The Auto Bild experts tested 56 European winter tires.

The German magazine Auto Bild has conducted a traditional test of winter tires that involved this time around 56 models of all price categories. Before reaching the main part of the competition, the tires had to demonstrate effective braking performance on wet pavement, and at this stage the number of participants dropped to 30, because the other tires stopped the car for too long. After that, the experts evaluated the tires’ snow braking performance, rejecting 10 more tires, which left 20 models participating in the main part of the test.

The tires were tested using Volkswagen Passat Variant. Source: autobild.de

Although there were no major surprises at this stage, one should note that the results shown by tires from two large Japanese companies — Toyo and Yokohama — came as somewhat unexpected, and several tires from second-line brands belonging to Continental — Barum, General, Gislaved and Matador — also demonstrated a less-than-perfect performance. The worst results were shown by the tires from Chinese brands of Double Coin and RoadX (owned by Sailun), which «distinguished themselves» with dangerously long wet braking distances, and were joined at the bottom of the tournament bracket by the Starmaxx model from the Turkish company Petlas.

*Results of the qualification round (places 1-30)*
Place	Brand & Model	Wet Braking	Snow Braking	Total
1	Bridgestone Blizzak LM005	32.8	26.3	59.1
2	Continental WinterContact TS 870 P	34.6	25.5	60.1
3	Michelin Alpin 6	34.1	26.4	60.5
4	Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+	35.5	25.5	61.0
5	Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2	34.6	26.4	61.0
6	BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2	35.8	25.4	61.2
7	Cooper Discoverer Winter	35.1	26.3	61.4
8	Dunlop Winter Sport 5	35.3	26.5	61.8
9	Hankook Winter i*cept RS3	35.3	26.6	61.9
10	Semperit Speed-Grip 5	36.1	25.9	62.0
11	Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6	35.8	26.3	62.1
12	Falken Eurowinter HS01	36.3	25.9	62.2
13	Nokian WR Snowproof P	36.0	26.2	62.2
14	Firestone Winterhawk 4	36.0	26.4	62.4
15	Nexen WinGuard Sport 2	36.3	26.4	62.7
16	Kleber Krisalp HP3	37.3	25.5	62.8
17	Uniroyal WinterExpert	36.9	26.1	63.0
18	Fulda Kristall Control HP2	36.8	26.3	63.1
19	Kumho WinterCraft WP52	35.9	27.3	63.2
20	Vredestein Wintrac Pro	36.9	26.3	63.2
21	GT Radial WinterPro2	37.3	26.1	63.4
22	Sava Eskimo HP2	37.6	26.1	63.7
23	Avon WV7 SNOW	35.3	28.7	64.0
24	Debica Frigo HP2	37.1	26.9	64.0
25	Viking WinTech	37.1	27.1	64.2
26	Barum Polaris 5	37.5	26.9	64.4
27	Lassa Snoways 4	37.3	27.1	64.4
28	Toyo Observe S944	37.7	26.8	64.5
29	Paxaro Winter	37.1	27.5	64.6
30	Yokohama BluEarth*Winter V906	37.6	27.0	64.6

To score a victory in the final standings, the tires had to first of all demonstrate well-balanced performance on all types of surfaces (there were no ice tests conducted this time because tires of the European type were tested, not expected to combat ice), and the best results in such conditions were shown by the premium-class Michelin Alpin 6 and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, which ensure the highest level of driving safety in any weather for mild-winter regions. The Goodyear, Dunlop, and Cooper tires were also rated as «Exemplary», and the «Good» rating was bestowed on Hankook, Continental, BFGoodrich, Semperit, Kleber, Vredestein, Falken, Nexen, and Maxxis. The best environmental performance award went to the Kumho model that turned out to be the most durable on test (41,713 km expected mileage), and received the highest score for the «price/quality» ratio (the worst by this criterion was the Continental model that is twice as expensive and has only average resistance to wear).

*Results of the qualification round (places 31-56)*
Place	Brand & Model	Total
31	Matador MP92 Sibir Snow	37.8
32	Platin RP 60 Winter	37.8
33	Gislaved Euro*Frost 6	38.0
34	Nankang Winter Activa SV-3	38.0
35	General Altimax Winter 3	38.1
36	Radar Dimax Alpine	38.1
37	Giti GitiWinter W1	38.4
38	Kormoran Snow	38.4
39	Minerva Frostrack UHP	38.6
40	Syron Everest 1X	38.6
41	Laufenn I FIT Winter	39.0
42	Imperial Snowdragon UHP	39.1
43	Riken Snow	39.2
44	Tracmax S210 Ice-Plus	39.3
45	Westlake SW608	39.3
46	Triangle WinterX TW401	39.5
47	Petlas Snow Master W651	39.7
48	Zeetex WH1000	39.7
49	Goodride SW608	40.0
50	Tomket Snowroad Pro 3	40.8
51	Kenda Wintergen 2 KR501	41.1
52	Austone SP 901	41.2
53	Tourador WinerPro TSU2	41.7
54	Starmaxx W850 Icegripper	42.3
55	Road X WU01	42.8
56	Double Coin DW300	43.7

The snow tests were conducted at the Arctic Falls proving ground in Norrbotten, Sweden, and the best performance in this part of the competition was showed by the Uniroyal and Kleber tires, while the best wet traction was demonstrated by the Bridgestone and Pirelli, and the best dry traction by the Bridgestone (again), Kumho and Continental. The noise level was also evaluated, the quietest tires being Nokian and Nexen.

1 Place (Exemplary) Michelin / Alpin 6

Quick Take

Auto Bild 2022: Large Winter Tire Test R17

Michelin Alpin 6

Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+

Dunlop Winter Sport 5

Cooper Discoverer Winter

Bridgestone Blizzak LM005

Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 W462

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2

Semperit Speed-Grip 5

Kleber Krisalp HP3

Vredestein Wintrac Pro

Falken Eurowinter HS01

Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6

Firestone Winterhawk 4

Kumho WinterCraft WP52

Nokian WR Snowproof P

Fulda Kristall Control HP2

Uniroyal WinterExpert

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