Test Charts / Motor

2026 Motor 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: 9
Disciplines: 15
Test vehicle: VW Golf

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Dunlop Winter	138 ft	Best	0 mph
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	138 ft	0 ft	6 mph
3Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	139 ft	+1 ft	9 mph
4Nokian Snowproof 2	140 ft	+2 ft	9 mph
5Kleber Krisalp HP3	144 ft	+6 ft	16 mph
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	146 ft	+8 ft	19 mph
7Debica Frigo HP2	149 ft	+11 ft	22 mph
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	151 ft	+13 ft	23 mph
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	154 ft	+16 ft	26 mph

The difference between best and worst was 11.9% (16 ft ≈ 1.1 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus would still be travelling at 26 mph when the Dunlop Winter had stopped.

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

Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Snowproof 2	53.9 s	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	54 s	+0.10 s
3Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	54.1 s	+0.20 s
4Kleber Krisalp HP3	54.2 s	+0.30 s
5Firestone Winterhawk 4	54.3 s	+0.40 s
6Dunlop Winter	54.4 s	+0.50 s
7Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	55 s	+1.10 s
8Debica Frigo HP2	55.1 s	+1.20 s
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	55.7 s	+1.80 s

The difference between best and worst was 3.3% (1.8 s).

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	7 Points	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	6.9 Points	-0.10 Points
2Nokian Snowproof 2	6.9 Points	-0.10 Points
4Kleber Krisalp HP3	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
5Dunlop Winter	6.4 Points	-0.60 Points
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	6.3 Points	-0.70 Points
7Debica Frigo HP2	5.5 Points	-1.50 Points
8Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	5 Points	-2.00 Points
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	4.9 Points	-2.10 Points

The difference between best and worst was 30% (2.1 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Continental WinterContact TS 870	149 ft	Best	0 mph
2Dunlop Winter	154 ft	+5 ft	14 mph
3Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	154 ft	+5 ft	15 mph
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	160 ft	+11 ft	21 mph
5Kleber Krisalp HP3	165 ft	+16 ft	25 mph
6Nokian Snowproof 2	166 ft	+17 ft	26 mph
7Debica Frigo HP2	174 ft	+25 ft	30 mph
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	196 ft	+47 ft	39 mph
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	221 ft	+72 ft	46 mph

The difference between best and worst was 48.5% (72 ft ≈ 4.9 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus would still be travelling at 46 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 Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 870	83.5 s	Best
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	84.3 s	+0.80 s
3Dunlop Winter	85 s	+1.50 s
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	86.4 s	+2.90 s
5Nokian Snowproof 2	87.3 s	+3.80 s
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	87.5 s	+4.00 s
7Debica Frigo HP2	89.4 s	+5.90 s
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	94.6 s	+11.10 s
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	98.8 s	+15.30 s

The difference between best and worst was 18.3% (15.3 s).

Wet Circle
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental WinterContact TS 870	0.79 g	Best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	0.79 g	Best
3Dunlop Winter	0.76 g	-0.03 g
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	0.74 g	-0.05 g
5Nokian Snowproof 2	0.73 g	-0.06 g
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	0.72 g	-0.07 g
7Debica Frigo HP2	0.71 g	-0.08 g
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	0.61 g	-0.18 g
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	0.53 g	-0.26 g

The difference between best and worst was 32.9% (0.26 g).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	53.4 mph	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	49.2 mph	-4.2 mph
3Continental WinterContact TS 870	49.0 mph	-4.4 mph
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	47.0 mph	-6.4 mph
5Nokian Snowproof 2	46.8 mph	-6.6 mph
6Dunlop Winter	45.3 mph	-8.1 mph
7Debica Frigo HP2	44.4 mph	-9.0 mph
8Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	38.0 mph	-15.4 mph
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	35.9 mph	-17.5 mph

The difference between best and worst was 32.8% (17.5 mph).

Curved Aquaplaning
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	10.6 ft/s²	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	9.9 ft/s²	-0.7 ft/s²
3Continental WinterContact TS 870	9.6 ft/s²	-1.0 ft/s²
3Nokian Snowproof 2	9.6 ft/s²	-1.0 ft/s²
5Debica Frigo HP2	9.0 ft/s²	-1.6 ft/s²
6Firestone Winterhawk 4	8.8 ft/s²	-1.8 ft/s²
7Dunlop Winter	7.8 ft/s²	-2.8 ft/s²
8Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	7.2 ft/s²	-3.4 ft/s²
9Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	4.4 ft/s²	-6.2 ft/s²

The difference between best and worst was 58.8% (6.2 ft/s²).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Kleber Krisalp HP3	93 ft	Best	0 mph
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	94 ft	+1 ft	11 mph
3Debica Frigo HP2	95 ft	+2 ft	12 mph
3Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	95 ft	+2 ft	12 mph
5Dunlop Winter	96 ft	+3 ft	15 mph
5Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	96 ft	+3 ft	15 mph
7Continental WinterContact TS 870	97 ft	+4 ft	16 mph
8Firestone Winterhawk 4	99 ft	+6 ft	20 mph
9Nokian Snowproof 2	102 ft	+9 ft	24 mph

The difference between best and worst was 9.5% (9 ft ≈ 0.6 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Nokian Snowproof 2 would still be travelling at 24 mph when the Kleber Krisalp HP3 had stopped.

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

Snow Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	28 ft	Best
2Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	29 ft	+1 ft
3Debica Frigo HP2	29 ft	+1 ft
4Kleber Krisalp HP3	29 ft	+1 ft
5Dunlop Winter	29 ft	+1 ft
6Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	29 ft	+1 ft
7Continental WinterContact TS 870	30 ft	+2 ft
8Firestone Winterhawk 4	30 ft	+2 ft
9Nokian Snowproof 2	31 ft	+3 ft

The difference between best and worst was 8.8% (3 ft).

Snow Traction
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	587 lbf	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	584 lbf	-3 lbf
3Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	582 lbf	-5 lbf
4Debica Frigo HP2	576 lbf	-11 lbf
5Dunlop Winter	565 lbf	-22 lbf
6Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	564 lbf	-23 lbf
7Firestone Winterhawk 4	562 lbf	-25 lbf
8Continental WinterContact TS 870	538 lbf	-49 lbf
9Nokian Snowproof 2	523 lbf	-64 lbf

The difference between best and worst was 10.9% (64 lbf).

Snow Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	78.9 s	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	79.6 s	+0.70 s
3Firestone Winterhawk 4	80.6 s	+1.70 s
4Debica Frigo HP2	81 s	+2.10 s
5Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	81.2 s	+2.30 s
6Dunlop Winter	81.3 s	+2.40 s
7Continental WinterContact TS 870	81.5 s	+2.60 s
8Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	83 s	+4.10 s
9Nokian Snowproof 2	85.6 s	+6.70 s

The difference between best and worst was 8.5% (6.7 s).

Comfort

Subj. Comfort
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Dunlop Winter	7 Points	Best
2Kleber Krisalp HP3	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
2Debica Frigo HP2	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
2Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	6.5 Points	-0.50 Points
6Nokian Snowproof 2	6.1 Points	-0.90 Points
7Firestone Winterhawk 4	6 Points	-1.00 Points
7Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	6 Points	-1.00 Points
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	5.9 Points	-1.10 Points

The difference between best and worst was 15.7% (1.1 Points).

Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	63.8 dB	Best
2Continental WinterContact TS 870	64.8 dB	+1.00 dB
2Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	64.8 dB	+1.00 dB
4Dunlop Winter	64.9 dB	+1.10 dB
5Firestone Winterhawk 4	65.7 dB	+1.90 dB
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	65.9 dB	+2.10 dB
7Debica Frigo HP2	66.7 dB	+2.90 dB
8Nokian Snowproof 2	67.5 dB	+3.70 dB
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	68.3 dB	+4.50 dB

The difference between best and worst was 7.1% (4.5 dB).

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Nokian Snowproof 2	7.46 kg/t	Best	$0
2Dunlop Winter	8.34 kg/t	+0.88 kg/t	$35
3Continental WinterContact TS 870	8.41 kg/t	+0.95 kg/t	$37
4Firestone Winterhawk 4	8.69 kg/t	+1.23 kg/t	$48
5Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3	8.74 kg/t	+1.28 kg/t	$50
6Kleber Krisalp HP3	8.81 kg/t	+1.35 kg/t	$53
7Debica Frigo HP2	9.29 kg/t	+1.83 kg/t	$72
8Mazzini Snow Leopard 2	9.39 kg/t	+1.93 kg/t	$76
9Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus	9.66 kg/t	+2.20 kg/t	$87

The difference between best and worst was 29.5% (2.2 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Insa Turbo Pirineos Plus uses about 24 gal ($87) more fuel than the Nokian Snowproof 2.

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.