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2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 225/50 R17

Overall test winnerPirelli Cinturato Winter 3

ADAC has tested 16 winter tires in 225/50 R17, a size fitted to mid-size cars such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class.

Data analyzed and reviewed byJonathan Benson
11 min read
Tire shortlist Read the test
Tires tested
16
Tested size
225/50 R17
Test vehicle
Audi A4
Disciplines
13

At a glance

Tire shortlist

16 Tires tested

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

1st

Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3

+The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 was the strongest tire in the wet: it shared the shortest wet braking on asphalt, was among the best three on wet concrete, resisted straight aquaplaning better than any other tire and tied for the best curved aquaplaning result. Testers praised its precise, communicative steering on dry roads and on the wet handling course, and it stopped third-shortest in the dry. It is also light, with low fuel consumption and one of the quietest pass-by noise readings.

−The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 was only mid-field for snow braking and traction, and in the lower half for ice braking. Its projected tread life and abrasion both sat in the lower half of the field, and testers noted intrusive rolling noise inside the car.

5 owner reviews Test Results
2nd

Continental WinterContact TS 870

+The Continental WinterContact TS 870 matched the Pirelli for the shortest wet braking on asphalt and stopped shortest of all on wet concrete. It tied for the best curved aquaplaning result, was second only to the Pirelli in straight aquaplaning, and also stopped well in the dry. It had the fourth-shortest ice braking and one of the lowest pass-by noise readings, with good wet handling and low fuel consumption.

−The Continental WinterContact TS 870 felt slightly soft at the rear on dry roads, costing it steering precision. On snow it narrowly missed a good grade for traction and handling, with traction in the lower half of the field, and it is slightly heavier than most tires in the test. Its projected tread life was in the lower half of the field.

26 owner reviews Test Results
3rd

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3

+The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 had the second-longest projected tread life and the third-lowest abrasion in the test, and it is light and efficient. On the road it braked well in the dry and on wet concrete, resisted straight aquaplaning well, and testers found it safe and precise on dry and wet handling, with quick, accurate recovery after an avoidance maneuver.

−The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 was weaker on winter surfaces: snow braking and traction were mid-field, ice braking was among the longest in the test, and grip and precision on the snow handling course were only average. Curved aquaplaning resistance was also only satisfactory.

15 owner reviews Test Results
4th

Michelin Alpin 7

+The Michelin Alpin 7 was one of the best tires on winter surfaces: it had the second-shortest ice braking and second-highest snow traction, braked well on snow, and testers rated its snow handling as exceptionally precise with very large safety reserves. It is the lightest tire in the test, with long projected tread life, low abrasion and good fuel efficiency.

−The Michelin Alpin 7 was mid-field for dry braking and for braking on both wet surfaces, and testers wanted sharper, more precise steering response on dry roads. Curved aquaplaning resistance was only satisfactory, and it narrowly missed a good grade on the wet handling course.

11 owner reviews Test Results
5th

Bridgestone Blizzak 6

+The Bridgestone Blizzak 6 stopped third-shortest on wet asphalt and second-shortest on wet concrete. Testers praised its precise, responsive steering with good feedback on dry roads, and it was safe and precise on the wet handling course. On winter surfaces its snow and ice braking and snow traction were solid, and it is light with low fuel consumption.

−The Bridgestone Blizzak 6 was one of the longer tires to stop in the dry, and its snow handling lacked the balance and precision of the best tires. Curved aquaplaning resistance was only satisfactory, abrasion was among the highest in the test and its pass-by noise was above average.

9 owner reviews Test Results
Joint6th

ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2

+The ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2 stopped fifth-shortest on wet asphalt and handled precisely with good grip on the wet handling course. On snow and ice its braking and traction were solid, and it shared the second-lowest fuel consumption in the test, with good tread life, low abrasion and light weight.

−The ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2 was imprecise and slow to settle on dry roads, and its dry braking was among the longest of the tires that passed. On the snow handling course it struggled to combine braking and cornering forces, so the car tended to understeer or oversteer early. Curved aquaplaning resistance was only satisfactory. ADAC notes that it is sold only in Switzerland.

Read owner reviews Test Results
Joint6th

Hankook Winter I cept RS3

+The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 steered precisely and responsively on dry roads and stayed composed in sudden avoidance maneuvers. In the wet it stopped fourth-shortest on asphalt, tied for third in curved aquaplaning and was good in straight aquaplaning. It had low abrasion and good fuel efficiency, and was one of the cheaper tires in the upper half of the field.

−The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 was among the weaker tires for ice braking and snow traction, and testers wanted more lateral grip and better blending of braking and cornering forces on the snow handling course. Its projected tread life was among the shortest in the test, and it is slightly heavier than average.

28 owner reviews Test Results
8th

Dunlop Winter

+The Dunlop Winter had the longest projected tread life in the test and the second-lowest abrasion, which earned it the best environmental score of all sixteen tires. On winter surfaces it was very capable: third-shortest snow braking, strong snow traction, good ice braking and safe, precise snow handling. It is also light and efficient.

−The Dunlop Winter was weak on dry roads, with vague steering that needed frequent corrections and a tendency to oversteer when countersteering in avoidance maneuvers. In the wet its braking was the longest of the tires that passed, aquaplaning resistance was below average and wet handling lacked grip and precision.

2 owner reviews Test Results
Joint9th

Vredestein Wintrac Pro+

+The Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ performed well on snow, with the fourth-highest snow traction and fifth-shortest snow braking. Wet braking and straight aquaplaning resistance were rated good, and it has low fuel consumption.

−The Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ had one of the longest dry braking distances in the test and imprecise dry steering that needed occasional corrections. Ice braking was among the longest, and curved aquaplaning and wet handling missed good grades. Its projected tread life was the second-shortest in the test and abrasion was among the highest.

3 owner reviews Test Results
Joint9th

Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906

+The Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906 braked well in the dry and on wet concrete, and its projected tread life was in the top half of the field, with better than average abrasion.

−The Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906 was below the leaders on every surface. Dry steering was imprecise and needed corrections, wet handling and aquaplaning resistance were only satisfactory, and on winter surfaces it was among the weakest tires that passed, with low snow traction, long ice braking and poor snow handling. It is one of the heaviest tires in the test, had the highest fuel consumption, and ADAC noted production residue on the new tires.

3 owner reviews Test Results
11th

Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro

+The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro is light, with low fuel consumption, and its wet braking on asphalt was mid-field.

−The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro was very poor on the snow handling course, barely combining braking and cornering forces so that the car understeered or oversteered very early with little precision. Snow braking and traction were in the bottom four, dry steering and handling at the limit were only satisfactory, and it had the shortest projected tread life in the test.

4 owner reviews Test Results
12th

Toyo Observe EWS1

+The Toyo Observe EWS1 was strong on dry and wet roads: it had the second-shortest dry braking, precise and responsive dry steering, good wet braking, and the third-best straight aquaplaning resistance with a joint-third curved aquaplaning result. Ice braking was good, it is light, and its projected tread life was the fourth-longest in the test.

−The Toyo Observe EWS1 was one of the weakest tires on snow. Its snow braking and traction were second-worst in the test, and on the snow handling course it could not build enough lateral grip, so the car understeered or oversteered very early. It also had one of the higher pass-by noise readings.

2 owner reviews Test Results
Joint13th

Aptany RW211

+The Aptany RW211 was very good on snow, with the second-shortest snow braking, third-highest traction and snow handling that ADAC rated very good, with precise, secure behavior and high limits. It also has low fuel consumption.

−The Aptany RW211 had the longest dry braking in the test and vague dry steering that needed constant correction, with a tendency to oversteer in lane changes. In the wet it was rated poor: braking on both surfaces and aquaplaning resistance were near the bottom of the field, and it understeered or oversteered very early on the handling course. Its tread life projection was among the shortest and abrasion among the highest.

Read owner reviews Test Results
Joint13th

Tracmax S210 Ice Plus

+The Tracmax Ice-Plus S210 recorded the shortest dry braking distance in the test. Its tread life projection and abrasion were rated good, and it has low fuel consumption.

−The Tracmax Ice-Plus S210 was among the four worst tires for braking on both wet surfaces and for straight and curved aquaplaning resistance, and its wet handling was rated poor, with very early understeer or oversteer. On winter surfaces it had the longest snow braking, lowest snow traction and longest ice braking of the whole field, with poor snow handling. It is also the heaviest tire in the test.

Read owner reviews Test Results
Joint15th

Royal Black Royal Winter UHP

+The Royal Black Royalwinter UHP had the third-longest projected tread life, the lowest abrasion and the lowest fuel consumption in the test. It had the third-shortest ice braking and mid-field dry braking.

−The Royal Black Royalwinter UHP was rated poor on both dry and wet roads. Its dry steering was very vague and it oversteered in lane changes; in the wet it had the lowest straight aquaplaning speed of any tire, was near the bottom for braking and curved aquaplaning, and understeered or oversteered very early on the handling course. It had the loudest pass-by noise, is heavier than average, and ADAC noted production residue on the new tires.

1 owner review Test Results
Joint15th

Sunwide Snowide

+The Sunwide Snowide was the best tire in the test on snow and ice: it had the shortest snow braking, the highest snow traction and the shortest ice braking, and ADAC rated its snow handling very good, with excellent precision and high limits. It also had the lowest pass-by noise reading and low fuel consumption.

−The Sunwide Snowide had the longest wet braking of the field on both asphalt and concrete, the weakest curved aquaplaning resistance and near-bottom straight aquaplaning. Its dry braking was second-longest and its dry steering very vague, with oversteer in lane changes and early understeer or oversteer on the wet handling course. It also had the highest abrasion in the test.

Read owner reviews Test Results

Tire shortlist

Compare selected tires

2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 225/50 R17 · 225/50 R17

TirePirelli Cinturato Winter 3Continental WinterContact TS 870Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3Michelin Alpin 7Bridgestone Blizzak 6ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2Hankook Winter I cept RS3Dunlop WinterVredestein Wintrac Pro+Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906Falken EUROWINTER HS02 ProToyo Observe EWS1Aptany RW211Tracmax S210 Ice PlusRoyal Black Royal Winter UHPSunwide Snowide
Position1st2nd3rd4th5thJoint 6thJoint 6th8thJoint 9thJoint 9th11th12thJoint 13thJoint 13thJoint 15thJoint 15th
Category scores (% of best)
Dry98.7%98.4%97.3%95.8%95.4%93.6%96.7%96.9%94.2%96.9%94.8%99.6%89.6%100%96.9%90.3%
Wet100%99.6%94.2%92.3%94.1%92.5%95.8%88.1%90.9%89.5%90.1%94.3%74.3%75.4%73.5%70.8%
Snow94.5%92.9%93.3%96.9%93.5%94.2%92.5%96.2%95.8%90.1%88.6%84.3%98.2%79%90.8%100%
Ice91.2%96.5%88.2%97.6%92.2%93.8%89.2%92.2%88.7%86.8%89.7%93.8%90.7%84.6%97.1%100%
Comfort99.2%98.7%97.2%98.1%96.2%98.5%96.6%98.1%96.6%96.2%95.9%95.4%94.4%98.7%94.2%100%
Value72%72.6%84.6%74.2%73.5%66%72.4%92.2%65.7%82.2%65.5%84.7%76.9%84.6%98.2%71.4%
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Test Results

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The full test

The evidence behind the verdict

ADAC has tested 16 winter tires in 225/50 R17, a size fitted to mid-size cars such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. Each tire was scored for safety on dry, wet and winter roads, and for tread life, wear, efficiency, noise and sustainability. Four tires were rated "good", six "satisfactory" and six failed with a "poor" grade.

The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 wins, with the best driving safety in the test and the strongest wet performance of the field. The Continental WinterContact TS 870 is a close second, with the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 third and the Michelin Alpin 7 fourth. The six tires that failed are the Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro, Toyo Observe EWS1, Tracmax Ice-Plus S210, Aptany RW211, Royal Black Royalwinter UHP and Sunwide Snowide.

Test setup & methodology

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

Recorded test conditions

Recorded test conditions

Dry Braking
62.1 → 0.0 mph
Wet Braking
49.7 → 0.0 mph
Wet Braking - Concrete
49.7 → 0.0 mph
Snow Braking
18.6 → 0.0 mph
Ice Braking
12.4 → 0.0 mph

ADAC tested on dry and wet tracks in Germany and Italy, and on snow at Ivalo in Finland, using a front-wheel-drive Audi A4. Under ADAC's scoring, a poor grade on any one surface sets the overall grade, so a tire cannot make up for a serious weakness with strong results elsewhere. That rule decided the bottom of this table. The Toyo is close to the premium tires on dry and wet roads and the Falken is satisfactory there, but both were very poor in the snow handling test. Three others, the Sunwide, Aptany and Royal Black, were among the best on snow or ice but were rated poor on wet roads. The Sunwide Snowide was the best tire in the whole test on snow and ice, yet finished joint last. The ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2 is sold only in Switzerland, so ADAC gives no price for it.

Dry

The Tracmax recorded the shortest dry braking, ahead of the Toyo and the Pirelli, although both the Tracmax and the Toyo failed the test on other surfaces. The Aptany and the Sunwide needed the most distance to stop. Braking is only part of ADAC's dry score: handling at the limit and steering precision carry more weight, and there the Pirelli, Bridgestone, Hankook and Toyo were praised, while the Dunlop, Aptany, Royal Black and Sunwide were marked down for vague steering and oversteer in lane changes.

Dry Braking

Dry braking in feet (62 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 144 ft Best 0 mph
2Toyo Observe EWS1
 144 ft 0 ft 5 mph
3Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 146 ft +2 ft 9 mph
4Continental WinterContact TS 870
 146 ft +2 ft 10 mph
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 148 ft +4 ft 13 mph
6Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 148 ft +4 ft 14 mph
6Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 148 ft +4 ft 14 mph
6Dunlop Winter
 148 ft +4 ft 14 mph
9Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 149 ft +5 ft 15 mph
10Michelin Alpin 7
 150 ft +6 ft 16 mph
11Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 151 ft +7 ft 17 mph
12Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 152 ft +8 ft 18 mph
13Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 153 ft +9 ft 19 mph
14ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 154 ft +10 ft 20 mph
15Sunwide Snowide
 159 ft +15 ft 25 mph
16Aptany RW211
 160 ft +16 ft 26 mph

The difference between best and worst was 11.6% (16 ft ≈ 1.1 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Aptany RW211 would still be travelling at 26 mph when the Tracmax S210 Ice Plus had stopped.

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

Wet

The Continental and Pirelli shared the shortest wet braking on asphalt, with the Bridgestone close behind. On wet concrete the Continental was shortest again, ahead of the Bridgestone and Pirelli. The four failed budget tires were clearly the longest to stop on both surfaces, with the Sunwide last each time.

Wet Braking

Wet braking in feet (50 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Continental WinterContact TS 870
 114 ft Best 0 mph
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 114 ft Best 0 mph
3Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 115 ft +1 ft 9 mph
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 117 ft +3 ft 13 mph
5ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 117 ft +3 ft 14 mph
6Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 118 ft +4 ft 16 mph
7Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 121 ft +7 ft 19 mph
7Michelin Alpin 7
 121 ft +7 ft 19 mph
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 121 ft +7 ft 19 mph
7Toyo Observe EWS1
 121 ft +7 ft 19 mph
11Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 121 ft +7 ft 20 mph
12Dunlop Winter
 125 ft +11 ft 24 mph
13Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 142 ft +28 ft 36 mph
14Aptany RW211
 143 ft +29 ft 36 mph
15Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 144 ft +30 ft 36 mph
16Sunwide Snowide
 152 ft +38 ft 40 mph

The difference between best and worst was 33.4% (38 ft ≈ 2.6 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Sunwide Snowide would still be travelling at 40 mph when the Continental WinterContact TS 870 had stopped.

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

Wet Braking - Concrete

Wet braking on Concrete in feet (50 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Continental WinterContact TS 870
 125 ft Best 0 mph
2Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 126 ft +1 ft 7 mph
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 126 ft +1 ft 7 mph
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 130 ft +5 ft 15 mph
5Toyo Observe EWS1
 130 ft +5 ft 16 mph
6Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 131 ft +6 ft 17 mph
7Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 132 ft +7 ft 18 mph
8ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 133 ft +8 ft 19 mph
9Michelin Alpin 7
 134 ft +9 ft 21 mph
10Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 135 ft +10 ft 21 mph
11Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 135 ft +10 ft 22 mph
12Dunlop Winter
 138 ft +13 ft 24 mph
13Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 151 ft +26 ft 33 mph
14Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 157 ft +32 ft 36 mph
15Aptany RW211
 160 ft +35 ft 37 mph
16Sunwide Snowide
 167 ft +42 ft 40 mph

The difference between best and worst was 33.2% (42 ft ≈ 2.8 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Sunwide Snowide would still be travelling at 40 mph when the Continental WinterContact TS 870 had stopped.

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

The Pirelli resisted straight aquaplaning best, with the Continental and Toyo next. The Continental and Pirelli shared the best result in curved aquaplaning. The Royal Black floated earliest in straight aquaplaning and the Sunwide was weakest in curved aquaplaning.

Straight Aqua

Float Speed in mph

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 52.8 mph Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870
 51.6 mph -1.2 mph
3Toyo Observe EWS1
 50.0 mph -2.8 mph
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 49.3 mph -3.5 mph
5Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 48.9 mph -3.9 mph
6Michelin Alpin 7
 48.8 mph -4.0 mph
7Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 48.1 mph -4.7 mph
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 47.6 mph -5.2 mph
9ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 47.3 mph -5.5 mph
10Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 46.7 mph -6.1 mph
10Dunlop Winter
 46.7 mph -6.1 mph
12Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 46.0 mph -6.8 mph
13Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 41.6 mph -11.2 mph
14Aptany RW211
 41.6 mph -11.2 mph
15Sunwide Snowide
 41.3 mph -11.5 mph
16Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 39.1 mph -13.7 mph

The difference between best and worst was 25.9% (13.7 mph).

Curved Aquaplaning

Remaining lateral acceleration

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 870
 10.5 ft/s² Best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 10.5 ft/s² Best
3Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 9.8 ft/s² -0.7 ft/s²
3Toyo Observe EWS1
 9.8 ft/s² -0.7 ft/s²
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 9.2 ft/s² -1.3 ft/s²
6Michelin Alpin 7
 8.9 ft/s² -1.6 ft/s²
7Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 8.2 ft/s² -2.3 ft/s²
7Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 8.2 ft/s² -2.3 ft/s²
7ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 8.2 ft/s² -2.3 ft/s²
10Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 7.9 ft/s² -2.6 ft/s²
10Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 7.9 ft/s² -2.6 ft/s²
10Dunlop Winter
 7.9 ft/s² -2.6 ft/s²
13Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 5.6 ft/s² -4.9 ft/s²
14Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 5.2 ft/s² -5.3 ft/s²
14Aptany RW211
 5.2 ft/s² -5.3 ft/s²
16Sunwide Snowide
 4.9 ft/s² -5.6 ft/s²

The difference between best and worst was 53.1% (5.6 ft/s²).

Snow

The Sunwide stopped shortest on snow and had the highest snow traction, with the Aptany second for snow braking and the Michelin second for traction. The Tracmax was last in both, and the Toyo second-last. On the snow handling course, which ADAC weights most heavily of the winter tests, the Sunwide, Aptany and Michelin were rated best, while the Falken, Toyo and Tracmax were rated poor.

Snow Braking

Snow braking in feet (19 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Sunwide Snowide
 31 ft Best 0 mph
2Aptany RW211
 31 ft 0 ft 8 mph
3Dunlop Winter
 32 ft +1 ft 14 mph
4Michelin Alpin 7
 32 ft +1 ft 16 mph
4Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 32 ft +1 ft 16 mph
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 32 ft +1 ft 18 mph
7Continental WinterContact TS 870
 33 ft +2 ft 20 mph
7Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 33 ft +2 ft 20 mph
7Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 33 ft +2 ft 20 mph
7Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 33 ft +2 ft 20 mph
7ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 33 ft +2 ft 20 mph
12Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 33 ft +2 ft 22 mph
13Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 34 ft +3 ft 26 mph
14Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 35 ft +4 ft 28 mph
15Toyo Observe EWS1
 36 ft +5 ft 31 mph
16Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 38 ft +7 ft 35 mph

The difference between best and worst was 23.4% (7 ft ≈ 0.5 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Tracmax S210 Ice Plus would still be travelling at 35 mph when the Sunwide Snowide had stopped.

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

Snow Traction

Pulling Force in pounds-force

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Sunwide Snowide
 620 lbf Best
2Michelin Alpin 7
 607 lbf -13 lbf
3Aptany RW211
 605 lbf -15 lbf
4Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 594 lbf -26 lbf
5Dunlop Winter
 593 lbf -27 lbf
6ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 586 lbf -34 lbf
7Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 584 lbf -36 lbf
8Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 578 lbf -42 lbf
9Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 576 lbf -44 lbf
10Continental WinterContact TS 870
 570 lbf -50 lbf
11Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 570 lbf -50 lbf
12Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 566 lbf -54 lbf
13Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 553 lbf -67 lbf
14Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 548 lbf -72 lbf
15Toyo Observe EWS1
 521 lbf -99 lbf
16Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 480 lbf -140 lbf

The difference between best and worst was 22.7% (140 lbf).

Ice

The Sunwide also had the shortest ice braking, followed by the Michelin and the Royal Black. The Tracmax, Yokohama and Goodyear needed the most distance.

Ice Braking

Ice braking in feet (12 - 0 mph)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestResidual speed
1Sunwide Snowide
 54 ft Best 0 mph
2Michelin Alpin 7
 55 ft +1 ft 12 mph
3Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 56 ft +2 ft 14 mph
4Continental WinterContact TS 870
 56 ft +2 ft 15 mph
5Toyo Observe EWS1
 58 ft +4 ft 20 mph
5ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 58 ft +4 ft 20 mph
7Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 59 ft +5 ft 22 mph
7Dunlop Winter
 59 ft +5 ft 22 mph
9Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 59 ft +5 ft 24 mph
10Aptany RW211
 60 ft +6 ft 24 mph
11Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 60 ft +6 ft 26 mph
12Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 61 ft +7 ft 26 mph
13Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 61 ft +7 ft 27 mph
14Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 61 ft +7 ft 27 mph
15Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 62 ft +8 ft 29 mph
16Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 64 ft +10 ft 31 mph

The difference between best and worst was 18.2% (10 ft ≈ 0.7 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Tracmax S210 Ice Plus would still be travelling at 31 mph when the Sunwide Snowide had stopped.

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

Noise

The Sunwide recorded the lowest pass-by noise, followed by the Pirelli. The Royal Black and Aptany were the loudest.

Noise

External noise in dB

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Sunwide Snowide
 70.3 dB Best
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 70.9 dB +0.60 dB
3Continental WinterContact TS 870
 71.2 dB +0.90 dB
3Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 71.2 dB +0.90 dB
5ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 71.4 dB +1.10 dB
6Michelin Alpin 7
 71.7 dB +1.40 dB
6Dunlop Winter
 71.7 dB +1.40 dB
8Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 72.3 dB +2.00 dB
9Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 72.8 dB +2.50 dB
9Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 72.8 dB +2.50 dB
11Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 73.1 dB +2.80 dB
11Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 73.1 dB +2.80 dB
13Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 73.3 dB +3.00 dB
14Toyo Observe EWS1
 73.7 dB +3.40 dB
15Aptany RW211
 74.5 dB +4.20 dB
16Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 74.6 dB +4.30 dB

The difference between best and worst was 6.1% (4.3 dB).

Wear and Efficiency

The Dunlop Winter has the longest projected tread life and the second-lowest abrasion, giving it the best environmental score in the test. The Goodyear and Royal Black are next for tread life, and the Royal Black has the lowest abrasion. The Falken has the shortest projected tread life, and the Sunwide the highest abrasion.

Wear

Predicted tread life in KM

Higher is better ↑
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Dunlop Winter
 36,847 miles Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 34,673 miles -2,174 miles
3Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 34,548 miles -2,299 miles
4Toyo Observe EWS1
 33,368 miles -3,479 miles
5Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 30,944 miles -5,903 miles
6ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 29,639 miles -7,208 miles
7Michelin Alpin 7
 29,080 miles -7,767 miles
8Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 28,521 miles -8,326 miles
9Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 26,968 miles -9,879 miles
10Continental WinterContact TS 870
 26,843 miles -10,004 miles
11Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 26,781 miles -10,066 miles
12Sunwide Snowide
 25,911 miles -10,936 miles
13Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 24,544 miles -12,303 miles
14Aptany RW211
 22,618 miles -14,229 miles
15Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 21,313 miles -15,534 miles
16Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 19,884 miles -16,963 miles

The difference between best and worst was 46% (16,963 miles).

Abrasion

Weight of Tire Wear Particles Lost (mg/km/t)

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 54 mg/km/t Best
2Dunlop Winter
 57 mg/km/t +3.00 mg/km/t
3Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 62 mg/km/t +8.00 mg/km/t
4Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 71 mg/km/t +17.00 mg/km/t
4Toyo Observe EWS1
 71 mg/km/t +17.00 mg/km/t
6Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 72 mg/km/t +18.00 mg/km/t
7Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 73 mg/km/t +19.00 mg/km/t
8Continental WinterContact TS 870
 74 mg/km/t +20.00 mg/km/t
8Michelin Alpin 7
 74 mg/km/t +20.00 mg/km/t
10ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 77 mg/km/t +23.00 mg/km/t
11Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 80 mg/km/t +26.00 mg/km/t
12Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 82 mg/km/t +28.00 mg/km/t
13Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 88 mg/km/t +34.00 mg/km/t
14Aptany RW211
 90 mg/km/t +36.00 mg/km/t
15Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 92 mg/km/t +38.00 mg/km/t
16Sunwide Snowide
 98 mg/km/t +44.00 mg/km/t

The difference between best and worst was 81.5% (44 mg/km/t).

Fuel consumption was close across the field. The Royal Black was the most efficient, and the Yokohama used the most fuel.

Fuel Consumption

Fuel consumption in Liters per 100 km

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to bestExtra fuel / year
1Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 5.2 l/100km Best $0
2ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
 5.4 l/100km +0.20 l/100km $37
2Sunwide Snowide
 5.4 l/100km +0.20 l/100km $37
4Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 5.5 l/100km +0.30 l/100km $55
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 5.5 l/100km +0.30 l/100km $55
4Dunlop Winter
 5.5 l/100km +0.30 l/100km $55
4Aptany RW211
 5.5 l/100km +0.30 l/100km $55
8Continental WinterContact TS 870
 5.6 l/100km +0.40 l/100km $73
8Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 5.6 l/100km +0.40 l/100km $73
8Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 5.6 l/100km +0.40 l/100km $73
8Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 5.6 l/100km +0.40 l/100km $73
8Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 5.6 l/100km +0.40 l/100km $73
8Michelin Alpin 7
 5.6 l/100km +0.40 l/100km $73
8Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 5.6 l/100km +0.40 l/100km $73
15Toyo Observe EWS1
 5.7 l/100km +0.50 l/100km $92
16Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 5.8 l/100km +0.60 l/100km $110

The difference between best and worst was 11.5% (0.6 l/100km). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906 uses about 31 gal ($110) more fuel than the Royal Black Royal Winter UHP.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions.

12,000 mi
$3.60/gal
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.

Combining ADAC's price with the projected tread life gives a cost per 1,000 km. The Royal Black, Tracmax and Aptany come out cheapest, but their prices are low and, for the Royal Black and Tracmax, ADAC marks them as not representative. Among the tires that passed, the Yokohama and Dunlop are the best value, while the Michelin and Continental are the most expensive to run.

Value

Euros/1000km based on cost/wear

Lower is better ↓
Position / TireResultGap to best
1Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
 1.53 Price/1000 Best
2Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
 1.57 Price/1000 +0.04 Price/1000
3Aptany RW211
 1.68 Price/1000 +0.15 Price/1000
4Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
 1.97 Price/1000 +0.44 Price/1000
5Toyo Observe EWS1
 2.01 Price/1000 +0.48 Price/1000
6Dunlop Winter
 2.02 Price/1000 +0.49 Price/1000
7Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
 2.65 Price/1000 +1.12 Price/1000
8Sunwide Snowide
 2.78 Price/1000 +1.25 Price/1000
9Hankook Winter I cept RS3
 3.09 Price/1000 +1.56 Price/1000
10Bridgestone Blizzak 6
 3.12 Price/1000 +1.59 Price/1000
11Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
 3.32 Price/1000 +1.79 Price/1000
12Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
 3.38 Price/1000 +1.85 Price/1000
13Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
 3.46 Price/1000 +1.93 Price/1000
14Continental WinterContact TS 870
 3.47 Price/1000 +1.94 Price/1000
15Michelin Alpin 7
 3.53 Price/1000 +2.00 Price/1000

The difference between best and worst was 130.7% (2 Price/1000).

Compared with ADAC's 185/65 R15 Test

ADAC tested a second size at the same time, 185/65 R15 for small cars, on a Skoda Fabia. Four tires appear in both tests: the Continental WinterContact TS 870, Michelin Alpin 7, Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 and Hankook Winter i*cept RS3. The Continental was the most consistent, winning the smaller size and finishing second here, with top-three wet braking on both surfaces in both tests. The Michelin finished second in the smaller size and fourth here, and in both tests it had the shortest ice braking and highest snow traction of these four tires. The Goodyear moved the other way, from sixth in 185/65 R15 to third here, but in both sizes it was among the longest to stop on ice. Its long tread life also did not carry over: second-longest in this test, it was mid-field in the smaller size. The Hankook had one of the shortest projected tread lives in both tests.

Results

The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 is the most complete tire in this test and a clear recommendation, with the Continental, Goodyear and Michelin close behind. The Goodyear and Michelin add long tread life, and the Michelin is the strongest of the top four on snow and ice. As ADAC's results show, a tire that is excellent on snow but poor in the wet is not a safe winter tire for most European driving.

1st

Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3

225/50 R17 98V XL
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
ADAC Test Winner / Good Testsieger / gut
The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 is the overall test winner. It had the best driving safety of any tire in the test, built mainly on outstanding wet performance, and backed that up with safe, balanced behavior on dry roads and in winter conditions. Tread life and abrasion are its only real compromises.
Dry98.7%
Wet100%
Snow94.5%
Ice91.2%
Comfort99.2%
Value72%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better3rd / 16146 ft+2 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better1st / 16114 ftBest in this discipline
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better2nd / 16126 ft+1 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better1st / 1652.8 mphBest in this discipline
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better1st / 1610.5 ft/s²Best in this discipline
Snow BrakingLower is better6th / 1632 ft+1 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better7th / 16584 lbf-36 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better9th / 1659 ft+5 ft
NoiseLower is better2nd / 1670.9 dB+0.60 dB
WearHigher is better11th / 1626,781 miles-10,066 miles
ValueLower is better13th / 153.46 Price/1000+1.93 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better4th / 165.5 l/100km+0.30 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better11th / 1680 mg/km/t+26.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/A/72
Origin
Romania
Weight
10.1 kgs
Price
149.00
2nd

Continental WinterContact TS 870

225/50 R17 98V XL
Continental WinterContact TS 870
ADAC Good gut
The Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished a close second overall. It is one of the safest tires in the wet, with very short braking distances on both wet surfaces and strong aquaplaning resistance, and it holds up well on snow and ice. Minor losses in dry steering precision and snow handling kept it just behind the winner.
Dry98.4%
Wet99.6%
Snow92.9%
Ice96.5%
Comfort98.7%
Value72.6%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better4th / 16146 ft+2 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better1st / 16114 ftBest in this discipline
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better1st / 16125 ftBest in this discipline
Straight AquaHigher is better2nd / 1651.6 mph-1.2 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better1st / 1610.5 ft/s²Best in this discipline
Snow BrakingLower is better7th / 1633 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better10th / 16570 lbf-50 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better4th / 1656 ft+2 ft
NoiseLower is better3rd / 1671.2 dB+0.90 dB
WearHigher is better10th / 1626,843 miles-10,004 miles
ValueLower is better14th / 153.47 Price/1000+1.94 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better8th / 165.6 l/100km+0.40 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better8th / 1674 mg/km/t+20.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/B/70
Origin
Portugal
Weight
10.4 kgs
Price
150.00
3rd

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3

225/50 R17 98V XL
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
ADAC Good gut
The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 finished third overall. It is a safe, precise tire on dry and wet roads, and its long tread life and low wear gave it one of the best environmental scores in the test. Winter grip was the weaker area, keeping its safety rating just short of the top two.
Dry97.3%
Wet94.2%
Snow93.3%
Ice88.2%
Comfort97.2%
Value84.6%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better5th / 16148 ft+4 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better6th / 16118 ft+4 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better4th / 16130 ft+5 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better4th / 1649.3 mph-3.5 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better5th / 169.2 ft/s²-1.3 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better7th / 1633 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better9th / 16576 lbf-44 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better14th / 1661 ft+7 ft
NoiseLower is better8th / 1672.3 dB+2.00 dB
WearHigher is better2nd / 1634,673 miles-2,174 miles
ValueLower is better7th / 152.65 Price/1000+1.12 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better8th / 165.6 l/100km+0.40 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better3rd / 1662 mg/km/t+8.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/C/71
Origin
Germany
Weight
9.6 kgs
Price
148.00
4th

Michelin Alpin 7

225/50 R17 98V XL
Michelin Alpin 7
ADAC Good gut
The Michelin Alpin 7 finished fourth overall and is the pick of the leading group for snow and ice. Its dry and wet performance is safe but not class-leading, which held back its safety score, but its light weight, long tread life and low wear lifted it to a good overall result.
Dry95.8%
Wet92.3%
Snow96.9%
Ice97.6%
Comfort98.1%
Value74.2%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better10th / 16150 ft+6 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better7th / 16121 ft+7 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better9th / 16134 ft+9 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better6th / 1648.8 mph-4.0 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better6th / 168.9 ft/s²-1.6 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better4th / 1632 ft+1 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better2nd / 16607 lbf-13 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better2nd / 1655 ft+1 ft
NoiseLower is better6th / 1671.7 dB+1.40 dB
WearHigher is better7th / 1629,080 miles-7,767 miles
ValueLower is better15th / 153.53 Price/1000+2.00 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better8th / 165.6 l/100km+0.40 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better8th / 1674 mg/km/t+20.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/B/71
Origin
Germany
Weight
9.5 kgs
Price
165.00
5th

Bridgestone Blizzak 6

225/50 R17 98V XL
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
The Bridgestone Blizzak 6 finished fifth overall, just outside the tires rated good. It is a strong wet braking tire with precise dry handling, but a slightly weak snow handling result and above-average abrasion held it back.
Dry95.4%
Wet94.1%
Snow93.5%
Ice92.2%
Comfort96.2%
Value73.5%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better11th / 16151 ft+7 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better3rd / 16115 ft+1 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better2nd / 16126 ft+1 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better7th / 1648.1 mph-4.7 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better7th / 168.2 ft/s²-2.3 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better7th / 1633 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better8th / 16578 lbf-42 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better7th / 1659 ft+5 ft
NoiseLower is better11th / 1673.1 dB+2.80 dB
WearHigher is better8th / 1628,521 miles-8,326 miles
ValueLower is better10th / 153.12 Price/1000+1.59 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better8th / 165.6 l/100km+0.40 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better12th / 1682 mg/km/t+28.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/B/70
Origin
Italy/Poland
Weight
10.0 kgs
Price
143.00
Joint 6th

Hankook Winter I cept RS3

225/50 R17 98V XL
Hankook Winter I cept RS3
The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 finished joint sixth overall. It is a safe, precise tire on dry and wet roads, but slight weaknesses on winter surfaces and a below-average tread life projection kept it to a satisfactory rating.
Dry96.7%
Wet95.8%
Snow92.5%
Ice89.2%
Comfort96.6%
Value72.4%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better9th / 16149 ft+5 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better4th / 16117 ft+3 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better7th / 16132 ft+7 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better5th / 1648.9 mph-3.9 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better3rd / 169.8 ft/s²-0.7 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better7th / 1633 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better12th / 16566 lbf-54 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better12th / 1661 ft+7 ft
NoiseLower is better9th / 1672.8 dB+2.50 dB
WearHigher is better13th / 1624,544 miles-12,303 miles
ValueLower is better9th / 153.09 Price/1000+1.56 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better8th / 165.6 l/100km+0.40 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better6th / 1672 mg/km/t+18.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/B/72
Origin
China/Hungary
Weight
10.4 kgs
Price
122.00
Joint 6th

ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2

225/50 R17 98V XL
ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2
The ESA Tecar Supergrip Pro 2 finished joint sixth overall. It is a good wet tire with a strong environmental score, but weak dry handling and a poor snow handling result limited its safety rating. It is only sold in Switzerland.
Dry93.6%
Wet92.5%
Snow94.2%
Ice93.8%
Comfort98.5%
Value66%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (12)

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

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better14th / 16154 ft+10 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better5th / 16117 ft+3 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better8th / 16133 ft+8 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better9th / 1647.3 mph-5.5 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better7th / 168.2 ft/s²-2.3 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better7th / 1633 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better6th / 16586 lbf-34 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better5th / 1658 ft+4 ft
NoiseLower is better5th / 1671.4 dB+1.10 dB
WearHigher is better6th / 1629,639 miles-7,208 miles
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better2nd / 165.4 l/100km+0.20 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better10th / 1677 mg/km/t+23.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/B/72
Origin
Romania
Weight
9.7 kgs
8th

Dunlop Winter

225/50 R17 98V XL
Dunlop Winter
The Dunlop Winter finished eighth overall. It combines good winter performance with the best tread life and environmental result in the test, but weaknesses on dry and wet roads kept its safety rating, and the overall result, to satisfactory.
Dry96.9%
Wet88.1%
Snow96.2%
Ice92.2%
Comfort98.1%
Value92.2%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better6th / 16148 ft+4 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better12th / 16125 ft+11 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better12th / 16138 ft+13 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better10th / 1646.7 mph-6.1 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better10th / 167.9 ft/s²-2.6 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better3rd / 1632 ft+1 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better5th / 16593 lbf-27 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better7th / 1659 ft+5 ft
NoiseLower is better6th / 1671.7 dB+1.40 dB
WearHigher is better1st / 1636,847 milesBest in this discipline
ValueLower is better6th / 152.02 Price/1000+0.49 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better4th / 165.5 l/100km+0.30 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better2nd / 1657 mg/km/t+3.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/C/71
Origin
Germany
Weight
9.7 kgs
Price
120.00
Joint 9th

Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906

225/50 R17 98V XL
Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906
The Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906 finished joint ninth overall. It stops well on dry and wet roads, but average handling, weak winter grip and poor efficiency held it to a satisfactory rating.
Dry96.9%
Wet89.5%
Snow90.1%
Ice86.8%
Comfort96.2%
Value82.2%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better6th / 16148 ft+4 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better11th / 16121 ft+7 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better6th / 16131 ft+6 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better12th / 1646.0 mph-6.8 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better10th / 167.9 ft/s²-2.6 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better12th / 1633 ft+2 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better14th / 16548 lbf-72 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better15th / 1662 ft+8 ft
NoiseLower is better11th / 1673.1 dB+2.80 dB
WearHigher is better5th / 1630,944 miles-5,903 miles
ValueLower is better4th / 151.97 Price/1000+0.44 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better16th / 165.8 l/100km+0.60 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better7th / 1673 mg/km/t+19.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
D/B/71
Origin
Japan/Philippines
Weight
11.2 kgs
Price
98.00
Joint 9th

Vredestein Wintrac Pro+

225/50 R17 98V XL
Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
The Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ finished joint ninth overall. It is good on snow but average on dry and wet roads, and a short tread life projection weighed on its environmental score.
Dry94.2%
Wet90.9%
Snow95.8%
Ice88.7%
Comfort96.6%
Value65.7%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better13th / 16153 ft+9 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better7th / 16121 ft+7 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better11th / 16135 ft+10 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better8th / 1647.6 mph-5.2 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better7th / 168.2 ft/s²-2.3 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better4th / 1632 ft+1 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better4th / 16594 lbf-26 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better13th / 1661 ft+7 ft
NoiseLower is better9th / 1672.8 dB+2.50 dB
WearHigher is better15th / 1621,313 miles-15,534 miles
ValueLower is better11th / 153.32 Price/1000+1.79 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better8th / 165.6 l/100km+0.40 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better15th / 1692 mg/km/t+38.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/B/71
Origin
Hungary
Weight
10.4 kgs
Price
114.00
11th

Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro

225/50 R17 98V XL
Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro failed the test. Dry and wet performance was satisfactory at best, but its very weak snow handling earned a poor winter score, which under ADAC's rules sets the overall grade. It also had the shortest tread life projection of all the tires.
Dry94.8%
Wet90.1%
Snow88.6%
Ice89.7%
Comfort95.9%
Value65.5%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better12th / 16152 ft+8 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better7th / 16121 ft+7 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better10th / 16135 ft+10 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better10th / 1646.7 mph-6.1 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better10th / 167.9 ft/s²-2.6 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better14th / 1635 ft+4 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better13th / 16553 lbf-67 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better11th / 1660 ft+6 ft
NoiseLower is better13th / 1673.3 dB+3.00 dB
WearHigher is better16th / 1619,884 miles-16,963 miles
ValueLower is better12th / 153.38 Price/1000+1.85 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better4th / 165.5 l/100km+0.30 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better13th / 1688 mg/km/t+34.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
D/B/71
Origin
Turkey
Weight
9.9 kgs
Price
108.00
12th

Toyo Observe EWS1

225/50 R17 98V XL
Toyo Observe EWS1
The Toyo Observe EWS1 failed the test despite dry and wet performance close to the premium tires. Its very poor snow handling produced a failing winter score, which under ADAC's rules sets the overall grade.
Dry99.6%
Wet94.3%
Snow84.3%
Ice93.8%
Comfort95.4%
Value84.7%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better2nd / 16144 ft0 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better7th / 16121 ft+7 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better5th / 16130 ft+5 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better3rd / 1650.0 mph-2.8 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better3rd / 169.8 ft/s²-0.7 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better15th / 1636 ft+5 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better15th / 16521 lbf-99 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better5th / 1658 ft+4 ft
NoiseLower is better14th / 1673.7 dB+3.40 dB
WearHigher is better4th / 1633,368 miles-3,479 miles
ValueLower is better5th / 152.01 Price/1000+0.48 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better15th / 165.7 l/100km+0.50 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better4th / 1671 mg/km/t+17.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/B/72
Origin
Serbia
Weight
9.8 kgs
Price
108.00
Joint 13th

Tracmax S210 Ice+

225/50 R17 98V XL
Tracmax S210 Ice Plus
The Tracmax Ice-Plus S210 failed the test, rated poor in both wet and winter conditions. Its short dry braking does not make up for weak performance on the surfaces a winter tire most needs to handle.
Dry100%
Wet75.4%
Snow79%
Ice84.6%
Comfort98.7%
Value84.6%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better1st / 16144 ftBest in this discipline
Wet BrakingLower is better13th / 16142 ft+28 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better13th / 16151 ft+26 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better13th / 1641.6 mph-11.2 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better13th / 165.6 ft/s²-4.9 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better16th / 1638 ft+7 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better16th / 16480 lbf-140 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better16th / 1664 ft+10 ft
NoiseLower is better3rd / 1671.2 dB+0.90 dB
WearHigher is better9th / 1626,968 miles-9,879 miles
ValueLower is better2nd / 151.57 Price/1000+0.04 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better8th / 165.6 l/100km+0.40 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better4th / 1671 mg/km/t+17.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/C/72
Origin
China
Weight
11.4 kgs
Price
68.00
Joint 13th

Aptany RW211

225/50 R17 98V XL
Aptany RW211
The Aptany RW211 failed the test. It is one of the best tires on snow, but poor wet safety and weak dry handling set its overall grade under ADAC's rules.
Dry89.6%
Wet74.3%
Snow98.2%
Ice90.7%
Comfort94.4%
Value76.9%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better16th / 16160 ft+16 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better14th / 16143 ft+29 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better15th / 16160 ft+35 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better14th / 1641.6 mph-11.2 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better14th / 165.2 ft/s²-5.3 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better2nd / 1631 ft0 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better3rd / 16605 lbf-15 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better10th / 1660 ft+6 ft
NoiseLower is better15th / 1674.5 dB+4.20 dB
WearHigher is better14th / 1622,618 miles-14,229 miles
ValueLower is better3rd / 151.68 Price/1000+0.15 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better4th / 165.5 l/100km+0.30 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better14th / 1690 mg/km/t+36.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
C/C/72
Origin
China
Weight
10.4 kgs
Price
61.00
Joint 15th

Royal Black Royal Winter UHP

225/50 R17 98V XL
Royal Black Royal Winter UHP
The Royal Black Royalwinter UHP failed the test, finishing joint last. Its tread life and efficiency are excellent, but its dry and wet safety were both rated poor, which sets the overall grade under ADAC's rules.
Dry96.9%
Wet73.5%
Snow90.8%
Ice97.1%
Comfort94.2%
Value98.2%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better6th / 16148 ft+4 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better15th / 16144 ft+30 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better14th / 16157 ft+32 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better16th / 1639.1 mph-13.7 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better14th / 165.2 ft/s²-5.3 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better13th / 1634 ft+3 ft
Snow TractionHigher is better11th / 16570 lbf-50 lbf
Ice BrakingLower is better3rd / 1656 ft+2 ft
NoiseLower is better16th / 1674.6 dB+4.30 dB
WearHigher is better3rd / 1634,548 miles-2,299 miles
ValueLower is better1st / 151.53 Price/1000Best in this discipline
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better1st / 165.2 l/100kmBest in this discipline
AbrasionLower is better1st / 1654 mg/km/tBest in this discipline
EU Label
C/C/72
Origin
China
Weight
10.6 kgs
Price
85.00
Joint 15th

Sunwide Snowide

225/50 R17 98V XL
Sunwide Snowide
The Sunwide Snowide failed the test and finished joint last, despite being the best tire on snow and ice. Its dry and wet safety were both rated poor, which sets the overall grade under ADAC's rules and shows that snow grip alone does not make a good winter tire.
Dry90.3%
Wet70.8%
Snow100%
Ice100%
Comfort100%
Value71.4%

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.

TestPosition in disciplineResultGap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better15th / 16159 ft+15 ft
Wet BrakingLower is better16th / 16152 ft+38 ft
Wet Braking - ConcreteLower is better16th / 16167 ft+42 ft
Straight AquaHigher is better15th / 1641.3 mph-11.5 mph
Curved AquaplaningHigher is better16th / 164.9 ft/s²-5.6 ft/s²
Snow BrakingLower is better1st / 1631 ftBest in this discipline
Snow TractionHigher is better1st / 16620 lbfBest in this discipline
Ice BrakingLower is better1st / 1654 ftBest in this discipline
NoiseLower is better1st / 1670.3 dBBest in this discipline
WearHigher is better12th / 1625,911 miles-10,936 miles
ValueLower is better8th / 152.78 Price/1000+1.25 Price/1000
Fuel ConsumptionLower is better2nd / 165.4 l/100km+0.20 l/100km
AbrasionLower is better16th / 1698 mg/km/t+44.00 mg/km/t
EU Label
D/C/67
Origin
China
Weight
10.5 kgs
Price
116.00

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More tire tests2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test2026 Tire Rack New Winter Tire Test2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test2026 Winter Tire Braking Test - 50 SetsAll tests: Winter Tires
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Discussion

1 comment
  1. Scour
    Thanks for posting this :)

    The new Pirelli seems to be very good, hope you test it also?

    I´m disappointed from the new Toyo. Over 20 years ago I had the Snowprox S940 which was a very good winter tire and had good results in a few tests; why Toyo falls so behind?

    Also disappointed from the Dunlop Winter, far away from the similar brother Goodyear, the Dunlop reached last year 2. place in Autobild.
    #10801
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