Tire Tests

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!

The 2023/24 Tire Reviews winter tire test has tested eleven of the most popular winter tires on the market in the dry, wet and snow, and also analysed the rolling resistance, noise and comfort levels of the tires to help you decide what the best tire is for your own driving needs!

Every year ADAC perform some of the most in depth tire tests in the world, and this years 17 inch winter tire test is no different.

For 2023 ADAC have taken15 of the most popular winter tires in 225/45 R17 and tested them in all the usual tests, such as dry, wet and snow performance, but also put all 15 sets through ice braking, a real world road wear test, and measured particulate matter to tell you which tire is best for the environment. 

Annually, the team at the German outlet Auto Bild conducts comprehensive tests on all-season tires, focusing on wet and dry braking performance, and this year is no different! 

Below are the braking results for 35 all-season tires in the 225/45 R17 size. The top 15 will proceed to the complete evaluation, which will be published on the site next week.

For the 2023/24 season, Tire Reviews has tested ten of the very best all season tires available. Following on from last years test in 17", this year we focused on the smaller 15" wheel size, and included summer and winter reference tires to highlight exactly what the best all season tire is for your driving, and where summer and winter tires fit into the overall performance.

As always, this is one of the most in depth all season tire tests on the internet, and each of the ten sets of tires are tested in the dry, wet and snow, plus the tires subjective noise and comfort and rolling resistance (energy use) is also tested.

As everyone's driving situation is a little different, you can also adjust the overall score weighting of the test below so you really can find the perfect tire for your own driving needs.

Last year the Michelin CrossClimate 2 won for the second year in a row. Can it make it three of three?

The 2023 AMS SUV winter tire test not only aims to answer what the best winter tire in 255/45 R20 is, but also to find out if swapping from a regular diesel Kia Sorento to a fully electric Kia EV6 will make a difference to the results.

All season and winter tire testing season is upon us! The first test of the season is the excellent AutoBild AllRad SUV all season tire test, which tested ten of the latest all season tires in 235/65 R17, and included a reference summer and winter tire to see what the differences are between various tire options.

Autobild conducted the test using an Audi Q3, and are the first publication to test the new Bridgestone Turanza 6 All Season! Can the new Bridgestone take on the established king, the Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV? Read on to find out!