Test Charts / AvD

2026 AvD 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: 225/45 R17
Tires tested: 15
Disciplines: 6
Test vehicle: Audi A3

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Toyo Observe EWS1	136 ft	Best	0 mph
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	137 ft	+1 ft	6 mph
3Kumho WinterCraft WP52+	137 ft	+1 ft	7 mph
4Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro	138 ft	+2 ft	9 mph
5Continental WinterContact TS 870	139 ft	+3 ft	11 mph
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	139 ft	+3 ft	11 mph
7Nexen Winguard Sport 3	140 ft	+4 ft	13 mph
8Michelin Alpin 7	142 ft	+6 ft	17 mph
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	142 ft	+6 ft	17 mph
10Bridgestone Blizzak 6	143 ft	+7 ft	17 mph
11Hankook Winter I cept RS3	144 ft	+8 ft	18 mph
12Triangle WinterX TW401	144 ft	+8 ft	19 mph
12Giti GitiWinterW2	144 ft	+8 ft	19 mph
14Double Coin DW300	147 ft	+11 ft	22 mph
15Rockblade Icecruiser 1	147 ft	+11 ft	22 mph

The difference between best and worst was 8.2% (11 ft ≈ 0.8 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Rockblade Icecruiser 1 would still be travelling at 22 mph when the Toyo Observe EWS1 had stopped.

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

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	151 ft	Best	0 mph
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	155 ft	+4 ft	13 mph
2Toyo Observe EWS1	155 ft	+4 ft	13 mph
4Michelin Alpin 7	156 ft	+5 ft	14 mph
5Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	157 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
5Bridgestone Blizzak 6	157 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
7Kumho WinterCraft WP52+	157 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
8Linglong Sport Master Winter	159 ft	+8 ft	18 mph
9Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro	160 ft	+9 ft	19 mph
9Hankook Winter I cept RS3	160 ft	+9 ft	19 mph
11Giti GitiWinterW2	162 ft	+11 ft	20 mph
12Nexen Winguard Sport 3	168 ft	+17 ft	25 mph
13Triangle WinterX TW401	180 ft	+29 ft	32 mph
14Double Coin DW300	206 ft	+55 ft	41 mph
15Rockblade Icecruiser 1	210 ft	+59 ft	42 mph

The difference between best and worst was 38.6% (59 ft ≈ 4 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Rockblade Icecruiser 1 would still be travelling at 42 mph when the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 had stopped.

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

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Rockblade Icecruiser 1	79 ft	Best	0 mph
2Double Coin DW300	80 ft	+1 ft	7 mph
3Nexen Winguard Sport 3	81 ft	+2 ft	11 mph
4Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	81 ft	+2 ft	13 mph
4Michelin Alpin 7	81 ft	+2 ft	13 mph
6Triangle WinterX TW401	82 ft	+3 ft	16 mph
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	82 ft	+3 ft	16 mph
6Linglong Sport Master Winter	82 ft	+3 ft	16 mph
9Continental WinterContact TS 870	83 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
9Bridgestone Blizzak 6	83 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
9Kumho WinterCraft WP52+	83 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
12Giti GitiWinterW2	83 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
12Hankook Winter I cept RS3	83 ft	+4 ft	17 mph
14Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro	85 ft	+6 ft	21 mph
15Toyo Observe EWS1	88 ft	+9 ft	25 mph

The difference between best and worst was 10.8% (9 ft ≈ 0.6 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Toyo Observe EWS1 would still be travelling at 25 mph when the Rockblade Icecruiser 1 had stopped.

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

Value

Wear
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Alpin 7	34,172 miles	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	32,249 miles	-1,923 miles
3Hankook Winter I cept RS3	28,410 miles	-5,762 miles
4Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	27,447 miles	-6,725 miles
5Continental WinterContact TS 870	26,495 miles	-7,677 miles
6Bridgestone Blizzak 6	26,129 miles	-8,043 miles
7Kumho WinterCraft WP52+	24,124 miles	-10,048 miles
8Toyo Observe EWS1	23,774 miles	-10,398 miles
9Nexen Winguard Sport 3	23,715 miles	-10,457 miles
10Giti GitiWinterW2	22,352 miles	-11,820 miles
11Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro	21,784 miles	-12,388 miles
12Linglong Sport Master Winter	21,422 miles	-12,750 miles
13Double Coin DW300	20,423 miles	-13,749 miles
14Triangle WinterX TW401	18,905 miles	-15,267 miles
15Rockblade Icecruiser 1	17,283 miles	-16,889 miles

The difference between best and worst was 49.4% (16,889 miles).

Value
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	cost per 1,000 miles
1Linglong Sport Master Winter	7.98 Price/1000	Best	€26.55
2Nexen Winguard Sport 3	8.52 Price/1000	+0.54 Price/1000	€26.64
3Triangle WinterX TW401	8.71 Price/1000	+0.73 Price/1000	€28.52
4Giti GitiWinterW2	8.9 Price/1000	+0.92 Price/1000	€28.53
5Toyo Observe EWS1	9.28 Price/1000	+1.30 Price/1000	€26.93
6Rockblade Icecruiser 1	9.35 Price/1000	+1.37 Price/1000	€27.22
7Kumho WinterCraft WP52+	9.4 Price/1000	+1.42 Price/1000	€27.96
8Hankook Winter I cept RS3	9.62 Price/1000	+1.64 Price/1000	€24.97
9Double Coin DW300	10.19 Price/1000	+2.21 Price/1000	€27.14
10Michelin Alpin 7	11.64 Price/1000	+3.66 Price/1000	€24.26
11Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	11.66 Price/1000	+3.68 Price/1000	€30.04
12Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro	11.84 Price/1000	+3.86 Price/1000	€33.41
13Bridgestone Blizzak 6	12.6 Price/1000	+4.62 Price/1000	€22.96
14Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	12.68 Price/1000	+4.70 Price/1000	€30.32
15Continental WinterContact TS 870	14.19 Price/1000	+6.21 Price/1000	€30.76

The difference between best and worst was 77.8% (6.21 Price/1000). Over 25,000 miles the cheapest tire to own (Bridgestone Blizzak 6) works out €261 cheaper than the most expensive (Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro).

How this is calculated

Assumes a typical car doing 29 mpg (rolling resistance causing 20% of fuel use), fuel at €6.25 per gallon and €70 fitting per set of four. Purchase prices are from the time of the 2026 test; financing costs are excluded.

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Bridgestone Blizzak 6	7.32 kg/t	Best	$0
2Michelin Alpin 7	7.92 kg/t	+0.60 kg/t	$24
3Continental WinterContact TS 870	8.23 kg/t	+0.91 kg/t	$37
4Hankook Winter I cept RS3	8.53 kg/t	+1.21 kg/t	$49
5Double Coin DW300	8.58 kg/t	+1.26 kg/t	$51
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	8.59 kg/t	+1.27 kg/t	$51
7Rockblade Icecruiser 1	8.72 kg/t	+1.40 kg/t	$56
8Toyo Observe EWS1	8.88 kg/t	+1.56 kg/t	$63
9Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3	8.89 kg/t	+1.57 kg/t	$63
10Kumho WinterCraft WP52+	9.03 kg/t	+1.71 kg/t	$69
11Nexen Winguard Sport 3	9.04 kg/t	+1.72 kg/t	$69
12Linglong Sport Master Winter	9.12 kg/t	+1.80 kg/t	$72
13Triangle WinterX TW401	9.18 kg/t	+1.86 kg/t	$75
14Giti GitiWinterW2	9.23 kg/t	+1.91 kg/t	$77
15Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro	9.24 kg/t	+1.92 kg/t	$77

The difference between best and worst was 26.2% (1.92 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro uses about 21 gal ($77) more fuel than the Bridgestone Blizzak 6.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions. These calculators use the full test field, independently of your tire selection above.

Gas/Diesel Electric

Annual Mileage

12,000 mi

km (L)

miles (US gal)

Fuel Price

$3.60/gal

GBP (£)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

Set my vehicle consumption

Estimates based on typical driving conditions. Rolling resistance accounts for approximately 20% of IC vehicle fuel consumption and 25% of EV energy consumption. Actual savings vary based on driving style, vehicle weight, road conditions, and tire age. For comparative purposes only. Lifetime savings based on a 40,000km / 25,000 mile tread life.