires, and the Goodyear UltraGrip range continues to be impressive in 2018 with a third place for the UltraGrip Performance Gen-1.
Results
The reference summer tire was the excellent Continental Premium Contact 5
Continental WinterContact TS 860
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 198 |
| Wet | 479 |
| Snow | 388 |
| Rolling Resistance | 92.3 |
| Noise | 100 |
Total: 1257.3
Michelin CrossClimate+
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 210.4 |
| Wet | 444.7 |
| Snow | 390 |
| Rolling Resistance | 91.2 |
| Noise | 99.7 |
Total: 1236
Hankook Winter i cept RS2
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 195.6 |
| Wet | 480 |
| Snow | 400 |
| Rolling Resistance | 83 |
| Noise | 97.7 |
Total: 1256.3
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Gen 1
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 193.4 |
| Wet | 482 |
| Snow | 377 |
| Rolling Resistance | 89.6 |
| Noise | 98.4 |
Total: 1240.4
Pirelli Cinturato Winter
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 191.9 |
| Wet | 474 |
| Snow | 385.4 |
| Rolling Resistance | 81.9 |
| Noise | 97.4 |
Total: 1230.6
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 193.2 |
| Wet | 471.7 |
| Snow | 379.5 |
| Rolling Resistance | 91.3 |
| Noise | 98 |
Total: 1233.7
Nokian WR D4
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 194.9 |
| Wet | 460.6 |
| Snow | 391 |
| Rolling Resistance | 100 |
| Noise | 97.1 |
Total: 1243.6
Falken Eurowinter HS01
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 193.8 |
| Wet | 464 |
| Snow | 382 |
| Rolling Resistance | 76.8 |
| Noise | 96.1 |
Total: 1212.7
Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 EVO
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 199.7 |
| Wet | 444.7 |
| Snow | 361.4 |
| Rolling Resistance | 98.4 |
| Noise | 97.4 |
Total: 1201.6
Reference Summer
205/55 R16
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 217.6 |
| Wet | 482.1 |
| Snow | 213.3 |
| Rolling Resistance | 105.4 |
| Noise | 101.9 |
Total: 1120.3
I hoped to see some more winter tire tests from UK-magazines, is there anyone (Like EVO) out there?
Only Auto Express do a winter test in the UK, for other tests you'll need to visit German magazines, or check them out on this very site :)
Already did it ;)
UK-magazines reviews summer tires later than german magazines so I could be that new launched tires are to find in these review. So I hoped a UK-magazine could have a review with the new Michelin einter tires.
Sadly the Auto Express winter test is still performed in q1 or q2 of the year, just published later than the european tests!
German magazines also test winter tires in January/February of the year and start to publish it in September
Someone is trying to sell the CCs!
Michelin?
Michelin could have a bad saison, two new tires (Alpin 6 and Pilot Alpin 5) but no review out there. I´m not sure whether they can beat Conti, Dunlop, Goodyear and Pirelli (successor for Sottozero 3 should be released next year). Michelin and Bridgestone are the brands which I wouldn´t buy without reviews beacuse both have weak points. Bridgestone in general, Michelin likes to sacrifice best performance for longevity
The CC+ beats the TS860 in snow? Strange results
Agreed, I guess it just show's the fickle tire testing can sometimes be!