Test Charts / Auto Zeitung

2021 AZ SUV 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: 235/55 R18
Tires tested: 10
Disciplines: 11

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	139 ft	Best	0 mph
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro	141 ft	+2 ft	8 mph
3Nokian WR SUV 4	142 ft	+3 ft	11 mph
4Pirelli Scorpion Winter	143 ft	+4 ft	13 mph
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	143 ft	+4 ft	13 mph
6Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	144 ft	+5 ft	15 mph
7Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	145 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
7Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	145 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	146 ft	+7 ft	17 mph
10Firestone Winterhawk 4	147 ft	+8 ft	18 mph

The difference between best and worst was 5.2% (8 ft ≈ 0.5 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 would still be travelling at 18 mph when the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV had stopped.

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

Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Scorpion Winter	63.4 s	Best
2Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	63.9 s	+0.50 s
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	64.3 s	+0.90 s
4Nokian WR SUV 4	64.4 s	+1.00 s
4Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	64.4 s	+1.00 s
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	64.5 s	+1.10 s
6Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	64.5 s	+1.10 s
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro	64.7 s	+1.30 s
9Firestone Winterhawk 4	64.9 s	+1.50 s
10Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	65.1 s	+1.70 s

All the tires in the Dry Handling test finished less than 3% apart.

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	167 ft	Best	0 mph
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro	168 ft	+1 ft	8 mph
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	171 ft	+4 ft	12 mph
4Nokian WR SUV 4	177 ft	+10 ft	19 mph
5Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	179 ft	+12 ft	21 mph
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	179 ft	+12 ft	21 mph
7Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	180 ft	+13 ft	22 mph
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	191 ft	+24 ft	29 mph
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	197 ft	+30 ft	31 mph
10Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	199 ft	+32 ft	32 mph

The difference between best and worst was 19.5% (32 ft ≈ 2.2 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X would still be travelling at 32 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.

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Vredestein Wintrac Pro	89.8 s	Best
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	90.1 s	+0.30 s
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	90.2 s	+0.40 s
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	91.2 s	+1.40 s
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	91.9 s	+2.10 s
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	92 s	+2.20 s
7Nokian WR SUV 4	92.4 s	+2.60 s
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	93.3 s	+3.50 s
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	93.5 s	+3.70 s
10Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	96.2 s	+6.40 s

The difference between best and worst was 7.1% (6.4 s).

Wet Circle
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	12.6 s	Best
2Pirelli Scorpion Winter	12.7 s	+0.10 s
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	12.7 s	+0.10 s
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	12.7 s	+0.10 s
5Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	12.8 s	+0.20 s
5Nokian WR SUV 4	12.8 s	+0.20 s
5Vredestein Wintrac Pro	12.8 s	+0.20 s
8Firestone Winterhawk 4	12.9 s	+0.30 s
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	13.3 s	+0.70 s
10Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	13.4 s	+0.80 s

The difference between best and worst was 6.3% (0.8 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	50.7 mph	Best
2Firestone Winterhawk 4	48.5 mph	-2.2 mph
3Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	48.4 mph	-2.3 mph
4Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	47.0 mph	-3.7 mph
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	46.7 mph	-4.0 mph
6Vredestein Wintrac Pro	46.5 mph	-4.2 mph
7Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	45.5 mph	-5.2 mph
8Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	45.4 mph	-5.3 mph
9Pirelli Scorpion Winter	44.9 mph	-5.8 mph
10Nokian WR SUV 4	43.2 mph	-7.5 mph

The difference between best and worst was 14.7% (7.5 mph).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Vredestein Wintrac Pro	92 ft	Best	0 mph
2Nokian WR SUV 4	92 ft	0 ft	7 mph
3Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	93 ft	+1 ft	8 mph
4Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	93 ft	+1 ft	10 mph
5Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	95 ft	+3 ft	15 mph
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	95 ft	+3 ft	16 mph
7Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	95 ft	+3 ft	16 mph
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	96 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
9Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	97 ft	+5 ft	19 mph
10Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	98 ft	+6 ft	20 mph

The difference between best and worst was 6.8% (6 ft ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1 would still be travelling at 20 mph when the Vredestein Wintrac Pro had stopped.

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

Snow Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	693 lbf	Best
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	693 lbf	0 lbf
3Vredestein Wintrac Pro	682 lbf	-11 lbf
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	678 lbf	-15 lbf
5Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	670 lbf	-23 lbf
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	666 lbf	-27 lbf
7Nokian WR SUV 4	664 lbf	-29 lbf
8Pirelli Scorpion Winter	657 lbf	-36 lbf
9Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	647 lbf	-46 lbf
10Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	635 lbf	-58 lbf

The difference between best and worst was 8.5% (58 lbf).

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	29 s	Best
2Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	29.2 s	+0.20 s
2Firestone Winterhawk 4	29.2 s	+0.20 s
4Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	29.6 s	+0.60 s
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	29.9 s	+0.90 s
5Nokian WR SUV 4	29.9 s	+0.90 s
5Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	29.9 s	+0.90 s
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro	30 s	+1.00 s
9Pirelli Scorpion Winter	30.1 s	+1.10 s
9Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	30.1 s	+1.10 s

The difference between best and worst was 3.8% (1.1 s).

Comfort

Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	70 dB	Best
2Firestone Winterhawk 4	71 dB	+1.00 dB
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	72 dB	+2.00 dB
3Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	72 dB	+2.00 dB
3Nokian WR SUV 4	72 dB	+2.00 dB
3Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	72 dB	+2.00 dB
7Pirelli Scorpion Winter	73 dB	+3.00 dB
7Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	73 dB	+3.00 dB
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro	73 dB	+3.00 dB
7Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	73 dB	+3.00 dB

The difference between best and worst was 4.3% (3 dB).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV	7.3 kg/t	Best	$0
2Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X	7.7 kg/t	+0.40 kg/t	$16
3Nokian WR SUV 4	7.9 kg/t	+0.60 kg/t	$24
3Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	7.9 kg/t	+0.60 kg/t	$24
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1	8 kg/t	+0.70 kg/t	$28
5Firestone Winterhawk 4	8 kg/t	+0.70 kg/t	$28
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro	8.2 kg/t	+0.90 kg/t	$36
7Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV	8.2 kg/t	+0.90 kg/t	$36
9Pirelli Scorpion Winter	8.5 kg/t	+1.20 kg/t	$48
10Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV	9.3 kg/t	+2.00 kg/t	$81

The difference between best and worst was 27.4% (2 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Falken Eurowinter HS01 SUV uses about 22 gal ($81) more fuel than the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.

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.