When driving in the colder months, winter tyres offer owners of high horsepower cars and SUVs much needed peace of mind. But with so many winter tyres now available, which is the right product to buy? Auto Bild has made purchase decisions easier by testing 51 models in 225/40 R18, a size worn by compact but rapid cars such as the VW Golf GTI & R, Hyundai i30 N and Mercedes-AMG A35. The Auto Bild team conducted its testing using a BMW M135i.
After eliminating 31 tyre models in an initial round of wet and snow braking tests, Auto Bild performed a battery of tests on the 20 finalists in wet, snowy and dry conditions. Wet and snow testing each contributed 30 per cent towards a tyre’s final score. Performance in dry conditions contributed a further 20 per cent, as did cost-related factors such as mileage, rolling resistance and price-performance ratio.
Summer performance a decisive factor
But why test winter tyres, given that Auto Bild recently tested all-season tyres in the same size and noted that these products are gaining ground, with the top contenders performing as well as winter tyres on snow? The German motoring publication justifies its continued interest in winter tyres by pointing to the warmer months of the year – seasons when summer tyres deliver “more precise handling and shorter braking distances.” The logic being that drivers of sporty, powerful cars potentially select winter tyres because their summer counterparts still have the edge over all-season tyres.
Established brands remain best performers
In his summary of the 51-tyre test, Auto Bild tyre specialist Dierk Möller observes that “the market (for winter tyres) has become complex and confusing due to a glut of new manufacturers and products from the Far East.” But it wasn’t this diversity of new brands that impressed the most. “Ultimately, all of the ‘exemplary’ and ‘good’ products are old acquaintances and their secondary brands,” Möller comments. He adds that this reflects the “great deal of effort and experience” needed to develop a “balanced winter tyre.”
Auto Bild gave its highest ‘exemplary’ rating to five tyres. “With top-of-the-range products from Michelin, Dunlop, and Bridgestone, drivers can enjoy a high level of safety on the roads during the winter season. The fact that the affordable Kumho brand (joint third place overall) is also available as a cost-effective alternative is a pleasant surprise,” writes Dierk Möller. At the other end of the 51 names were several products – Möller describes these as “cheap no-name tyres” – which the Auto Bild tester believes represent a “real danger on the road.”
Rated exemplary
Test winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
+ All-round talent that strikes the perfect balance on all road conditions, very quiet
– Highest purchase price
Eco champion: Dunlop Winter
+ Snowplough with high traction and side guide, excellent value for money
– Slightly longer braking distance in dry conditions
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
+ High-performance tyre with excellent lateral guidance in dry conditions, maximum mileage
– Slightly weaker when cornering in wet conditions
Kumho WinterCraft WP52+
+ Great value with strong performance on snow and wet roads, approved for speeds up to 270 km/h
– Slightly slower in dry handling
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
+ Rain expert with maximum mileage
– Slightly weaker in dry conditions
Rated good
Hankook Winter i*Cept evo3
+ Snow expert, excellent value for money
– Slightly longer braking distances on wet roads
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
+ Smooth running with balanced handling on snow and dry surfaces
– Comes to a stop a little later in wet conditions
Uniroyal WinterExpert
+ All-round ‘good’ tyre with fuel-saving potential
– Slightly weaker in dry braking
Barum Polaris 6
+ Bargain with maximum fuel economy potential, safe in snow and dry conditions
– Not quite so good in wet conditions
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
+ Excellent grip in wet conditions
– Imprecise handling in dry conditions, high price.
Note: Successor model Cinturato Winter 3 now available
Semperit Speed Grip 5
+ Balanced tyre in dry and wet conditions
– Slightly weaker on snow, especially lateral control
BF Goodrich G-Force Winter 2
+ Outstanding snow performance
– Unbalanced due to snow focus, just adequate in wet and dry conditions
Rated satisfactory
Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
+ Strong on snow
– Lower overall grade due to longer dry braking distance, weaker performance in cost-related testing
Kleber Krisalp HP3
+ Snow specialist with the shortest braking distance and highest traction on this surface
– Lower overall grade due to performance in wet and dry conditions
Ceat WinterDrive
+ Bargain price with the lowest price per mile, respectable results on snow and dry roads
– Overall weaker in wet conditions
Firestone WinterHawk 4
+ Snow vanquisher with very high traction, good in wet conditions
– Spongy handling and longer braking distances in dry conditions
Toyo Observe Winter Sport 1
+ High lateral guidance in wet conditions, low wear
– Overall weaker on snow
Fulda Kristall Control HP 2
+ High lateral guidance and traction on snow
– Not so good in wet conditions, delayed stopping in dry conditions
Linglong Sport Master Winter
+ Affordable dry weather specialist
– Lower traction on snow, weaker overall in wet conditions, high rolling resistance
Falken EuroWinter HS02 Pro
+ Respectable performance on dry roads
– Unbalanced on snow in the wet
