The Nokian WR D4 is a winter touring tire that feels purpose-built for proper cold weather, delivering standout snow traction and reassuring braking when conditions turn difficult. It's also frequently described as impressively quiet and comfortable for a winter pattern, with efficiency that can help fuel economy. The trade-off is clear: wet-road grip and dynamic handling aren't class-leading, and some owners report wear and tread durability issues if used hard or in milder temperatures.
The quick answer
Owners say79%from 73 owner reviews69% would buy againRead the reviews
Strengths & weaknessesIce, SnowDry, ComfortRelative 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.
In 195/65 R15, the Nokian WR D4 is projected to cost €11.47 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €287 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test.
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 2018 test; financing costs are excluded.
Across the 4 wet-braking tests it has featured in, the Nokian WR D4 stops 6.9% longer than premium rivals, 0.8% shorter than mid-range rivals and 4.7% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews wet score of 57/100, and owners rate it 8.1/10 in the wet from 73 reviews.
How good is the Nokian WR D4 in the dry?
Across the 4 dry-braking tests it has featured in, the Nokian WR D4 stops 2.1% shorter than premium rivals, 3.4% shorter than mid-range rivals and 1.9% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews dry score of 49/100, and owners rate it 8.1/10 in the dry from 73 reviews.
How good is the Nokian WR D4 in the snow?
Across the 4 snow-braking tests it has featured in, the Nokian WR D4 stops 1.9% shorter than premium rivals, 2.1% shorter than mid-range rivals and 13.2% shorter than budget rivals. Across the 1 snow-traction test, it is 2% worse than premium rivals, 2.9% better than mid-range rivals and 2.8% worse than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews snow score of 80/100, and owners rate it 9/10 in the snow from 73 reviews.
How good is the Nokian WR D4 on ice?
Across the 1 ice-braking test it has featured in, the Nokian WR D4 stops 4.5% shorter than premium rivals, 6.4% shorter than mid-range rivals and 1.2% longer than budget rivals. Across the 1 ice-traction test, it is 2.6% better than premium rivals, 6.6% better than mid-range rivals and 7.7% worse than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews ice score of 83/100, and owners rate it 7.9/10 on ice from 73 reviews.
How fuel efficient is the Nokian WR D4?
Across the 4 tests measuring rolling resistance, the Nokian WR D4's rolling resistance is 8.9% lower than premium rivals, 9.2% lower than mid-range rivals and 4.4% lower than budget rivals.
More questions about the Nokian WR D4(13)
How many miles does the Nokian WR D4 last?
Based on test and owner data, the Nokian WR D4 is expected to last around 24,988 miles (40,214 km).
What do owners say about the Nokian WR D4?
Across 73 owner ratings the Nokian WR D4 averages 79%. Owners rate Snow Grip highest at 9 out of 10 and Wear lowest at 6.8. 27 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 69% of owners score it 70% or better.
How much does the Nokian WR D4 cost to run?
In 195/65 R15, the Nokian WR D4 is projected to cost €11.47 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €287 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test. Of the tires compared in that test, that makes it the cheapest to run.
What is the Nokian WR D4's EU tire label rating?
Across its range, the Nokian WR D4 most commonly carries EU label ratings of C for fuel efficiency, B for wet grip and 69 dB for noise.
How comfortable and quiet are the Nokian WR D4?
Owners rate the Nokian WR D4 8.3 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 66 reviews.
How well do the Nokian WR D4 wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Nokian WR D4 6.8 out of 10 for wear across 66 reviews. 27 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 7,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Nokian WR D4 again?
69% of owners say they would buy the Nokian WR D4 again, based on the 65 owner reviews that answered the question. 42% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What do owners say about the Nokian WR D4's snow traction?
Of the 66 owner reviews analyzed for the Nokian WR D4, 32 mention snow traction: 30 praise it (strong snow traction) and 2 criticise it (weak snow traction). One owner wrote: "Ice, wet show, dry snow, deep snow (~20 cm). At times she was the only one able to get out". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Nokian WR D4's wet grip?
Of the 66 owner reviews analyzed for the Nokian WR D4, 27 mention wet grip: 19 praise it (confident wet grip) and 8 criticise it (weak wet grip). One owner wrote: "they are very very good in pooring rain, just 2 days ago i made 650 kms in 1 day in pooring rain almost all day they eat through the water like nothing they grip the road and make you feel safe". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Nokian WR D4's tread life?
Of the 66 owner reviews analyzed for the Nokian WR D4, 26 mention tread life: 12 praise it (long-lasting) and 14 criticise it (wears quickly). One owner wrote: "the rubber aged quickly and soon started to disintegrate and by that I mean not only micro cracks at the surface, but big chunks of it fell apart". Read those reviews
What does the Nokian WR D4 replace?
The Nokian WR D4 is the successor to the Nokian WR D3 in Nokian's range.
My daughters car. NOKIAN tires have 60CL as the dot date! Unable to find any age info?!....As they were made in Russia?...
February 24, 2023
The D4 will have a standard DOT code on, they might be on the inside of the tire. They will also have the country they were made in somewhere on the sidewall!
Show all questions(2)
I have 2017 My WR D4 (195/55/16) winter tires on my Honda CR Z sports model. Can I keep on using them for the summer season at the average temperature of btw 25-35… Show moreI have 2017 My WR D4 (195/55/16) winter tires on my Honda CR Z sports model. Can I keep on using them for the summer season at the average temperature of btw 25-35 Celcius? What is the max temperature? Show less
April 30, 2018
There is no maximum temperature for the WR D4, they are heat tested like all other tires. That said, the compound will be much less effective at warmer temperatures, especially in the wet so it is not advised to use them in the summer months.
Across 66 reviews, the Nokian WR D4 is widely praised as a confidence-inspiring winter tire with standout traction and braking on snow (and often ice/slush), plus a comfortable and frequently quiet ride for a winter-focused design. Many drivers also highlight strong value for money and good cold-weather handling. However, a notable minority report weak wet-road grip (wheelspin/early breakaway) and a significant number complain about very fast or irregular wear, including tread-edge chunking/delamination-especially when used in milder temperatures or driven hard.
What owners mention most counted across 66 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 73 ratings
Owner score79%
Snow Grip90%
Comfort83%
Dry Grip81%
Wet Grip81%
Ice Grip79%
Handling79%
Road Feedback79%
Wear68%
Featured reviews
Most helpful 96%
“Best winter tires! Period. I had these WR D4 for 5 years on my 2010 Fiesta and I even used them during 3 summers and they still have some tread. I would choose them even over Conti or other premium brands! You cant go...”
“2013-fiesta; just today changed from summer hankook ventus s1 evo 195/50/15. Very surprised to find out: cars back sliding(lateral-outward; a slight slip actually) in turning a bend on dry road at 50km/h +14C. Fiesta is...”
“Here in Italy it is the law to have winter tires from 1st Nov to 31st March, so this was my first purchase of winher tires, as previously I always carried chains. First purchased in November 16, as strongly recommended...”
These tires seem to be made for snowy winter conditions. I was really confident driving these on both fresh and icy snow and I was surprised with the grip on hills where FWD cars always had problems.
However, I wasn't so confident on wet roads where tires slipped a bit more frequently.
They also seem to wear a little bit faster then I was used to.
Overall, really good value for the price but I'd look for an alternative if you don't experience a lot of snow in winter.
Initial Impressions78% 8,000 miles
The best tire for grip on snow and ice I experienced so far. You won't find a better tires for such price.
It really surprised me how good it holds on snow slowly going up a hill without any problems while others had to go much faster and still were not sure if they would make it.
Best winter tires! Period. I had these WR D4 for 5 years on my 2010 Fiesta and I even used them during 3 summers and they still have some tread. I would choose them even over Conti or other premium brands! You cant go wrong with these winter tires at least at the 175/65/R14 size. Got them at a very good price I will definitely buy them again!
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I got the tires with the car, I drove on them for two winters. Due to the law, they saw 2cm of snow for two days. So I can't say how they are in the snow.
They are cracked on the side from age, since the DOT number says they are from 2017. The depth of the saree was about 6mm.
I felt the car very unstable when using these tires..on snow they were amazing, but other than that I would not recommend. After 4 years and very little use( about 5k kilometers) the rubber aged quickly and soon started to disintegrate and by that I mean not only micro cracks at the surface, but big chunks of it fell apart.
Beware that this is a snow tire! It is not suitable for mild climates where temperatures are usually around 6 to 12 degrees celsius.The Compound is very soft and if you do not see snow and ice regularly and snow is an exception rather then the rule this will ruin the tire.My driving is usually around town and the rather hot autumns and springs for the tire and somewhat aggressive take offs from stop lights and intersections have torn off the sipes from the side..
Hi!
I used few kinds of winter tires in time. No 1 I think it is Nokian Hakkapeliita 6 (or 5) on both FWD and AWD very good ones. You can feel the difference right away. On the FWD vehicle I used to have Yokohama normal ones and then Verdrestein directionals (v shaped pattern). Vedrestein were better but nothing like Nokian. Then after buying the AWD for my wife I got a parking spot under the building I was living in and she always got out regardless of how bad was the uphill exit from the parking. Ice, wet show, dry snow, deep snow (~20 cm). At times she was the only one able to get out in the morning from that parking.
One time we went to a cabin in the mountains and it showed a lot over night building it up to the top of the bumper of my Toyota RAV4, about half the tire diameter. I got out of there in few long minutes. Had to back up few times to get some momentum to push forward. All the others had to shovel their way out about 10-15 m and they had AWDs too. I think my Nokians had their part to this performance.
Same winter my neighbour slide back trying to get out of parking and she damaged her car, a Honda Fit. Tires, some Motomasters directionals, loose grip exactly close to top of the hill at street level. She had the presence to press the button of her remote control to open the garage door while she was slowly sliding back while car whells were spinning foeward and she just lost her left side mirror. Other neighbours had to fix that door after finding themselves in same situation (sliding back into closing garage door). She asked for my help and since the new Nokians were too expensive for her she got a set of used Hakkapeliitas (7 or something, better than mine) on internet. No 6 was still visible on pattern so they were above 6mm tread. Well she never had the random excitement getting out of parking after snowing or ice rain again.
When I got my RAV4 it came with Bridgestones. Then I had some Michelin X ICE used from a neighbour that sold his car. Bridgestone were better on snow and Michelins better on ice. These were my best winter tires until I got the Hakkapeliitas. Nokians are better than those on both surfaces. They are also noisier on dry but not by much. If you plan to use them summer time too, don't. They will loose some of their grip on ice next winter.
Michelins are the best as summer tires or rain tires if you buy the directional ones.
Other tires I had over time on a FWD vehicle were some Continentals directionals too. Better than Yokohama and Vedrestein but when they were less than half something happened and they loose their ballance to the point I had to replace them.
Now I got some Nokian WRs since I was unable to find the Hakkapeliita. Hope they will perform next winter.
Is not first time I got WRs. I had 2 new ones on the front axle of a FWD VW Golf Variant. Somehow one of them got some side bump and got unballanced, later developed some sort of cut about 6 cm long just beside the rolling pattern while rolling on dry about 10 degr C. Had to replace that one on road. I managed to get out of highway and make it to a shop after inflating it twice with my small portable 12V compressor.
While I had that tire car was driven by me, my wife and my sister. (I can't say for sure if tire was abused or not.)
This is a second chance I give to WRs based on my expecience with them. I can say, I think they are thinner than Hakkapeliita, also lighter, maybe an inferior kind. I hope those will do better than previous ones. I will still use the "survivor" mounted on rear pairing a Fulda (only one that had about similar pattern and thichness to my good WR in that shop inventory when I had to replace the failing WR. When it happenend I already had them switched to rear axle since I was unable to use them on front due to vibration given the unballance. I was hoping to make it to the end of winter, one month and a half, but it didn't happen. Tire gave up after about 1000 kms on rear axle).
Oh! One more thing. One of my friends bought some asian tires that had a pattern identical with Nokian Hakkapeliita. Don't get hooked into that. They start to get some strange chipped wear on rolling pattern and one of them got a side damage by a splint of wood!!! How weird is that! He had to replace that one. Guy was unable to fix it.
Grip on snow was compared with some average all season ones even the mountain and snowflake was displayed on them.
Exceptional winter tire, if you are in snowy weather and not so good, for mild winters. You have to be careful with it, if the temperature rises about 10 degrees, as it's very soft and you can ruin it, especially at high speed or fast cornering, in those conditions. If you drive in the snow, though and at around 0 degrees, or bellow, these have no rival.
They are quiet and comfortable, with very good road feedback, at low temperatures. They are a very good choice, for true winter tires. The wet grip is very good, handling also, they are a joy to ride, in low temperatures, from all aspects.
When you decide to buy winter tires , you must know that its made for snow and winter conditions. This means that you will drive at wet roads with speed 20% less than you drive with your summer tires (especially at turns). This is an excellent tire for snow . This is a tire which make your driving easylly at difficult snow and icy conditions. You dont have to expect from this tire to have handling on wet or dry turns as your summer tire because you never expect from your summer tire to climb on a 10% road covered with snow.....
+ traction on snow
+ handling on snow
+ braking distance on snow
+ buy them again (please nokian dont do that!!! i learn that you will change them with snowproof which are not better than wrd4)
- fuel consumption (+ 0.5 lt/ 100km from my summer tires)
Every one has something to say about wearing off too fast. This is not true. I drove them for 5 winters and full 2 summer seasons. They wore close to 4 mm marker. The issue was on ice grip. But can complain. Buy again.
These tires have been surprising me every day since I got them fitted to my BMW F30 320d EfficientDinamics LCI.
What I liked most about these tires was by far the comfort levels. They absorb the bumps better than the Continentals and Bridgestones I have tried and they are also very quiet. Also, my fuel efficiency seem to have gotten a bit better since fitting these tires.
As dry/wet performance, for a tire that is so good in the snow I have to give it first place. The feedback is good, the car does not seem understeery, nor oversteery and it is very predictable.
Overall, this is still one of the best tire choices for winter driving especially in the sizes 16-19 inch. The price performance can't get any better and these tires don't make compromises.
