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A newer edition of this test is out: 2022 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test

Test source Auto Zeitung

2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test

Overall test winnerBridgestone Blizzak LM005

The 2020 Auto Zeitung has tested fourteen winter tires in 205/55 R16, including new winter tires from Bridgestone, Goodyear and Maxxis, as well as a low cost retreaded tire.

Data analyzed and reviewed byJonathan Benson
7 min read Updated
Tire shortlist Read the test
Tires tested
14
Tested size
205/55 R16
Disciplines
10

At a glance

Tire shortlist

14 Tires tested

Published finishing positions, with the strengths and considerations from this test. Owner reviews cover other sizes and driving conditions.

1st

Bridgestone Blizzak LM005

+The Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 has the shortest wet braking, the second-shortest dry braking and the second-best straight aquaplaning resistance.

−It is joint second most expensive.

119 owner reviews Test Results
2nd

Continental WinterContact TS 860

+The Continental WinterContact TS 860 has the second-shortest wet braking, the top wet handling rating and the third-shortest snow braking.

−It is joint second most expensive.

50 owner reviews Test Results
3rd

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+

+The Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ has the best snow traction, the third-best straight aquaplaning resistance and shares the top comfort rating.

6 owner reviews Test Results
4th

Hankook Winter i cept RS2

+The Hankook Winter i cept RS2 has the shortest dry braking, the best straight aquaplaning resistance and the third-best snow traction.

52 owner reviews Test Results
5th

Michelin Alpin 6

+The Michelin Alpin 6 has the third-shortest wet braking, the third-highest wet handling rating and shares the top comfort rating.

−It is the most expensive tire.

35 owner reviews Test Results
6th

Dunlop Winter Sport 5

+The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 has the joint-shortest snow braking and the second-lowest rolling resistance.

−It has the third-longest dry braking.

47 owner reviews Test Results
7th

Pirelli Cinturato Winter

+The Pirelli Cinturato Winter has the fourth-best straight aquaplaning resistance and the fourth-best snow traction.

−It has the joint second-lowest dry handling rating and the joint third-lowest comfort rating.

7 owner reviews Test Results
Joint8th

Falken Eurowinter HS01

+The Falken Eurowinter HS01 has the joint third-highest dry handling rating.

−It is joint third last for snow braking and third last for snow traction.

24 owner reviews Test Results
Joint8th

Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6

+The Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 has the fourth-highest wet handling rating.

−It is joint third last for snow braking and the snow handling rating, and has the highest rolling resistance.

8 owner reviews Test Results
10th

Fulda Kristall Control HP2

+The Fulda Kristall Control HP2 has the joint-shortest snow braking and the lowest rolling resistance.

−It has the joint-longest dry braking, the joint second-lowest dry handling rating and the joint-lowest wet handling rating.

12 owner reviews Test Results
11th

Nexen Winguard Snow G3

+The Nexen Winguard Snow G3 has the third-shortest dry braking and is the third-cheapest tire.

−It has the third-longest wet braking, the joint third-longest snow braking and the third-worst straight aquaplaning resistance.

7 owner reviews Test Results
12th

Toyo Snowprox S954

+The Toyo Snowprox S954 has the top dry handling rating.

−It has the second-longest wet braking, the longest snow braking, the second-worst snow traction and the joint-lowest snow handling rating.

5 owner reviews Test Results
13th

Goodride SW608

+The Goodride SW608 is the second-cheapest tire.

−It has the lowest dry handling rating, the second-worst straight aquaplaning resistance and the worst snow traction.

9 owner reviews Test Results
14th

King Meiler Winter Tact WT81

+The King Meiler Winter Tact WT81 is the cheapest tire.

−It has the joint-longest dry braking, the longest wet braking, the worst straight aquaplaning resistance and the joint-lowest wet handling rating.

Read owner reviews Test Results

Tire shortlist

Compare selected tires

2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test · 205/55 R16

TireBridgestone Blizzak LM005Continental WinterContact TS 860Goodyear UltraGrip 9+Hankook Winter i cept RS2Michelin Alpin 6Dunlop Winter Sport 5Pirelli Cinturato WinterFalken Eurowinter HS01Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6Fulda Kristall Control HP2Nexen Winguard Snow G3Toyo Snowprox S954Goodride SW608King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7thJoint 8thJoint 8th10th11th12th13th14th
Category scores (% of best)
Dry97%88.3%92.1%96.6%88.5%89.8%85.5%94.1%89.9%82.7%89.9%96.5%84.6%84.4%
Wet97.8%94.9%85.6%86.5%90.6%84.3%82.2%79.8%86.8%74.4%74.6%71.7%74.9%65%
Snow99.2%97.4%98.1%93.9%94.5%96.1%96%88.5%87.3%92%88.5%83.3%85.7%84.1%
Comfort90%90%100%90%100%90%50%60%70%60%80%40%50%10%
Rolling Resistance96%95.2%97.6%88.4%95.1%98.7%90.8%87.5%85.6%100%91.5%85.7%92.2%87.4%
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Test Results

Explore the complete results →

The full test

The evidence behind the verdict

Test setup & methodology

The test setting, the conditions recorded and how the results contribute to the score.

Recorded test conditions

Recorded test conditions

Dry Braking
62.1 → 0.0 mph
Wet Braking
62.1 → 0.0 mph
Snow Braking
31.1 → 0.0 mph
The 2020 Auto Zeitung has tested fourteen winter tires in 205/55 R16, including new winter tires from Bridgestone, Goodyear and Maxxis, as well as a low cost retreaded tire.

While all the tires were tested in the dry, wet and snow, sadly Auto Zeitung didn't include any handling data, instead just providing subjective feel scoring. They do a really good job of talking about how the tires performed in their full article, so we encourage you to head over to AutoZeitung.com and check out the full test where you can also see data such as slalom speeds which we've not included.

Overall, the results confirm the trend we're seeing in 2020, with the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 taking a dominating win, largely thanks to it's incredible wet performance which saw it stopping 11 feet ahead of the second best tire in wet braking!

The should-have-been-replaced-by-now Continental WinterContact TS860 finished a solid second, with the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ taking third, matching the excellent performances of the larger Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+.

Dry

Dry braking was won by Hankook, showing an impressive advantage over the next best Bridgestone.

Dry Braking

Dry braking in feet (62 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 150 ft Best 0 mph
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 153 ft +3 ft 10 mph
3Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 153 ft +3 ft 11 mph
4Falken Eurowinter HS01
 155 ft +5 ft 14 mph
5Michelin Alpin 6
 156 ft +6 ft 15 mph
6Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 156 ft +6 ft 16 mph
7Goodride SW608
 157 ft +7 ft 16 mph
7Toyo Snowprox S954
 157 ft +7 ft 16 mph
9Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 158 ft +8 ft 18 mph
10Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 159 ft +9 ft 19 mph
11Continental WinterContact TS 860
 160 ft +10 ft 20 mph
12Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 160 ft +10 ft 20 mph
13Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 164 ft +14 ft 23 mph
13King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 164 ft +14 ft 23 mph

The difference between best and worst was 9.4% (14 ft ≈ 1 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the King Meiler Winter Tact WT81 would still be travelling at 23 mph when the Hankook Winter i cept RS2 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Subjectively, the testers liked the feel of the Toyo, which was also the fastest tire through the dry slalom.

Subj. Dry Handling

Subjective Dry Handling Score

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Toyo Snowprox S954
 10 Points Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 9 Points -1.00 Points
3Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 8 Points -2.00 Points
3Falken Eurowinter HS01
 8 Points -2.00 Points
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 8 Points -2.00 Points
6Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 7 Points -3.00 Points
7Continental WinterContact TS 860
 6 Points -4.00 Points
7Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 6 Points -4.00 Points
9Michelin Alpin 6
 5 Points -5.00 Points
9King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 5 Points -5.00 Points
9Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 5 Points -5.00 Points
12Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 4 Points -6.00 Points
12Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 4 Points -6.00 Points
14Goodride SW608
 3 Points -7.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 70% (7 Points).

Wet

The Bridgestone had a huge advantage during wet braking, stopping the test Golf 11 feet ahead of the second best Continental. While the Toyo struggled, it was still nearly 23 feet ahead of the retreaded winter tire.

Wet Braking

Wet braking in feet (62 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 167 ft Best 0 mph
2Continental WinterContact TS 860
 178 ft +11 ft 20 mph
3Michelin Alpin 6
 178 ft +11 ft 20 mph
4Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 181 ft +14 ft 22 mph
5Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 182 ft +15 ft 23 mph
5Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 182 ft +15 ft 23 mph
7Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 182 ft +15 ft 23 mph
8Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 187 ft +20 ft 26 mph
9Falken Eurowinter HS01
 187 ft +20 ft 26 mph
10Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 191 ft +24 ft 28 mph
11Goodride SW608
 192 ft +25 ft 29 mph
12Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 194 ft +27 ft 30 mph
13Toyo Snowprox S954
 202 ft +35 ft 33 mph
14King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 221 ft +54 ft 39 mph

The difference between best and worst was 32.2% (54 ft ≈ 3.6 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the King Meiler Winter Tact WT81 would still be travelling at 39 mph when the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Subjective wet handling had a similar order to wet braking, highlighting the advantage of having grip when driving quickly...

Subj. Wet Handling

Subjective Wet Handling Score

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 860
 10 Points Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 9 Points -1.00 Points
3Michelin Alpin 6
 8 Points -2.00 Points
4Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 6 Points -4.00 Points
5Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 5 Points -5.00 Points
5Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 5 Points -5.00 Points
5Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 5 Points -5.00 Points
8Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 4 Points -6.00 Points
9Falken Eurowinter HS01
 3 Points -7.00 Points
10Goodride SW608
 2 Points -8.00 Points
10Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 2 Points -8.00 Points
12Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 1 Points -9.00 Points
12Toyo Snowprox S954
 1 Points -9.00 Points
12King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 1 Points -9.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 90% (9 Points).

Hankook and Bridgestone scored best during the aquaplaning testing, which is even more impressive when you consider the braking performance of the tires.

Straight Aqua

Float Speed in mph

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 52.9 mph Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 51.4 mph -1.5 mph
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 51.1 mph -1.8 mph
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 51.0 mph -1.9 mph
5Continental WinterContact TS 860
 49.8 mph -3.1 mph
6Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 49.6 mph -3.3 mph
7Falken Eurowinter HS01
 49.3 mph -3.6 mph
8Toyo Snowprox S954
 48.0 mph -4.9 mph
9Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 47.7 mph -5.2 mph
10Michelin Alpin 6
 47.5 mph -5.4 mph
11Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 46.6 mph -6.3 mph
12Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 44.6 mph -8.3 mph
13Goodride SW608
 44.2 mph -8.7 mph
14King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 41.7 mph -11.2 mph

The difference between best and worst was 21.2% (11.2 mph).

Snow

While the Fulda tire struggled in the dry and wet, it was impressive during snow braking, finishing joint top with the aging Dunlop WinterSport 5.

Snow Braking

Snow braking in feet (31 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 84 ft Best 0 mph
1Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 84 ft Best 0 mph
3Continental WinterContact TS 860
 85 ft +1 ft 7 mph
4Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 85 ft +1 ft 9 mph
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 85 ft +1 ft 9 mph
6Goodride SW608
 86 ft +2 ft 10 mph
6Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 86 ft +2 ft 10 mph
8Michelin Alpin 6
 86 ft +2 ft 11 mph
9Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 86 ft +2 ft 12 mph
10Falken Eurowinter HS01
 87 ft +3 ft 14 mph
10Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 87 ft +3 ft 14 mph
10Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 87 ft +3 ft 14 mph
13King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 89 ft +5 ft 18 mph
14Toyo Snowprox S954
 90 ft +6 ft 19 mph

The difference between best and worst was 6.2% (6 ft ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Toyo Snowprox S954 would still be travelling at 19 mph when the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Bridgestone rounded out its impressive performance by scoring the best during subjective snow handling.

Subj. Snow Handling

Subjective Snow Handling Score

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 10 Points Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 860
 9 Points -1.00 Points
2Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 9 Points -1.00 Points
4Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 8 Points -2.00 Points
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 8 Points -2.00 Points
6Michelin Alpin 6
 7 Points -3.00 Points
7Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 6 Points -4.00 Points
8Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 5 Points -5.00 Points
9Falken Eurowinter HS01
 4 Points -6.00 Points
10Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 3 Points -7.00 Points
11Goodride SW608
 2 Points -8.00 Points
11Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 2 Points -8.00 Points
13Toyo Snowprox S954
 1 Points -9.00 Points
13King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 1 Points -9.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 90% (9 Points).

The snow traction test was won by Goodyear.

Snow Traction

Pulling Force in pounds-force

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 493 lbf Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 489 lbf -4 lbf
3Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 488 lbf -5 lbf
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 488 lbf -5 lbf
5Michelin Alpin 6
 484 lbf -9 lbf
6Continental WinterContact TS 860
 482 lbf -11 lbf
7Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 482 lbf -11 lbf
8Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 481 lbf -12 lbf
9Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 479 lbf -14 lbf
10Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 477 lbf -16 lbf
11King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 469 lbf -24 lbf
12Falken Eurowinter HS01
 467 lbf -26 lbf
13Toyo Snowprox S954
 465 lbf -28 lbf
14Goodride SW608
 458 lbf -35 lbf

The difference between best and worst was 7% (35 lbf).

Environment

The snow expert Fulda had the lowest rolling resistance on test.

Rolling Resistance

Rolling resistance in kg t

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestExtra fuel / year
1Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 8.06 kg/t Best $0
2Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 8.17 kg/t +0.11 kg/t $4
3Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 8.26 kg/t +0.20 kg/t $7
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 8.4 kg/t +0.34 kg/t $12
5Continental WinterContact TS 860
 8.47 kg/t +0.41 kg/t $15
6Michelin Alpin 6
 8.48 kg/t +0.42 kg/t $15
7Goodride SW608
 8.74 kg/t +0.68 kg/t $25
8Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 8.81 kg/t +0.75 kg/t $27
9Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 8.88 kg/t +0.82 kg/t $30
10Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 9.12 kg/t +1.06 kg/t $39
11Falken Eurowinter HS01
 9.21 kg/t +1.15 kg/t $42
12King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 9.22 kg/t +1.16 kg/t $42
13Toyo Snowprox S954
 9.41 kg/t +1.35 kg/t $49
14Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 9.42 kg/t +1.36 kg/t $50

The difference between best and worst was 16.9% (1.36 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 uses about 14 gal ($50) more fuel than the Fulda Kristall Control HP2.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions.

12,000 mi
$3.60/gal
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.

The best tires on test overall are also some of the best during subjective comfort testing.

Subj. Comfort

Subjective Comfort Score

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Michelin Alpin 6
 10 Points Best
1Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
 10 Points Best
3Dunlop Winter Sport 5
 9 Points -1.00 Points
3Hankook Winter i cept RS2
 9 Points -1.00 Points
3Continental WinterContact TS 860
 9 Points -1.00 Points
3Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
 9 Points -1.00 Points
7Nexen Winguard Snow G3
 8 Points -2.00 Points
8Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
 7 Points -3.00 Points
9Fulda Kristall Control HP2
 6 Points -4.00 Points
9Falken Eurowinter HS01
 6 Points -4.00 Points
11Goodride SW608
 5 Points -5.00 Points
11Pirelli Cinturato Winter
 5 Points -5.00 Points
13Toyo Snowprox S954
 4 Points -6.00 Points
14King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
 1 Points -9.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 90% (9 Points).

Results

1st

Bridgestone Blizzak LM005

205/55 R16
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
Dry97%
Wet97.8%
Snow99.2%
Comfort90%
Rolling Resistance96%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better2nd / 14153 ft+3 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better2nd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better1st / 14167 ftBest in this discipline
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better2nd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better2nd / 1451.4 mph-1.5 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better4th / 1485 ft+1 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better2nd / 14489 lbf-4 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better1st / 1410 PointsBest in this discipline
Subj. ComfortHigher is better3rd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better4th / 148.4 kg/t+0.34 kg/t
EU Label
C/A/71
Price
340.00
2nd

Continental WinterContact TS 860

205/55 R16
Continental WinterContact TS 860
Dry88.3%
Wet94.9%
Snow97.4%
Comfort90%
Rolling Resistance95.2%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better11th / 14160 ft+10 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better7th / 146 Points-4.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better2nd / 14178 ft+11 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better1st / 1410 PointsBest in this discipline
Straight AquaHigher is better5th / 1449.8 mph-3.1 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better3rd / 1485 ft+1 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better6th / 14482 lbf-11 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better2nd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better3rd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better5th / 148.47 kg/t+0.41 kg/t
EU Label
C/B/72
Price
340.00
3rd

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+

205/55 R16
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Dry92.1%
Wet85.6%
Snow98.1%
Comfort100%
Rolling Resistance97.6%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better10th / 14159 ft+9 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better3rd / 148 Points-2.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better5th / 14182 ft+15 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better5th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better3rd / 1451.1 mph-1.8 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better6th / 1486 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better1st / 14493 lbfBest in this discipline
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better2nd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better1st / 1410 PointsBest in this discipline
Rolling ResistanceLower is better3rd / 148.26 kg/t+0.20 kg/t
EU Label
C/B/69
Price
320.00
4th

Hankook Winter i cept RS2

205/55 R16
Hankook Winter i cept RS2
Dry96.6%
Wet86.5%
Snow93.9%
Comfort90%
Rolling Resistance88.4%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better1st / 14150 ftBest in this discipline
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better3rd / 148 Points-2.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better4th / 14181 ft+14 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better5th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better1st / 1452.9 mphBest in this discipline
Snow BrakingLower is better4th / 1485 ft+1 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better3rd / 14488 lbf-5 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better7th / 146 Points-4.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better3rd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better10th / 149.12 kg/t+1.06 kg/t
EU Label
E/B/72
Price
280.00
5th

Michelin Alpin 6

205/55 R16
Michelin Alpin 6
Dry88.5%
Wet90.6%
Snow94.5%
Comfort100%
Rolling Resistance95.1%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better5th / 14156 ft+6 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better9th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better3rd / 14178 ft+11 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better3rd / 148 Points-2.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better10th / 1447.5 mph-5.4 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better8th / 1486 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better5th / 14484 lbf-9 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better6th / 147 Points-3.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better1st / 1410 PointsBest in this discipline
Rolling ResistanceLower is better6th / 148.48 kg/t+0.42 kg/t
EU Label
C/B/69
Price
380.00
6th

Dunlop Winter Sport 5

205/55 R16
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Dry89.8%
Wet84.3%
Snow96.1%
Comfort90%
Rolling Resistance98.7%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better12th / 14160 ft+10 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better6th / 147 Points-3.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better7th / 14182 ft+15 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better5th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better9th / 1447.7 mph-5.2 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better1st / 1484 ftBest in this discipline
Snow TractionHigher is better9th / 14479 lbf-14 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better4th / 148 Points-2.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better3rd / 149 Points-1.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better2nd / 148.17 kg/t+0.11 kg/t
EU Label
C/B/69
Price
330.00
7th

Pirelli Cinturato Winter

205/55 R16
Pirelli Cinturato Winter
Dry85.5%
Wet82.2%
Snow96%
Comfort50%
Rolling Resistance90.8%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better9th / 14158 ft+8 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better12th / 144 Points-6.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better8th / 14187 ft+20 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better8th / 144 Points-6.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better4th / 1451.0 mph-1.9 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better9th / 1486 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better4th / 14488 lbf-5 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better4th / 148 Points-2.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better11th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better9th / 148.88 kg/t+0.82 kg/t
EU Label
E/B/69
Price
300.00
Joint 8th

Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6

205/55 R16
Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
Dry89.9%
Wet86.8%
Snow87.3%
Comfort70%
Rolling Resistance85.6%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better6th / 14156 ft+6 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better7th / 146 Points-4.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better5th / 14182 ft+15 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better4th / 146 Points-4.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better6th / 1449.6 mph-3.3 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better10th / 1487 ft+3 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better7th / 14482 lbf-11 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better11th / 142 Points-8.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better8th / 147 Points-3.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better14th / 149.42 kg/t+1.36 kg/t
EU Label
E/B/70
Price
300.00
Joint 8th

Falken Eurowinter HS01

205/55 R16
Falken Eurowinter HS01
Dry94.1%
Wet79.8%
Snow88.5%
Comfort60%
Rolling Resistance87.5%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better4th / 14155 ft+5 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better3rd / 148 Points-2.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better9th / 14187 ft+20 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better9th / 143 Points-7.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better7th / 1449.3 mph-3.6 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better10th / 1487 ft+3 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better12th / 14467 lbf-26 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better9th / 144 Points-6.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better9th / 146 Points-4.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better11th / 149.21 kg/t+1.15 kg/t
EU Label
E/B/70
Price
280.00
10th

Fulda Kristall Control HP2

205/55 R16
Fulda Kristall Control HP2
Dry82.7%
Wet74.4%
Snow92%
Comfort60%
Rolling Resistance100%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better13th / 14164 ft+14 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better12th / 144 Points-6.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better10th / 14191 ft+24 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better12th / 141 Points-9.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better11th / 1446.6 mph-6.3 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better1st / 1484 ftBest in this discipline
Snow TractionHigher is better10th / 14477 lbf-16 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better8th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better9th / 146 Points-4.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better1st / 148.06 kg/tBest in this discipline
EU Label
C/B/71
Price
300.00
11th

Nexen Winguard Snow G3

205/55 R16
Nexen Winguard Snow G3
Dry89.9%
Wet74.6%
Snow88.5%
Comfort80%
Rolling Resistance91.5%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better3rd / 14153 ft+3 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better9th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better12th / 14194 ft+27 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better10th / 142 Points-8.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better12th / 1444.6 mph-8.3 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better10th / 1487 ft+3 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better8th / 14481 lbf-12 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better10th / 143 Points-7.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better7th / 148 Points-2.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better8th / 148.81 kg/t+0.75 kg/t
EU Label
E/B/72
Price
220.00
12th

Toyo Snowprox S954

205/55 R16
Toyo Snowprox S954
Dry96.5%
Wet71.7%
Snow83.3%
Comfort40%
Rolling Resistance85.7%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better7th / 14157 ft+7 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better1st / 1410 PointsBest in this discipline
Wet BrakingLower is better13th / 14202 ft+35 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better12th / 141 Points-9.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better8th / 1448.0 mph-4.9 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better14th / 1490 ft+6 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better13th / 14465 lbf-28 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better13th / 141 Points-9.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better13th / 144 Points-6.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better13th / 149.41 kg/t+1.35 kg/t
EU Label
E/B/71
Price
230.00
13th

Goodride SW608

205/55 R16
Goodride SW608
Dry84.6%
Wet74.9%
Snow85.7%
Comfort50%
Rolling Resistance92.2%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better7th / 14157 ft+7 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better14th / 143 Points-7.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better11th / 14192 ft+25 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better10th / 142 Points-8.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better13th / 1444.2 mph-8.7 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better6th / 1486 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better14th / 14458 lbf-35 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better11th / 142 Points-8.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better11th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better7th / 148.74 kg/t+0.68 kg/t
EU Label
C/C/72
Price
200.00
14th

King Meiler Winter Tact WT81

205/55 R16
King Meiler Winter Tact WT81
Dry84.4%
Wet65%
Snow84.1%
Comfort10%
Rolling Resistance87.4%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (10)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better13th / 14164 ft+14 ft
Subj. Dry HandlingHigher is better9th / 145 Points-5.00 Points
Wet BrakingLower is better14th / 14221 ft+54 ft
Subj. Wet HandlingHigher is better12th / 141 Points-9.00 Points
Straight AquaHigher is better14th / 1441.7 mph-11.2 mph
Snow BrakingLower is better13th / 1489 ft+5 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better11th / 14469 lbf-24 lbf
Subj. Snow HandlingHigher is better13th / 141 Points-9.00 Points
Subj. ComfortHigher is better14th / 141 Points-9.00 Points
Rolling ResistanceLower is better12th / 149.22 kg/t+1.16 kg/t
EU Label
E/C/72
Price
170.00

More tire tests

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Where these tires were tested again, and how the verdict held up.

More tire tests2026 Auto Bild 205/55 R16 Winter Tire Test2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test2026 Tire Rack New Winter Tire Test2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire TestAll tests: Winter Tires
Best tiresBest Winter TiresBest UHP Winter TiresBest Studless Winter Tires

Discussion

10 comments
  1. Scour archived

    I´m a bit confused to see the non-tested Goodride SW608 in the tabs ;) . Isn´t it the Trazano?

    Again a victory of the LM005. But after some bad experiences with the last Bridgestone summer and winter tires prevent me from recommending Bridgestone-tires since years. And the predecessor LM001 Evo shows the worst performance by far in the TÜV-test (commissioned by Michelin) with 2mm tread. After my experience with the Yokohama V905 which was extreme dangerous with over 5mm tread I take care with buying winter tires.

    And Autozeitung.com don´t exist if I´m not wrong.

    #6270
    1. TireReviews Scour archived

      Sorry, I should have noted I swapped the SW608 to Goodride as we don't list Trazano. As you well know, it's the same tire ;)

      I'd love to see some wear data on the LM005 (and other winter tires) but as it stands, with the information we have from tests, the LM005 is exceptional

      #6271
      1. Scour TireReviews archived

        ADAC and AutoBild lists wear data, maybe I get you wrong?

        The problem with the LM001 Evo was not the overall wear but the big lost of snow-performance with less tread. Reminds me of my Yokohama V905 which was good in the beginning but had an awful snow-performance with over 5mm tread. It was so bad that I decided to buy new winter tires in mid of december.

        And the LM32 was on wet in the 3rd season also awful, experiences like that keep me away from Bridgestone winter tires.

        Hope next year some new tires like Conti TS870 and Pirelli P Zero Winter will show up in the tests.

        #6272
        1. TireReviews Scour archived

          You're right they do, but they don't test them once worn. I'm trying to arrange this.

          #6275
          1. Scour TireReviews archived

            I´m not sure whether it is worth the effort. It´s not only the low tread, there are some other factors which happen, like sunbeam, kind of storage which affects the grip on tires

            #6283
            1. TireReviews Scour archived

              You are correct, which is why it's so expensive and difficult to test, as you need to factor in tire wear and aging

              #6285
    2. Kolemjdouci Scour archived

      With 2 mm tread left should each tire be dumped and recycled, no need to test.

      #6278
      1. Scour Kolemjdouci archived

        Yep, that´t what I do ealier. But after my V905 I know there´s a big difference on snowgrip long before the tread is down to 2mm

        #6282
  2. Engineer_Andy archived

    Good to see that Bridgestone (loved my RE720s on my old 90s Micra but absolutely hated the OEM ER30s fitted to my Mazda3 that replaced in back in 2006) now seemingly consistently back on form. A good result for Hankook too, especially with the lower price in their favor.

    If both keep doing well, I'll certainly give them consideration when changing my A/S CC+s next time (admitedly that won't be for a good few years yet unless I change cars again)

    #6263
    1. TireReviews Engineer_Andy archived

      Bridgestone are storming it this winter, they'll be my number one recommendation in the "top winter tires for 2020" video (if I ever make it)

      #6264
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