ADAC tire tests are some of the most influential in the world, and for the 2020 winter season ADAC have chosen to test fifteen 205/55 R16 of the best winter tires for cars, and thirteen 235/55 R17 winter tires for SUV / 4x4.
All testing was conducted using a MK7 VW Golf, with the top five tires on test taking the "highly recommended" award from the German testing body.
The unique aspect of this 16" test was that they included a retreaded winter tire by the German company King Meiler. This retreaded tire performed well in wear testing, but had low grip in the dry, and particularly the wet. It ended up being one of three bottom tires to be categorised as "not recommended."
For this test, ADAC hasn't provided any data, just a scoring per category and a few comments about the tires performance.
Results
The overall results were weighted 15% dry, 30% wet, 20% snow, 10% ice, 5% noise, 10% fuel consumption and 10% rolling resistance.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 7.8 |
| Wet | 9.4 |
| Snow | 7.8 |
| Ice | 7.2 |
| Comfort | 6.2 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 8 |
Total: 61.4
Michelin Alpin 6
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 7 |
| Wet | 8 |
| Snow | 7.8 |
| Ice | 7.6 |
| Comfort | 6.8 |
| Rolling Resistance | 7.8 |
| Wear | 9 |
| Overall | 7.8 |
Total: 61.8
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 7 |
| Wet | 7.4 |
| Snow | 8 |
| Ice | 7.4 |
| Comfort | 6 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8.4 |
| Wear | 9 |
| Overall | 7.6 |
Total: 60.8
Hankook Winter i cept RS2
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 7 |
| Wet | 8 |
| Snow | 7.8 |
| Ice | 7.2 |
| Comfort | 5.6 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8.2 |
| Wear | 8 |
| Overall | 7.6 |
Total: 59.4
Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 8 |
| Wet | 7.4 |
| Snow | 7 |
| Ice | 7.4 |
| Comfort | 7 |
| Rolling Resistance | 7.6 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 7.2 |
Total: 58.6
Falken Eurowinter HS01
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 6.2 |
| Wet | 7.4 |
| Snow | 6.6 |
| Ice | 7.2 |
| Comfort | 6 |
| Rolling Resistance | 7.2 |
| Wear | 8 |
| Overall | 6.2 |
Total: 54.8
Continental WinterContact TS 860
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 6 |
| Wet | 8.4 |
| Snow | 8 |
| Ice | 7.6 |
| Comfort | 7 |
| Rolling Resistance | 7.6 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 6 |
Total: 57.6
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 6 |
| Wet | 8 |
| Snow | 8.4 |
| Ice | 7 |
| Comfort | 6.4 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8.2 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 6 |
Total: 57
Sava Eskimo HP2
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 5.8 |
| Wet | 5.8 |
| Snow | 7 |
| Ice | 7.4 |
| Comfort | 6 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8.2 |
| Wear | 8 |
| Overall | 5.8 |
Total: 54
Toyo Observe S 944
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 5.6 |
| Wet | 7 |
| Snow | 7.4 |
| Ice | 7.8 |
| Comfort | 7 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8.2 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 5.6 |
Total: 55.6
Pirelli Cinturato Winter
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 5.4 |
| Wet | 7.6 |
| Snow | 8.4 |
| Ice | 7.6 |
| Comfort | 7 |
| Rolling Resistance | 7.6 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 5.4 |
Total: 56
Giti GitiWinterW1
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 5.2 |
| Wet | 5.4 |
| Snow | 8 |
| Ice | 7.4 |
| Comfort | 6 |
| Rolling Resistance | 7.8 |
| Wear | 8 |
| Overall | 5.2 |
Total: 53
Semperit Speed Grip 3
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 4.6 |
| Wet | 7.8 |
| Snow | 8.2 |
| Ice | 7.2 |
| Comfort | 7 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 4.6 |
Total: 54.4
King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 4.6 |
| Wet | 1.2 |
| Snow | 6.2 |
| Ice | 7 |
| Comfort | 5.2 |
| Rolling Resistance | 7.8 |
| Wear | 10 |
| Overall | 1.2 |
Total: 43.2
Tristar Snowpower HP
205/55 R16
All discipline results (8)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 7.6 |
| Wet | 1 |
| Snow | 3.4 |
| Ice | 7 |
| Comfort | 6.2 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8 |
| Wear | 7 |
| Overall | 1 |
Total: 41.2
Explain this: how is it possible last year with the same rivals, contis to be dominating and this year only in 7th place? Also, how can ADAC not include the inventors of snow tires, Nokians? Where are Vredesteins and Gislaveds?
It is a strange slip down, as other than the Bridgestone, there's no real new patterns. One reason is that the test conditions this year didn't suit the conti as well, or other tires have had mid life updates to improve them.
It was also strange for me and I checked the site of ADAC. The methodology is a bit strange. If one of the parameter is significant weaker then the other, the score of the tire get that significant weaker parameter. For Conti-s they are the best or worst second for wet, ice and snow, but get weaker dry score, so the position is according dry. For winter tire not sure that it really need to score tire by that parameter. I was with Nokian WR D4 before (3 winters and last winter I replaced them with Conti 860, all 205/55 R16) and it was a bit strange for me, but the dry grip was nothing amazing, but wet grip was significant better then the Nokian, snow was a little better for Nokians, also with Nokians was fuel consumption and internal noise much lower. The bigger difference for me is the wet, where Nokians was really much weaker - the tires spin really easy and in the winter is very common to rain or just to be wet.