Test Charts / Moottori

2021 Nordic Studded 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: 205/55 R16
Tires tested: 8
Disciplines: 10

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
1BFGoodrich G Force Stud	101 ft	Best	0 mph
2Gislaved Nord Frost 200	103 ft	+2 ft	10 mph
3Sava Eskimo Stud	105 ft	+4 ft	15 mph
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	107 ft	+6 ft	19 mph
5Michelin X Ice North 4	108 ft	+7 ft	20 mph
6Nokian Nordman 8	108 ft	+7 ft	20 mph
7Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	108 ft	+7 ft	20 mph
8Continental IceContact 3	110 ft	+9 ft	23 mph

The difference between best and worst was 9.4% (9 ft ≈ 0.6 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Continental IceContact 3 would still be travelling at 23 mph when the BFGoodrich G Force Stud had stopped.

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

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	118 ft	Best	0 mph
2Sava Eskimo Stud	119 ft	+1 ft	9 mph
3BFGoodrich G Force Stud	121 ft	+3 ft	13 mph
4Continental IceContact 3	122 ft	+4 ft	15 mph
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	122 ft	+4 ft	15 mph
6Gislaved Nord Frost 200	124 ft	+6 ft	18 mph
7Michelin X Ice North 4	126 ft	+8 ft	21 mph
8Nokian Nordman 8	127 ft	+9 ft	22 mph

The difference between best and worst was 8.2% (9 ft ≈ 0.7 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Nokian Nordman 8 would still be travelling at 22 mph when the Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 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 Arctic 2	41.87 s	Best
2Continental IceContact 3	41.89 s	+0.02 s
3Gislaved Nord Frost 200	42.12 s	+0.25 s
4BFGoodrich G Force Stud	42.47 s	+0.60 s
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	42.57 s	+0.70 s
5Nokian Nordman 8	42.57 s	+0.70 s
7Sava Eskimo Stud	42.66 s	+0.79 s
8Michelin X Ice North 4	43.11 s	+1.24 s

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

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1BFGoodrich G Force Stud	49 ft	Best	0 mph
2Michelin X Ice North 4	50 ft	+1 ft	10 mph
3Continental IceContact 3	50 ft	+1 ft	10 mph
4Nokian Nordman 8	50 ft	+1 ft	11 mph
5Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	50 ft	+1 ft	12 mph
6Gislaved Nord Frost 200	50 ft	+1 ft	12 mph
6Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	50 ft	+1 ft	12 mph
8Sava Eskimo Stud	51 ft	+2 ft	18 mph

The difference between best and worst was 5.1% (2 ft). From 80 mph, the Sava Eskimo Stud would still be travelling at 18 mph when the BFGoodrich G Force Stud 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
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	4.65 s	Best
2Michelin X Ice North 4	4.77 s	+0.12 s
3Nokian Nordman 8	4.8 s	+0.15 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	4.83 s	+0.18 s
5BFGoodrich G Force Stud	4.88 s	+0.23 s
6Gislaved Nord Frost 200	4.94 s	+0.29 s
7Continental IceContact 3	4.96 s	+0.31 s
8Sava Eskimo Stud	5.08 s	+0.43 s

The difference between best and worst was 9.2% (0.43 s).

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	84.6 s	Best
2Michelin X Ice North 4	84.73 s	+0.13 s
3Continental IceContact 3	85.23 s	+0.63 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	85.38 s	+0.78 s
5BFGoodrich G Force Stud	85.83 s	+1.23 s
6Nokian Nordman 8	85.86 s	+1.26 s
7Gislaved Nord Frost 200	86.37 s	+1.77 s
8Sava Eskimo Stud	87.36 s	+2.76 s

The difference between best and worst was 3.3% (2.76 s).

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	40 ft	Best	0 mph
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	41 ft	+1 ft	12 mph
3Michelin X Ice North 4	42 ft	+2 ft	17 mph
4Nokian Nordman 8	43 ft	+3 ft	21 mph
5Continental IceContact 3	51 ft	+11 ft	36 mph
6Gislaved Nord Frost 200	54 ft	+14 ft	41 mph
7Sava Eskimo Stud	59 ft	+19 ft	46 mph
8BFGoodrich G Force Stud	60 ft	+20 ft	46 mph

The difference between best and worst was 50.3% (20 ft ≈ 1.4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the BFGoodrich G Force Stud would still be travelling at 46 mph when the Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 had stopped.

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

Ice Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	4.17 s	Best
2Michelin X Ice North 4	4.39 s	+0.22 s
3Nokian Nordman 8	4.78 s	+0.61 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	5 s	+0.83 s
5Gislaved Nord Frost 200	5.86 s	+1.69 s
6Continental IceContact 3	5.89 s	+1.72 s
7BFGoodrich G Force Stud	7.02 s	+2.85 s
8Sava Eskimo Stud	7.6 s	+3.43 s

The difference between best and worst was 82.3% (3.43 s).

Ice Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	61.54 s	Best
2Michelin X Ice North 4	62.7 s	+1.16 s
3Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	63.73 s	+2.19 s
4BFGoodrich G Force Stud	66.54 s	+5.00 s
5Gislaved Nord Frost 200	66.88 s	+5.34 s
6Nokian Nordman 8	67.51 s	+5.97 s
7Continental IceContact 3	68.12 s	+6.58 s
8Sava Eskimo Stud	71.81 s	+10.27 s

The difference between best and worst was 16.7% (10.27 s).

Comfort

Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1BFGoodrich G Force Stud	67.5 dB	Best
2Continental IceContact 3	68.6 dB	+1.10 dB
3Gislaved Nord Frost 200	68.7 dB	+1.20 dB
4Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2	69.6 dB	+2.10 dB
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10	70.1 dB	+2.60 dB
5Sava Eskimo Stud	70.1 dB	+2.60 dB
7Nokian Nordman 8	70.2 dB	+2.70 dB
8Michelin X Ice North 4	70.3 dB	+2.80 dB