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Taurus Winter 601

Touring Winter

The Taurus Winter 601 is a budget winter touring tire with some favorable owner feedback on snow traction. Wet grip draws conflicting reports, including serious criticism, and its three independent test placings are consistently low.

The quick answer

Owners say 64% from 7 owner reviews 57% would buy again Read the reviews
Tests say 42nd average finish across 3 independent tests Latest: P46 of 52 · 2018 See every test

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 January 2025.

  • 7owner reviews
  • 168,000miles driven
  • 3professional tests
Taurus Winter 601 1 photos

Tire Reviews Score

Taurus Winter 601

6.5/10

From owner reviews only: no measured test results yet.

  • Limited Confidence
  • 7 owner reviews

How this score is built

Better than Weight
Independent testsNo measured test results yet – 0%
Owner reviews7 owner reviews · rated 64% 12% 32%
Typical tireWhere every score starts before its own data counts – 68%
Combined 36% 6.5

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.

Confidence

  1. Limited
  2. Medium
  3. High

Owner reviews decide 32% of this score. The other 68% is the typical starting point, and it shrinks as more reviews arrive.

Scored on owner reviews alone, a tire is High once the reviews decide 90% or more, and Medium from 70%. Anything less is Limited: expect the number to move as reviews arrive.

The tests behind it

Only measured results count. A test that published its placings alone is listed, but not scored.

  1. 2018 2018 51 Winter Tire Shootout Auto Bild · 195/65 R15 P46 / 52 Placing only
  2. 2017 2017 50 Winter Tire Shoot Out Auto Bild · 225/50 R17 P43 / 50 Placing only
  3. 2015 2015 Winter Tire Market Overview Auto Bild · 185/60 R14 P38 / 51 Placing only
All Tests
View Test Results

Tested 3 times by independent publications, the Taurus Winter 601 averages a finish of 42nd.

3 Tests
0 Test Wins
42nd Average
38th Best
46th Worst
Finishing position in each test1stLast20152018

Finishing position in each test

YearTestResultAward
20182018 51 Winter Tire ShootoutAuto Bild · 195/65 R15P46 / 52
20172017 50 Winter Tire Shoot OutAuto Bild · 225/50 R17P43 / 50
20152015 Winter Tire Market OverviewAuto Bild · 185/60 R14P38 / 51

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

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Frequently Asked Questions
What do owners say about the Taurus Winter 601?
Across 7 owner ratings the Taurus Winter 601 averages 64%. Owners rate Snow Grip highest at 9.3 out of 10 and Road Feedback lowest at 4.7. 4 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 33% of owners score it 70% or better.
How comfortable and quiet are the Taurus Winter 601?
Owners rate the Taurus Winter 601 6.6 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 6 reviews.
How well do the Taurus Winter 601 wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Taurus Winter 601 6.6 out of 10 for wear across 6 reviews. 4 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 10,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Taurus Winter 601 again?
57% of owners say they would buy the Taurus Winter 601 again, based on the 7 owner reviews that answered the question. 14% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
Owner Questions
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Taurus Winter 601 Owner Reviews

Review this tire

What owners say summarised from 6 reviews

Snow traction is the most consistent positive in the small set of Taurus Winter 601 owner reviews, but overall satisfaction is divided. Two of the six reviews are positive, two neutral and two negative, with most written after some use. Wet grip is the main concern: two owners describe poor grip, including sliding at low speeds, while another is strongly positive. Later-life wear comments are also split between satisfactory wear and relatively rapid tread loss. The limited number of accounts does not establish a consistent tread-life pattern, and the favorable snow comments sit alongside substantial reservations about wet-road confidence.

Owners praise

  • Satisfactory snow traction

Owners criticise

  • Poor wet grip for some drivers

Owner ratings averaged from 7 ratings

  • Owner score 64%
  • Snow Grip 93%
  • Ice Grip 90%
  • Wear 66%
  • Comfort 66%
  • Dry Grip 61%
  • Handling 56%
  • Wet Grip 49%
  • Road Feedback 47%

Featured reviews

Most helpful 67%

“This tires came with car as winter setup (seller was mehanic and he just replaced it so DOT was fresh when car was bought). I was very sceptical but on wet you can't go sideways with this tire, that's how much grip it...”

  • BMW 323i 1997
  • 5,000 miles
Read full review → 867 found this helpful
Most critical 34%

“Awful tires. The car was skidding even at the lowest speeds when wet. Very rigid, really bad tires. I can't imagine how someone would pay anything for this quality. I wouldn't accept these tires for free.”

  • Audi A4 Avant
  • 3,000 miles
Read full review → 646 found this helpful
Longest term 43%

“Dear all, I am from Serbia, place where this tire are actually made. They are absolutely the same compound, thread,whall.ext as Tigar, Orum,Riken and Kormoran. These tires are made in Michelin factory in the city of...”

  • Skoda Octavia vRS
  • 100,000 miles
Read full review → 950 found this helpful

All 6 Taurus Winter 601 reviews

Score spread across 6 written reviews
67%
Member
This tires came with car as winter setup (seller was mehanic and he just replaced it so DOT was fresh when car was bought). I was very sceptical but on wet you can't go sideways with this tire, that's how much grip it has. :) Dry grip is ok but you don't have any feeling on steering wheel with them, also you can drive with confidence, especially RWD cars. Also never had problem with grip in snow (bare in mind that it's on RWD car). Negative side is noise, the faster you drive the noiser they get, so I wouldn't recommend them if you are mainly on motorways. Also, the wear is very high, so after two seasons they have about 5 mm tread depth (less than 10 000 km). If you mainly drive in city and country roads this is ideal. For the price, and everything else considering, I would recommend them, just depends what are you expecting from them (they are not premium and they are not perfect...).
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 8
  • Road Feedback 5
  • Handling 7
  • Wear 3
  • Comfort 5
  • Buy again 9
  • Snow Grip 8
  • Ice Grip 8
Helpful 867
82%
Member
  • Opel
  • 175/70 R14
  • 30,000 miles
  • A Combination of Roads
  • Spirited
Served good on road in a family car, and the grip offroad is very good, same in the snow.
There are better tires but if u know ur car and drive normal, they are excellent
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 6
  • Road Feedback 6
  • Handling 9
  • Wear 10
  • Comfort 9
  • Buy again 7
  • Snow Grip 10
  • Ice Grip 10
Helpful 969
78%
Member
Nowdays i have 4 pieces of 4 years old tires which is suitable for this car, although on the first axis will wear out and i will change to a 4 seasons tires etc rotalla Setula 4 Season RA03 and i will replace fro 1st axis to rear axis. On the rear axis i never felt that this tires slipped even winding roads in a snowy enviroment .
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 8
  • Road Feedback 8
  • Handling 7
  • Wear 7
  • Comfort 7
  • Buy again 7
  • Snow Grip 10
  • Ice Grip 9
Helpful 857

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696 reviews submitted this month Earn your Contributor badge No account needed
43%
Member
Dear all, I am from Serbia, place where this tire are actually made. They are absolutely the same compound, thread,whall.ext as Tigar, Orum,Riken and Kormoran. These tires are made in Michelin factory in the city of Pirot. I wouldnt reccomand it for heavier cars and for cars with engines with 100+ hp. I have them on Octavia vrs tfsi. These tires are not for racing if you drive normally they are ok. Wet grip is horible, on snow grip is sufficient. wear is ok.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 6
  • Wet Grip 2
  • Road Feedback 3
  • Handling 4
  • Wear 7
  • Comfort 7
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 950
34%
Member
Awful tires. The car was skidding even at the lowest speeds when wet. Very rigid, really bad tires. I can't imagine how someone would pay anything for this quality. I wouldn't accept these tires for free.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 2
  • Road Feedback 2
  • Handling 3
  • Wear 6
  • Comfort 3
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 646
37%
Member
  • Volkswagen
  • 205/55 R16 T
  • 10,000 miles
  • A Combination of Roads
  • Spirited
I bought the tires two weeks after production. Brand new. I can not imagine how such piece of rubbish can be on the market at all. For it's money you can buy Kormoran which is great.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 3
  • Wet Grip 2
  • Road Feedback 4
  • Handling 4
  • Wear 6
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 697
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