Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 is a Premium Touring Winter tire designed to be fitted to Passenger Cars.

Tire review data from 14 tire reviews averaging 80% over 108,050 miles driven, and 7 tests with an average result of 4th.

Dry Grip 72%
Wet Grip 74%
Road Feedback 71%
Handling 70%
Wear 63%
Comfort 88%
Buy again 90%
Snow Grip 98%
Ice Grip 90%

First On MarketJanuary 2018
Wheel Size14 - 21"
Width155 - 285mm
Profile35 - 70
Rolling ResistanceA - E
Wet GripE - E
Noise (dB)71 - 75
Winter Rating3PMSF Rated & Ice Rated

The Hakkapeliitta R3 is ranked 43rd of 68 Winter Premium Touring tires.

This tire replaced the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 and this tire has been replaced by the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5.

Tests Included

7

Best Result

1st

Worst Result

8th

Average Result

4th

Latest Tire Test Results

2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tire Test
3rd of 16 tires
  • [Friction] Good in all winter conditions, low rolling resistance.
  • Poor dry drivability.
View Full Test >>
The Best Winter Tires for 2020
1st of 19 tires
  • The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 is continues to be a leading studless friction winter tire with excellent handling on snow, ice, dry and wet conditions.
View Full Test >>
2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tire Test
6th of 17 tires
  • This is one of the highest-rated winter/snow tires. It earns top marks for braking on ice and snow traction, and earns a better-than-average rolling resistance rating of Very Good. (Low rolling resistance can lead to improved fuel economy.) But note the merely Good ratings for noise and ride comfort—there are quieter, smoother-riding alternatives.
View Full Test >>

SizeFuelWetNoise
14 inch
175/65R14 82 RBE71
15 inch
185/65R15 88 RBE71
195/65R15 95 R XLBE72
195/55R15 89 R XLCE72
16 inch
205/55R16 91 RDE72
215/60R16 99 R XLBE72
205/55R16 94 R XLBE72
205/60R16 96 R XLDE72
205/60R16 96 R XLBE72
17 inch
225/45R17 91 TDE72
215/45R17 91 T XLCE72
225/45R17 94 T XLBE72
225/50R17 94 REE72
225/50R17 98 R XLBE72
205/50R17 93 R XLBE72
215/55R17 98 R XLBE72
18 inch
255/35R18 94 R XLCE73
245/40R18 97 T XLCE72
225/40R18 92 T XLCE72
245/45R18 100 T XLDE72
245/45R18 100 T XLBE72
View All Sizes and EU Label Scores for the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 >>

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Size Price Range  
155/70 R19 $171.98 - $171.98 (1 Prices) Compare Prices >>
175/65 R14 $101.97 - $101.97 (1 Prices) Compare Prices >>
205/60 R16 $119.96 - $170.99 (3 Prices) Compare Prices >>
225/45 R17 $205.96 - $222.97 (3 Prices) Compare Prices >>
235/45 R18 $199.96 - $229.99 (2 Prices) Compare Prices >>
245/45 R18 $223.99 - $317.99 (4 Prices) Compare Prices >>
Available in 60 tire sizes - View all.

Top 3 Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 Reviews

Given 83% while driving a Mazda 6 (195/65 R15) on mostly country roads for 12,000 easy going miles
I've driven these tires for two winters now and encountered various road conditions. The main focus is deep winter conditions - great performance on snow and ice, but comparatively worse performance in dry and rain. The road feel isn't very sharp on dry asphalt, feels a bit like a boat, but on snow you can read them really well. The behaviour of the tires is very predictable, you can tell when they're about to slip and how much they're slipping very easily. Slides have been very easy to control or avoid.
They are quiet, and make a slight wind howling sound. Speed bumps and potholes are very squishy and only slightly annoying, smaller road bumps are completely absorbed. After 20000km, I still have 6-7mm of thread left. The rubber is very soft though, so with fast accelerations and speeds they might wear a lot quicker. The tires feel confident at cold degrees, but warmer than 7 degrees Celsius they feel very spongy.
Performance on various winter road conditions:
1) dry: good grip, but "swimming around" like a boat, the feel isn't very sharp. Above 100 km/h the tires feel twitchy.
2) fresh powder snow: controllable, decent grip and good braking distance, but sometimes can understeer.
3) deeply packed snow: great grip and sharp steering, good braking distance. The tires seem to easily grab onto the snow.
4) rain: longer brake distance than many other tires, still decent grip but not what you might be used to.
5) snow slush, salted roads: better than in rain, digs deep into the slush and grabs fairly well. Some controllable slipping, but decent braking distance.
6) regular ice: the tires grip ice quite well. moderate braking distance and grip, although longer than on snow. Slides in hard icy corners.
7) black ice: strictly dangerous, since the ice is glass-smooth and the tires have nothing to grab onto. ABS kicked in even braking from 5 km/h and braking distance was several meters. Steering is hard. Only nail-tires would help here.

In conclusion, these tires shine in deep winter conditions, but aren't meant for rainy winters. Grip on various snow surfaces is great and good even on ice. They are very predictable, which makes it easy to correct slides. The tires are comfortable and quiet, and the wear is good.
Helpful 115 - tire reviewed on September 15, 2022
Given 80% while driving a BMW X3 (/45 R19) on mostly town for 15,000 spirited miles
Don't believe the review on this website. I've used my Hakkapeliitta R3 tires on my 2019 BWM X3 M40i now for 3 winter seasons and they are by far one of the best winter tires out there. The second best I would have to compare them to are the Michelin X-Ice 2 and 3 tires. Unfortunately, you can't get the X-Ice 3 tires for SUVs...yet. I have the X-Ice 2 tires on my wife's minivan, hence why I know how good they are in winter driving conditions. Another option for SUV owners might be the Goodyear Blizzaks. Regardless, the R3 tires are an excellent overall tire with very good braking and handling on snow and ice. There is almost no road noise form the tires, which is an amazing feat. The only drawbacks are faster tread wear compared to some of the competitors and it's low speed rating of only 106mph. So, when you are on drive pavement and have the opportunity to put the pedal to the metal, just be careful as that 100mph mark comes up fast! My SUV provides a warning tone when that speed is reached and let's me know to let off the gas. Overall, I would recommend the R3 to any SUV owner looking for a great snow tire with both performance and reliability. UPDATE: Nokian has just recently released the new Hakkapeliitta R5 tire which is supposed to improve upon the weaknesses of the R3. The R3 has been out now for several years, so the improvements were expected - and welcome - especially for drive pavement performance! I haven't been able to find any official reviews on the R5 since it was just released, but it's something to keep on eye out for if you are looking to upgrade your R3s.
Helpful 90 - tire reviewed on February 1, 2022
Given 84% while driving a Mazda cx5 (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 18,000 average miles
Fantastic winter tire for harsh canadian winters. Highly recommended. Before the Hakkapeliitta R3 I ran R2. It too was a great tire, but the R3 is an improvement over the R2. This is the best none studded winter tire on the market. Good tire life also if you run them from November to April.
Helpful 36 - tire reviewed on April 20, 2023
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Latest Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 Reviews

Given 72% while driving a Volkswagen Passat 1.4 TSi DSG (B6) (205/60 R16) on mostly town for 10,000 easy going miles
The tire is soft and moves quite a bit on tarmac.

Grip level is really good on proper winter conditions.

Really quiet and comfortable also.
Helpful 25 - tire reviewed on November 13, 2023
Toyota 4runner (265/70 R17) on a combination of roads for 7,000 easy going miles
R3 SUV purchased Oct/21. We are mandated winter tires October 1 to April 30. I don’t care how they drive in rain, what they look like or how noisy they are all I care about is severe winter performance. These tires have poor lateral grip and braking and acceleration on hard compact snow is terrible. I don’t know if these tires were not cured properly or just a poor compound. They remind me of bias belt tires from the sixties. I cannot recommend these tires. I have been licensed for 60 years and have driven public transportation and motor coaches for 30 years, several smaller vehicles and motor cycles.
Helpful 32 - tire reviewed on January 5, 2023
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Given 78% while driving a Tesla Model 3 LR (235/45 R18) on mostly country roads for 7,000 average miles
TL;DR I am extremely satisfied with the Nokian R3's in snow and ice conditions. Last winter I was driving over a mountain-ridge, in single-digit freezing(celsius) and heavy snow, the road was completely covered and some cars were driving, so the snow was very compact. I had to stop multiple times, due to opposing traffic and I was able to continue without any problems, passing other cars and busses, that had no chance of continuing from a stop on the mountainside (8-10degree cliam)
Helpful 34 - tire reviewed on October 20, 2022
Given 74% while driving a Lexus NX 300 (225/65 R17) on mostly town for 4,350 easy going miles
I've found Hakka to be the best winter tire. Always the best grip in deep snow. I’ve mostly used Hakkas on 2 vehicles for the past 2 decades. I tried a few other popular winter tires but always found the Hakkas a bit better. HOWEVER my last two sets of Hakkas (R2 and R3 SUV) got severe dry rot cracking in the tread grooves and all over the sidewall(R2) and severe dry rot cracking in the tread groove only (R3 SUV). When noticed, the R2 cracking was so severe at 24,000 of winter only kilometers and the R3 SUV was cracked fairly severely at only 7,000 winter kilometers on a new SUV. Always stored cleaned and dry in a sealed plastic bag four of the elements and with proper inflation checked bi-monthly. I do not know if this is a coincidence but these sets of poorly manufactured tires were Made in Russia. All my previous Nokians were Made in Finland and were amazing. I’ve tried to contact Nokian (America) on more than one occasion since May 2022 and submitted photos and receipts to them and now is Sept 2022 and I have never received a response. Never had this issue with any tire in the past 41 years of driving. I guess I will now be switching brands since it does not appear they honor warranty
Helpful 31 - tire reviewed on September 14, 2022
Given 87% while driving a Nissan altima (/45 R17) on mostly motorways for 1,200 spirited miles
I purchased my Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 tires for my AWD Altima SR. I wanted a tire that was good on snow and ice but also good on dry and wet too. I purchased them before a trip over an usually snow covered mountain pass. There was snow and ice of several inches and required chains for non-AWD vehicles. These tires were fantastic on the snow and ice. They performed beyond what I expected and when I came back from my trip there was a snowstorm in Seattle. I was extremely impressed by the performance on steep snowy hills. I would buy again.
Helpful 34 - tire reviewed on December 31, 2021
Given 62% while driving a Audi A6 Avant 2.7Tdi Quattro S Line (225/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 6,000 average miles
I've been using these tires for 2 years now, in the dry and in the wet they are worse than a normal winter tire, but they really shine when driving on slush and snow, giving you a huge advantage when going up a snowy road in the alps.
Helpful 47 - tire reviewed on November 9, 2021
Given 73% while driving a SEAT LEON 1.8TSI (225/45 R17) on mostly town for 12,000 spirited miles
Good tires with a good grip on an ice road. Not enough road feedback on a dry road and higher speed.
Helpful 35 - tire reviewed on December 27, 2020
Given 88% while driving a Audi S5 (245/45 R18 H) on a combination of roads for 7,000 average miles
Excellent tire very good in snow and ice I also have Nokia’s Hakka 9 SUV studded on my Tesla X can’t beat it in our cold Canadian winter where I live 5 months of snow unbelievable traction on ice
Helpful 42 - tire reviewed on December 26, 2020
Given 94% while driving a Cadillac CTS (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 1,000 average miles
I'm starting my 3rd winter with the R3. Living in the Toronto Canada area, winter can mean driving in rain, snow or dry freeways with temperatures being above freezing to -25C or lower. The tires give excellent performance regardless of the road conditions. With heavy rains I have never experienced hydroplaning on wet roads nor had any difficulty with traction while driving on snow covered roads. I am very happy with R3 and would not hesitate to recommend them to others.
Helpful 46 - tire reviewed on November 3, 2020
Given 74% while driving a Honda Insight G1 (175/65 R14 R) on mostly country roads for 7,000 easy going miles
The Hakka R3 has been phenomenal for my style of commute mostly straight lines and steady speed drives. I rated these tires as compared to Summer/all seasons as I haven't had a different set of winter tires for this tire size to have a better comparison. As far as dry and wet grip the tires will occasionally slip when starting from a stop, but I attribute that more to driver error with limited experience driving M/T. On roundabouts I can confidently go 40mph on a 25 advisory curve but can tell it's close to slipping. In my few experiences making an emergency stop from 20 or 40 mph stopping distance is about average for a winter tire maybe 1 car length more than on a standard all season in 45°f @40mph and about ½ that in 30°f(~0°c). In snow and ice the grip is excellent even for a winter tire and I had no issues at any point except for in some deep and wet slush whilst making a turn at intersections. Comfort/NVH (Noise vibration harshness) were very satisfactory even when compared to a touring A/S tire (subjectively) though slightly louder than my summer tires which I'd expect due to all the extra siping it wasnt by much and certainly not bothersome to me. Also of great importance to me is Rolling Resistance. My vehicle is meant for superb fuel economy and most people who drive them swear by using only the stock tire to maintain the 60mpg US the car is made for, however I have not noticed much of any difference (maybe 2-3mpg accounting for higher overall diameter of the Nokian).Lastly as far as wear is concerned I'm unsure so far. The tires are all about ⁷/³² from the original ¹⁰/³² with one rotation on them so far. I work in a tire shop and I've seen some sets last 40k miles before getting to ⁴/³² and I've seen some last around 25k as always YMMV based on alignment, air pressure and driving style. Absolutely plan to get more Nokian tires in the future and hope more people will give their products a try.
Helpful 46 - tire reviewed on March 28, 2020
Given 90% while driving a BMW i3 (155/70 R19 W) on a combination of roads for 500 average miles
I am running Nokian Hakka R3s on a BMW i3. I have had the tires for about 3 weeks now. The weather has been cold initially but has gone back to being very mild. This sort of weather is where dedicated winter tires can for want of a better expression slip up. Pleasingly the Hakka 3s are giving a level of grip well above my expectation in this mild and wet weather. In the dry too, this tire is performing more like an all season tire than a winter tire.

I deliberately put the pedal down on one occasion much harder than I would normally do and the tires started to lose grip. This however was the only time and it was a deliberate test. Otherwise on tight cornering and unexpected hard braking, the tires have performed admirably in both wet and dry conditions. In the cold weather they are even grippier and have given a preview of their winter capability. I can now confidently look forward to some harsh winter weather to see how they perform.

The other thing of note is that they are incredibly quiet and are head and shoulders above the summer Bridgestone
tires which are now off for the winter. I will revisit this review with my experiences in harsh winter weather but at present the Hakka 3 looks like a winner so far. Just be careful about pushing them too hard in mild and wet temperatures though.
Helpful 64 - tire reviewed on November 13, 2018