Test Charts / Vi Bilagare

2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction 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: 205/60 R16
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	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	94 ft	Best	0 mph
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	96 ft	+2 ft	12 mph
3Continental VikingContact 7	97 ft	+3 ft	14 mph
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	99 ft	+5 ft	18 mph
5Pirelli Ice Zero FR	99 ft	+5 ft	18 mph
6Nereus NS805+	101 ft	+7 ft	21 mph
7Michelin X Ice Snow	103 ft	+9 ft	24 mph
8Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	106 ft	+12 ft	27 mph

The difference between best and worst was 12.5% (12 ft ≈ 0.8 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 would still be travelling at 27 mph when the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice had stopped.

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

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	5 Points	Best
1Pirelli Ice Zero FR	5 Points	Best
3Continental VikingContact 7	4 Points	-1.00 Points
3Michelin X Ice Snow	4 Points	-1.00 Points
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	3 Points	-2.00 Points
6Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	2 Points	-3.00 Points
6Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	2 Points	-3.00 Points
8Nereus NS805+	1 Points	-4.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 80% (4 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	113 ft	Best	0 mph
2Nereus NS805+	122 ft	+9 ft	22 mph
3Pirelli Ice Zero FR	124 ft	+11 ft	24 mph
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	125 ft	+12 ft	25 mph
5Continental VikingContact 7	126 ft	+13 ft	26 mph
6Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	129 ft	+16 ft	28 mph
7Michelin X Ice Snow	132 ft	+19 ft	30 mph
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	141 ft	+28 ft	36 mph

The difference between best and worst was 25.3% (28 ft ≈ 1.9 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice would still be travelling at 36 mph when the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 had stopped.

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

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	43.11 s	Best
2Pirelli Ice Zero FR	44.13 s	+1.02 s
3Michelin X Ice Snow	44.71 s	+1.60 s
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	44.78 s	+1.67 s
5Continental VikingContact 7	44.99 s	+1.88 s
6Nereus NS805+	45.31 s	+2.20 s
7Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	46.35 s	+3.24 s
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	47.14 s	+4.03 s

The difference between best and worst was 9.3% (4.03 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	45.5 mph	Best
2Michelin X Ice Snow	40.6 mph	-4.9 mph
3Nereus NS805+	40.5 mph	-5.0 mph
4Continental VikingContact 7	39.8 mph	-5.7 mph
5Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	39.4 mph	-6.1 mph
6Pirelli Ice Zero FR	39.3 mph	-6.2 mph
7Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	38.8 mph	-6.7 mph
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	38.2 mph	-7.3 mph

The difference between best and worst was 16.2% (7.3 mph).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	37 ft	Best	0 mph
2Continental VikingContact 7	38 ft	+1 ft	9 mph
3Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	38 ft	+1 ft	11 mph
4Pirelli Ice Zero FR	38 ft	+1 ft	12 mph
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	38 ft	+1 ft	12 mph
6Michelin X Ice Snow	38 ft	+1 ft	13 mph
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	38 ft	+1 ft	13 mph
8Nereus NS805+	38 ft	+1 ft	15 mph

The difference between best and worst was 3.5% (1 ft). From 80 mph, the Nereus NS805+ would still be travelling at 15 mph when the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 had stopped.

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

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	72.25 s	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	72.73 s	+0.48 s
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	72.86 s	+0.61 s
4Pirelli Ice Zero FR	73.09 s	+0.84 s
5Michelin X Ice Snow	73.44 s	+1.19 s
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	73.6 s	+1.35 s
7Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	73.63 s	+1.38 s
8Nereus NS805+	75.24 s	+2.99 s

The difference between best and worst was 4.1% (2.99 s).

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	8 ft	Best	0 mph
2Continental VikingContact 7	10 ft	+2 ft	33 mph
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	11 ft	+3 ft	39 mph
4Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	11 ft	+3 ft	39 mph
5Michelin X Ice Snow	11 ft	+3 ft	40 mph
6Pirelli Ice Zero FR	11 ft	+3 ft	41 mph
7Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	12 ft	+4 ft	43 mph
8Nereus NS805+	12 ft	+4 ft	44 mph

The difference between best and worst was 42.5% (4 ft). From 80 mph, the Nereus NS805+ would still be travelling at 44 mph when the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 had stopped.

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

Ice Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	48.82 s	Best
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	49.09 s	+0.27 s
3Pirelli Ice Zero FR	49.43 s	+0.61 s
4Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	49.83 s	+1.01 s
5Nereus NS805+	50.63 s	+1.81 s
6Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	52.2 s	+3.38 s
7Michelin X Ice Snow	52.54 s	+3.72 s
8Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	53.46 s	+4.64 s

The difference between best and worst was 9.5% (4.64 s).

Comfort

Subj. Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 7	5 Points	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	4 Points	-1.00 Points
2Pirelli Ice Zero FR	4 Points	-1.00 Points
2Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	4 Points	-1.00 Points
5Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	3 Points	-2.00 Points
5Michelin X Ice Snow	3 Points	-2.00 Points
7Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	2 Points	-3.00 Points
7Nereus NS805+	2 Points	-3.00 Points

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

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Michelin X Ice Snow	5.89 kg/t	Best	$0
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2	5.94 kg/t	+0.05 kg/t	$2
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3	6.03 kg/t	+0.14 kg/t	$7
4Continental VikingContact 7	6.05 kg/t	+0.16 kg/t	$8
5Pirelli Ice Zero FR	6.11 kg/t	+0.22 kg/t	$11
6Nereus NS805+	6.14 kg/t	+0.25 kg/t	$12
7Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43	6.18 kg/t	+0.29 kg/t	$14
8Bridgestone Blizzak Ice	6.2 kg/t	+0.31 kg/t	$15

The difference between best and worst was 5.3% (0.31 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice uses about 4 gal ($15) more fuel than the Michelin X Ice Snow.

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.