| Test Summary | |
| Wet Braking | Nokian WR D3 |
| Dry Braking | Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D Continental WinterContact TS 850 Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance |
| Wet Handling | Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance Fulda Kristall Control HP Uniroyal MS Plus 77 |
| Rolling Resistance | Barum Polaris 3 Uniroyal MS Plus 77 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 Semperit Speed Grip 2 |
| Noise | Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance |
| Snow Handling | Goodride SW608 Westlake SW 608 |
| Ice Braking | Michelin Alpin A4 |
Starting with fifty different tire models, Auto Bild put every tire through a winter tires toughest test - wet braking. Auto Bild then took the top twenty winter tires from wet braking through to snow braking, and once it had combined the wet and snow braking distances for the top twenty, it chose the top sixteen tires for this more thorough "full" test.
The Summer Tire
In addition to the results below, Auto Bild included a summer tire on test for comparison purposes.
Unsurprisingly, in the snow, the summer tire was useless, stopping over 31 metres longer than the best winter tire in snow braking, and unable to gain enough traction to even complete the snow handling tests!
Dry testing also presented no surprises, with the summer tire convincingly besting every winter tire on test, stopping 4.6 metres shorter than the best winter tire in dry braking, with a similar advantage in dry handling. The compromises a winter tire has to make for snow performance means with todays technology, a winter tire will never outperform a summer tire during dry braking.
Most interesting was the wet scoring. The summer tire put on a good show during wet braking, beating fifteen of the winter tires, and just beaten by the Pirelli winter for second place, but finished ninth in wet handling and was considerably down in the aquaplaning tests too. Unfortunately we don't know what temperatures the wet testing was carried out, but this marks an improvement for winter tires over previous years.
The Results
1st: Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D | |
| Outstanding winter tires with dynamic handling qualities on snowy and wet roads. Responsive steering with good feel, and safe aquaplaning properties. Good price / performance ratio and high mileage None listed Read Reviews Buy from £181.99 |
2nd: Michelin Alpin A4 | |
| A model winter tire with a very good price / performance ratio. Stable cornering and best handling qualities in the snow. Precise steering with good feedback. Low wear and low rolling resistance None listed Read Reviews |
3rd: Continental WinterContact TS 850 | |
| Winter specialist with impressive handling on wet roads. Excellent aquaplaning results with short braking on wet roads. Comfortable and quiet None listed Read Reviews |
4th: Nokian WR D3 | |
| Balance winter tire with safe handling. Short braking distances on snow. Dynamic handling, precise steering and good braking on dry roads. Low noise and good comfort None listed Read Reviews |
5th: Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance | |
| A premium winter tire with excellent performance in the snow and wet. Good cornering in all weather, good ride comfort Slightly long dry braking Read Reviews |
6th: Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 S | |
| Balanced in all weather conditions. Good snow traction, short braking distances on snow and wet roads, good value for money Slightly long dry and wet braking Read Reviews |
7th: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | |
| Great handling on wet and snowy roads with a precise turn in and good feedback. Shorest wet and dry braking, low rolling resistance Average aquaplaning results and average wear Read Reviews Buy from £156.38 |
8th: Semperit Speed Grip 2 | |
| Balanced performance. Good balance on snowy and dry roads, good comfort and rolling resistance Only average handling on wet roads Read Reviews |
9th: Hankook Winter i cept RS | |
| Safe performance on snowy and dry roads, strong snow cornering, good aquaplaning results Average grip and braking in the wet, average comfort Read Reviews |
10th: Uniroyal MS+ 77 | |
| Winter specialist wit short braking and sporty handling on snowy roads, very low rolling resistance Understeer and average grip in the dry, high wear Read Reviews |
11th: Barum Polaris 3 | |
| Low price, good snow performance and good comfort. Low rolling resistance Average performance on wet and dry roads Read Reviews |
12th: Fulda Kristall Control HP | |
| Good snow performance, quiet Average wet and dry handling, long dry braking, high wear Read Reviews |
13th: Kumho IZen KW27 | |
| Good traction and short braking distances on snowy roads. Good aquaplaning scores Understeer in the wet, long dry braking, average wear Read Reviews |
14th: Westlake SW 608 | |
| Good wet braking, cheap Unbalanced handling in the snow and on dry roads, low comfort, low mileage Read Reviews |
15th: Goodride SW608 | |
| Short braking distances and good handling in the wet, low noise, cheap Unbalanced handling in the snow and on dry roads, long dry stopping distances, very poor wear Read Reviews |
16th: Cooper WM SA2 | |
| Short braking on wet and snowy roads Average dry results, high rolling resistance, high wear Read Reviews |
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Best Winter Tires
