UTAC: Large Winter Tire Test R16 2023

UTAC: Large Winter Tire Test R16

The experts of the Finnish test organization UTAC Ivalo (ex Test World) conducted a large test of winter tires, studded and studless, evaluating, among others, the new studded Bridgestone model, which has not even yet been launched on the market.

  1. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 - Winner Recommended
    Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
    94 58
    · Winter · 2021 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 is absolutely great on ice, and it responds to the driver’s inputs just like a studded tire should. It has a strong grip, both straight and lateral, and you are guaranteed against unpleasant surprises because the tire behaves confidently and reliably in any situation. On wet pavement, this Nokian model has a somewhat delayed steering response, and its grip can be called average at best, while on drive pavement the tire is prone to understeer, and its rear wheels can go into a skid during an emergency maneuver. At the same time, however, the Nokian model demonstrates a rather impressive braking performance. Speaking of noise comfort, the Nokian produces a barely audible noise, which is actually not annoying. The rolling resistance is average.

    Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Snow Braking   Subj. Snow Handling   Snow Acceleration   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Noise  
    North America North America · Europe Europe
    Test Score:
    8.6
  2. Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 W429 Recommended
    Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 W429
    83 40
    · Winter · 2018 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    On ice, this Hankook model ensures quick acceleration and braking; its lateral grip is also quite decent, but the tire is a bit temperamental when cornering. On snow, the tire is also good — it has an impressive grip, and only the most abrupt of maneuvers can make the tire lose it. On wet pavement, the tire ensures a good handling performance, but it behaves nervously during abrupt maneuvers, and the grip on the rear wheels can go without warning. At the same time, on dry pavement during maneuvering the tire behaves in a more stable way. By the standards of this segment, this Hankook model is a rather quiet tire, and it has a rather low rolling resistance.

    Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Rolling Resistance   Snow Acceleration   Snow Handling   Noise  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    8.4
  3. Continental IceContact 3 Recommended
    Continental IceContact 3
    86 49
    · Winter · 2019 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    On an ice-covered surface, the Continental Ice Contact 3 has a high level of longitudinal traction, but in terms of lateral stability it is slightly inferior to some of the competitors; at the same time the tire has a pleasant handling response. On snow, the tire quickly responds to the driver’s inputs, but during an abrupt maneuver the grip on the rear wheels. On wet pavement, the Continental tire has a delayed steering response, but makes no unpleasant surprises, while on dry pavement the tire sometimes lacks lateral grip in corners, and the dry braking distance is also relatively long. The noise level is average (by the standards of studded tires), the rolling resistance is high.

    Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Snow Braking   Snow Acceleration   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Noise  
    Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    8.3
  4. Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 Recommended
    Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
    88 53
    · Winter · 2021 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    The Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 ensures good handling performance on ice — even though it does fall behind some of the competitors in terms of maximum grip levels — and the control deteriorates only at large steering angles. On snow, the tire also demonstrates quite logical behavior, with a slight understeer, and is not prone to unexpected skidding. In the segment of studded tires, the UltraGrip Arctic 2 is one of the most effective tires on tarmac: it ensures strong grip and good stability under loads, including during emergency lane switching when averting an obstacle. This Goodyear tire is pretty quiet but its rolling resistance is high.

    Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Snow Braking   Subj. Snow Handling   Snow Acceleration   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Noise  
    Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    8.3
  5. Michelin X-Ice North 4 Recommended
    Michelin X-Ice North 4
    92 50
    · Winter · 2018 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    Armed with numerous spikes, the Michelin X–Ice North 4 is very effective on ice — the handling response is consistent, and the grip is retained in any situation — and on snow the tire also ensures a high level of driving safety, even though there are models out there with higher traction in similar conditions. The Michelin tire also rather quickly stops the car on wet pavement, but the lateral grip is not so good, which shows up in the tire’s behavior during emergency maneuvers. On dry pavement, the tire also demonstrates stable behavior without making any unpleasant surprises to the driver. The noise level and rolling resistance are average.

    Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Subj. Snow Handling   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Noise  
    Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    8.2
  6. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-03
    Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-03
    N/A 31
    · Winter · 2023 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    The third-generation Bridgestone Blizzak Spike model is extremely effective during acceleration and braking on ice, while the lateral grip is also good, but the overall behavior is a little bit nervous. The same situation is observed on snow, but, thanks to the strong grip, the car is easy to control. On wet pavement, the Bridgestone tire has a slow steering response, and the rear tires sometimes lack grip in abrupt corners. On dry pavement, the tire behaves in approximately the same way, and difficulties may arise during an emergency bypassing of an obstacle. The Bridgestone tire also makes audible noise and has a high rolling resistance.

    Ice Acceleration   Ice Braking   Snow Braking   Snow Acceleration   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Subj. Dry Handling   Dry Braking   Noise   Rolling Resistance  
    Europe Europe
    Test Score:
    8
  7. Continental VikingContact 7
    Continental VikingContact 7
    89 56
    · Winter · 2018 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    The studless Continental Viking Contact 7 model is very effective on ice, and in such conditions it quickly responds to the driver input, behaving in a predictable way, including when pushed to the limit. The tire is also characterized by good feedback through the steering wheel at the limit, and it is not prone to abrupt skidding on the rear wheel during cornering. On snow, the handling response is also very good, and the car is easily controlled in any situation. On wet pavement, the performance is not so balanced, and the relatively weak braking capabilities are combined with a good lateral grip that comes in very handy when switching lanes. On dry pavement, the steering response is fuzzy and inaccurate but the tire still behaves in a predictable way. The Continental tire has a low rolling resistance, and the noise is virtually nonexistent.

    Rolling Resistance   Subj. Snow Handling   Noise   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Ice Acceleration  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · East Asia East Asia
    Test Score:
    7.9
  8. Falken Winterpeak F-ICE 1
    Falken Winterpeak F-ICE 1
    76 31
    · Winter · 2020 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    On ice, the Falken Winterpeak F-Ice 1 makes it possible to quickly accelerate and slow down, the steering response being very fast, but sometimes even too abrupt. On snow, the handling response is also pretty good, but during fast maneuvering the rear wheels can suddenly go into a skid. On wet pavement, there are no serious complaints about handling response, but on dry pavement there is a lack of traction on the rear wheels, and at high speeds the handling response significantly deteriorates during lane switching. The studs let their presence be known with an audible noise; this Falken tire is also characterized by very high rolling resistance.

    Ice Braking   Snow Braking   Snow Acceleration   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Subj. Dry Handling   Noise   Rolling Resistance  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe
    Test Score:
    7.9
  9. Michelin X-Ice Snow
    Michelin X-Ice Snow
    82 57
    · Winter · 2020 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    This Michelin tire is effective on ice, and, although its response to the driver’s inputs can be somewhat fuzzy in an emergency situation, the grip on the rear wheels still holds. The snow performance is also good; the tire demonstrates a logical and confident behavior in every situation. On wet pavement, the Michelin tire is a little bit slow to respond to the driver’s inputs, and on dry pavement it is also prone to understeer, but on the whole it will not bring you any unpleasant surprises. The rolling resistance is low, and this Michelin model can be considered to be one of the quietest.

    Snow Braking   Rolling Resistance   Subj. Snow Handling   Noise   Snow Handling   Ice Acceleration  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · Japan Japan · China China
    Test Score:
    7.9
  10. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
    84 43
    · Winter · 2022 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    On ice, the Nokian tire ensures excellent handling response and helps maintain control in any situation (even though in tight corners some understeer may pop up), and on snow this tire also behaves in a logical and confident way. On wet pavement, the tire has a delayed steering response, and the front wheels may lack grip during a high-speed maneuver. The braking distance is also rather long. On dry pavement, the tire behaves in a dependable way, even though its grip is slightly weaker than that of some of the competitors. This Nokian tire is rather quiet; in addition, it has a very low rolling resistance.

    Snow Braking   Rolling Resistance   Subj. Snow Handling   Noise   Snow Handling   Ice Acceleration  
    North America North America · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · Japan Japan
    Test Score:
    7.8
  11. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
    Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
    86 42
    · Winter · 2014 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    In terms of ice grip, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 is slightly inferior to the competitors, and, although the handling response is consistent, grip may go relatively soon, and it takes a long time to recover after the car goes into a skid. At the same time, on snow the tire behaves in a logical way and without unpleasant surprises. While this Goodyear model does not have the best ice traction around, on wet pavement it surpasses tires from many other brands. In such a situation, the UltraGrip Ice 2 ensures strong grip and good handling response, while on dry pavement the tire also behaves in a stable way when cornering. Noise emission low, rolling resistance average.

    Noise   Snow Handling   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Ice Acceleration  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    7.3
  12. Nokian Nordman 8
    Nokian Nordman 8
    80 34
    · Winter · 2021 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    On ice, the Nordman 8 will increase the braking distance compared to the top tires, and its lateral grip is also not so strong — the front wheels can lose it during an emergency maneuver. The tire’s snow performance is more stable, and, although a certain lack of traction is there, you are not in danger of a sudden skid on the rear axle. On wet pavement, the Nordman model is extremely unreliable, and the grip on the rear wheels may disappear all of a sudden. In addition, the Nordman 8 has a long dry braking distance. The tire has a rather low rolling resistance, and the noise that it makes does not annoy the driver.

    Rolling Resistance   Subj. Wet Handling   Noise  
    Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    7.3
  13. 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:

    The Hankook Winter I*Cept IZ2 has a long snow braking distance, and even though its lateral grip is better, the grip can be suddenly lost, which compromises its handling performance (in addition, the grip grows weaker at large steering angles). There are no problems with snow grip, and the Hankook model has a rapid steering response, including at high speeds. On wet pavement, the Hankook tire is inferior to the competition due to a fuzzy steering response and a long braking distance, but it must be said that the tire maintains the rear grip quite well when bypassing an obstacle. In the dry, the tire’s response to the driver’s inputs is somewhat delayed, yet logical, and the tire will not bring you any unpleasant surprises.

    Rolling Resistance   Noise   Snow Handling   Ice Braking   Wet Braking   Ice Acceleration  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    7.2
  14. Falken Winterpeak F-Snow 1
    Falken Winterpeak F-Snow 1
    74 31
    · Winter · 2021 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    The Falken Winterpeak F-Snow 1 has a short ice braking distance and a rapid steering response — sometimes even too abrupt, which compromises handling performance. On wet pavement, the Falken behaves in a stable way, but during an emergency maneuver the front wheels may go into a skid. On wet pavement, the Falken tire behaves in a stable way, but during an emergency maneuver the front wheels may go into a skid. On dry pavement, the tire has a sluggish steering response and has a less-than-perfect grip on the rear axle. The Falken model ensures good acoustic comfort but the rolling resistance could be lower.

    Noise   Snow Handling   Ice Braking   Subj. Dry Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Ice Acceleration  
    Europe Europe
    Test Score:
    7
  15. Bridgestone Blizzak Ice
    Bridgestone Blizzak Ice
    69 48
    · Winter · 2018 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    On ice, the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice demonstrates good acceleration and braking performance but the lateral grip is relatively weak, which compromises handling performance in challenging situations. In addition, both on ice and on snow the rear wheels do not always maintain grip during a high-speed maneuver and quickly go into a drift. On wet pavement, the Bridgestone has a braking distance that is longer than that of the competitors, and it compromises the car’s handling performance during emergency maneuvering. The tire has a slow response to the driver’s inputs, and the grip on the rear axle is also relatively weak. On dry pavement, the Bridgestone has a short braking distance, and demonstrates a stable and confident performance. Noise emission low, rolling resistance average.

    Noise   Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Wet Handling   Subj. Wet Handling   Subj. Ice Handling  
    Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · South Korea South Korea
    Test Score:
    6.9
  16. Kumho WinterCraft Wi51
    Kumho WinterCraft Wi51
    62 30
    · Winter · 2020 · Passenger - Studless Ice & Snow · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    On ice, the Kumho WinterCraft Wi51 has a rapid steering response, but grip may disappear too abruptly. At the same time the tire has a great snow grip, both straight and lateral, and has a balanced behavior in any situation. On wet pavement, the Kumho tire is slow to respond to the driver’s inputs, but it is not prone to sudden skids, while on dry pavement the handling performance is sluggish, and the grip can be easily lost on the rear axle.The noise is audible but not annoying, the rolling resistance is low.

    Rolling Resistance   Noise   Subj. Dry Handling   Subj. Ice Handling   Ice Acceleration   Ice Braking   Ice Handling  
    Europe Europe
    Test Score:
    6.9
  17. Continental WinterContact TS 870
    Continental WinterContact TS 870
    90 60
    · Winter · 2020 · Passenger - Performance Winter / Snow
    Verdict:

    The European winter tire Continental WinterContact TS 870 ensures surprisingly high ice traction, and, although its limit is achieved pretty soon, there will be no problems if you drive carefully. On snow, this Continental model is extremely effective, and it comes close to some of the Scandinavian tires. On wet pavement, the TS 870 performance is, of course, no match for that of the summer tires, but it is much more effective than «Scandinavians». The handling response is good on wet and dry surfaces alike, and the car is easy to control in any situation. The rolling resistance is high.

    Subj. Dry Handling   Wet Braking   Dry Braking   Noise   Wet Handling   Subj. Wet Handling   Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Subj. Snow Handling   Snow Acceleration   Subj. Ice Handling  
    Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    6.8
  18. Antares Grip 60 ice
    Antares Grip 60 ice
    N/A 18
    · Winter · 2014 · Passenger - Studdable Winter / Snow · Studded · For Nordic Winter x
    Verdict:

    By the standards of studded tires, the Antares Grip 60 Ice has very poor ice traction — even weaker than that of some friction tires — and controlling the car becomes very difficult because the tires start slipping even at comparatively low speeds. On snow, things are improved somewhat, but the tire still behaves in an unstable way, and the grip may go without warning. On wet pavement, there are no serious complaints (the braking distance is short, and the steering response is crisp), and on dry pavement the tire’s behavior is also pretty logical. Despite the small number of spikes, the Antares model makes a loud noise; the rolling resistance is high.

    Subj. Wet Handling   Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Subj. Snow Handling   Noise   Subj. Ice Handling  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    6.5
  19. Continental AllSeasonContact
    Continental AllSeasonContact
    87 59
    · All Season · 2017 · Passenger - Premium Touring All-Season
    Verdict:

    The Continental AllSeasonContact cannot ensure good ice traction, but it was not designed for such conditions in the first place. You can indeed drive this tire on snow, but the grip is modest, and the car may suddenly go into a skid. On tarmac, the AllSeasonContact behaves almost like a summer tire, ensuring excellent grip — both straight and lateral — in any situations, including emergency lane switching. Noise emission low, rolling resistance high.

    Subj. Dry Handling   Wet Braking   Dry Braking   Noise   Wet Handling   Subj. Wet Handling   Ice Acceleration   Ice Handling   Ice Braking   Snow Braking   Subj. Snow Handling   Snow Acceleration   Snow Handling   Subj. Ice Handling  
    USA+ USA+ · Canada Canada · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+
    Test Score:
    6.4
Year
2023
Max Score, points
10
Tire Size
205/55R16
Season
Winter
Auto Type
Passenger
List Type
Professional Tire Test
Region
Europe
Date added
Dec 14, 2022
Date updated
Sep 09, 2023

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