Test Charts / Auto Bild Sportscars

2021 Auto Bild Sports Car 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: 245/40 R18
Tires tested: 13
Disciplines: 13

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
RefReference Summer	120 ft	-16 ft	0 mph
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	136 ft	Best	0 mph
2Vredestein Quatrac Pro	137 ft	+1 ft	9 mph
3Toyo Snowprox S954	141 ft	+5 ft	15 mph
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	141 ft	+5 ft	16 mph
5Vredestein Wintrac Pro	142 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	143 ft	+7 ft	18 mph
7Dunlop Winter Sport 5	143 ft	+7 ft	18 mph
8Falken Eurowinter HS01	144 ft	+8 ft	19 mph
8Hankook Winter i cept evo3	144 ft	+8 ft	19 mph
10Nankang SV2	144 ft	+8 ft	19 mph
10BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	144 ft	+8 ft	19 mph
12Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	145 ft	+9 ft	20 mph
13Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	146 ft	+10 ft	21 mph

The difference between best and worst was 22.2% (26 ft ≈ 1.8 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P would still be travelling at 21 mph when the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 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
RefReference Summer	65.2 mph	+1.3 mph
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	63.9 mph	Best
2Vredestein Quatrac Pro	63.7 mph	-0.2 mph
3Toyo Snowprox S954	63.2 mph	-0.7 mph
4Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	63.1 mph	-0.8 mph
5Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	63.0 mph	-0.9 mph
6Hankook Winter i cept evo3	62.8 mph	-1.1 mph
7Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	62.7 mph	-1.2 mph
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro	62.6 mph	-1.3 mph
9Nankang SV2	62.2 mph	-1.7 mph
9Falken Eurowinter HS01	62.2 mph	-1.7 mph
11BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	62.0 mph	-1.9 mph
12Dunlop Winter Sport 5	61.7 mph	-2.2 mph
13Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	61.5 mph	-2.4 mph

The difference between best and worst was 5.7% (3.7 mph).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
RefReference Summer	155 ft	-6 ft	0 mph
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	161 ft	Best	0 mph
2Hankook Winter i cept evo3	163 ft	+2 ft	9 mph
3Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	163 ft	+2 ft	10 mph
4Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	165 ft	+4 ft	12 mph
5Toyo Snowprox S954	166 ft	+5 ft	14 mph
6Vredestein Wintrac Pro	167 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
7Falken Eurowinter HS01	169 ft	+8 ft	17 mph
8Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	171 ft	+10 ft	20 mph
9Dunlop Winter Sport 5	172 ft	+11 ft	20 mph
10Vredestein Quatrac Pro	173 ft	+12 ft	21 mph
11BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	182 ft	+21 ft	27 mph
12Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	186 ft	+25 ft	29 mph
13Nankang SV2	215 ft	+54 ft	40 mph

The difference between best and worst was 38.9% (60 ft ≈ 4.1 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Nankang SV2 would still be travelling at 40 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
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	45.3 mph	Best
RefReference Summer	45.0 mph	-0.3 mph
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	44.7 mph	-0.6 mph
3Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	44.7 mph	-0.6 mph
3Hankook Winter i cept evo3	44.7 mph	-0.6 mph
5Vredestein Wintrac Pro	44.6 mph	-0.7 mph
6Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	43.8 mph	-1.5 mph
7Dunlop Winter Sport 5	43.7 mph	-1.6 mph
7Vredestein Quatrac Pro	43.7 mph	-1.6 mph
9Toyo Snowprox S954	43.6 mph	-1.7 mph
10Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	43.4 mph	-1.9 mph
11BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	43.0 mph	-2.3 mph
12Falken Eurowinter HS01	42.4 mph	-2.9 mph
13Nankang SV2	39.0 mph	-6.3 mph

The difference between best and worst was 14% (6.3 mph).

Wet Circle
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
RefReference Summer	12.18 s	-0.23 s
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	12.41 s	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	12.44 s	+0.03 s
3Vredestein Quatrac Pro	12.51 s	+0.10 s
4Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	12.57 s	+0.16 s
5Hankook Winter i cept evo3	12.65 s	+0.24 s
6Vredestein Wintrac Pro	12.67 s	+0.26 s
7Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	12.7 s	+0.29 s
8Dunlop Winter Sport 5	12.73 s	+0.32 s
9Toyo Snowprox S954	12.81 s	+0.40 s
10Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	12.87 s	+0.46 s
11BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	13.05 s	+0.64 s
12Falken Eurowinter HS01	13.23 s	+0.82 s
13Nankang SV2	13.53 s	+1.12 s

The difference between best and worst was 11.1% (1.35 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
RefReference Summer	63.1 mph	+2.5 mph
1BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	60.6 mph	Best
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	60.6 mph	Best
3Hankook Winter i cept evo3	60.5 mph	-0.1 mph
4Vredestein Wintrac Pro	60.4 mph	-0.2 mph
5Nankang SV2	60.1 mph	-0.5 mph
6Falken Eurowinter HS01	60.0 mph	-0.6 mph
7Toyo Snowprox S954	59.7 mph	-0.9 mph
8Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	58.8 mph	-1.8 mph
9Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	58.5 mph	-2.1 mph
10Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	58.2 mph	-2.4 mph
11	57.5 mph	-3.1 mph
11Vredestein Quatrac Pro	57.5 mph	-3.1 mph
13Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	56.4 mph	-4.2 mph
14Dunlop Winter Sport 5	56.2 mph	-4.4 mph

The difference between best and worst was 10.9% (6.9 mph).

Curved Aquaplaning
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Hankook Winter i cept evo3	13.8 ft/s²	Best
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro	13.3 ft/s²	-0.5 ft/s²
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	12.9 ft/s²	-0.9 ft/s²
4Dunlop Winter Sport 5	12.6 ft/s²	-1.2 ft/s²
5Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	12.5 ft/s²	-1.3 ft/s²
RefReference Summer	12.5 ft/s²	-1.3 ft/s²
6Nankang SV2	12.4 ft/s²	-1.4 ft/s²
7Toyo Snowprox S954	12.3 ft/s²	-1.5 ft/s²
8Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	12.2 ft/s²	-1.6 ft/s²
9BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	12.1 ft/s²	-1.7 ft/s²
10Falken Eurowinter HS01	11.9 ft/s²	-1.9 ft/s²
11Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	11.9 ft/s²	-1.9 ft/s²
12Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	11.3 ft/s²	-2.5 ft/s²
13Vredestein Quatrac Pro	10.3 ft/s²	-3.5 ft/s²

The difference between best and worst was 25.8% (3.5 ft/s²).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	101 ft	Best	0 mph
2Hankook Winter i cept evo3	104 ft	+3 ft	14 mph
3Dunlop Winter Sport 5	104 ft	+3 ft	15 mph
4Falken Eurowinter HS01	105 ft	+4 ft	16 mph
5Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	105 ft	+4 ft	16 mph
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	105 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
7Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	106 ft	+5 ft	17 mph
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro	106 ft	+5 ft	18 mph
9Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	107 ft	+6 ft	20 mph
10Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	110 ft	+9 ft	23 mph
11Vredestein Quatrac Pro	114 ft	+13 ft	27 mph
12Toyo Snowprox S954	116 ft	+15 ft	29 mph
13Nankang SV2	121 ft	+20 ft	33 mph
RefReference Summer	188 ft	+87 ft	54 mph

The difference between best and worst was 86.3% (87 ft ≈ 5.9 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Nankang SV2 would still be travelling at 33 mph when the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 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
1BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	669 lbf	Best
2Dunlop Winter Sport 5	635 lbf	-34 lbf
3Hankook Winter i cept evo3	629 lbf	-40 lbf
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	627 lbf	-42 lbf
5Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	613 lbf	-56 lbf
6Vredestein Wintrac Pro	608 lbf	-61 lbf
7Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	604 lbf	-65 lbf
8Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	604 lbf	-65 lbf
9Falken Eurowinter HS01	603 lbf	-66 lbf
10Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	579 lbf	-90 lbf
11Vredestein Quatrac Pro	544 lbf	-125 lbf
12Nankang SV2	531 lbf	-138 lbf
13Toyo Snowprox S954	529 lbf	-140 lbf
RefReference Summer	160 lbf	-509 lbf

The difference between best and worst was 76.1% (509 lbf).

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	27.8 mph	Best
2Hankook Winter i cept evo3	27.7 mph	-0.1 mph
3Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	27.5 mph	-0.3 mph
4Dunlop Winter Sport 5	27.4 mph	-0.4 mph
5Vredestein Wintrac Pro	27.3 mph	-0.5 mph
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	27.3 mph	-0.5 mph
7Falken Eurowinter HS01	27.2 mph	-0.6 mph
8Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	26.7 mph	-1.1 mph
9Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	26.5 mph	-1.3 mph
10Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	25.7 mph	-2.1 mph
11Vredestein Quatrac Pro	25.3 mph	-2.5 mph
12Nankang SV2	24.8 mph	-3.0 mph
13Toyo Snowprox S954	24.4 mph	-3.4 mph

The difference between best and worst was 12.1% (3.4 mph).

Snow Slalom
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	12.8 ft/s²	Best
2BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	12.6 ft/s²	-0.2 ft/s²
3Vredestein Wintrac Pro	12.5 ft/s²	-0.3 ft/s²
4Falken Eurowinter HS01	12.4 ft/s²	-0.4 ft/s²
5Hankook Winter i cept evo3	12.2 ft/s²	-0.6 ft/s²
6Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	12.2 ft/s²	-0.6 ft/s²
7Dunlop Winter Sport 5	12.2 ft/s²	-0.6 ft/s²
8Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	12.0 ft/s²	-0.8 ft/s²
9Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	11.4 ft/s²	-1.4 ft/s²
10Toyo Snowprox S954	10.8 ft/s²	-2.0 ft/s²
11Nankang SV2	10.7 ft/s²	-2.1 ft/s²
11Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	10.7 ft/s²	-2.1 ft/s²
13Vredestein Quatrac Pro	10.7 ft/s²	-2.1 ft/s²
RefReference Summer	7.2 ft/s²	-5.6 ft/s²

The difference between best and worst was 43.4% (5.6 ft/s²).

Comfort

Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	72.4 dB	Best
2Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	72.5 dB	+0.10 dB
3Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	72.8 dB	+0.40 dB
4Nankang SV2	72.9 dB	+0.50 dB
5Vredestein Quatrac Pro	73.3 dB	+0.90 dB
6Toyo Snowprox S954	73.4 dB	+1.00 dB
6Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	73.4 dB	+1.00 dB
8Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	73.9 dB	+1.50 dB
9Falken Eurowinter HS01	74.3 dB	+1.90 dB
10Vredestein Wintrac Pro	74.6 dB	+2.20 dB
11Hankook Winter i cept evo3	74.7 dB	+2.30 dB
12Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	75.1 dB	+2.70 dB
13Dunlop Winter Sport 5	75.4 dB	+3.00 dB
RefReference Summer	75.5 dB	+3.10 dB

The difference between best and worst was 4.3% (3.1 dB).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	7.91 kg/t	Best	$0
RefReference Summer	8.03 kg/t	+0.12 kg/t	$4
2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5	8.43 kg/t	+0.52 kg/t	$19
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	8.46 kg/t	+0.55 kg/t	$20
4Dunlop Winter Sport 5	8.51 kg/t	+0.60 kg/t	$22
5BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2	8.58 kg/t	+0.67 kg/t	$25
6Vredestein Quatrac Pro	8.73 kg/t	+0.82 kg/t	$30
7Hankook Winter i cept evo3	8.74 kg/t	+0.83 kg/t	$31
8Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	8.84 kg/t	+0.93 kg/t	$35
9Nankang SV2	8.91 kg/t	+1.00 kg/t	$37
9Continental WinterContact TS 850 P	8.91 kg/t	+1.00 kg/t	$37
11Toyo Snowprox S954	9.18 kg/t	+1.27 kg/t	$47
12Vredestein Wintrac Pro	9.38 kg/t	+1.47 kg/t	$55
13Falken Eurowinter HS01	10.22 kg/t	+2.31 kg/t	$86

The difference between best and worst was 29.2% (2.31 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Falken Eurowinter HS01 uses about 24 gal ($86) more fuel than the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005.

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.