Autofil: Studless Winter Tire Test R16 2018

Autofil: Studless Winter Tire Test R16

Do you want the best and safest winter tires for your car? We tested 22 tires with or without spikes, and tell you which ones are the best and worst in different ways.

For the first time, Dagbladet, Autofil and dinside.no participate in a great test of winter tires for northern countries and can show which tires are the best.

  1. Continental VikingContact 7 - Winner Recommended
    Continental VikingContact 7
    89 56
    · Winter · 2018 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Continental grip is very good for studless tires on ice and gives you good control over the car. Tires behave steadily and logically on the snow, at the same time when the steering is good. The braking distance is not the shortest on wet asphalt, but good lateral grip means that it is still easy to control in critical situations. It is a quiet tire with low rolling resistance. It is stable and comfortable on the track.

    Performance on the Track (Wet / Snow)   Braking (Dry)   Drive Feeling (Snow)   Noise   Acceleration (Snow)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · East Asia East Asia
    Test Score:
    7.9
  2. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
    Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
    86 42
    · Winter · 2014 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Goodyear brakes and looks good on ice, but lateral grip is not at the same level. On snow, tires are more stable and hold the road well. This is the best tire on the asphalt without spikes. It provides precise control.

    Stability   Performance on the Track (Snow)   Noise   Acceleration (Snow)   Rolling Resistance   Drive Feeling (Snow / Wet)   Braking (Snow / Wet / Dry)   Acceleration (Ice)   Drive Feeling (Ice)   Performance on the Track (Ice)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    7.6
  3. Pirelli Ice Zero FR
    Pirelli Ice Zero FR
    85 40
    · Winter · 2015 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Pirelli is doing well on ice. Good grip and precise steering. Also well behaved in the snow. On wet asphalt, everything is different: it responds slowly to the steering wheel, and the clutch with the rear wheels is easily removed during critical maneuvers. On dry asphalt tires provide a very short stopping distance. Tires are quiet and rolling resistance is low.

    Drive Feeling (Snow)   Noise   Performance on the Track (Snow)   Braking (Snow / Dry)   Acceleration (Snow)   Acceleration (Ice)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · China China
    Test Score:
    7.6
  4. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
    Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
    85 56
    · Winter · 2018 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Nokian does well on ice, although it does not reach its best competitors. However, it provides high precision steering and is easy to handle in critical situations on both ice and snow. This tire does not give you unpleasant surprises in some situations. On wet and dry asphalt, the tire also maintains a good level, although here it does not fully meet the best requirements. Tires are quiet and rolling resistance is low. It is a bit unstable on the track.

    Rolling Resistance   Braking (Dry)   Performance on the Track (Snow)   Noise   Drive Feeling (Snow)   Acceleration (Ice)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · Japan Japan
    Test Score:
    7.4
  5. Hankook Winter i*cept iZ 2 W616
    Hankook Winter i*cept iZ 2 W616
    80 30
    · Winter · 2015 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Hankook is one of the best non-studded tires in terms of braking and side grip on ice. It precisely controls and gives you good control over the car in almost any situation. In the snow we get the same safe and good driving feeling. Big braking distance on wet pavement. It is a quiet tire with the lowest rolling resistance in the test.

    Rolling Resistance   Performance on the Track (Snow)   Noise   Acceleration (Snow)   Stability   Braking (Snow)   Acceleration (Ice)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    7.3
  6. Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
    Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
    86 45
    · Winter · 2014 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Bridgestone works well on ice, although it does not achieve the best. It behaves without much surprise. very effective brake on dry pavement. Tires are quiet, but a little nervous on the track.

    Noise   Braking (Snow / Dry)   Acceleration (Ice)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · East Asia East Asia · Oceania Oceania
    Test Score:
    7
  7. Yokohama iceGUARD iG60
    Yokohama iceGUARD iG60
    76 34
    · Winter · 2017 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Yokohama maintains stability on ice, provides a stable steering feel and warns you in advance about grip. On snowy roads, the behavior is logical without any surprises, but traction with the rear wheels can fall in critical situations. Low rolling resistance, moderate noise and directional stability.

    Rolling Resistance   Noise   Acceleration (Snow)   Acceleration (Ice)   Braking (Ice)  
    Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · East Asia East Asia · Southeast Asia Southeast Asia · Middle East Middle East
    Test Score:
    7
  8. Falken Espia EPZ II
    Falken Espia EPZ II
    N/A 19
    · Winter · 2015 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Falken is acceptable tire for ice roads, but difficult to control, because the grip is sharply weakened. It behaves well in extreme situations on the snow. The tire is quiet and stable on the track. Rolling resistance is high.

    Braking (Snow)   Performance on the Track (Snow)   Noise   Acceleration (Ice)   Drive Feeling (Ice)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    6.9
  9. Michelin X-Ice Xi3
    Michelin X-Ice Xi3
    81 50
    · Winter · 2012 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Michelin is a useless tire for ice conditions The tire is good on dry pavement. The tire is quiet, and previous tests have shown that Michelin is more durable than its competitors.

    Rolling Resistance   Noise   Performance on the Track (Wet)   Acceleration (Ice)   Drive Feeling (Ice)   Performance on the Track (Ice)  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · East Asia East Asia · Southeast Asia Southeast Asia · Middle East Middle East
    Test Score:
    6.9
  10. Linglong GREEN-Max Winter Ice I-15
    N/A 2
    · Summer
    Verdict:

    Linglong is a cheap Chinese tire with a moderate brake on the ice. The grip is slightly below averageIn the snow, but the behavior is predictable. On dry pavement, the situation is about the same, with too little control in critical situations. The rolling resistance is high, the noise is well audible, but the stability of the track is good.

    Stability   Acceleration (Snow)   Acceleration (Ice)   Drive Feeling (Ice)   Performance on the Track (Ice)  
    Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    6.6
Year
2018
Tire Test Original Link
Visit Website
Max Score, points
10
Tire Size
205/55R16
Season
Winter
Auto Type
Passenger
List Type
Professional Tire Test
Region
Europe
Date added
Dec 10, 2018
Date updated
Sep 24, 2021

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