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Barum Polaris 6

Touring Winter Winter rated

A quiet, comfortable and very efficient mid-range winter touring tire with standout snow performance for the money. Its main compromises are on milder wet and especially dry roads, where stopping distances and precision can lag the best.

The quick answer

Owners say 84% from 6 owner reviews 60% would buy again Read the reviews
Tests say 8th average finish across 6 independent tests Latest: P10 of 20 · 2026 See every test
Strengths & weaknesses Comfort, Snow Wet, Dry Relative to its rivals across every test we hold

Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tire - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated October 2026.

  • 6owner reviews
  • 21,100miles driven
  • 6professional tests
Barum Polaris 6 2 photos

Tire Reviews Score

Barum Polaris 6

8.6/10

Better than 78% of winter tires

  • High Confidence
  • 6 tests
  • 6 owner reviews
Scores of the 278 winter tires we have tested

How this score is built

Better than Weight
Independent tests6 tests · 3 publications · 2025-2026 81% 86%
Owner reviews6 owner reviews · rated 84% 60% 14%
Combined 78% 8.6

A fixed curve turns the combined figure into the 0 to 10 score, so roughly the top 10% of a group score 9 or more.

Category by category

How it compares with other winter tires in each area, and how much each area counts. 50 is the middle of the group.

Category Better than Weight Tests
WetBraking, handling and aquaplaning in the wet 61% 30% 6
SnowBraking, traction and handling on snow 80% 23% 6
IceBraking, traction and handling on ice 79% 18% 1
DryBraking and handling on dry roads 20% 17% 4
ValueWear, efficiency and cost 77% 6% 4
ComfortNoise and ride comfort 87% 5% 4

Weights are shares of the test result. Owner reviews are blended in afterwards. Faded bars rest on one or two tests.

By discipline

The same results grouped by what the tire was doing. They are not counted a second time.

TractionEvery traction test, on any surface 80% 4
BrakingEvery braking test, on any surface 71% 6
HandlingEvery handling test, on any surface 41% 3

Confidence

  1. Limited
  2. Medium
  3. High

Its own test results decide 91% of the test figure. The other 9% is the average for its group, and it shrinks as more tests arrive.

High needs at least 3 tests, with its own results deciding 90% or more. Medium needs 2 tests and 70%. Anything less is Limited: expect the number to move as tests arrive.

The tests behind it

  1. 2026 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test Auto Bild · 245/45 R19 P10 / 20
  2. 2026 2026 Winter Tire Braking Test - 50 Sets Auto Bild · 245/45 R19 P7 / 50
  3. 2026 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 ADAC · 185/65 R15 P8 / 16
  4. 2025 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test Auto Bild · 225/40 R18 P8 / 20
  5. 2025 2025 Winter Tire Braking Test - 52 Sets! Auto Bild · 225/40 R18 P10 / 51
  6. 2025 2025 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test Autozurnal · 215/65 R17 P2 / 7
All Tests
View Test Results

Tested 6 times by independent publications, the Barum Polaris 6 averages a finish of 8th.

6 Tests
0 Test Wins
8th Average
2nd Best
10th Worst
Finishing position in each test1stLast20252026

Finishing position in each test

The latest test

2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test P10 of 20

The Barum Polaris 6 finishes tenth with a 'good' verdict and no safety penalty. Auto Bild names it as one of the good-value choices, with strong snow braking offset by weaker wet and dry handling.

Strong: Snow Slalom Weak: Wet Circle, Rolling Resistance Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P

YearTestResultAward
20262026 Auto Bild Winter Tire TestAuto Bild · 245/45 R19P10 / 20gut (Good)
20262026 Winter Tire Braking Test - 50 SetsAuto Bild · 245/45 R19P7 / 50
20262026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15ADAC · 185/65 R15P8 / 16
20252025 Autobild Winter Tire TestAuto Bild · 225/40 R18P8 / 20gut (Good)
20252025 Winter Tire Braking Test - 52 Sets!Auto Bild · 225/40 R18P10 / 51
20252025 Autozurnal Winter Tire TestAutozurnal · 215/65 R17P2 / 7

On the full record: Record by disciplineHead-to-head recordEvery published verdict

Awards
Rated by other publications Recommended 2
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Running Costs
View Test

In 245/45 R19, the Barum Polaris 6 is projected to cost €31.82 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €796 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test.

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4€26.23
Barum Polaris 6€31.82
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5€35.21
Pirelli P Zero Winter 2€36.33
Tire purchase + fittingExtra fuel vs the most efficient tirecost per 1,000 miles
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.
Dimensions & Label Scores
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Size Range95 sizes available

155-255Width35-70Profile14-20Rim75-109 T-WLoad/Speed Index

EU LabelAcross 95 sizes - the grade depends on the size you buy.

Noise

71-73dB

3PMSF on every size

Popular sizes205/55 R16185/65 R15225/45 R17205/60 R16205/45 R17
Frequently Asked Questions
How good is the Barum Polaris 6 in the wet?
Across the 6 wet-braking tests it has featured in, the Barum Polaris 6 stops 7% longer than premium rivals, 0.6% longer than mid-range rivals and 8.6% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews wet score of 61/100, and owners rate it 8.5/10 in the wet from 6 reviews.
How good is the Barum Polaris 6 in the dry?
Across the 4 dry-braking tests it has featured in, the Barum Polaris 6 stops 4.8% longer than premium rivals, 4% longer than mid-range rivals and 3.6% longer than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews dry score of 20/100, and owners rate it 8.8/10 in the dry from 6 reviews.
How good is the Barum Polaris 6 in the snow?
Across the 6 snow-braking tests it has featured in, the Barum Polaris 6 stops 1.6% shorter than premium rivals, 1.6% shorter than mid-range rivals and 8% shorter than budget rivals. Across the 4 snow-traction tests, it is 1.4% better than premium rivals, 0.5% better than mid-range rivals and 11.9% better than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews snow score of 80/100, and owners rate it 8.7/10 in the snow from 6 reviews.
How good is the Barum Polaris 6 on ice?
Across the 1 ice-braking test it has featured in, the Barum Polaris 6 stops 6.7% shorter than premium rivals, 4.9% shorter than mid-range rivals and 3.1% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews ice score of 79/100, and owners rate it 8/10 on ice from 6 reviews.
How fuel efficient is the Barum Polaris 6?
Across the 3 tests measuring rolling resistance, the Barum Polaris 6's rolling resistance is 1.4% lower than premium rivals, 1.7% lower than mid-range rivals and 8.6% lower than budget rivals.
More questions about the Barum Polaris 6 (8)
How many miles does the Barum Polaris 6 last?
Based on test and owner data, the Barum Polaris 6 is expected to last around 25,901 miles (41,684 km).
What do owners say about the Barum Polaris 6?
Across 6 owner ratings the Barum Polaris 6 averages 84%. Owners rate Wear highest at 9 out of 10 and Ice Grip lowest at 8. 1 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 80% of owners score it 70% or better.
How much does the Barum Polaris 6 cost to run?
In 245/45 R19, the Barum Polaris 6 is projected to cost €31.82 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €796 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test. The cheapest to run in that test is the Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4, at €26.23.
What is the Barum Polaris 6's EU tire label rating?
Across its range, the Barum Polaris 6 most commonly carries EU label ratings of C for fuel efficiency, C for wet grip and 72 dB for noise.
How comfortable and quiet are the Barum Polaris 6?
Owners rate the Barum Polaris 6 8.5 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 5 reviews.
How well do the Barum Polaris 6 wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Barum Polaris 6 9 out of 10 for wear across 5 reviews. 1 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 7,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Barum Polaris 6 again?
60% of owners say they would buy the Barum Polaris 6 again, based on the 5 owner reviews that answered the question. 60% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What sizes does the Barum Polaris 6 come in?
The Barum Polaris 6 is available in 109 sizes, ranging from 155-255/35-70 R14-20.
Owner Questions
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Barum Polaris 6 Owner Reviews

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What owners say summarised from 5 reviews

Drivers report that the Barum Polaris 6 offers excellent value, with notably low noise levels and a very comfortable, smooth ride. High-scoring reviews also praise its generally confident on-road behavior and good overall performance for the price. A recurring minority concern is a very soft, wobbly/bouncy feel that can reduce confidence compared with firmer, sportier tires.

Owners praise

  • Very quiet/low road noise
  • Comfortable, smooth ride quality
  • Strong value for money/affordability
  • Generally stable and precise enough in normal driving

Owners criticise

  • Soft, wobbly/bouncy feel that can reduce confidence

Owner ratings averaged from 6 ratings

  • Owner score 84%
  • Wear 90%
  • Dry Grip 88%
  • Snow Grip 87%
  • Wet Grip 85%
  • Road Feedback 85%
  • Handling 85%
  • Comfort 85%
  • Ice Grip 80%

All 5 Barum Polaris 6 reviews

Score spread across 5 written reviews
68%
Member
This year I decided to replace my original Michelin CrossClimates in the front axel, since the CCs started to crack at the edges, as many have reported. I also wanted a more winter biased tire, since I live in a Nordic country. I chose BP 6 after reading many reviews and because they seemed to have a good price/performance ratio. I haven't had a chance to drive a lot, so I can't give a very detailed analyzes. My first impressions are pretty good. There is more grip on snow and ice compared to CC. However the tire is softer than CC, but also wierdly bouncier. Since I drive a rear driven car, I don't feel comfortable inflating fronts more, than rears, but this is something I am considering in order to make the tire more drivable.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 8
  • Wet Grip 8
  • Road Feedback 7
  • Handling 7
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 4
  • Snow Grip 7
  • Ice Grip 7
Helpful 368
100%
Member
Just purchased a new set in Europe, Serbia, DOT 2025, and was driving on them for about 50 km through the city, on the highway and the local road. Temperature was around 9 degrees C and the road was dry. Wanted to give you my first impressions right away, but I will update the review after I am able to use them on the snow and more severe weather with lower temperatures.

First, first impression, after coming from 10 year old Michelin Alpine A4 is, these tires are wobbly. Like, a lot.

That is pretty much the only issue, everything else seems pretty much fenomenal. Price, fenomenal. Noise is virtually non existent, I didn't know this was even possible. Feeling on the strait road or a highway is posh, they transformed my rough Mazda 3 suspension into a smooth sale. Rolling resistance is by my subjective feeling, really low. Although extremely soft tire by the touch, sharp cornering was surprisingly precise and there were no issues there.

If there was no that annoying bounciness, I would looove my new tire, but there is this constant feeling that I might be missing a level of sportiness that Michelin offered, with their firmer ride. I just don't have the same degree of confidence with this balloony feeling under my legs. I just hope that some of this awkward feeling will go away on lower temperatures , where it might be possible that this compound becomes a little bit stiffer. Also, of you have slimmer sidewalls on your wheel size, you might not have this issue at all.
Barum Polaris 6 owner photo
85%
Member
I chose the Barum Polaris 6 for its affordability. My car is a Mercedes W204 C180 Kompressor. I haven't had a chance to test it on snow and ice yet, but it's an incredibly quiet and comfortable tire. I wasn't disappointed. I recommend it.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 8
  • Wet Grip 8
  • Road Feedback 8
  • Handling 7
  • Comfort 10
  • Buy again 10
Helpful 441

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697 reviews submitted this month Earn your Contributor badge No account needed
98%
Member
Really good tire amazed with it honestly
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 10
  • Wet Grip 10
  • Road Feedback 9
  • Handling 10
  • Wear 10
  • Comfort 10
  • Buy again 10
  • Snow Grip 10
  • Ice Grip 9
Helpful 901
90%
Member
Very Good Tire ive been driving for 3 months now no problem at all
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 9
  • Wet Grip 8
  • Road Feedback 10
  • Handling 10
  • Wear 8
  • Comfort 9
  • Buy again 10
  • Snow Grip 9
  • Ice Grip 8
Helpful 1,072
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