Test Charts / Vi Bilagare

2019 Studded 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: 225/50 R17
Tires tested: 8
Disciplines: 11

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
1Continental VikingContact 7	141 ft	Best
2Continental IceContact 3	147 ft	+6 ft
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	152 ft	+11 ft
4Michelin X Ice North 4	153 ft	+12 ft
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	155 ft	+14 ft
6Hankook Winter i pike RS2	157 ft	+16 ft
7Bridgestone Noranza 001	157 ft	+16 ft
8Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	158 ft	+17 ft

The difference between best and worst was 12.1% (17 ft ≈ 1.2 Car Lengths).

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin X Ice North 4	5 Points	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	4 Points	-1.00 Points
2Bridgestone Noranza 001	4 Points	-1.00 Points
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	3 Points	-2.00 Points
4Hankook Winter i pike RS2	3 Points	-2.00 Points
6Continental VikingContact 7	2 Points	-3.00 Points
6Continental IceContact 3	2 Points	-3.00 Points
6Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	2 Points	-3.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 60% (3 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental IceContact 3	94 ft	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	98 ft	+4 ft
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	98 ft	+4 ft
4Bridgestone Noranza 001	101 ft	+7 ft
5Continental VikingContact 7	102 ft	+8 ft
5Michelin X Ice North 4	102 ft	+8 ft
7Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	103 ft	+9 ft
8Hankook Winter i pike RS2	103 ft	+9 ft

The difference between best and worst was 9% (9 ft ≈ 0.6 Car Lengths).

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	43.18 s	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	43.59 s	+0.41 s
3Bridgestone Noranza 001	43.64 s	+0.46 s
4Hankook Winter i pike RS2	43.71 s	+0.53 s
5Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	44 s	+0.82 s
6Continental IceContact 3	44.12 s	+0.94 s
7Michelin X Ice North 4	44.37 s	+1.19 s
8Continental VikingContact 7	45.65 s	+2.47 s

The difference between best and worst was 5.7% (2.47 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Hankook Winter i pike RS2	38.6 mph	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	37.8 mph	-0.8 mph
3Continental IceContact 3	37.5 mph	-1.1 mph
4Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	36.4 mph	-2.2 mph
5Bridgestone Noranza 001	36.2 mph	-2.4 mph
6Michelin X Ice North 4	36.1 mph	-2.5 mph
7Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	35.7 mph	-2.9 mph
8Continental VikingContact 7	35.4 mph	-3.2 mph

The difference between best and worst was 8.4% (3.2 mph).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	55 ft	Best
2Continental IceContact 3	55 ft	0 ft
3Michelin X Ice North 4	59 ft	+4 ft
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	59 ft	+4 ft
4Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	59 ft	+4 ft
6Hankook Winter i pike RS2	59 ft	+4 ft
7Bridgestone Noranza 001	60 ft	+5 ft
8Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	63 ft	+8 ft

The difference between best and worst was 15% (8 ft ≈ 0.6 Car Lengths).

Snow Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	4.05 s	Best
2Continental IceContact 3	4.06 s	+0.01 s
3Michelin X Ice North 4	4.17 s	+0.12 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	4.2 s	+0.15 s
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	4.23 s	+0.18 s
6Hankook Winter i pike RS2	4.27 s	+0.22 s
7Bridgestone Noranza 001	4.4 s	+0.35 s
8Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	4.57 s	+0.52 s

The difference between best and worst was 12.8% (0.52 s).

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental IceContact 3	83.75 s	Best
2Continental VikingContact 7	85.59 s	+1.84 s
3Michelin X Ice North 4	86.49 s	+2.74 s
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	87.54 s	+3.79 s
5Hankook Winter i pike RS2	87.93 s	+4.18 s
6Bridgestone Noranza 001	88.07 s	+4.32 s
7Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	89.15 s	+5.40 s
8Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	93.63 s	+9.88 s

The difference between best and worst was 11.8% (9.88 s).

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental IceContact 3	28 ft	Best
2Michelin X Ice North 4	31 ft	+3 ft
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	32 ft	+4 ft
4Continental VikingContact 7	35 ft	+7 ft
5Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	36 ft	+8 ft
6Bridgestone Noranza 001	36 ft	+8 ft
7Hankook Winter i pike RS2	36 ft	+8 ft
8Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	46 ft	+18 ft

The difference between best and worst was 61.1% (18 ft ≈ 1.2 Car Lengths).

Ice Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental IceContact 3	4.14 s	Best
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	4.27 s	+0.13 s
3Michelin X Ice North 4	4.51 s	+0.37 s
4Bridgestone Noranza 001	4.88 s	+0.74 s
5Hankook Winter i pike RS2	4.94 s	+0.80 s
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	5.03 s	+0.89 s
7Continental VikingContact 7	5.16 s	+1.02 s
8Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	6.58 s	+2.44 s

The difference between best and worst was 58.9% (2.44 s).

Ice Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	51.35 s	Best
2Continental IceContact 3	52.64 s	+1.29 s
3Michelin X Ice North 4	52.89 s	+1.54 s
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9	53.92 s	+2.57 s
5Hankook Winter i pike RS2	55.52 s	+4.17 s
6Bridgestone Noranza 001	55.94 s	+4.59 s
7Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	56.63 s	+5.28 s
8Sailun Ice Blazer WST3	60.11 s	+8.76 s