For their second winter test of 2020, the excellent Vi Bilagare have tested eight Nordic friction (studless) winter tires.

As with the studded version, Vi Bilagare have performed a thorough test covering dry, wet, snow and ice, and should be considered one of the benchmarks for extreme winter testing in Europe. 

This test is particularly interesting as it has the new Michelin X-Ice Snow, Bridgestone Blizzak Ice, Pirelli Ice Zero FR and Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 placed against the established Nordic winter tires from Continental, Goodyear and Nokian.

Scroll down for the full results, and don't forget to checkout ViBilagare.se for the full details of the test!

Dry

While Nordic winter tires aren't intended to have the best outright dry performance, dry braking is still a key safety test. In this test, the new Bridgestone Blizzak Ice proved to have the best grip, stopping the test vehicle nearly one meter sooner than the next best tire on test, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2.

The Goodyear was the best subjectively during dry handling, offering the best balance and high levels of grip.

Wet

Wet braking is another safety critical test, and again Goodyear was impressive, beating the rest of the group by nearly three meters. This sort of advantage is almost unheard of during wet braking.

The Goodyear retained its lead during wet handling, finishing the short lap over a second ahead of second placed Pirelli Ice Zero FR.

Impressively the Goodyear rounded out its wet performance with another clear win in straight line aquaplaning.

Snow

The new Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 had a good lead in snow braking.

The snow specialist Continental VikingContact 7 took its first win during snow handling, outperforming the pack by a small margin. Interestingly the snow braking winning Nexen could only manage seventh.

Ice

Once again the Nexen proved to have an excellent braking ability, winning the ice braking testing by over half a meter.

Continental repeated its snow handling advantage, showing its rounded ability to also win ice handling.

Environment

The new Michelin X-Ice Snow had the lowest rolling resistance, but the group was close overall.

The Continental VikingContact 7 was the only tire to score 5/5 in subjective noise and comfort testing.

The budget Nereus (also known as Firemax) was the cheapest tire on test, however the performance in other testing reflected this.

Results

1st: Continental VikingContact 7
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 29.64 M 28.69 M +0.95 M 96.79% Subj. Dry Handling 3rd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Wet Braking 5th 38.39 M 34.41 M +3.98 M 89.63% Wet Handling 5th 44.99 s 43.11 s +1.88 s 95.82% Straight Aqua 4th 64.1 Km/H 73.3 Km/H -9.2 Km/H 87.45% Snow Braking 2nd 11.46 M 11.3 M +0.16 M 98.6% Snow Handling 1st 72.25 s 100% Ice Braking 2nd 3.06 M 2.54 M +0.52 M 83.01% Ice Handling 1st 48.82 s 100% Subj. Noise 1st 5 Points 100% Price 8th 1621 682 +939 42.07% Rolling Resistance 4th 6.05 kg / t 5.89 kg / t +0.16 kg / t 97.36% A near faultless nordic winter tire, highest overall levels of grip in the ice and snow, combined with good grip in the dry and wet. Read Reviews
2nd: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 4th 30.22 M 28.69 M +1.53 M 94.94% Subj. Dry Handling 5th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Wet Braking 4th 38.15 M 34.41 M +3.74 M 90.2% Wet Handling 4th 44.78 s 43.11 s +1.67 s 96.27% Straight Aqua 7th 62.5 Km/H 73.3 Km/H -10.8 Km/H 85.27% Snow Braking 5th 11.58 M 11.3 M +0.28 M 97.58% Snow Handling 3rd 72.86 s 72.25 s +0.61 s 99.16% Ice Braking 3rd 3.34 M 2.54 M +0.8 M 76.05% Ice Handling 2nd 49.09 s 48.82 s +0.27 s 99.45% Subj. Noise 7th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Price 5th 1465 682 +783 46.55% Rolling Resistance 3rd 6.03 kg / t 5.89 kg / t +0.14 kg / t 97.68% An excellent nordic winter tire with strong ice grip, and a balanced performance in the snow, dry and wet. Relatively high levels of noise, poor aquaplaning result. Read Reviews
3rd: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 2nd 29.38 M 28.69 M +0.69 M 97.65% Subj. Dry Handling 1st 5 Points 100% Wet Braking 1st 34.41 M 100% Wet Handling 1st 43.11 s 100% Straight Aqua 1st 73.3 Km/H 100% Snow Braking 6th 11.61 M 11.3 M +0.31 M 97.33% Snow Handling 6th 73.6 s 72.25 s +1.35 s 98.17% Ice Braking 4th 3.35 M 2.54 M +0.81 M 75.82% Ice Handling 8th 53.46 s 48.82 s +4.64 s 91.32% Subj. Noise 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Price 3rd 1311 682 +629 52.02% Rolling Resistance 2nd 5.94 kg / t 5.89 kg / t +0.05 kg / t 99.16% Strongest tire in the dry and wet, excellent choice for a nordic climate with less snow. Significant advantage in aquaplaning. Average snow and ice handling with a difficult balance at the limit. Read Reviews
4th: Pirelli Ice Zero FR
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 30.3 M 28.69 M +1.61 M 94.69% Subj. Dry Handling 1st 5 Points 100% Wet Braking 3rd 37.84 M 34.41 M +3.43 M 90.94% Wet Handling 2nd 44.13 s 43.11 s +1.02 s 97.69% Straight Aqua 6th 63.3 Km/H 73.3 Km/H -10 Km/H 86.36% Snow Braking 4th 11.54 M 11.3 M +0.24 M 97.92% Snow Handling 4th 73.09 s 72.25 s +0.84 s 98.85% Ice Braking 6th 3.43 M 2.54 M +0.89 M 74.05% Ice Handling 3rd 49.43 s 48.82 s +0.61 s 98.77% Subj. Noise 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Price 4th 1312 682 +630 51.98% Rolling Resistance 5th 6.11 kg / t 5.89 kg / t +0.22 kg / t 96.4% A good handling tire with neutral balance, good in the wet. Average aquaplaning resistance. Read Reviews
5th: Nexen Winguard Ice+ WH43
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 8th 32.28 M 28.69 M +3.59 M 88.88% Subj. Dry Handling 6th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Wet Braking 6th 39.2 M 34.41 M +4.79 M 87.78% Wet Handling 7th 46.35 s 43.11 s +3.24 s 93.01% Straight Aqua 5th 63.4 Km/H 73.3 Km/H -9.9 Km/H 86.49% Snow Braking 1st 11.3 M 100% Snow Handling 7th 73.63 s 72.25 s +1.38 s 98.13% Ice Braking 1st 2.54 M 100% Ice Handling 4th 49.83 s 48.82 s +1.01 s 97.97% Subj. Noise 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Price 2nd 982 682 +300 69.45% Rolling Resistance 7th 6.18 kg / t 5.89 kg / t +0.29 kg / t 95.31% God snow and ice grip with the best snow and ice braking distances, low noise, well priced. Poor performance in the dry and wet, high rolling resistance. Read Reviews
6th: Michelin X Ice Snow
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 7th 31.49 M 28.69 M +2.8 M 91.11% Subj. Dry Handling 3rd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Wet Braking 7th 40.23 M 34.41 M +5.82 M 85.53% Wet Handling 3rd 44.71 s 43.11 s +1.6 s 96.42% Straight Aqua 2nd 65.3 Km/H 73.3 Km/H -8 Km/H 89.09% Snow Braking 6th 11.61 M 11.3 M +0.31 M 97.33% Snow Handling 5th 73.44 s 72.25 s +1.19 s 98.38% Ice Braking 5th 3.39 M 2.54 M +0.85 M 74.93% Ice Handling 7th 52.54 s 48.82 s +3.72 s 92.92% Subj. Noise 5th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Price 6th 1542 682 +860 44.23% Rolling Resistance 1st 5.89 kg / t 100% Good stability and precise handling in the dry and wet, very low rolling resistance. Average performance in snow and ice. Read Reviews
7th: Bridgestone Blizzak Ice
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 1st 28.69 M 100% Subj. Dry Handling 6th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Wet Braking 8th 43.12 M 34.41 M +8.71 M 79.8% Wet Handling 8th 47.14 s 43.11 s +4.03 s 91.45% Straight Aqua 8th 61.4 Km/H 73.3 Km/H -11.9 Km/H 83.77% Snow Braking 3rd 11.5 M 11.3 M +0.2 M 98.26% Snow Handling 2nd 72.73 s 72.25 s +0.48 s 99.34% Ice Braking 7th 3.54 M 2.54 M +1 M 71.75% Ice Handling 6th 52.2 s 48.82 s +3.38 s 93.52% Subj. Noise 5th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Price 7th 1586 682 +904 43% Rolling Resistance 8th 6.2 kg / t 5.89 kg / t +0.31 kg / t 95% Shortest dry braking on test, good snow braking. Very long wet braking, poor wet handling, very low aquaplaning resistance, expensive to buy for performance. Read Reviews
8th: Nereus NS805+
205/60 R16 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 30.78 M 28.69 M +2.09 M 93.21% Subj. Dry Handling 8th 1 Points 5 Points -4 Points 20% Wet Braking 2nd 37.29 M 34.41 M +2.88 M 92.28% Wet Handling 6th 45.31 s 43.11 s +2.2 s 95.14% Straight Aqua 3rd 65.2 Km/H 73.3 Km/H -8.1 Km/H 88.95% Snow Braking 8th 11.7 M 11.3 M +0.4 M 96.58% Snow Handling 8th 75.24 s 72.25 s +2.99 s 96.03% Ice Braking 8th 3.62 M 2.54 M +1.08 M 70.17% Ice Handling 5th 50.63 s 48.82 s +1.81 s 96.43% Subj. Noise 7th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Price 1st 682 100% Rolling Resistance 6th 6.14 kg / t 5.89 kg / t +0.25 kg / t 95.93% Low price, short wet braking, good aquaplaning resistance, reasonable ice handling. Very poor grip in snow, longest snow and ice braking. Read Reviews