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Barum Polaris 3 Test Results

Tested 2011 to 2018 2 publications

Tested 18 times by independent publications, the Barum Polaris 3 averages a finish of 10th.

  • 18Independent tests
  • 0Test wins
  • 1Podium finishes
  • 10thAverage finish
  • 56%Field beaten on average
  • 2Publications
Barum Polaris 3

18 tests, 2011 to 2018

0%50%100%20112012201320142015201620172018Average 56%2011 European Winter Tire Test - 195/65 R15 (2011): P10 of 14, Beat 31% of the field2012 European Tire Test - 165/70 R14 (2012): P4 of 13, Beat 75% of the field2013 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/60 R15 (2013): P9 of 17, Beat 50% of the field2013 Winter Tire Overview - Braking (2013): P7 of 50, Beat 88% of the field2013 Auto Bild Top 15 Winter Tire Shootout (2013): P6 of 15, Beat 64% of the field2014 50 Winter Tire Braking Overview (2014): P16 of 49, Beat 68% of the field2014 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2014): P11 of 16, Beat 33% of the field2015 Winter Tire Market Overview (2015): P9 of 51, Beat 84% of the field2015 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 205/55 R16 (2015): P10 of 19, Beat 50% of the field2015 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 165/70 R14 (2015): P11 of 16, Beat 33% of the field2015 Auto Bild Top 18 Winter Tire Test (2015): P3 of 18, Beat 88% of the field2016 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 (2016): P12 of 15, Beat 21% of the field2016 Winter Tire Market Overview (2016): P8 of 49, Beat 83% of the field2016 AutoBild Winter Tire Test (2016): P10 of 20, Beat 53% of the field2017 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2017): P16 of 20, Beat 21% of the field2017 50 Winter Tire Shoot Out (2017): P13 of 50, Beat 73% of the field2018 51 Winter Tire Shootout (2018): P12 of 52, Beat 78% of the field2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2018): P16 of 20, Beat 21% of the field
Share of the field beaten in each test, oldest to newest. Hover or tap a point for the test.
  • Test win
  • Second
  • Third
  • Average 56%

Record by discipline

Where the Barum Polaris 3 finished in each measured discipline, across every test that measured it against at least two other tires. Field beaten is the share of the other tires it outranked in that measurement.

Discipline Tests Avg finish Field beaten Firsts
Dry
Dry Braking 2 P18.5 of 21.5 15% -
Dry Handling 2 P7.5 of 21.5 69% -
Wet
Wet Braking 2 P16.5 of 21.5 24% -
Wet Handling 2 P19.5 of 21.5 10% -
Straight Aqua 2 P19 of 21.5 12% -
Snow
Snow Braking 2 P7.5 of 21.5 68% -
Snow Handling 2 P3.5 of 21 88% 1
Comfort
Noise 2 P17 of 21.5 22% -
Value
Wear 2 P12.5 of 20.5 42% -
Value 2 P10.5 of 20.5 52% -
Rolling Resistance 2 P4.5 of 21.5 83% -

Head-to-head record

Overall finishing position against the tires that have most often shared a test with the Barum Polaris 3. Only tires tested alongside it at least three times are listed.

Rival Shared tests Ahead Behind Level Finished ahead
Uniroyal MS+ 77 12 shared: 5 ahead, 7 behind 12 5 7 - 42%
Kleber Krisalp HP2 11 shared: 11 ahead, 0 behind 11 11 0 - 100%
Firestone Winterhawk 3 11 shared: 9 ahead, 2 behind 11 9 2 - 82%
Semperit Speed Grip 2 11 shared: 3 ahead, 8 behind 11 3 8 - 27%
Michelin Alpin A4 11 shared: 2 ahead, 9 behind 11 2 9 - 18%
Falken Eurowinter HS449 9 shared: 6 ahead, 3 behind 9 6 3 - 67%
Nokian WR D3 9 shared: 3 ahead, 6 behind 9 3 6 - 33%
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 9 shared: 1 ahead, 8 behind 9 1 8 - 11%
Continental WinterContact TS 850 9 shared: 0 ahead, 9 behind 9 0 9 - 0%
Viking Snow Tech II 8 shared: 7 ahead, 1 behind 8 7 1 - 88%
Hankook Winter i cept RS2 8 shared: 4 ahead, 4 behind 8 4 4 - 50%
Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 8 shared: 1 ahead, 7 behind 8 1 7 - 13%
BFGoodrich gForce Winter 7 shared: 7 ahead, 0 behind 7 7 0 - 100%
Vredestein Snowtrac 5 7 shared: 5 ahead, 2 behind 7 5 2 - 71%
Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 7 shared: 3 ahead, 4 behind 7 3 4 - 43%
Michelin Alpin 5 7 shared: 2 ahead, 5 behind 7 2 5 - 29%
Nokian WR D4 7 shared: 1 ahead, 6 behind 7 1 6 - 14%
Sava eskimo hp 6 shared: 6 ahead, 0 behind 6 6 0 - 100%
Fulda Kristall Control HP 6 shared: 4 ahead, 2 behind 6 4 2 - 67%
Hankook Winter i cept RS 6 shared: 4 ahead, 2 behind 6 4 2 - 67%

Against its own line

The same record for the tire it replaced and the tire that replaced it.

Tire Tests Wins Avg finish Field beaten
Barum Polaris 2 Predecessor 0 - - -
Barum Polaris 3 This tire 18 0 10th 56%
Barum Polaris 5 Successor 14 0 14th 45%

Performance Analysis

Drawn from 18 tests. Updated October 29, 2026.

Snow capability and low purchase price recur in the Barum Polaris 3's 18 test entries, which include qualifying and full stages of the same programmes. Auto Bild ranked it third of 18 in 2015, praising snow traction and braking, and sixth of 15 with a Recommended verdict in 2013. It won snow handling among 20 tires in the 2017 full test, yet finished 16th overall because wet braking and handling were weak. The 2018 full test again placed it 16th of 20, with wet handling 20th of 22 and straight-line aquaplaning 20th. Dry braking was also weak, 19th of 22 and 19.2% behind the best in 2018.

The exceptions are unusual. Auto Bild praised stable wet handling in 2016, contrary to the 2017-18 criticism, and called wet stops short in 2018 despite 17th of 22 numerically. Dry grip was praised in 2011 and balanced in 2015 but criticised in 2016. Projected wear was eighth of 20 in 2017 but 17th of 21 in 2018, against earlier high-wear criticism; low price thus did not always mean low wear cost. Efficiency also reversed unusually, from slightly high resistance in 2015 to third of 21 in 2017. Snow is the most consistent strength, while wet roads and aquaplaning are more frequent limitations and neither wear nor efficiency is uniformly strong.

Performance Strengths

Performance Weaknesses

Do owners agree with the tests?

Every tester write-up on the Barum Polaris 3 (8 tests) and 15 owner reviews were tagged for the aspects they judge. Where both have spoken, this is how they line up.

Where owners and testers agree

  • Snow traction strength in 6 of 8 tests 9 praise, 0 criticise of 15 reviews · Read those reviews
  • Ride comfort strength in 1 of 8 tests 4 praise, 0 criticise of 15 reviews · Read those reviews

Where they disagree

  • Wet grip weakness in 2 of 8 tests 7 praise, 1 criticise of 15 reviews · Read those reviews
  • Tread life weakness in 3 of 8 tests 3 praise, 1 criticise of 15 reviews · Read those reviews

Raised by owners, not by any test of this tire

Every test, newest first 18

Strong = top two of the field in that measurement. Weak = bottom two.

2018 2 tests
2017 2 tests
P16 of 20 Beat 21% of the field

2017 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test

Auto Bild 225/50 R17

Average.

StrongSnow Handling WinnerContinental WinterContact TS 860

2016 3 tests
2015 4 tests
2014 2 tests
2013 3 tests
2012 1 test
2011 1 test

Back to the Barum Polaris 3 overview

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