2016 Winter Tire Market Overview

Update: The final twenty tire shootout can be read here.

Most magazines look to test around ten different tire patterns each test, with some pushing up to fifteen different tires. Auto Bild like to go a step further and this year, have tested test fifty sets of 205/55 R16 winter tires.

First they put all fifty sets through wet braking tests, then take the tires who stopped within 20% of the best through to snow braking breaking, which this year meant testing twenty seven tires on the white stuff. Once those tires have been rated, Auto Bild then take the top twenty through to a full winter tire test to test all aspects of the tires performance, not just wet and snow braking.

Below is the results of part one of the test, the fifty tire shootout. As always, Auto Bild purchased all the tires on the open market to avoid the possibility of any "special" tires being included in the test.

The Results

1st: Continental WinterContact TS 860

Continental WinterContact TS 860
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 59.8
  2. Wet: 34.2
  3. Snow: 25.6
Read Reviews

2nd: Goodyear UltraGrip 9

Goodyear UltraGrip 9
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 61.1
  2. Wet: 36.1
  3. Snow: 25
Read Reviews    Buy from £89.45

3rd: Michelin Alpin 5

Michelin Alpin 5
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 61.4
  2. Wet: 35.6
  3. Snow: 25.8
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4th: Dunlop Winter Sport 5

Dunlop Winter Sport 5
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 61.6
  2. Wet: 36.1
  3. Snow: 25.5
Read Reviews    Buy from £89.40

5th: Semperit Speed Grip 2

Semperit Speed Grip 2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 62.4
  2. Wet: 35.7
  3. Snow: 26.7
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6th: Pirelli Cinturato Winter

Pirelli Cinturato Winter
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 62.6
  2. Wet: 36.2
  3. Snow: 26.4
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7th: Nokian WR D4

Nokian WR D4
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 63.3
  2. Wet: 37.3
  3. Snow: 26
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8th: Barum Polaris 3

Barum Polaris 3
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 63.3
  2. Wet: 37.2
  3. Snow: 26.1
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9th: Cooper WM SA2

Cooper WM SA2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 63.4
  2. Wet: 36.1
  3. Snow: 27.3
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10th: Bridgestone Blizzak LM001

Bridgestone Blizzak LM001
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 64.4
  2. Wet: 38.5
  3. Snow: 25.9
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11th: Uniroyal MS+ 77

Uniroyal MS Plus 77
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 64.8
  2. Wet: 39.1
  3. Snow: 25.7
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12th: Falken Eurowinter HS449

Falken Eurowinter HS449
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.2
  2. Wet: 38.3
  3. Snow: 26.9
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13th: Fulda Kristall Control HP

Fulda Kristall Control HP
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.3
  2. Wet: 38.9
  3. Snow: 26.4
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14th: Hankook Winter i cept RS2

Hankook Winter i cept RS2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.3
  2. Wet: 39.1
  3. Snow: 26.2
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15th: Kleber Krisalp HP2

Kleber Krisalp HP2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.3
  2. Wet: 38.9
  3. Snow: 26.4
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16th: General Altimax Winter+

General Altimax Winter Plus
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.4
  2. Wet: 39.2
  3. Snow: 26.2
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17th: Mabor Winter Jet 2

Mabor Winter Jet 2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.7
  2. Wet: 38.9
  3. Snow: 26.8
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18th: Sava eskimo hp

Sava eskimo hp
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.8
  2. Wet: 39.7
  3. Snow: 26.1
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19th: Vredestein Snowtrac 5

Vredestein Snowtrac 5
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 65.9
  2. Wet: 38.9
  3. Snow: 27
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20th: BFGoodrich gForce Winter

BFGoodrich gForce Winter
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 66.2
  2. Wet: 39.4
  3. Snow: 26.8
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21st: Yokohama W drive V905

Yokohama W drive V905
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 66.8
  2. Wet: 39.9
  3. Snow: 26.9
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22nd: Achilles Winter 101

Achilles Winter 101
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 66.9
  2. Wet: 39.7
  3. Snow: 27.2
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23rd: Matador MP 92 Sibir Snow

Matador MP 92 Sibir Snow
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 67
  2. Wet: 40.6
  3. Snow: 26.4
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24th: Firestone Winterhawk 3

Firestone Winterhawk 3
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 67.3
  2. Wet: 39.8
  3. Snow: 27.5
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25th: Maxxis Arctictrekker WP05

Maxxis Arctictrekker WP05
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 67.3
  2. Wet: 39.8
  3. Snow: 27.5
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26th: Goodride SW601

Goodride SW601
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 67.7
  2. Wet: 38.5
  3. Snow: 29.2
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27th: Accelera X Grip

Accelera X Grip
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 69.8
  2. Wet: 40.7
  3. Snow: 29.1
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28th: Ovation W 586

Ovation W 586
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41
  2. Wet: 40.9
  3. Snow: 0.1
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29th: Torque TQ022

Torque TQ022
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41
  2. Wet: 40.9
  3. Snow: 0.1
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30th: Kumho Winter Craft WP51

Kumho Winter Craft WP51
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41.1
  2. Wet: 41
  3. Snow: 0.1
Read Reviews    Buy from £97.66

31st: Debica Frigo HP

Debica Frigo HP
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41.2
  2. Wet: 41.1
  3. Snow: 0.1
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32nd: Viking Snow Tech II

Viking Snow Tech II
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41.2
  2. Wet: 41.1
  3. Snow: 0.1
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33rd: Nankang SV2

Nankang SV2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41.5
  2. Wet: 41.4
  3. Snow: 0.1
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34th: Atlas Polarbear 2

Atlas Polarbear 2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41.8
  2. Wet: 41.7
  3. Snow: 0.1
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36th: Starfire W 200

Starfire W 200
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 42.7
  2. Wet: 42.6
  3. Snow: 0.1
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37th: Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2

Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 42.9
  2. Wet: 42.8
  3. Snow: 0.1
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39th: Petlas Snow Master W651

Petlas Snow Master W651
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 43.4
  2. Wet: 43.3
  3. Snow: 0.1
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40th: Fortuna Winter Max A1

Fortuna Winter Max A1
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 43.5
  2. Wet: 43.4
  3. Snow: 0.1
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42nd: Sunny WinterMax A1

Sunny WinterMax A1
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 45.3
  2. Wet: 45.2
  3. Snow: 0.1
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45th: Nordexx Nivius Snow

Nordexx Nivius Snow
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 46.7
  2. Wet: 46.6
  3. Snow: 0.1
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47th: Imperial Snowdragon 2

Imperial Snowdragon 2
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 46.9
  2. Wet: 46.8
  3. Snow: 0.1
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48th: Minerva IcePlus S210

Minerva IcePlus S210
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 47.3
  2. Wet: 47.2
  3. Snow: 0.1
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49th: Tristar S210 IcePlus

Tristar S210 IcePlus
  • 205/55 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 47.4
  2. Wet: 47.3
  3. Snow: 0.1
Read Reviews

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