Tested 20 times by independent publications, the Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro averages a finish of 12th. Its strongest discipline is Subj. Comfort, beating 67% of the field across 6 tests; its weakest is Snow Handling, at 12% across 13 tests.
2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test P11 of 12
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro finished eleventh and was rated satisfactory, but Auto Bild advises against it. Its long wet braking and early aquaplaning are serious weaknesses for a winter tire.
Where the Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro 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 | 15 | P7.1 of 13 | 46% | - |
| Dry Handling | 13 | P5.3 of 12.6 | 60% | - |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 1 | P9 of 13 | 33% | - |
| Subj. Road Score | 1 | P5 of 6 | 20% | - |
| Dry Lane Change | 1 | P4 of 6 | 40% | - |
| Wet | ||||
| Wet Braking | 18 | P10.8 of 19.5 | 39% | - |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 1 | P10 of 16 | 40% | - |
| Wet Handling | 13 | P7.2 of 12.6 | 45% | - |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 3 | P4 of 8 | 39% | - |
| Wet Circle | 9 | P5.8 of 13.1 | 59% | - |
| Straight Aqua | 16 | P9.8 of 11.9 | 20% | - |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 13 | P10.9 of 12.8 | 17% | - |
| Snow | ||||
| Snow Braking | 18 | P13.2 of 15.9 | 19% | - |
| Snow Traction | 14 | P9.1 of 12.8 | 37% | - |
| Snow Handling Weak | 13 | P10.9 of 12.2 | 12% | - |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 3 | P5.7 of 8 | 46% | 1 |
| Snow Circle | 1 | P6 of 7 | 17% | - |
| Snow Slalom | 7 | P11.7 of 14.3 | 25% | - |
| Ice | ||||
| Ice Braking | 1 | P11 of 16 | 33% | - |
| Subj. Ice Handling | 2 | P1 of 5.5 | 100% | 2 |
| Comfort | ||||
| Subj. Comfort Strong | 6 | P3.3 of 11 | 67% | 2 |
| Noise | 13 | P7.4 of 12.8 | 44% | - |
| Value | ||||
| Wear | 4 | P16.8 of 17.8 | 7% | - |
| Value | 4 | P14.8 of 17.5 | 17% | - |
| Rolling Resistance | 14 | P10.4 of 12.8 | 22% | - |
| Fuel Consumption | 3 | P3.3 of 9 | 63% | - |
| Abrasion | 1 | P13 of 16 | 20% | - |
Overall finishing position against the tires that have most often shared a test with the Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro. Only tires tested alongside it at least three times are listed.
| Rival | Shared tests | Ahead | Behind | Level | Finished ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
18 shared: 0 ahead, 18 behind
Compare with UltraGrip Performance 3 |
18 | 0 | 18 | - | 0% |
 Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
16 shared: 0 ahead, 16 behind
Compare with WinterContact TS 870 P |
16 | 0 | 16 | - | 0% |
 Bridgestone Blizzak 6
12 shared: 0 ahead, 12 behind
Compare with Blizzak 6 |
12 | 0 | 12 | - | 0% |
 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
12 shared: 0 ahead, 12 behind
Compare with Pilot Alpin 5 |
12 | 0 | 12 | - | 0% |
 Vredestein Wintrac Pro
9 shared: 1 ahead, 8 behind
Compare with Wintrac Pro |
9 | 1 | 8 | - | 11% |
 Hankook Winter i cept evo3
9 shared: 0 ahead, 9 behind
Compare with Winter i cept evo3 |
9 | 0 | 9 | - | 0% |
 Giti GitiWinterW2
8 shared: 2 ahead, 5 behind
Compare with GitiWinterW2 |
8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 29% |
 Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
7 shared: 1 ahead, 6 behind
|
7 | 1 | 6 | - | 14% |
 Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
7 shared: 0 ahead, 7 behind
|
7 | 0 | 7 | - | 0% |
 Firestone Winterhawk 4
6 shared: 2 ahead, 4 behind
|
6 | 2 | 4 | - | 33% |
 Linglong Sport Master Winter
6 shared: 1 ahead, 5 behind
Compare with Sport Master Winter |
6 | 1 | 5 | - | 17% |
 Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
6 shared: 0 ahead, 6 behind
Compare with Wintrac Pro+ |
6 | 0 | 6 | - | 0% |
 Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
5 shared: 3 ahead, 2 behind
|
5 | 3 | 2 | - | 60% |
 Kumho Winter Craft WP52
5 shared: 1 ahead, 4 behind
Compare with Winter Craft WP52 |
5 | 1 | 4 | - | 20% |
 BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
5 shared: 0 ahead, 5 behind
|
5 | 0 | 5 | - | 0% |
 Kleber Krisalp HP3
5 shared: 0 ahead, 5 behind
|
5 | 0 | 5 | - | 0% |
 Semperit Speed Grip 5
5 shared: 0 ahead, 5 behind
|
5 | 0 | 5 | - | 0% |
 Tracmax S210 Ice+
4 shared: 4 ahead, 0 behind
|
4 | 4 | 0 | - | 100% |
 Toyo Observe EWS1
4 shared: 2 ahead, 2 behind
|
4 | 2 | 2 | - | 50% |
 Fulda Kristall Control HP2
4 shared: 1 ahead, 3 behind
|
4 | 1 | 3 | - | 25% |
Drawn from 20 tests. Updated October 27, 2026.
Across 20 independent winter tire tests, the Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro shows a clear split personality: it is often praised for road manners on clear tarmac (especially dry handling) and for comfort/refinement, but repeatedly falls short on core winter safety metrics in snow and, in many tests, aquaplaning. This is reflected in its largely lower-table overall results (average overall placing 11.5), including last places such as 20/20 in the 2025 Auto Bild winter test and 9/9 in the 2023 Sport Auto UHP winter test, plus failures/penalties where snow performance is heavily weighted (failed 11/16 in the 2026 ADAC test; safety penalties in multiple Auto Bild tests tied to wet braking/aquaplaning). Testers frequently describe it as comfortable/refined (e.g. 1/20 comfort in 2025 Auto Bild; 1/13 comfort in the 2023 Tire Reviews test) and capable on a dry handling circuit (e.g. 5/22 dry handling in 2025 Auto Bild; 3/13 in the 2023 Tire Reviews test), matching the tagged write-ups which praise dry handling in 11/16 reviews and ride comfort in 9/16.
The recurring exceptions are that its wet handling can be genuinely competitive in some formats (e.g. 3/11 wet circle in the 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV test; 2/13 subjective wet handling in the 2023 Tire Reviews test), and it occasionally posts strong braking figures on dry or wet surfaces (e.g. 4/15 dry braking at just +1.2% from best in the 2026 AvD test; 3/9 wet braking at +2.8% in the 2023 Sport Auto test). However, these upsides are often undermined by very weak snow handling (e.g. 12/12 snow handling in the 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars test; 7/7 in the 2023 AMS SUV test; and testers noting it 'barely' combines braking/cornering on snow in the 2026 ADAC test) and frequent aquaplaning shortfalls (e.g. 13/13 straight aquaplaning in the 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars test, 21/22 in the 2025 Auto Bild winter test, and 7/7 for both straight and curved aquaplaning in the 2023 AMS SUV test).
and on dry roads, and had reasonable snow traction- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
manages to provide good performance on dry roads- 2025 Autobild SUV Winter Tire Test (2025)
respectable driving performance on dry pavement- 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test (2025)
Dynamic handling on wet and dry roads- 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
rated among the more comfortable tires- 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test (2026)
comfort was acceptable- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
good rolling comfort- 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
good rolling comfort- 2024 AS SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
rated it the quietest tire in the test,- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
low road noise- 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
on the wet handling course it was not far behind several of the premium tires- 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test (2026)
second only to the Pirelli among the winter tires on the wet circle, handled respectably in the wet- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
Dynamic handling on wet and dry roads- 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
Good dry and wet handling- 2023 Tire Reviews Winter Tire Test (2023)
Safe wet and dry handling- 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tire Test (2023)
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro was good in wet and dry braking- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
Wet braking performs very well- 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tire Test (2025)
Decent braking and cornering grip on wet and dry roads- 2024 AS SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
short wet and dry braking distances- 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tire Test (2023)
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro was good in wet and dry braking- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
short dry braking distances- 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
and in dry conditions- 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2023)
short wet and dry braking distances- 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tire Test (2023)
perform well in all conditions- 2025 Auto Express Winter Tire Test (2025)
Good grip and largely safe, support-neutral driving dynamics in the wet- 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tire Test (2023)
good wet grip- 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test (2023)
perform well in all conditions- 2025 Auto Express Winter Tire Test (2025)
bare pavement performance is good- 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tire Test (2025)
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- 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 225/50 R17 (2026)
joint-lowest snow handling of its class- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
It was also near the back in the snow slalom- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
slowest on the handling course and in the bottom three for braking and the slalom- 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test (2026)
oversteering tendency on snow as well as on wet surfaces- 2024 AS SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
the first tire to float in straight-line aquaplaning and second-worst in curved aquaplaning- 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test (2026)
the weakest aquaplaning result of the Central European tires- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
in the lower half of the field for both straight-line and curved aquaplaning,- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
straight aquaplaning resistance as "bereits kritisch- 2025 Autobild SUV Winter Tire Test (2025)
limited safety reserves for aquaplaning- 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
it had the shortest projected tread life in the test- 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 225/50 R17 (2026)
particularly rapid wear, resulting in the lowest projected mileage in the entire test- 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test (2025)
limited mileage- 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2023)
and had higher rolling resistance than most- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
highest rolling resistance on test- 2023 Tire Reviews Winter Tire Test (2023)
high rolling resistance- 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test (2023)
high rolling resistance- 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2023)
had the second-longest wet braking distance, which earned it a safety penalty- 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test (2026)
extended braking distances in both wet and dry conditions- 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test (2025)
Long wet braking distances- 2023 Tire Reviews Winter Tire Test (2023)
Snow braking and traction were in the bottom four,- 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 225/50 R17 (2026)
weaker overall performance on snow with compromised grip and handling- 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test (2025)
Average winter performance- 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
very low grip level on snow- 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test (2023)
the lowest snow braking score- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
Snow braking and traction were in the bottom four,- 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 225/50 R17 (2026)
in the bottom three for braking and the slalom- 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test (2026)
load change sensitivity and oversteering tendency on snow as well as on wet surfaces- 2024 AS SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
Slow steering, less stable rear in fast corners- 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tire Test (2023)
weak lateral guidance- 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tire Test (2023)
slow steering response- 2024 AS SUV Winter Tire Test (2024)
Slow steering, less stable rear in fast corners- 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tire Test (2023)
Strong = top two of the field in that measurement. Weak = bottom two.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro finished eleventh and was rated satisfactory, but Auto Bild advises against it. Its long wet braking and early aquaplaning are serious weaknesses for a winter tire.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro finished sixth overall, rated satisfactory. It is consistent but rarely near the front, and its aquaplaning results cost it a safety penalty.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro finished eleventh and is rated recommended. It is a safe tire on wet and dry roads but weak on snow and costly to run, so it best suits drivers in regions that see little snow.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro finished last of the six Central European tires. It falls short of the others in its class, especially on snow.
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.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro performs like its competitors in the Central European friction class regarding ice and snow - the weakest side - with barely adequate winter performance. It performs well on snow, but struggles on ice. In other respects, it delivers mediocre performance where wet roads present the biggest problems despite this being supposedly the tire's strong suit. Wet braking performs very well, but overall handling and behavior on wet surfaces doesn't match the class leaders. The stability and comfort are adequate but unremarkable. Aquaplaning performance is decent for the category. As a Japanese manufacturer with winter tire production in Turkey, Falken has produced a tire that represents the Central European friction compromise without excelling at any particular aspect. The middling performance across most categories means it lacks a compelling reason to choose it over better-performing alternatives. While the bare pavement performance is good, it's not outstanding enough to compensate for the winter weaknesses, leaving it as a mediocre all-around performer in a competitive field.
The FALKEN Eurowinter HS02 Pro is presented as a "snow talent" that also manages to provide good performance on dry roads, all for an affordable price. However, its capabilities are severely compromised on wet surfaces, where it showed generally weaker performance. Testers described its straight aquaplaning resistance as "bereits kritisch" (already critical) and noted its weakness in both wet handling and curved aquaplaning tests.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro demonstrates respectable driving performance on dry pavement, maintaining decent handling characteristics and acceptable behavior in clear conditions. However, this Japanese-branded tire (developed by Sumitomo) reveals significant weaknesses where they matter most for winter safety. It shows weaker overall performance on snow with compromised grip and handling, while extended braking distances in both wet and dry conditions raise serious safety concerns. The tire also suffers from particularly rapid wear, resulting in the lowest projected mileage in the entire test—nearly 12,427 miles less than the longest-lasting competitors. This accelerated wear makes it extremely expensive over its shortened lifetime despite a mid-range purchase price around €510. The combination of safety compromises and poor durability makes the Falken impossible to recommend, as drivers would face both increased risk and the inconvenience and cost of premature replacement.
Reviewers describe the Falken as “refined” and able to perform well in all conditions. It strikes a solid balance between grip and ride comfort, making it an easy tire to live with and competitively priced.
Satisfactory.
Very sluggish snow handling, good wet grip, high rolling resistance.
Satisfactory.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro struggled in the rolling resistance test, having the worst of the group, and wasn't the best in the snow either, but it was obviously much better than the summer tire. It WAS good in wet and dry handling, and had great aquaplaning resistance. Perhaps not a bad winter tire for somewhere like the UK that doesn't see much snow.
Too weak on snow. The otherwise passable Falken has to be downgraded."Satisfactory"
Owner reviews, sizes and EU label data, comparisons and the Tire Reviews score. All Falken tires