Test Charts / AutoCentrum

2019 Auto Center Winter Tire Test

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: 205/55 R16
Tires tested: 10
Disciplines: 12

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian WR Snowproof	90 ft	Best
2Michelin Alpin 6	96 ft	+6 ft
3Toyo Snowprox S954	97 ft	+7 ft
4Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	97 ft	+7 ft
5Gislaved Euro Frost 6	99 ft	+9 ft
6Fulda Kristall Control HP2	100 ft	+10 ft
7Continental WinterContact TS 860	100 ft	+10 ft
8Barum Polaris 5	100 ft	+10 ft
9Debica Frigo HP2	102 ft	+12 ft
10Uniroyal MS Plus 77	104 ft	+14 ft

The difference between best and worst was 15.2% (14 ft ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths).

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 860	10 Points	Best
1Gislaved Euro Frost 6	10 Points	Best
3Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	9 Points	-1.00 Points
4Toyo Snowprox S954	8 Points	-2.00 Points
4Nokian WR Snowproof	8 Points	-2.00 Points
6Michelin Alpin 6	7 Points	-3.00 Points
7Debica Frigo HP2	6 Points	-4.00 Points
8Fulda Kristall Control HP2	5 Points	-5.00 Points
8Barum Polaris 5	5 Points	-5.00 Points
10Uniroyal MS Plus 77	4 Points	-6.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 60% (6 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Alpin 6	109 ft	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 860	111 ft	+2 ft
3Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	111 ft	+2 ft
4Toyo Snowprox S954	114 ft	+5 ft
5Barum Polaris 5	116 ft	+7 ft
6Nokian WR Snowproof	116 ft	+7 ft
7Fulda Kristall Control HP2	119 ft	+10 ft
8Uniroyal MS Plus 77	119 ft	+10 ft
9Debica Frigo HP2	120 ft	+11 ft
10Gislaved Euro Frost 6	125 ft	+16 ft

The difference between best and worst was 14.5% (16 ft ≈ 1.1 Car Lengths).

Subj. Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	10 Points	Best
2Barum Polaris 5	9 Points	-1.00 Points
3Continental WinterContact TS 860	8 Points	-2.00 Points
3Michelin Alpin 6	8 Points	-2.00 Points
3Nokian WR Snowproof	8 Points	-2.00 Points
6Toyo Snowprox S954	7 Points	-3.00 Points
7Uniroyal MS Plus 77	6 Points	-4.00 Points
7Fulda Kristall Control HP2	6 Points	-4.00 Points
7Gislaved Euro Frost 6	6 Points	-4.00 Points
10Debica Frigo HP2	5 Points	-5.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 50% (5 Points).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 860	53.4 mph	Best
2Uniroyal MS Plus 77	51.9 mph	-1.5 mph
3Fulda Kristall Control HP2	51.3 mph	-2.1 mph
4Michelin Alpin 6	50.6 mph	-2.8 mph
5Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	50.2 mph	-3.2 mph
6Toyo Snowprox S954	50.1 mph	-3.3 mph
6Debica Frigo HP2	50.1 mph	-3.3 mph
8Barum Polaris 5	50.1 mph	-3.3 mph
9Nokian WR Snowproof	49.5 mph	-3.9 mph
10Gislaved Euro Frost 6	47.5 mph	-5.9 mph

The difference between best and worst was 11.2% (5.9 mph).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 860	49 ft	Best
2Nokian WR Snowproof	50 ft	+1 ft
3Fulda Kristall Control HP2	50 ft	+1 ft
3Debica Frigo HP2	50 ft	+1 ft
5Uniroyal MS Plus 77	50 ft	+1 ft
6Gislaved Euro Frost 6	50 ft	+1 ft
7Barum Polaris 5	51 ft	+2 ft
8Michelin Alpin 6	51 ft	+2 ft
9Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	52 ft	+3 ft
10Toyo Snowprox S954	58 ft	+9 ft

The difference between best and worst was 16.4% (9 ft ≈ 0.5 Car Lengths).

Snow Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Toyo Snowprox S954	1 lbf	Best
2Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	1 lbf	0 lbf
3Uniroyal MS Plus 77	1 lbf	0 lbf
4Debica Frigo HP2	1 lbf	0 lbf
5Fulda Kristall Control HP2	1 lbf	0 lbf
6Barum Polaris 5	1 lbf	0 lbf
7Nokian WR Snowproof	1 lbf	0 lbf
8Continental WinterContact TS 860	1 lbf	0 lbf
9Gislaved Euro Frost 6	1 lbf	0 lbf
10Michelin Alpin 6	1 lbf	0 lbf

The difference between best and worst was 17.2% (0 lbf).

Subj. Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian WR Snowproof	10 Points	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 860	9 Points	-1.00 Points
3Uniroyal MS Plus 77	8 Points	-2.00 Points
3Gislaved Euro Frost 6	8 Points	-2.00 Points
5Debica Frigo HP2	7 Points	-3.00 Points
5Michelin Alpin 6	7 Points	-3.00 Points
7Fulda Kristall Control HP2	6 Points	-4.00 Points
7Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	6 Points	-4.00 Points
9Barum Polaris 5	5 Points	-5.00 Points
10Toyo Snowprox S954	4 Points	-6.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 60% (6 Points).

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian WR Snowproof	38 ft	Best
2Gislaved Euro Frost 6	39 ft	+1 ft
3Debica Frigo HP2	39 ft	+1 ft
4Fulda Kristall Control HP2	39 ft	+1 ft
5Michelin Alpin 6	39 ft	+1 ft
6Continental WinterContact TS 860	40 ft	+2 ft
7Barum Polaris 5	41 ft	+3 ft
8Toyo Snowprox S954	42 ft	+4 ft
9Uniroyal MS Plus 77	44 ft	+6 ft
10Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	45 ft	+7 ft

The difference between best and worst was 19.5% (7 ft ≈ 0.5 Car Lengths).

Ice Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian WR Snowproof	5.14 s	Best
2Gislaved Euro Frost 6	5.39 s	+0.25 s
3Fulda Kristall Control HP2	5.43 s	+0.29 s
4Debica Frigo HP2	5.55 s	+0.41 s
5Michelin Alpin 6	5.63 s	+0.49 s
6Toyo Snowprox S954	5.67 s	+0.53 s
7Barum Polaris 5	5.77 s	+0.63 s
8Continental WinterContact TS 860	6 s	+0.86 s
9Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	6.17 s	+1.03 s
10Uniroyal MS Plus 77	6.4 s	+1.26 s

The difference between best and worst was 24.5% (1.26 s).

Comfort

Subj. Comfort
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Alpin 6	10 Points	Best
2Debica Frigo HP2	9 Points	-1.00 Points
2Nokian WR Snowproof	9 Points	-1.00 Points
4Continental WinterContact TS 860	8 Points	-2.00 Points
4Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	8 Points	-2.00 Points
4Barum Polaris 5	8 Points	-2.00 Points
7Toyo Snowprox S954	7 Points	-3.00 Points
8Gislaved Euro Frost 6	6 Points	-4.00 Points
9Uniroyal MS Plus 77	5 Points	-5.00 Points
9Fulda Kristall Control HP2	5 Points	-5.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 50% (5 Points).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Barum Polaris 5	8.15 kg/t	Best	$0
2Nokian WR Snowproof	8.54 kg/t	+0.39 kg/t	$14
3Continental WinterContact TS 860	8.62 kg/t	+0.47 kg/t	$17
4Debica Frigo HP2	8.64 kg/t	+0.49 kg/t	$18
5Fulda Kristall Control HP2	8.67 kg/t	+0.52 kg/t	$19
6Uniroyal MS Plus 77	9.01 kg/t	+0.86 kg/t	$31
7Toyo Snowprox S954	9.06 kg/t	+0.91 kg/t	$33
8Gislaved Euro Frost 6	9.08 kg/t	+0.93 kg/t	$34
9Michelin Alpin 6	9.18 kg/t	+1.03 kg/t	$37
10Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905	9.43 kg/t	+1.28 kg/t	$46

The difference between best and worst was 15.7% (1.28 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905 uses about 13 gal ($46) more fuel than the Barum Polaris 5.

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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