Test source Sport Auto

2026 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test

Overall test winnerContinental WinterContact TS 870 P

sport auto has published its 2026 winter tire test, running nine winter tires in 205/45 R 17 on a Mazda MX-5.

Data analyzed and reviewed byJonathan Benson

October 4, 2026 9 min read

Tire shortlist Read the test

Tires tested: 9
Tested size: 205/45 R17
Test vehicle: Mazda MX-5

At a glance

Tire shortlist

9 Tires tested

Published finishing positions, with the strengths and considerations from this test. Owner reviews cover other sizes and driving conditions.

1^st

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P

+The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was the most complete tire in this test. It recorded the shortest wet braking distance and held the highest lateral grip on the wet circle, and it backed that up with the quickest dry handling laps and the best combined subjective marks the testers gave for dry driving. On snow it produced the strongest traction of any tire here, was effectively level with the fastest tire through the handling course, and shared top subjective marks for balance and controllability. Rolling resistance was second lowest in the test and the cabin was among the quietest.

−Aquaplaning is the one area where the Continental only matches the field rather than leading it. It sat mid-field for straight-line float-off speed, and while its curved aquaplaning grip was better, neither result stands out against the tires that specialize there. That is the only reservation in an otherwise complete performance.

33 owner reviews Test Results

2^nd

Nokian Snowproof 3P

+The Nokian Snowproof 3P was the strongest wet-weather tire in this test. It set the quickest wet handling times and took full subjective marks from the drivers, who praised how precisely it could be placed and how progressive it felt at the limit. Its wet braking was among the shortest and its wet circle grip was second only to the winner. It also produced the shortest dry braking distance of any tire here, which is not what the rest of its character predicts.

−The cabin is where the Nokian gives ground, and the testers rated its ride comfort and interior noise among the lowest in the test. Rolling resistance is also on the high side. It is safe on snow without leading there, sitting in the bottom half of the field for traction and slalom grip, and on dry roads it was slow through the handling course with the drivers noting a lazy initial steering response.

1 owner review Test Results

3^rd

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3

+The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 was the best tire in this test on snow. It set the quickest snow handling laps, generated the most lateral grip through the snow slalom, braked among the shortest and shared top subjective marks with the winner, the drivers describing a large reserve of grip and an easy, neutral balance. It was also the quietest tire measured here, resisted straight-line aquaplaning better than anything else in the field, and was near the front for curved aquaplaning.

−Wet braking is the Goodyear's weak point, and it is what costs it the overall win. Only a handful of tires stopped in a longer distance. Its dry braking and dry handling pace were both mid-field, and rolling resistance was middling rather than good.

15 owner reviews Test Results

4^th

Bridgestone Blizzak 6

+The Bridgestone Blizzak 6 stops well in the wet. Its wet braking was among the shortest in the test, only fractionally behind the leader. It was quick through the dry handling course and the drivers rated its dry responses highly, describing a sharp and eager front end. Rolling resistance was among the lowest here.

−Snow is the Blizzak 6's problem in this size and on this car. Its snow braking was among the longest, it generated less slalom grip than every tire except the Linglong, and the testers reported oversteer on lift-off and a shortage of grip. The good wet braking is not matched by wet cornering composure, with the drivers finding the balance unsettled and short of reserve, and they described the dry limit as nervous.

9 owner reviews Test Results

5^th

Michelin Alpin 7

+The Michelin Alpin 7 has the lowest rolling resistance in this test by a clear margin, which makes it the efficiency choice of the group and the obvious candidate for an electric car. It was also one of the quickest tires through the dry handling course, and the testers praised its precision and cornering stability on dry roads.

−Aquaplaning is where the Alpin 7 struggles. It floated off earlier in a straight line than every tire bar one, and generated less curved aquaplaning grip than everything except the bottom tire. Its wet and snow braking distances were both towards the back of the field, and on this light car the drivers found it understeered heavily on both surfaces.

11 owner reviews Test Results

6^th

Hankook Winter I cept RS3

+The Hankook Winter i*Cept RS3 has the best aquaplaning protection in the test. It generated more grip than any other tire in the curved aquaplaning test and resisted straight-line float-off better than everything except the leader. The testers also rated it among the best for ride comfort and interior noise, and its wet performance was sound across braking, cornering and handling.

−Snow traction is the Hankook's clear weakness. It produced markedly less drive off the line on packed snow than any other tire here, and the margin to the next slowest tire was wider than the spread covering most of the field. Its dry braking was also among the longest measured, and the drivers reported strong understeer on both snow and wet roads.

28 owner reviews Test Results

7^th

Falken EUROWINTER HS02

+The Falken Eurowinter HS02 pulls away well on packed snow, with snow traction among the best in the test and ahead of several tires that finished well above it overall. It also braked short in the dry, matching the overall winner, and the testers rated its dry braking security as sound.

−Away from that traction result the Falken's snow performance falls apart. It recorded the longest snow braking distance and the slowest snow handling laps in the test, and the drivers reported a high risk of oversteer and a poorly balanced car. In the wet it generated less cornering grip on the circle than any other tire, its handling pace was near the back, and the testers described it as slow to respond and short of reserve. Rolling resistance was among the highest here, and the drivers reported clearly audible road noise inside the car.

3 owner reviews Test Results

8^th

Kleber Krisalp HP3

+The Kleber Krisalp HP3 is a genuinely strong snow tire. It recorded the shortest snow braking distance in the test, generated close to the most slalom grip, was among the quickest through the snow handling course and pulled away well on packed snow. It also resisted straight-line aquaplaning better than most, and the testers noted large safety reserves on snow.

−Wet braking is what sinks it. The Kleber needed the longest distance of any tire in the test to stop on wet tarmac, and sport auto applied a penalty for it. Its dry braking was also among the longest and it was the slowest tire through the dry handling course, with the drivers criticising a lazy steering response and only moderate grip in both wet and dry corners.

36 owner reviews Test Results

9^th

Linglong Sport Master Winter

+The Linglong Sport Master Winter is by a wide margin the cheapest tire in this test, undercutting the next cheapest option substantially.

−The Linglong finished last or close to last in almost every test here. It generated the least grip in the snow slalom and in both aquaplaning tests, and was slowest through both the wet and snow handling courses. It was the noisiest tire measured and had the highest rolling resistance in the test by a clear margin. The testers described unbalanced handling in every condition on this light, neutral car, and sport auto applied a two-grade penalty for deficits in snow and wet stability.

4 owner reviews Test Results

Tire shortlist

Compare selected tires

2026 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test · 205/45 R17

Tire	Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	Nokian Snowproof 3P	Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	Bridgestone Blizzak 6	Michelin Alpin 7	Hankook Winter I cept RS3	Falken EUROWINTER HS02	Kleber Krisalp HP3	Linglong Sport Master Winter
Position	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	5^th	6^th	7^th	8^th	9^th
Category scores (% of best)
Dry	98.9%	97.3%	96.3%	96.1%	96.7%	94.8%	95.6%	92.8%	92.1%
Wet	98.5%	99.1%	97.4%	95.5%	93.5%	95.6%	91.3%	91.8%	89.7%
Snow	99.3%	96.3%	99.6%	94.2%	95%	92%	92.9%	97.6%	91.5%
Comfort	99.3%	82.6%	100%	92.3%	87.5%	98.6%	88.2%	87.5%	79.9%
Rolling Resistance	98.8%	93.1%	94.2%	97.6%	100%	96.4%	88%	92.1%	81%
Keep researching	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results

The full test

The evidence behind the verdict

sport auto has published its 2026 winter tire test, running nine winter tires in 205/45 R 17 on a Mazda MX-5. The car is the point of the exercise. A light, neutral, rear-wheel-drive roadster shows up differences in balance that a heavier front-wheel-drive hatchback would absorb, and several tires here were marked down for behavior that only appears on a chassis like this. Snow testing was carried out at Nokian's winter proving ground near Ivalo in northern Finland, at temperatures around and below minus ten. sport auto weights the final result snow 20 per cent, wet 35 per cent, dry 30 per cent and environment 15 per cent, and applies a penalty of a full grade for serious deficits in any safety-critical discipline.

The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P won the test, but it did not win the snow chapter. That went to the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3, which took the snow handling and slalom tests, braked among the shortest and shared the testers' top subjective marks, yet finished third overall because its wet braking was mid-field. The Nokian Snowproof 3P was the wet-weather benchmark and also set the shortest dry braking distance of the nine, which is not the result its wet-focused character predicts. At the other end, the Kleber Krisalp HP3 recorded the shortest snow braking distance in the test and still finished eighth, penalised a full grade for the longest wet braking distance measured. The Linglong Sport Master Winter finished last and took a two-grade penalty for its stability on snow and in the wet.

Test setup & methodology

The test setting, the conditions recorded and how the results contribute to the score.

Tire Pressures (as recorded): 2.0 bar front / 2.0 bar rear

This is our summary of the headline findings, with the measured data reproduced as our own charts. For the complete data set, the full subjective commentary on each tire and sport auto's own account of its methodology, read the original test in sport auto issue 10/2026.

Dry

The Nokian stopped shortest in the dry, with the Continental and Falken tied for second. The Kleber and Hankook shared the longest distance, 10 feet behind the Nokian. That the Falken tied for the second-shortest distance here and finished seventh overall is a fair summary of the test: a strong result in one discipline does not carry a winter tire far.

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result
1Nokian Snowproof 3P	100 %
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	98 %
2Falken EUROWINTER HS02	98 %
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	96 %
5Michelin Alpin 7	96 %
6Bridgestone Blizzak 6	95 %
7Linglong Sport Master Winter	94 %
8Kleber Krisalp HP3	93 %
8Hankook Winter I cept RS3	93 %

The difference between best and worst was 7%.

The Continental was fastest through the dry handling course, followed by the Michelin and Bridgestone. Both the Nokian and the Goodyear, second and third overall, sat towards the back here, and the Kleber was slowest of all.

Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
2Michelin Alpin 7	99 %
3Bridgestone Blizzak 6	99 %
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3	99 %
5Falken EUROWINTER HS02	98 %
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	97 %
6Nokian Snowproof 3P	97 %
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	97 %
9Kleber Krisalp HP3	97 %

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

sport auto scored three separate subjective dry disciplines: lane-change safety, steering response and handling feel. Averaged together they put the Continental clearly ahead of the field, with the Goodyear next. The Kleber was marked down for a lazy steering response, and the Linglong was rated lowest overall.

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	90 %
3Bridgestone Blizzak 6	86 %
3Michelin Alpin 7	86 %
5Hankook Winter I cept RS3	82 %
5Nokian Snowproof 3P	82 %
7Falken EUROWINTER HS02	75 %
8Kleber Krisalp HP3	69 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	59 %

The difference between best and worst was 41%.

Wet

The Continental had the shortest wet braking distance, with the Bridgestone and Nokian a fraction behind. The Kleber was the clear outlier, needing 10 feet more than the Continental to stop, and that result alone cost it a full grade in the final scoring.

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
2Bridgestone Blizzak 6	99 %
2Nokian Snowproof 3P	99 %
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3	97 %
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	96 %
6Michelin Alpin 7	95 %
7Falken EUROWINTER HS02	94 %
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	94 %
9Kleber Krisalp HP3	91 %

The difference between best and worst was 9%.

The Nokian was fastest through the wet handling course, with the Continental and Goodyear close behind. The spread from first to last was 3.9 mph, the widest of any handling test here, with the Linglong slowest.

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result
1Nokian Snowproof 3P	100 %
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	99 %
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	98 %
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3	96 %
5Bridgestone Blizzak 6	96 %
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	95 %
7Michelin Alpin 7	95 %
8Falken EUROWINTER HS02	93 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	92 %

The difference between best and worst was 8%.

The testers' subjective wet marks matched the stopwatch. The Nokian took full marks in the wet, with the Continental and Goodyear next. The Linglong was rated lowest.

Subj. Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result
1Nokian Snowproof 3P	100 %
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	90 %
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	90 %
4Michelin Alpin 7	80 %
5Hankook Winter I cept RS3	70 %
5Bridgestone Blizzak 6	70 %
7Kleber Krisalp HP3	60 %
7Falken EUROWINTER HS02	60 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	50 %

The difference between best and worst was 50%.

The Continental generated the most lateral grip on the wet circle, with the Nokian effectively level. The Falken was the weakest here, and the Kleber only marginally better.

Wet Circle
Position / Tire	Result
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
2Nokian Snowproof 3P	100 %
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	99 %
4Bridgestone Blizzak 6	98 %
5Hankook Winter I cept RS3	98 %
6Michelin Alpin 7	97 %
7Linglong Sport Master Winter	96 %
8Kleber Krisalp HP3	96 %
9Falken EUROWINTER HS02	95 %

The difference between best and worst was 5%.

The Goodyear resisted straight-line aquaplaning best, followed by the Hankook and Kleber. The gap across the field was large at 6.0 mph, and the Michelin and Linglong were the two tires to float off earliest. The Continental was only mid-field here, its one soft result of the test.

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	100 %
2Hankook Winter I cept RS3	99 %
3Kleber Krisalp HP3	99 %
4Nokian Snowproof 3P	97 %
5Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	94 %
6Falken EUROWINTER HS02	93 %
7Bridgestone Blizzak 6	92 %
8Michelin Alpin 7	90 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	88 %

The difference between best and worst was 12%.

The Hankook led the curved aquaplaning test, with the Goodyear second. The Michelin was again near the back, confirming that aquaplaning resistance is its weakest area on this car, and the Linglong was last.

Curved Aquaplaning
Position / Tire	Result
1Hankook Winter I cept RS3	100 %
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	98 %
3Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	95 %
4Bridgestone Blizzak 6	94 %
5Kleber Krisalp HP3	93 %
6Nokian Snowproof 3P	92 %
7Falken EUROWINTER HS02	84 %
8Michelin Alpin 7	83 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	77 %

The difference between best and worst was 23%.

Snow

The Kleber recorded the shortest snow braking distance, ahead of the Goodyear and Continental. The Falken was the longest, 8 feet behind the Kleber, with the Bridgestone and Linglong also at the back. The Bridgestone result is out of character: in other published tests, including Auto Zeitung's 2025 performance winter test and Auto Bild's 2025 SUV winter test, the Blizzak 6 has repeatedly recorded the shortest snow braking distance in its group.

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result
1Kleber Krisalp HP3	100 %
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	99 %
3Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	98 %
4Nokian Snowproof 3P	97 %
5Hankook Winter I cept RS3	95 %
6Michelin Alpin 7	94 %
7Bridgestone Blizzak 6	92 %
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	92 %
9Falken EUROWINTER HS02	91 %

The difference between best and worst was 9%.

The Continental produced the strongest drive off the line on packed snow, with the Goodyear alongside it. The Hankook was well adrift at the back, and the gap from it to the next slowest tire was more than twice the spread covering the other eight. Mid-field or weaker snow traction has shown up for this tire in several other tests, so this is a known soft spot rather than a one-off result, even if the margin here is unusually wide.

Snow Traction
Position / Tire	Result
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	99 %
3Kleber Krisalp HP3	98 %
3Falken EUROWINTER HS02	98 %
3Bridgestone Blizzak 6	98 %
6Michelin Alpin 7	96 %
7Nokian Snowproof 3P	95 %
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	95 %
9Hankook Winter I cept RS3	83 %

The difference between best and worst was 17%.

The Goodyear was fastest through the snow handling course with the Continental effectively level, and the Kleber third. The Falken was slowest, 2.3 mph off the pace.

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	100 %
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
3Kleber Krisalp HP3	99 %
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3	98 %
5Nokian Snowproof 3P	98 %
6Bridgestone Blizzak 6	97 %
7Michelin Alpin 7	97 %
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	97 %
9Falken EUROWINTER HS02	96 %

The difference between best and worst was 4%.

The drivers gave the Continental and Goodyear joint top subjective marks on snow, praising the reserve of grip and how easily both could be controlled. The Linglong was rated lowest with the Falken just above it, the Falken for a high risk of oversteer and the Linglong for unbalanced handling in every condition.

Subj. Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	100 %
3Nokian Snowproof 3P	90 %
4Kleber Krisalp HP3	80 %
4Michelin Alpin 7	80 %
6Hankook Winter I cept RS3	70 %
6Bridgestone Blizzak 6	70 %
8Falken EUROWINTER HS02	60 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	50 %

The difference between best and worst was 50%.

The Goodyear held the most lateral grip through the snow slalom, with the Kleber and Continental just behind. The Linglong was last, and the Bridgestone second to last.

Snow Slalom
Position / Tire	Result
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	100 %
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	99 %
3Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	99 %
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3	99 %
5Falken EUROWINTER HS02	97 %
5Michelin Alpin 7	97 %
5Nokian Snowproof 3P	97 %
8Bridgestone Blizzak 6	96 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	95 %

The difference between best and worst was 5%.

Comfort

The Continental, Goodyear and Hankook shared the best subjective marks for ride comfort and interior noise. The Nokian and Linglong were rated lowest. For the Nokian that is the price it pays for its wet performance, and the clearest weakness in an otherwise excellent runner-up.

Subj. Comfort
Position / Tire	Result
1Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	100 %
1Hankook Winter I cept RS3	100 %
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	100 %
4Bridgestone Blizzak 6	89 %
5Kleber Krisalp HP3	78 %
5Falken EUROWINTER HS02	78 %
5Michelin Alpin 7	78 %
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	67 %
8Nokian Snowproof 3P	67 %

The difference between best and worst was 33%.

Measured pass-by noise put the Goodyear quietest, with the Continental, Falken and Nokian level behind it. The Linglong was the loudest by a clear margin, five decibels above the Goodyear.

Noise
Position / Tire	Result
1Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	100 %
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	99 %
2Falken EUROWINTER HS02	99 %
2Nokian Snowproof 3P	99 %
5Kleber Krisalp HP3	97 %
5Hankook Winter I cept RS3	97 %
5Michelin Alpin 7	97 %
8Bridgestone Blizzak 6	96 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	93 %

The difference between best and worst was 7%.

Value

The Michelin had the lowest rolling resistance in the test, which is the argument for it on an electric car and the reason sport auto singled it out on efficiency. The Continental and Bridgestone followed. The Linglong was the worst by a wide margin, and its rolling resistance cost it heavily in the environment scoring on top of the safety penalty it had already taken.

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result
1Michelin Alpin 7	100 %
2Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	99 %
3Bridgestone Blizzak 6	98 %
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3	96 %
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	94 %
6Nokian Snowproof 3P	93 %
7Kleber Krisalp HP3	92 %
8Falken EUROWINTER HS02	88 %
9Linglong Sport Master Winter	81 %

The difference between best and worst was 19%.

Results

The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P is the only tire in this test rated outstanding, and it earned that by having no weak chapter rather than by dominating any one of them. The Nokian Snowproof 3P took sport auto's value recommendation as the wet specialist, and the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 is the pick for anyone who actually sees snow. The Bridgestone, Michelin and Hankook are all rated good with clear individual strengths and equally clear compromises, while the Falken, Kleber and Linglong all lost ground where it matters most on a light rear-drive car.

Sport Auto Test Winner / Outstanding Testsieger / überragend

The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P took the overall test win, and it did so without a weak chapter. It led or sat near the front in the wet, on snow and in the dry, and paired that with low rolling resistance and good refinement. sport auto rated it outstanding, the only tire in the field to earn that grade. It is the obvious choice for a driver who wants one winter tire that does not ask them to pick a priority first.

Dry98.9%

Wet98.5%

Snow99.3%

Comfort99.3%

Rolling Resistance98.8%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	2^nd / 9	97.51%
Dry Handling	1^st / 9	100%
Subj. Dry Handling	1^st / 9	100%
Wet Braking	1^st / 9	100%
Wet Handling	2^nd / 9	99.49%
Subj. Wet Handling	2^nd / 9	90%
Wet Circle	1^st / 9	100%
Straight Aqua	5^th / 9	94.01%
Curved Aquaplaning	3^rd / 9	94.97%
Snow Braking	3^rd / 9	98.05%
Snow Traction	1^st / 9	100%
Snow Handling	2^nd / 9	99.89%
Subj. Snow Handling	1^st / 9	100%
Snow Slalom	3^rd / 9	98.96%
Subj. Comfort	1^st / 9	100%
Noise	2^nd / 9	98.55%
Rolling Resistance	2^nd / 9	98.78%

EU Label: C/B/71
Origin: France
Weight: 8.28 kgs
Tread: 8.5 mm
Price: 176.00

Sport Auto Best Value Tip / Very Good Preis-Leistungs-Tipp / sehr gut

The Nokian Snowproof 3P finished second overall and picked up sport auto's value recommendation. It is the wet-weather specialist of this group, and for central European winters that are more often cold and wet than white, that is arguably the more useful skill set. You accept a noisier, firmer ride and some rolling resistance to get it.

Dry97.3%

Wet99.1%

Snow96.3%

Comfort82.6%

Rolling Resistance93.1%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	1^st / 9	100%
Dry Handling	6^th / 9	97.43%
Subj. Dry Handling	5^th / 9	82.47%
Wet Braking	2^nd / 9	99.38%
Wet Handling	1^st / 9	100%
Subj. Wet Handling	1^st / 9	100%
Wet Circle	2^nd / 9	99.75%
Straight Aqua	4^th / 9	97.25%
Curved Aquaplaning	6^th / 9	92.14%
Snow Braking	4^th / 9	97.3%
Snow Traction	7^th / 9	95.45%
Snow Handling	5^th / 9	97.63%
Subj. Snow Handling	3^rd / 9	90%
Snow Slalom	5^th / 9	96.89%
Subj. Comfort	8^th / 9	66.67%
Noise	2^nd / 9	98.55%
Rolling Resistance	6^th / 9	93.1%

EU Label: C/A/72
Origin: Finland
Weight: 8.41 kgs
Tread: 8.4 mm
Price: 150.00

Sport Auto Very Good sehr gut

The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 finished third overall and won the snow chapter outright, ahead of the tire that took the overall victory. sport auto rated it very good and called it the clear all-round recommendation. If you genuinely see snow, this is the tire in this test that deals with it best, and the price you pay is a longer stop on wet tarmac.

Dry96.3%

Wet97.4%

Snow99.6%

Comfort100%

Rolling Resistance94.2%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	4^th / 9	96.42%
Dry Handling	6^th / 9	97.43%
Subj. Dry Handling	2^nd / 9	89.69%
Wet Braking	5^th / 9	96.12%
Wet Handling	3^rd / 9	98.47%
Subj. Wet Handling	2^nd / 9	90%
Wet Circle	3^rd / 9	98.75%
Straight Aqua	1^st / 9	100%
Curved Aquaplaning	2^nd / 9	98.43%
Snow Braking	2^nd / 9	99.21%
Snow Traction	2^nd / 9	99.24%
Snow Handling	1^st / 9	100%
Subj. Snow Handling	1^st / 9	100%
Snow Slalom	1^st / 9	100%
Subj. Comfort	1^st / 9	100%
Noise	1^st / 9	100%
Rolling Resistance	5^th / 9	94.19%

EU Label: D/C/70
Origin: France
Weight: 8.00 kgs
Tread: 8.4 mm
Price: 176.00

Sport Auto Good gut

The Bridgestone Blizzak 6 finished fourth overall with a good rating. It is a capable wet and dry tire undone by its snow performance, which is worth flagging as unusual: in other published tests the Blizzak 6 has repeatedly recorded the shortest snow braking distance in its group, so this result is at odds with its wider record. On a light rear-drive car it reads as a tire better suited to a mild winter than a proper one.

Dry96.1%

Wet95.5%

Snow94.2%

Comfort92.3%

Rolling Resistance97.6%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	6^th / 9	95.14%
Dry Handling	3^rd / 9	99.25%
Subj. Dry Handling	3^rd / 9	85.57%
Wet Braking	2^nd / 9	99.38%
Wet Handling	5^th / 9	96.17%
Subj. Wet Handling	5^th / 9	70%
Wet Circle	4^th / 9	98.49%
Straight Aqua	7^th / 9	92.46%
Curved Aquaplaning	4^th / 9	94.34%
Snow Braking	7^th / 9	92.31%
Snow Traction	3^rd / 9	97.73%
Snow Handling	6^th / 9	97.4%
Subj. Snow Handling	6^th / 9	70%
Snow Slalom	8^th / 9	96.37%
Subj. Comfort	4^th / 9	88.89%
Noise	8^th / 9	95.77%
Rolling Resistance	3^rd / 9	97.59%

EU Label: C/B/70
Origin: Italy
Weight: 8.12 kgs
Tread: 8.0 mm
Price: 164.00

Sport Auto Good gut

The Michelin Alpin 7 finished fifth overall with a good rating. It is the efficiency and dry-road choice here rather than the safety-first one, and it is also the most expensive tire in the test. On a heavier car its balance may read differently, but in this size and on this chassis it gave away too much in standing water to place higher.

Dry96.7%

Wet93.5%

Snow95%

Comfort87.5%

Rolling Resistance100%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	5^th / 9	96.21%
Dry Handling	2^nd / 9	99.34%
Subj. Dry Handling	3^rd / 9	85.57%
Wet Braking	6^th / 9	95.27%
Wet Handling	7^th / 9	94.77%
Subj. Wet Handling	4^th / 9	80%
Wet Circle	6^th / 9	97.11%
Straight Aqua	8^th / 9	89.82%
Curved Aquaplaning	8^th / 9	83.02%
Snow Braking	6^th / 9	94.38%
Snow Traction	6^th / 9	96.21%
Snow Handling	7^th / 9	96.84%
Subj. Snow Handling	4^th / 9	80%
Snow Slalom	5^th / 9	96.89%
Subj. Comfort	5^th / 9	77.78%
Noise	5^th / 9	97.14%
Rolling Resistance	1^st / 9	100%

EU Label: C/B/71
Origin: Germany
Weight: 7.96 kgs
Tread: 8.0 mm
Price: 194.00

Sport Auto Good gut

The Hankook Winter i*Cept RS3 finished sixth overall with a good rating, and it is the cheapest tire in the test to earn that grade. It is comfortable, quiet and genuinely secure in standing water, so for a driver whose winter is wet rather than white it makes a sensible case at the price. Anyone who needs to pull away on packed snow should look elsewhere, and its record in other tests points the same way.

Dry94.8%

Wet95.6%

Snow92%

Comfort98.6%

Rolling Resistance96.4%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	8^th / 9	93.49%
Dry Handling	4^th / 9	98.5%
Subj. Dry Handling	5^th / 9	82.47%
Wet Braking	4^th / 9	97.28%
Wet Handling	4^th / 9	96.3%
Subj. Wet Handling	5^th / 9	70%
Wet Circle	5^th / 9	97.99%
Straight Aqua	2^nd / 9	99.28%
Curved Aquaplaning	1^st / 9	100%
Snow Braking	5^th / 9	95.09%
Snow Traction	9^th / 9	83.33%
Snow Handling	4^th / 9	98.31%
Subj. Snow Handling	6^th / 9	70%
Snow Slalom	4^th / 9	98.7%
Subj. Comfort	1^st / 9	100%
Noise	5^th / 9	97.14%
Rolling Resistance	4^th / 9	96.43%

EU Label: C/B/72
Origin: Hungary
Weight: 7.64 kgs
Tread: 8.1 mm
Price: 132.00

The Falken Eurowinter HS02 finished seventh overall and was rated only satisfactory. It is one of the cheaper tires in the test and it shows: the isolated traction result flatters a tire that is otherwise short of grip and composure in exactly the conditions a winter tire is bought for.

Dry95.6%

Wet91.3%

Snow92.9%

Comfort88.2%

Rolling Resistance88%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	2^nd / 9	97.51%
Dry Handling	5^th / 9	97.67%
Subj. Dry Handling	7^th / 9	75.26%
Wet Braking	7^th / 9	94.43%
Wet Handling	8^th / 9	93.37%
Subj. Wet Handling	7^th / 9	60%
Wet Circle	9^th / 9	95.36%
Straight Aqua	6^th / 9	92.57%
Curved Aquaplaning	7^th / 9	84.28%
Snow Braking	9^th / 9	90.97%
Snow Traction	3^rd / 9	97.73%
Snow Handling	9^th / 9	95.82%
Subj. Snow Handling	8^th / 9	60%
Snow Slalom	5^th / 9	96.89%
Subj. Comfort	5^th / 9	77.78%
Noise	2^nd / 9	98.55%
Rolling Resistance	8^th / 9	88.04%

EU Label: D/B/69
Origin: Turkey
Weight: 7.88 kgs
Tread: 8.4 mm
Price: 111.00

The Kleber Krisalp HP3 finished eighth overall, rated only sufficient after the penalty for its wet braking. That placing understates what it does on snow, where it was one of the strongest tires in the test. It is a useful reminder that a tire can be excellent in the conditions it was designed around and still be the wrong buy, because most European winter driving happens on cold wet tarmac rather than snow.

Dry92.8%

Wet91.8%

Snow97.6%

Comfort87.5%

Rolling Resistance92.1%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	8^th / 9	93.49%
Dry Handling	9^th / 9	96.76%
Subj. Dry Handling	8^th / 9	69.07%
Wet Braking	9^th / 9	90.96%
Wet Handling	6^th / 9	94.9%
Subj. Wet Handling	7^th / 9	60%
Wet Circle	8^th / 9	95.86%
Straight Aqua	3^rd / 9	99.04%
Curved Aquaplaning	5^th / 9	92.77%
Snow Braking	1^st / 9	100%
Snow Traction	3^rd / 9	97.73%
Snow Handling	3^rd / 9	98.76%
Subj. Snow Handling	4^th / 9	80%
Snow Slalom	2^nd / 9	99.22%
Subj. Comfort	5^th / 9	77.78%
Noise	5^th / 9	97.14%
Rolling Resistance	7^th / 9	92.05%

EU Label: D/B/69
Origin: Romania
Weight: 8.22 kgs
Tread: 8.1 mm
Price: 117.00

The Linglong Sport Master Winter finished last and was the only tire in the test rated poor. Its low price is the only argument in its favor, and on this evidence it is not one worth taking: the shortfall in wet and snow safety is not marginal, and the rolling resistance means it costs more to run than the purchase price suggests.

Dry92.1%

Wet89.7%

Snow91.5%

Comfort79.9%

Rolling Resistance81%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (17)

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	7^th / 9	93.7%
Dry Handling	8^th / 9	97.18%
Subj. Dry Handling	9^th / 9	58.76%
Wet Braking	8^th / 9	94.15%
Wet Handling	9^th / 9	91.96%
Subj. Wet Handling	9^th / 9	50%
Wet Circle	7^th / 9	96.24%
Straight Aqua	9^th / 9	88.38%
Curved Aquaplaning	9^th / 9	77.04%
Snow Braking	8^th / 9	91.97%
Snow Traction	8^th / 9	94.7%
Snow Handling	8^th / 9	96.61%
Subj. Snow Handling	9^th / 9	50%
Snow Slalom	9^th / 9	94.82%
Subj. Comfort	8^th / 9	66.67%
Noise	9^th / 9	93.15%
Rolling Resistance	9^th / 9	81%

EU Label: D/A/72
Origin: Serbia
Weight: 8.30 kgs
Tread: 7.9 mm
Price: 72.00

Menu

Tire shortlist

The evidence behind the verdict

Test setup & methodology

Dry

Wet

Snow

Comfort

Value

Results