By now, we all know why we should be using winter tires, but which of the winter tires will work in our climate the best?

While Northern European winters are dominated by periods of heavy snowfall, here in the UK we tend to experience mostly cold and wet winters, which places a unique requirement on our winter, or cold weather tires.

Snow performance, while important should be a secondary consideration when choosing rubber for the English winter. Any winter tire will vastly outperform its summer equivalent on snow, with even the cheapest of winter tires performing excellently on the white stuff, but the real challenge for a winter tire is the balance of wet and dry performance, while offering a good snow ability.

When you consider a cheap winter tire can take an extra 15.9 meters, or 52 foot to stop a car in the wet from just 50 mph, it is wise to research your winter tire purchase properly.

Fortunately for 2012, there are a number of new winter tires which specifically target the wet and slushy conditions we often experience in the UK, without any compromise on the snow performance.

2012 Winter Tire Recommendations

1st: Continental WinterContact TS 850
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Developed to replace the multiple award winning TS 830, Continental had a real challenge making the TS 850 better than the outgoing model, but somehow they've managed it. It has featured in five of the 2012 winter tire tests, and has placed first in every one. It manages to offer class leading performance in the dry, wet and snow, while offering good wear and rolling resistance scores. The only negative we could find is it was beaten in slushy conditions by other tires, and it's not the cheapest tire on test. We believe it to be a price worth paying, and believe this is the best winter tire on the market for wheel sizes 16" and under. Read Reviews
2nd: Goodyear UltraGrip 8
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Last years tirereviews favourite winter tire, and often 1st or second in the magazine tests there's still excellent availability of the UltraGrip 8, and it's priced keenly for a premium winter tire too. Resists aquaplaning, and grips well in the wet, making it another good choice for the UK winter. Read Reviews
3rd: Nokian WR D3
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	While there are a number of good choices in the midrange sector, we believe Nokian offers one of the best value winter tires. Cheaper than the premium tires above, the sportier Nokian WR A3, and the smaller sized Nokian WR D3 usually trouble the premium brands in the tire tests, and have some of the best dry braking on the market. We also have reports of people running the WR A3 all summer, without a significant increase in wear or drop in performance. A slush optimised design leaves these tires branded as "all season tires" in more extreme winter climates, which means they're ideal for the mild UK winters. Read Reviews

2012 Performance Winter Tire Recommendations

For drivers of ultra high performance cars, there's two new options in the 17" and above winter tire sizes.

	1st: Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 Overall: Though not shown its face in any tests yet, the Pilot Alpin A4 promises to be the ultimate performance winter tire. Co developed with Porsche, and recommended by Mercedes for the AMG models, the PA4 retains excellent dynamic response coupled with a strong snow performance. This tire won't be cheap, but it's sure to be good.
	2nd: Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance Overall: Another new pattern in the UHP sector, designed for the wetter European winter where slush is more of a problem than sheet ice, the UltraGrip 8 Performance is available in 18" and above.
	3rd: Continental Winter Contact TS830 P Overall: Very much like its new 850 sibling, it is an excellent all-round tire that not only performs well in all conditions but also has good fuel economy and comfort.

SUV and 4x4 Winter Tire Recommendations

	1st: Michelin Latitude Alpin LA2 Overall: Another new pattern from Michelin. We've tested it on sheet ice, snow covered off road tracks, and a warm dry track and nothing phases this tire.
	2nd: Goodyear UltraGrip SUV Overall: Offering the best wet and dry score in the 2011 Auto Bild 4x4 tire test, the UltraGrip SUV looks to be another winter tire particularly suited to the UK climate.
	3rd: Continental Winter Contact TS830 P Overall: Very much like its new 850 sibling, it is an excellent all-round tire that not only performs well in all conditions but also has good fuel economy and comfort.

Of course, there's the question of all season tires, but we'll be covering that in a few weeks.

Update: We've covered all season tires here