Test Charts / Die Reifentester

2025 Die Reifentester 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: 215/55 R17
Tires tested: 7
Disciplines: 12
Test vehicle: Skoda Octavia

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
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	131 ft	Best	0 mph
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	133 ft	+2 ft	9 mph
2Bridgestone Blizzak 6	134 ft	+3 ft	11 mph
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	135 ft	+4 ft	13 mph
4Michelin Alpin 7	136 ft	+5 ft	15 mph
5Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	137 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
6Nokian Snowproof 2	140 ft	+9 ft	19 mph
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	141 ft	+10 ft	21 mph

The difference between best and worst was 7.4% (10 ft ≈ 0.7 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ would still be travelling at 21 mph when the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P 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
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	80 Points	Best
1Bridgestone Blizzak 6	80 Points	Best
1Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	80 Points	Best
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	77 Points	-3.00 Points
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	76 Points	-4.00 Points
5Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	74 Points	-6.00 Points
6Nokian Snowproof 2	73 Points	-7.00 Points
6Michelin Alpin 7	73 Points	-7.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 8.8% (7 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak 6	98 ft	Best	0 mph
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	98 ft	0 ft	3 mph
3Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	101 ft	+3 ft	13 mph
4Nokian Snowproof 2	102 ft	+4 ft	15 mph
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	102 ft	+4 ft	15 mph
5Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	103 ft	+5 ft	16 mph
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	103 ft	+5 ft	17 mph
7Michelin Alpin 7	104 ft	+6 ft	18 mph

The difference between best and worst was 5.6% (6 ft ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Michelin Alpin 7 would still be travelling at 18 mph when the Bridgestone Blizzak 6 had stopped.

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

Subj. Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	80 Points	Best
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	78 Points	-2.00 Points
3Michelin Alpin 7	77 Points	-3.00 Points
4Bridgestone Blizzak 6	74 Points	-6.00 Points
5Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	73 Points	-7.00 Points
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	73 Points	-7.00 Points
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	72 Points	-8.00 Points
7Nokian Snowproof 2	72 Points	-8.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 10% (8 Points).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Snowproof 2	57.4 mph	Best
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	57.2 mph	-0.2 mph
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	56.0 mph	-1.4 mph
4Michelin Alpin 7	55.6 mph	-1.8 mph
5Bridgestone Blizzak 6	55.6 mph	-1.8 mph
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	55.5 mph	-1.9 mph
7Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	55.4 mph	-2.0 mph
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	54.4 mph	-3.0 mph

The difference between best and worst was 5.3% (3 mph).

Curved Aquaplaning
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Snowproof 2	247.7 ft/s²	Best
2Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	242.5 ft/s²	-5.2 ft/s²
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	240.5 ft/s²	-7.2 ft/s²
4Bridgestone Blizzak 6	238.5 ft/s²	-9.2 ft/s²
5Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	234.6 ft/s²	-13.1 ft/s²
6Michelin Alpin 7	229.3 ft/s²	-18.4 ft/s²
7Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	227.4 ft/s²	-20.3 ft/s²
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	221.1 ft/s²	-26.6 ft/s²

The difference between best and worst was 10.7% (26.6 ft/s²).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	82 ft	Best	0 mph
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	83 ft	+1 ft	11 mph
3Michelin Alpin 7	84 ft	+2 ft	12 mph
4Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	84 ft	+2 ft	13 mph
5Nokian Snowproof 2	85 ft	+3 ft	16 mph
6Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	86 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	87 ft	+5 ft	19 mph
7Bridgestone Blizzak 6	87 ft	+5 ft	19 mph

The difference between best and worst was 6% (5 ft ≈ 0.3 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Bridgestone Blizzak 6 would still be travelling at 19 mph when the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 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
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	588 lbf	Best
2Michelin Alpin 7	565 lbf	-23 lbf
3Bridgestone Blizzak 6	561 lbf	-27 lbf
4Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	555 lbf	-33 lbf
5Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	553 lbf	-35 lbf
6Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	538 lbf	-50 lbf
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	538 lbf	-50 lbf
7Nokian Snowproof 2	534 lbf	-54 lbf

The difference between best and worst was 9.2% (54 lbf).

Subj. Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	78 Points	Best
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	77 Points	-1.00 Points
3Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	73 Points	-5.00 Points
3Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	73 Points	-5.00 Points
5Nokian Snowproof 2	72 Points	-6.00 Points
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	71 Points	-7.00 Points
6Bridgestone Blizzak 6	71 Points	-7.00 Points
6Michelin Alpin 7	71 Points	-7.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 9% (7 Points).

Comfort

Subj. Comfort
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	89 Points	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	81 Points	-8.00 Points
3Michelin Alpin 7	80 Points	-9.00 Points
4Bridgestone Blizzak 6	79 Points	-10.00 Points
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	78 Points	-11.00 Points
5Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	78 Points	-11.00 Points
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	77 Points	-12.00 Points
6Nokian Snowproof 2	77 Points	-12.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 13.5% (12 Points).

Subj. Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	81 Points	Best
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	80 Points	-1.00 Points
2Michelin Alpin 7	80 Points	-1.00 Points
3Bridgestone Blizzak 6	79 Points	-2.00 Points
4Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	77 Points	-4.00 Points
4Nokian Snowproof 2	77 Points	-4.00 Points
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	76 Points	-5.00 Points
6Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	76 Points	-5.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 6.2% (5 Points).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
RefGoodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 3	6.7 kg/t	-0.20 kg/t	$0
1Michelin Alpin 7	6.9 kg/t	Best	$0
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	7 kg/t	+0.10 kg/t	$4
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	7.3 kg/t	+0.40 kg/t	$17
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	8.1 kg/t	+1.20 kg/t	$51
4Nokian Snowproof 2	8.1 kg/t	+1.20 kg/t	$51
4Bridgestone Blizzak 6	8.1 kg/t	+1.20 kg/t	$51
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro+	8.4 kg/t	+1.50 kg/t	$64

The difference between best and worst was 25.4% (1.7 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ uses about 18 gal ($64) more fuel than the Michelin Alpin 7.

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.