All-Season Tires: Gaining Ground as Winter Tires Decline

All-season tires continue to dominate the market, with nearly one in three tires sold belonging to this category. The ACE, ARBÖ, and GTÜ teams have recently tested nine models designed for compact SUVs in size 215/50 R18. The big question is: Will harsh winters persist in the future? In recent years, heavy snowfall has become increasingly rare, especially in major cities. As winter tires become less of a necessity, all-season tires are quickly gaining popularity, reflected by the steady drop in winter tire sales.

These tires have a demanding role to fulfill. They must grip snow efficiently in winter while delivering solid performance on warm, dry asphalt in summer. Additionally, they need to handle wet roads with precision. Meeting these diverse demands is essential for ensuring road safety, making their performance critical year-round.

Expert Team Tested Tires on VW T-Roc Vehicles

To see which models rise to the challenge, the teams from ACE, ARBÖ, and GTÜ tested nine popular all-season tire models for compact SUVs, all in the 215/50 R18 size. The winter trials were conducted at the Arctic Falls test site in Lulea, Sweden, while summer evaluations took place at the ATP testing ground in Papenburg, Lower Saxony. The test vehicles were three VW T-Rocs, allowing for comprehensive results across varying conditions.

For this evaluation, nine tire models were put to the test, each designed for compact SUVs and sized 215/50 R18. These include:

• Bridgestone / Turanza All Season 6
• Continental / AllSeasonContact 2
• Falken / EuroAll Season AS210
• Goodyear / Vector 4Seasons Gen-3
• Maxxis / Premitra All Season AP3 SUV
• Michelin / CrossClimate 2 SUV
• Pirelli / Cinturato All Season SF 2
• Toyo / Celsius AS2
• Vredestein / Quatrac Pro+

The Winter Tests in Sweden

Located about 100 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, this region guarantees snow in mid-January. However, when the testing team arrived, they encountered a different challenge—temperatures had dropped to a harsh minus 40 degrees Celsius, far colder than what all-season tires are meant to handle. Ironically, in Stuttgart, snow was falling at a more manageable zero degrees.

Winter Trials at Arctic Falls Test Site in Lulea, Sweden

As soon as the temperatures rose to suitable levels, the team began their thorough testing. Conditions were finally right to evaluate how the all-season tires performed in this extreme winter environment.

Snow Traction and Braking Tests: All-Season vs. Summer Tires

In the snow braking tests, all tires performed similarly, with Falken taking the lead by having the shortest stopping distance from 40 km/h, followed closely by Michelin and Vredestein. However, when it came to acceleration, the rankings shifted. Michelin took the top spot, while Falken dropped slightly. Notably, Toyo, which had been mid-field in braking, fell to the back during acceleration tests, reaching 30 km/h in 27.5 meters, compared to Michelin's impressive 23.3 meters.

Snow Braking Discipline

A summer tire from a previous test winner was included for comparison, and the results were striking. The worst-performing all-season tire had a braking distance of 20.9 meters, while the summer tire required 51.8 meters—more than twice as long. In acceleration, the summer tire fared even worse, taking 93.7 meters, over three times the distance of the Toyo. This comparison underscores the dangers of using summer tires in winter conditions.

Michelin and Continental Lead, Toyo Struggles in Snowy Conditions

In terms of handling, Michelin stands out, closely followed by Continental, both offering superior control and safety. According to test driver Henning Renner, these tires perform best, with precise steering and strong lateral support. While they exhibit mild understeer in curves, the transition from grip to sliding is smooth and predictable, making it easier for the driver to manage any slight oversteer.

Snow Handling Discipline

On the other hand, Toyo falls behind significantly. With insufficient lateral support and frequent oversteering, the transition from rolling to sliding is abrupt and harder to control. Although not deemed outright dangerous, Renner notes that the Toyo’s performance leaves much to be desired compared to the other tested tires.

Continental Takes the Lead, Summer Tires Excel on Wet Surfaces

From the icy landscapes of Sweden to the warm, wet conditions of Papenburg, the tires faced new challenges. When it came to braking on wet roads, Continental emerged as the clear leader, stopping from 80 km/h in just 29 meters. Pirelli followed closely, but almost a meter behind. Toyo, once again, lagged with a braking distance of 33.5 meters—a difference of 4.3 meters, nearly the length of a car.

Wet Surface Handling Discipline

A summer tire was also tested for comparison. With a braking distance of 25.2 meters, it outperformed all the all-season tires, highlighting the advantage of using seasonal tires during their intended time of year.

Goodyear, Pirelli, and Continental Stand Out in Wet Handling

Wet Surface Aquaplaning Discipline

In terms of wet surface handling, the competition is close, but Henning Renner found Goodyear, Pirelli, and Continental to be the top performers. All three tires provide precise handling with minimal understeer in corners, making for a smooth driving experience. On the other hand, Michelin, Bridgestone, Falken, and Toyo struggled, showing noticeable understeer and offering little lateral support. Renner notes that this loss of precision forces drivers to ease off the throttle, creating discomfort as the front axle loses grip.

As for aquaplaning, the results were more uniform, with no tire significantly underperforming. Continental took a slight edge, closely followed by Michelin and, surprisingly, Falken, which matched the best in the field.

Toyo Surges Ahead While Vredestein and Falken Fall Behind

On dry roads, the dynamics change drastically. Toyo, which had consistently underperformed in other tests, leaps to third place in braking from 100 km/h. Meanwhile, Vredestein and Falken, previously strong in snow braking, drop to the bottom of the rankings. The gap between the top performer, Pirelli (35.6 meters), and the last-placed Vredestein (42.4 meters) is significant—equivalent to the length of a long panel van.

Dry Surface Handling at the ATP Testing Ground in Papenburg

Once again, the summer tire showed its strengths, leading the field with an impressive braking distance of 30.6 meters, far ahead of all the all-season options.

When it comes to dry road handling, the differences between the all-season tires were minimal. Henning Renner noted that none of the tested tires performed poorly in this category. However, Goodyear and Continental stood out as the best performers. Surprisingly, Michelin, which had shown strength in other tests, only managed to place in the lower midfield during dry handling evaluations.

Safety Remains the Priority, but Noise and Efficiency Matter

Beyond driving performance, the overall evaluation of the tires also considered passing noise and rolling resistance. While these factors contribute to comfort and fuel efficiency, the primary focus of the rating remains firmly on road safety. This ensures that while quieter, more fuel-efficient tires are desirable, their performance under various driving conditions is the top priority.

The Verdict: All-Season Tires Put to the Test

Result summary. ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ All-Season Tire Test— 215/50R18 Places 1–9. (click to enlarge)

All-season tires must excel in a variety of conditions, and the test results reflect this challenge. Falken shows impressive performance in winter but falls short in summer. Toyo, strong on dry roads, lags behind in most other conditions. However, Continental emerges as the overall winner, demonstrating a well-rounded performance across all categories, closely followed by Michelin.

Among the tested tires, three are still recommended, while four are only conditionally recommendable: Vredestein, Maxxis, Falken, and Toyo. Importantly, none of the tires outright failed the tests, but the results make one thing clear: using summer tires in winter remains extremely hazardous.