Tire Reviews Tire Tests

For the longest time the Michelin CrossClimate 2 has been the best all season / all weather tire on the market, winning more tests than any other tires in its category, including my tests for the last 3 years!

However, since last year's test there have been not one, not two, but three new premium all season tires launched, all looking to dethrone the CrossClimate 2 from its category top spot. 

Naturally I had to find out whether any of these new tires from Bridgestone, Continental and Pirelli can match the Michelin, so as usual I'll be testing everything, including wear, to see which is best! And I've also thrown in a couple of tires Dunlop and Yokohama, because why not.

Can any of these new tires really challenge the CrossClimate 2, or are they all going to be left wanting for more?

The 2024 ADAC summer tire test tested sixteen tires in the popular 215/55 R17 size.

We recently tested three of Bridgestone's highest performance tires back-to-back on track and road: the Potenza Sport, the new Potenza Race, and the track-focused RE71 RS. Testing was conducted on a Honda Civic SI in temperatures reaching 95°F (35°C).

In this test we find out how the new Falken Azenis FK460 AS and Falken WildPeak Trail compare to the Tesla Model Y OE fitment Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 M+S.

Why is this interesting? Firstly, it's always nice to test the newest tires on the market, but more importantly it should help answer the question as to whether moving away from the OE tire your vehicle came fitted with is always a good option.

The OE fitted Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 M+S has been developed with Tesla, and as such it is focused on low energy use, low noise levels and good comfort. This is pretty much now the standard set of rules car manufacturers want from an OE tire, whether they're developing an electric vehicle or regular internal combustion powered vehicle!

Top Tire Review is a relatively new website, similar to Tire Reviews (not affiliated), operating in the Asian Pacific (APAC) region, which have different tire patterns to Europe and North America.

In spite of being a relatively new organisation, they have already conducted their first Asian Pacific tire test, testing six region specific patterns!

The extreme winter specialists at Vi Bilagare are back at it testing the latest and greatest studless friction winter tires. This year they not only tested seven of the most popular studless friction nordic compounds in the popular 225/45 R17 tire size, they also included an older tire to see the effects of aging. The older tire is am 8 year old, lightly used (6mm remaining) Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2, which has its work cut out as its "two-generation-newer" brother, the Hakkapeliitta R5 is also included in this test!

The 2023 Tire Reviews UHP winter tire test was an unusual test for Tire Reviews. Due to travel schedules I was unable to drive the snow part of the testing, and as these tires have been tested before this year I wouldn't have usually run such a similar test again, but this one had the possibility of a real world wear test which is hard to say no to. 

The results, well they are very interesting and shine a new light on some of the products tested.

The new Nokian Outpost nAT claims to be an all terrain tire you can use in snow, but how good is it? Nokian invented winter tires, so they're pretty confident, so confident in fact they suggested we test it against the king of winter tires, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5, along with their much loved all weather tire, the Nokian WRG4 SUV, and their high mileage all season tire, the Nokian One SUV.

Before we start, it's worth noting that three of the tires are 3PMSF marked, which is the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol, sometimes called "severe snow rating". The Winter, All Weather and All Terrain tires carry the 3PMSF marking, but the all season does not. The test size was 265/65 R17, and we used a Toyota Hilux for the test in RWD only mode.

The 2023 AutoBild Allrad tire test, conducted using a BMW X3, displayed various tires' performance in numerous categories. Auto Bild tested the popular 225/60 R18 SUV / CUV crossover size and also included a summer tire as reference.

The 2023 Sport Auto winter tire test has tested ten uhp winter tires using and Audi S3.

Why do you only see nine in the results below? The Kumho WinterCraft WP 52 was part of the tire test but was eventually disqualified due to specific issues. While it showed moderate performance on snow and impressive braking capabilities on wet surfaces, it had a tendency to quickly lose grip in curves. The test tires provided by the manufacturer demonstrated strong grip and a neutral, active behavior in wet conditions, along with very short braking distances on dry surfaces. 

Sadly Tire Reviews won't be conducting a studded tire test this year, but thankfully the excellent testers at the Swedish magazine Vi Bilagare have, and as they're some of the best Nordic drivers in the world, you can be assured this is the best studded tire test you'll see this year.

As always for a studded tire test, the tires were all tested in the dry, wet, snow and importantly ice, which is where studs really make a difference. To add another element to the testing this year Vi Bilagare bought a "joker" tire, a lightly used Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 (the current version is the Hakkapeliitta 10) which was manufactured in 2015, making the tire both old technology AND 8 years old. The testers noted that the tire still had around 7mm of tread depth (compared to 9.1mm of the new Hakka 10) and that some studs had fallen out, and those which hadn't were somewhat blunted compared to new.

The 2023 TESTIRENKAAT Snow Tire Test tested eight tires designed for extreme winters in the popular 205/55 R16 size.

Interestingly the four premium tires are studless friction tires, and the four budget tires are studded, so it gives us an interesting data point to compare the best of the new studless friction soft compound tires against the cheaper end of the studded market.

In the 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tire Test conducted by AutoBild Sportscars, several tires were evaluated on a Toyota GR Yaris, size 225/40 R18. The performance was evaluated across a range of parameters including dry braking, dry handling, wet braking, wet handling, straight aquaplaning, curved aquaplaning, snow braking, snow traction, snow handling, snow slalom, noise, and rolling resistance.

The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 emerged as a strong performer, especially in wet conditions, securing the first position in both wet braking and wet handling. The tire also performed well in snow scenarios, ranking third in snow traction, snow handling, and snow slalom. The rolling resistance of this tire was found to be on the higher side, placing seventh, which might indicate a trade-off for its commendable grip in wet and snowy conditions. The tire's performance in dry conditions was satisfactory but not leading, with a fourth-place finish in both dry braking and dry handling. The noise level was relatively low, scoring the second position, which might contribute to a quieter and more comfortable ride​.

Following on from last years on-road and off-road test of nine all terrain tires, we've taken seven of them through to a full snow test, and tested them against the one of the best rated US all season tires, the Michelin Defender LTX and our favourite winter tire, the Michelin X-Ice Snow (SUV variant).

As the group of all terrain tires is a mix of snow rated and non snow rated all terrain tires, it means we'll not only know what the best all terrain tire is on snow, but we can also answer whether a snow rating is worth purely basing your purchase decision on, AND we'll be able to find out if a very good snow rated all terrain tire is a safe replacement for a winter tire in the snow.

The 2023 Auto Zeitung All Season Tire Test has tested nine popular all season tires in 215/55 R17.

Following on from the massive 54 winter tire shootout in the popular 225/45 R18 size using a BMW 3 Series, Autobild have taken the top 20 tires through to their full testing program to to work out exactly what tire is best overall.

As always, the Autobild tests are amongst the best in the industry, so enjoy all the below data!

Noteworthy performers from the 2023 16" ADAC winter tire test included the Falken EUROWINTER HS02 with good dry braking, Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 showcasing remarkable wet braking, and the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus excelling in snow and ice braking. On the flip side, the Austone SP 901 displayed weaknesses in wet conditions and aquaplaning scenarios. The Fulda Kristall Control HP2 emerged as a durable option with the longest wear, while the Barum Polaris 5 stood out for fuel efficiency. 

The biggest surprise is probably the winner. The  now aging Dunlop Winter Sport 5 emerged as the overall victor in the 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tire Test, exhibiting a balanced performance across various testing categories. Its well-rounded performance underscores its reliability and suitability for diverse road conditions, making it a commendable choice for motorists seeking a harmonized blend of safety, comfort, and efficiency

For the second winter test of 2023, Tire Reviews as looked at nine of the best SUV performance winter tires in the popular 235/60 R18 size. As always, all the tires have been testing in the dry, wet and snow, and had the noise, comfort and rolling resistance analysed.

Will an heavier AWD vehicle have any impact on the overall results? Read on or watch the video below to find out!

The 2023 Auto Bild winter tire test has started by testing fifty-four performance winter tires in wet braking, and then put the best thirty-one tires through to a snow braking test, to find out the best fifteen tires for their full winter testing program!

This is an impressive, and massive undertaking, and we applaud them for it. This test shows exactly which tires perform well in the key safety braking tests, and where the cheap winter tires can lose out.

Following on from the 35 all season shootout, Autobild have placed the top 15 through the usual array of tests, including dry, wet and snow testing, plus they've tested wear!

Unlike the Tire Reviews test this year, they also managed to test the new Bridgestone Turanza All Season 6 and Continental AllSeasonContact 2! Can either of these new tires displace the Michelin CrossClimate 2 at the top of the results? Read on to find out!