2009 Sport Auto Performance Winter Tire Test

It might still be August, but after an unusually snowy start to 2010 talk has already turned to winter tires in the UK.

While we're waiting for the magazines to put together their 2010 winter tire tests, here's one of the more interesting articles from 2009. This test is particularly good as it uses a powerful RWD car (Mercedes SLK350) which wears relatively wide 225/45 r17 performance tires.

Each of the 8 tires were tested in the snow, on wet roads and in the dry with the scoring emphasis bias towards wet weather and snow performance (these are winter tires after all!)

While there's little difference between the tires in the dry, the differences become more obvious in the wet and on snow. Sport Auto give four of the tires the their ??highly recommended?? award - Continental Winter Contact TS 830, P Pirelli Sottozero Series 2, Dunlop SP Wintersport 3D and the Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2.

Here are the full results:

1st: Continental WinterContact TS 830 P
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 248 Dry: 66 Wet: 87 Snow: 95 Very good braking performance in snow, rain and the dry. Consistently high level of grip in wet and snow. Average aquaplaning performance Read Reviews
2nd: Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 242 Dry: 65 Wet: 89 Snow: 88 Very balanced and good grip levels. High traction and braking performance in snow and rain Light compromising steering precision on dry roads Read Reviews
3rd: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 240 Dry: 62 Wet: 96 Snow: 82 Excellent level of grip and very good handling in wet conditions. Good aquaplaning properties Not very balanced handling in snow Read Reviews
4th: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 235 Dry: 57 Wet: 81 Snow: 97 Excellent winter performance, aquaplaning best performance in the test. Good level of grip when wet Average braking performance on dry roads Read Reviews
5th: Nokian WRG2
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 206 Dry: 64 Wet: 68 Snow: 74 Balanced handling and acceptable delay on snow. Good handling characteristics in drought Poor aquaplaning properties. Gentle traction on snow Read Reviews
6th: Firestone Winterhawk 2
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 197 Dry: 65 Wet: 52 Snow: 80 Precise handling and good braking performance in dry conditions. Good traction on snow Lower grip levels and poor brake performance in wet conditions Read Reviews
7th: Kumho IZen KW27
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 191 Dry: 53 Wet: 71 Snow: 67 Good aquaplaning performance. Safe, understeer bias in the wet and snow Poor wet and snow grip levels Read Reviews
8th: Michelin Pilot Alpin
225/45 r17 3PMSF: no	Total: 189 Dry: 61 Wet: 71 Snow: 57 Very precise handling and grip in the dry Average grip, traction and braking performance in snow and rain Read Reviews