2017 Autocenter Studded Winter Tire Test

Test Summary
Wet Braking	Marshal WinterCraft Ice Wi31
Dry Braking	Minerva Eco Stud
Wet Handling	Continental IceContact 2 Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Wear	Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9
Rolling Resistance	Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9
Noise	Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Continental IceContact 2
Straight Aqua	Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9
Snow Handling	Gislaved Nord Frost 200

While studded tires aren't suitable for the UK climate, they are the best way of staying mobile in extreme winter conditions. Each tire can have hundreds of studs, which bite into ice with far more grip than a studless friction winter tire can give. There are of course drawbacks to studded tires, they're very noisy, and they give up a lot of dry and wet performance when compared to a European winter tire, but in climates such as Russia and the Nordic countries where you are likely to be driving on ice for weeks at a time, there's little alternative.

The Russian magazine Auto Center have tested ten studded winter tires in 205/55 R16 across dry, wet, snow and ice testing using a VW Golf. When looking at the final results, it's worth keeping in mind that this is a test for extreme winters, which means ice and snow performance takes 60% of the overall result, with wet taking 20% and dry just 15%.

Braking Data

Full Results

Click here to view Results as a single table and adjust the score weighting based on your own driving needs!

1st: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 138.9 Dry: 14 Wet: 23 Snow: 28 Ice: 40 Comfort: 10 Rolling Resistance: 10 Noise: 5 Overall: 8.9 Good ice grip and handling, low fuel use Noisy The Finnish Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 provides the car with good acceleration and braking on ice. The car responds well to the steering wheel, and in case of a slide, it is easy to regain control. On wet roads it grips well in corners, but there is a tendency to drift in the dry. Read Reviews
2nd: Continental IceContact 2
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 140.7 Dry: 15 Wet: 23 Snow: 30 Ice: 38 Comfort: 10 Rolling Resistance: 8 Noise: 8 Overall: 8.7 Good handling on ice and in the snow, excellent snow grip Average dry braking The Continental IceContact 2 tire is excellent in the ice with good grip and a good balance. In the wet, the reactions to steering inputs are accurate and fast. In the dry there is slightly more sliding when compared to the best in test Read Reviews
3rd: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 135.6 Dry: 15 Wet: 25 Snow: 30 Ice: 33 Comfort: 7 Rolling Resistance: 8 Noise: 9 Overall: 8.6 Good handling in the snow, very balanced performance Slow steering response The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is excellent in the snow, strong on ice and good on wet roads. It could only finish mid-pack for dry performance but was still close enough to be an excellent all round tire Read Reviews
4th: Gislaved Nord Frost 200
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 132.9 Dry: 16 Wet: 24 Snow: 24 Ice: 33 Comfort: 9 Rolling Resistance: 9 Noise: 10 Overall: 7.9 Excellent dry handling, good comfort Poor dry braking The Gislaved Nord * Frost 200 offers excellent dry and wet lateral grip and handling, but has weak braking. In the snow and ice it can't match the best on test but still scores well. Read Reviews
5th: Formula Formula Ice
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 119.6 Dry: 14 Wet: 21 Snow: 24 Ice: 31 Comfort: 7 Rolling Resistance: 9 Noise: 6 Overall: 7.6 Good snow handling, good dry braking, low fuel use Poor handling in the dry and wet Read Reviews
6th: Cooper WeatherMaster WSC
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 117.3 Dry: 16 Wet: 28 Snow: 20 Ice: 25 Comfort: 7 Rolling Resistance: 7 Noise: 7 Overall: 7.3 Good wet grip and handling Poor ice grip and handling Read Reviews
7th: Matador MP 30 Sibir Ice 2
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 124.3 Dry: 12 Wet: 24 Snow: 29 Ice: 27 Comfort: 8 Rolling Resistance: 8 Noise: 9 Overall: 7.3 Very low noise, good wet grip Poor on ice and in the dry Read Reviews
8th: Marshal WinterCraft Ice Wi31
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 116.3 Dry: 19 Wet: 23 Snow: 20 Ice: 26 Comfort: 5 Rolling Resistance: 7 Noise: 9 Overall: 7.3 Excellent dry braking, good dry handling Poor handling and grip on ice Read Reviews
9th: Viatti Brina Nordico V 522
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 112.8 Dry: 12 Wet: 17 Snow: 26 Ice: 30 Comfort: 6 Rolling Resistance: 9 Noise: 6 Overall: 6.8 Good snow braking Poor handling on ice Read Reviews
10th: Minerva Eco Stud
205/55 R16 3PMSF: no	Total: 109.6 Dry: 17 Wet: 30 Snow: 17 Ice: 18 Comfort: 6 Rolling Resistance: 8 Noise: 7 Overall: 6.6 Good grip in the wet and dry Very poor on ice and snow Read Reviews