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2021 AMS Winter Tire Test

Jonathan Benson
Data analyzed and reviewed by Jonathan Benson
7 min read Updated
Below are all the data points for the 2021 AMS Winter Tire Test, displaying how each tire performed across all test categories. The spider chart below provides a complete overview of performance, where one hundred percent represents the best performance in each category. The larger the area covered by each tire's plot, the better its overall performance.
How to read these charts: For each test category, data is presented relative to the best performing tire. The direction indicates whether lower or higher values are better - pay close attention to this when interpreting results.

Performance Overview

This radar chart shows relative performance across all test categories, with 100% representing the best performance in each category. Reference tires may have gaps where data is not available.

GT-Radial WinterPro2
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
Continental WinterContact TS 870
Falken Eurowinter HS01
Toyo Observe S 944
Michelin Alpin 6
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
Pirelli Cinturato Winter
Vredestein Wintrac
BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2

Quick Navigation

Dry Performance Overview

Dry Braking (M)

Spread: 3.80 M (8.9%) | Avg: 44.66 M

Dry braking in meters (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Michelin Alpin 6 with a result of 42.8 M. The difference between best and worst was 8.2%.
  1. Michelin Alpin 6
    42.8 M
  2. Vredestein Wintrac
    43 M
  3. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    44.4 M
  4. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    44.7 M
  5. Toyo Observe S 944
    44.7 M
  6. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    44.8 M
  7. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    45 M
  8. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    45.1 M
  9. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    45.5 M
  10. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    46.6 M

Dry Handling (Km/H)

Spread: 3.40 Km/H (3%) | Avg: 113.38 Km/H

Dry Handling Average Speed (Higher is better)

Key Insight: All the tires in the dry handling test finished less than 3% apart.
  1. Toyo Observe S 944
    114.6 Km/H
  2. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    114.1 Km/H
  3. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    114.1 Km/H
  4. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    114 Km/H
  5. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    113.8 Km/H
  6. Michelin Alpin 6
    113.7 Km/H
  7. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    112.8 Km/H
  8. Vredestein Wintrac
    112.8 Km/H
  9. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    112.7 Km/H
  10. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    111.2 Km/H

Wet Performance Overview

Wet Braking (M)

Spread: 5.50 M (18.8%) | Avg: 32.24 M

Wet braking in meters (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 with a result of 29.3 M. The difference between best and worst was 15.8%.
  1. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    29.3 M
  2. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    31.1 M
  3. Vredestein Wintrac
    31.7 M
  4. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    32.1 M
  5. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    32.1 M
  6. Michelin Alpin 6
    32.2 M
  7. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    32.6 M
  8. Toyo Observe S 944
    32.8 M
  9. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    33.7 M
  10. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    34.8 M

Wet Handling (Km/H)

Spread: 2.70 Km/H (3.8%) | Avg: 70.63 Km/H

Wet Handling Average Speed (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Vredestein Wintrac with a result of 72 Km/H. The difference between best and worst was 3.8%.
  1. Vredestein Wintrac
    72 Km/H
  2. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    71.9 Km/H
  3. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    71.5 Km/H
  4. Toyo Observe S 944
    71.3 Km/H
  5. Michelin Alpin 6
    70.8 Km/H
  6. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    70.7 Km/H
  7. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    70.2 Km/H
  8. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    69.3 Km/H
  9. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    69.3 Km/H
  10. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    69.3 Km/H

Straight Aqua (Km/H)

Spread: 10.50 Km/H (12%) | Avg: 82.41 Km/H

Float Speed in Km/H (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Pirelli Cinturato Winter with a result of 87.7 Km/H. The difference between best and worst was 12%.
  1. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    87.7 Km/H
  2. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    83.9 Km/H
  3. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    83.9 Km/H
  4. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    83.4 Km/H
  5. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    83.1 Km/H
  6. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    82.7 Km/H
  7. Michelin Alpin 6
    82 Km/H
  8. Toyo Observe S 944
    81 Km/H
  9. Vredestein Wintrac
    79.2 Km/H
  10. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    77.2 Km/H

Curved Aquaplaning (m/sec2)

Spread: 0.62 m/sec2 (18.8%) | Avg: 2.97 m/sec2

Remaining lateral acceleration (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Continental WinterContact TS 870 with a result of 3.29 m/sec2. The difference between best and worst was 18.8%.
  1. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    3.29 m/sec2
  2. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    3.25 m/sec2
  3. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    3.2 m/sec2
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    3.15 m/sec2
  5. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    2.85 m/sec2
  6. Michelin Alpin 6
    2.84 m/sec2
  7. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    2.84 m/sec2
  8. Toyo Observe S 944
    2.8 m/sec2
  9. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    2.8 m/sec2
  10. Vredestein Wintrac
    2.67 m/sec2

Snow Performance Overview

Snow Braking (M)

Spread: 1.20 M (3.7%) | Avg: 33.00 M

Snow braking in meters (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Vredestein Wintrac with a result of 32.6 M. The difference between best and worst was 3.6%.
  1. Vredestein Wintrac
    32.6 M
  2. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    32.7 M
  3. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    32.7 M
  4. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    32.8 M
  5. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    32.9 M
  6. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    33.1 M
  7. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    33.1 M
  8. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    33.1 M
  9. Michelin Alpin 6
    33.2 M
  10. Toyo Observe S 944
    33.8 M

Snow Traction (N)

Spread: 0.15 N (7.9%) | Avg: 1.84 N

Pulling Force in Newtons (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus with a result of 1.89 N. The difference between best and worst was 7.9%.
  1. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    1.89 N
  2. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    1.89 N
  3. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    1.89 N
  4. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    1.87 N
  5. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    1.87 N
  6. Vredestein Wintrac
    1.85 N
  7. Michelin Alpin 6
    1.83 N
  8. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    1.8 N
  9. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    1.78 N
  10. Toyo Observe S 944
    1.74 N

Snow Handling (Km/H)

Spread: 5.00 Km/H (9.2%) | Avg: 52.01 Km/H

Snow handling average speed (Higher is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 with a result of 54.4 Km/H. The difference between best and worst was 9.2%.
  1. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    54.4 Km/H
  2. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    53.4 Km/H
  3. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    52.8 Km/H
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    52.6 Km/H
  5. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    52.4 Km/H
  6. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    52.1 Km/H
  7. Michelin Alpin 6
    51.6 Km/H
  8. Vredestein Wintrac
    50.9 Km/H
  9. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    50.5 Km/H
  10. Toyo Observe S 944
    49.4 Km/H

Comfort Performance Overview

Noise (dB)

Spread: 2.40 dB (3.4%) | Avg: 71.20 dB

External noise in dB (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Falken Eurowinter HS01 with a result of 70.6 dB. The difference between best and worst was 3.3%.
  1. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    70.6 dB
  2. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    70.8 dB
  3. Michelin Alpin 6
    70.9 dB
  4. Vredestein Wintrac
    70.9 dB
  5. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    71 dB
  6. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    71 dB
  7. Toyo Observe S 944
    71 dB
  8. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    71.1 dB
  9. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    71.7 dB
  10. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    73 dB

Value Performance Overview

Price

Spread: 52.00 (69.3%) | Avg: 100.70

Price in local currency (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Falken Eurowinter HS01. The difference between best and worst was 40.9%.
  1. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    75
  2. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    91
  3. Vredestein Wintrac
    92
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    97
  5. Toyo Observe S 944
    98
  6. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    98
  7. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    103
  8. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    103
  9. Michelin Alpin 6
    123
  10. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    127

Rolling Resistance (kg / t)

Spread: 2.50 kg / t (31.3%) | Avg: 8.96 kg / t

Rolling resistance in kg t (Lower is better)

Key Insight: The best performer was Continental WinterContact TS 870 with a result of 8 kg / t. The difference between best and worst was 23.8%.
  1. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    8 kg / t
  2. Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    8.3 kg / t
  3. Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
    8.5 kg / t
  4. Vredestein Wintrac
    8.8 kg / t
  5. GT-Radial WinterPro2
    8.8 kg / t
  6. Pirelli Cinturato Winter
    8.9 kg / t
  7. Toyo Observe S 944
    9 kg / t
  8. Michelin Alpin 6
    9.1 kg / t
  9. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
    9.7 kg / t
  10. Falken Eurowinter HS01
    10.5 kg / t

Overall Findings

Based on the weighted scoring from all tests, here are the overall results:

Position Tire Score
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 0%
2 Continental WinterContact TS 870 0%
3 Vredestein Wintrac 0%
4 BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 0%
5 Michelin Alpin 6 0%
6 Pirelli Cinturato Winter 0%
7 Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus 0%
8 Falken Eurowinter HS01 0%
9 GT-Radial WinterPro2 0%
10 Toyo Observe S 944 0%

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