Test Charts / Tire Rack

2026 Tire Rack New 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: 3
Disciplines: 12
Test vehicle: 2025 Toyota Camry

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
1Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	94 ft	Best	0 mph
2Continental VikingContact 8	99 ft	+5 ft	18 mph
3Michelin X Ice Snow+	100 ft	+6 ft	21 mph

The difference between best and worst was 7.1% (6 ft ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Michelin X Ice Snow+ would still be travelling at 21 mph when the Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak had stopped.

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

Test data in partnership with

Dry Circle
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	0.83 g	Best
2Continental VikingContact 8	0.82 g	-0.01 g
3Michelin X Ice Snow+	0.81 g	-0.02 g

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

Test data in partnership with

Subj. Road Score
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin X Ice Snow+	8 Points	Best
2Continental VikingContact 8	7.5 Points	-0.50 Points
3Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	6 Points	-2.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 25% (2 Points).

Test data in partnership with

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Michelin X Ice Snow+	116 ft	Best	0 mph
2Continental VikingContact 8	118 ft	+2 ft	9 mph
3Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	120 ft	+4 ft	14 mph

The difference between best and worst was 3.1% (4 ft). From 80 mph, the Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak would still be travelling at 14 mph when the Michelin X Ice Snow+ had stopped.

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

Test data in partnership with

Wet Circle
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin X Ice Snow+	0.71 g	Best
2Continental VikingContact 8	0.7 g	-0.01 g
3Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	0.69 g	-0.02 g

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

Test data in partnership with

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	52 ft	Best	0 mph
2Michelin X Ice Snow+	57 ft	+5 ft	23 mph
3Continental VikingContact 8	57 ft	+5 ft	25 mph

The difference between best and worst was 10.5% (5 ft ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Continental VikingContact 8 would still be travelling at 25 mph when the Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak had stopped.

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

Test data in partnership with

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	51.47 s	Best
2Continental VikingContact 8	52.3 s	+0.83 s
3Michelin X Ice Snow+	53.41 s	+1.94 s

The difference between best and worst was 3.8% (1.94 s).

Test data in partnership with

Subj. Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	9.25 Points	Best
2Continental VikingContact 8	8 Points	-1.25 Points
2Michelin X Ice Snow+	8 Points	-1.25 Points

The difference between best and worst was 13.5% (1.25 Points).

Test data in partnership with

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak	36 ft	Best	0 mph
2Michelin X Ice Snow+	37 ft	+1 ft	17 mph
3Continental VikingContact 8	41 ft	+5 ft	29 mph

The difference between best and worst was 15.7% (5 ft ≈ 0.4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Continental VikingContact 8 would still be travelling at 29 mph when the Bridgestone Blizzak IcePeak had stopped.

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

Test data in partnership with