2025 High Performance Winter Tire Test

German publication Sportauto has published its winter tire test for 2025, evaluating six winter tires in the 275/35 R19 size designed for high-performance BMW M vehicles. The test also included one all-season tire, the Vredestein Quatrac Pro+, which was assessed outside the main competition as a reference point. Testing was conducted in Finland using a BMW M4, a rear-wheel-drive vehicle producing over 600 Nm of torque, which places exceptional demands on tire grip.

The Clear Winner

Michelin's Pilot Alpin 5 delivered a dominant performance, achieving the highest score of 9.2 and the only "outstanding" rating in the test. The tire topped the snow braking, snow lateral grip, snow traction, and dry braking categories while remaining competitive in wet conditions. This consistency across all surfaces made it the standout choice, though it commands the highest price at €416 per tire.

Continental's Unusual Weakness

Perhaps the most surprising result came from Continental's WinterContact 8 S. The German manufacturer typically produces class-leading wet weather tires, but this model finished last in wet handling, lateral aquaplaning resistance, and near the bottom in wet braking. The explanation lies in the tire's origins: it is derived from original equipment specifications with an emphasis on low rolling resistance rather than outright grip. Those seeking Continental's typical wet-weather excellence should look to the WinterContact TS 870P instead.

The All-Season Question

The inclusion of the Vredestein Quatrac Pro+ all-season tire addressed a question Sportauto says now exceeds "which winter tire is best" in reader enquiries: whether winter tires are necessary at all.

The results were instructive. On snow, the all-season tire finished last in every category, and testers concluded its grip level was simply inadequate for the M4's torque output. However, on wet surfaces it matched or exceeded several winter tires, finishing second in wet braking and joint first in wet handling times. On dry roads, it equalled the Michelin's handling pace and delivered the second-shortest braking distance.

The testers' conclusion was clear: for drivers in regions with minimal snowfall, an all-season tire like the Quatrac Pro+ may actually provide safer, more sporting performance than a winter tire. But for any driver who regularly encounters snow-covered roads, dedicated winter rubber remains essential, particularly on powerful rear-wheel-drive vehicles where electronic stability systems significantly limit available power when traction is compromised.

Dry

Dry Braking

Dry Handling

Wet

Wet Braking

Wet Handling

Snow

Snow Braking

Snow Traction

Snow Handling

Comfort

Noise

Value

Rolling Resistance

Results

1^st

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5

275/35 R19 100W XL

Sport Auto Test Winner / Outstanding Testsieger / überragend

The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 emerges as the test winner, proving itself to be a highly reliable, grip-strong tire with broad safety reserves on snow. Testers found it delivered precisely what a rear-wheel-drive car needs in winter: grip and more grip. On wet surfaces, the tire exhibits very safe handling characteristics, though with pronounced understeer. The dry performance impressed with agile steering response and strong cornering stability, complemented by low noise levels and excellent fuel efficiency. The only minor criticisms were a somewhat nervous rear axle during evasive maneuvers and quick lane changes on asphalt, along with marginal damping weaknesses when driving over joints and edges. Despite commanding the highest price in the test, the Michelin justified its premium with outstanding all-round snow performance combined with minimal wet-weather deficits.

Dry100%

Wet98.1%

Snow97%

Comfort100%

Rolling Resistance98.7%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (13)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	%
Dry Braking	1st / 6	100%
Dry Handling	2nd / 6	99.92%
Wet Braking	2nd / 6	98.45%
Wet Handling	5th / 6	97.89%
Wet Circle	5th / 6	98.57%
Straight Aqua	2nd / 6	97.98%
Curved Aquaplaning	3rd / 6	95.63%
Snow Braking	1st / 6	100%
Snow Traction	6th / 6	89.69%
Snow Handling	3rd / 6	99.34%
Snow Slalom	1st / 6	100%
Noise	1st / 6	100%
Rolling Resistance	2nd / 6	98.73%

EU Label

D/B/71

Origin

Hungary

3PMSF

Yes

Weight

11.93 kgs

Tread

8.6 mm

Price

416.00

2^nd

Bridgestone Blizzak 6

275/35 R19 100W XL

Sport Auto Very Good sehr gut

The brand-new Bridgestone Blizzak 6 demonstrates very balanced driving dynamics on snow, making it particularly adept at handling Germany's feared cold wet conditions. Testers praised its very short braking distances and safe, tendency-to-understeer handling on both wet and dry roads. The tire also proved very secure during evasive maneuvers. However, it showed longer braking distances and somewhat reduced cornering stability with pronounced understeer, particularly in dry curves. The Bridgestone stands out as the strongest performer on wet surfaces among the winter tires tested, offering drivers confidence when rain meets cold temperatures.

Dry96.7%

Wet97.4%

Snow97.2%

Comfort96%

Rolling Resistance98.7%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (13)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	%
Dry Braking	5th / 6	94.48%
Dry Handling	5th / 6	98.85%
Wet Braking	1st / 6	100%
Wet Handling	3rd / 6	99.34%
Wet Circle	3rd / 6	98.81%
Straight Aqua	6th / 6	92.12%
Curved Aquaplaning	5th / 6	78.69%
Snow Braking	5th / 6	98.13%
Snow Traction	4th / 6	94.98%
Snow Handling	1st / 6	100%
Snow Slalom	4th / 6	95.53%
Noise	4th / 6	95.99%
Rolling Resistance	2nd / 6	98.73%

EU Label

C/B/72

Origin

Hungary

3PMSF

Yes

Weight

11.95 kgs

Tread

7.7 mm

Price

378.00

3^rd

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3

275/35 R19 100V XL

Sport Auto Very Good sehr gut

The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 delivers a driving-focused experience, performing particularly well on wet and dry asphalt. Despite somewhat weaker deceleration and lateral grip, testers found it offered safely understeering, easy-to-control handling on snow. The tire provides very good cornering grip and proves demanding yet dynamic to drive on both wet and dry surfaces. Some criticisms included slightly longer braking distances but easy handling on snow, very neutral yet rather load-change sensitive behavior in wet and dry corners, and limited self-damping. Overall, it represents a solid choice for drivers who prioritize asphalt performance while still needing winter capability.

Dry99.2%

Wet98.4%

Snow98.1%

Comfort100%

Rolling Resistance94%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (13)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	%
Dry Braking	2nd / 6	98.33%
Dry Handling	1st / 6	100%
Wet Braking	4th / 6	98.14%
Wet Handling	2nd / 6	99.6%
Wet Circle	1st / 6	100%
Straight Aqua	4th / 6	96.27%
Curved Aquaplaning	4th / 6	89.62%
Snow Braking	6th / 6	97.76%
Snow Traction	2nd / 6	99.19%
Snow Handling	3rd / 6	99.34%
Snow Slalom	4th / 6	95.53%
Noise	1st / 6	100%
Rolling Resistance	4th / 6	93.98%

EU Label

C/B/70

Origin

Luxembourg

3PMSF

Yes

Weight

11.74 kgs

Tread

7.7 mm

Price

371.00

4^th

Hankook Winter i cept evo3

275/35 R19 100V XL

Sport Auto Very Good sehr gut

The Hankook i cept evo 3 feels almost tailor-made for the powerful BMW M4 test car when driven on snow, offering excellent balance, good cornering grip, and generous reserves. Testers noted that despite slight lateral grip weaknesses, it maintains safely understeering behavior on wet roads. The positive attributes include strong snow performance with well-matched characteristics for high-powered rear-wheel-drive vehicles. However, limitations appeared in wet cornering grip, sluggish turn-in response, limited reserves, and somewhat longer braking distances on dry asphalt. Comfort weaknesses and rolling noise were also noted as drawbacks, making it less refined than some competitors in everyday driving situations.

Dry97%

Wet98.3%

Snow97.9%

Comfort92.8%

Rolling Resistance92.9%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (13)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	%
Dry Braking	4th / 6	94.7%
Dry Handling	4th / 6	99.34%
Wet Braking	2nd / 6	98.45%
Wet Handling	1st / 6	100%
Wet Circle	6th / 6	97.01%
Straight Aqua	3rd / 6	97.23%
Curved Aquaplaning	2nd / 6	96.72%
Snow Braking	2nd / 6	99.24%
Snow Traction	4th / 6	94.98%
Snow Handling	2nd / 6	99.61%
Snow Slalom	2nd / 6	98.01%
Noise	6th / 6	92.76%
Rolling Resistance	5th / 6	92.86%

EU Label

C/B/73

Origin

Korea

3PMSF

Yes

Weight

12.69 kgs

Tread

8.4 mm

Price

389.00

5^th

Continental WinterContact 8 S

275/35 R19 100V XL

Sport Auto Good gut

The Continental WinterContact 8 S, derived from original equipment tires, offers precise, easily calculable, and safely neutral-to-understeering handling characteristics across all tested surfaces. Testers appreciated its good rolling comfort and very low rolling resistance, making it an efficient choice. However, this tire deviates from Continental's typically strong wet-weather reputation. Being optimized primarily for original equipment manufacturer requirements with emphasis on low rolling resistance, the WinterContact 8 S falls behind in wet braking, shows somewhat elevated aquaplaning risk, and delivers comparatively weak wet grip. Those expecting Continental's premium wet-weather product should look to the WinterContact TS 870P instead.

Dry97.8%

Wet95.3%

Snow98.4%

Comfort97.2%

Rolling Resistance100%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (13)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	%
Dry Braking	3rd / 6	96.03%
Dry Handling	3rd / 6	99.51%
Wet Braking	5th / 6	96.35%
Wet Handling	6th / 6	96.18%
Wet Circle	2nd / 6	99.16%
Straight Aqua	5th / 6	92.44%
Curved Aquaplaning	6th / 6	74.86%
Snow Braking	3rd / 6	98.87%
Snow Traction	1st / 6	100%
Snow Handling	5th / 6	97.89%
Snow Slalom	3rd / 6	96.77%
Noise	3rd / 6	97.16%
Rolling Resistance	1st / 6	100%

EU Label

C/B/73

Origin

Slovakia

3PMSF

Yes

Weight

12.36 kgs

Tread

7.5 mm

Price

401.00

6^th

Vredestein Wintrac Pro+

275/35 R19 100W XL

Sport Auto Good gut

The recently revised Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ represents a significant performance improvement, offering good capability at a fair price point. Testers found it delivered good traction and decent braking on snow, along with balanced, neutral-to-understeering wet handling and very good aquaplaning prevention. The downsides include weak cornering grip on snow despite good longitudinal dynamics, long wet braking distances, and typical winter-tire limitations in driving stability at high cornering speeds and during evasive maneuvers. It also recorded the highest rolling resistance in the test. For budget-conscious buyers who don't frequently encounter heavy snow, it offers reasonable value despite its limitations.

Dry96.4%

Wet97.8%

Snow97.3%

Comfort95.1%

Rolling Resistance79.6%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (13)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	%
Dry Braking	6th / 6	94.27%
Dry Handling	6th / 6	98.44%
Wet Braking	6th / 6	94.35%
Wet Handling	4th / 6	99.21%
Wet Circle	3rd / 6	98.81%
Straight Aqua	1st / 6	100%
Curved Aquaplaning	1st / 6	100%
Snow Braking	4th / 6	98.5%
Snow Traction	2nd / 6	99.19%
Snow Handling	6th / 6	97.5%
Snow Slalom	6th / 6	93.55%
Noise	5th / 6	95.1%
Rolling Resistance	6th / 6	79.59%

EU Label

D/B/71

Origin

Netherlands

3PMSF

Yes

Weight

13.59 kgs

Tread

8.2 mm

Price

310.00

Reference Tire

Vredestein Quatrac Pro+

275/35 R19 100Y XL

The Vredestein Quatrac Pro+ all-season tire demonstrates that drivers who rarely see winter snow may actually be safer and more sporting with this type of tire. It shows good balance but, compared to the dedicated winter tires, a noticeably lower grip level on snow, where its traction and safety reserves proved inadequate for the powerful test vehicle's torque. However, it excels in wet conditions with very good grip and aquaplaning safety. On dry roads, it delivers short braking distances and, compared to most winter tires tested, secure and almost sporty handling characteristics. The weak snow grip and high rolling resistance are the main drawbacks, making this tire best suited for regions with minimal snowfall.

All discipline results (13)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tires in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	%
Dry Braking	98.8%
Dry Handling	99.92%
Wet Braking	99.69%
Wet Handling	100%
Wet Circle	98.81%
Straight Aqua	99.25%
Curved Aquaplaning	97.27%
Snow Braking	91.93%
Snow Traction	100%
Snow Handling	90.13%
Snow Slalom	90.82%
Noise	97.42%
Rolling Resistance	87.64%

EU Label

D/B/73

Origin

Netherlands

3PMSF

Yes

Weight

13.25 kgs

Tread

7.8 mm

Price

298.00