After testing 50 different winter tires in wet and snow braking tests, Auto Bild have taken the top 15 performers through to a final shootout. In this super test, they've examined 16 aspects of the tires performance, including all aspects of their snow performance, wet and dry capabilities and various other tests, such as wear and rolling resistance in 195/65 R15 on a VW Golf.
The Top 3
| Test Summary | |
| Wet Braking | Nokian WR D3 |
| Dry Braking | Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 Continental WinterContact TS 850 |
| Wet Handling | Continental WinterContact TS 850 Barum Polaris 3 |
| Rolling Resistance | Continental WinterContact TS 850 Semperit Speed Grip 2 |
| Noise | Michelin Alpin A4 Continental WinterContact TS 850 Semperit Speed Grip 2 |
| Snow Braking | Michelin Alpin A4 |
| Snow Handling | Apollo Alnac Winter Continental WinterContact TS 850 Semperit Speed Grip 2 |
Second place was taken by the new Pirelli SnowControl Serie 3, which is proving to be a strong winter tire for 2013. Let down by wear and price, the Pirelli can't quite match the Michelin in the snow but beats it in the wet.
Rather unusually, third place went to the Continental WinterContact TS850. Having been used to first places finishes since its launch, the TS850 was marked down for its dry performance and high wear compared to the winning Michelin, but was still extremely strong in the wet and on snowy roads.
The Rest
The Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 continued it’s strong 2013 showing with a fourth place finish. Like the Michelin, the Bridgestone wore extremely well while keeping a balance of performance, so while the purchase price might be higher than some, the overall pound per mile make it good value.Nokian finished fifth with the WRD3, continuing it’s dry road dominance and Barum finished sixth thanks to its low purchase price and balanced performance in all tests.
A disappointing show from Goodyear and Dunlop, finishing eighth and ninth respectively with the Goodyear having a hard time in the dry, and the Dunlop suffering in both the dry and having high wear when compared to the best tires in the test.
The Results
1st: Michelin Alpin A4 | |
| Excellent winter tires with balanced handling qualities in all weather conditions. Good characteristics and excellent wear A relatively high level of noise Exemplary Read Reviews |
2nd: Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 | |
| A balanced winter tire with a sporty, dynamic wet handling qualities, precise steering response, and shortest braking distances on snowy and wet roads High wear Exemplary Read Reviews |
3rd: Continental WinterContact TS 850 | |
| Strong handling qualities on snowy and wet roads, high safety reserves with aquaplaning, a fuel efficient rolling resistance Understeering handling in the dry, high wear Recommended Read Reviews |
4th: Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 | |
| Sporty, safe handling on wet and dry roads, short snow and wet braking distances, good value for money Average traction and cornering on snow Recommended Read Reviews |
5th: Nokian WR D3 | |
| Good steering precision and short braking distances on snow and dry roads, good aquaplaning performance, low rolling resistance High Wear, slightly longer wet braking distances Recommended Read Reviews |
6th: Barum Polaris 3 | |
| Excellent cornering and impressive driving properties on snow, low price Poor aquaplaning result, high wear Recommended Read Reviews |
7th: Semperit Speed Grip 2 | |
| A balanced winter tire with short braking distances and balanced handling qualities, pleasant ride comfort, fuel efficient rolling resistance High wear, excessive price/performance ratio Recommended Read Reviews |
8th: Goodyear UltraGrip 8 | |
| Best tire in the aquaplaning tests, good traction and short braking distances on snow, very low wear Average dry handling, high price Satisfactory Read Reviews |
9th: Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D | |
| Sporty handling on snow and wet roads, precise steering, good aquaplaning resistance, high level of comfort Weak in the dry, high wear Satisfactory Read Reviews |
10th: Kleber Krisalp HP2 | |
| Good handling on snowy and dry roads, low wear, very good value for money Average wet performance, long dry braking distances Satisfactory Read Reviews |
11th: Sava eskimo hp | |
| Short braking distances on snow, high aquaplaning resistance, low price Understeering handling and long braking distances on wet roads, high rolling resistance Satisfactory Read Reviews |
12th: BFGoodrich gForce Winter | |
| Short braking distances on snow, excellent price-performance ratio, low wear, low rolling resistance Only average wet and aquaplaning properties, long dry stopping distances, high level of noise Satisfactory Read Reviews |
13th: Viking Snow Tech II | |
| Snow specialist with short braking distances and good traction on snowy slopes, low price Poor ride comfort, very high wear, high rolling resistance Satisfactory Read Reviews |
14th: Hankook Winter i cept RS | |
| High resistance to aquaplaning, dynamic handling performance on dry slopes, low wear Poor cornering and driving behavior on snowy and dry roads Satisfactory Read Reviews |
15th: Apollo Alnac Winter | |
| Good handling in all weather conditions, short braking distances on snow, high level of comfort Low resistance to aquaplaning, high wear, poor value for money Satisfactory Read Reviews |
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