190 or 96? Or maybe 130? This is the choice that everyone who goes for new studded wheels will have to make. The Scandinavians have legally limited the number of studs for winter tires, and now the manufacturers are divided into two camps: some honestly developed new winter models, “thinning” the number of studs to 96, while others ... managed to get around the ban and literally stuffed the tread with metal “hooks”! And there were also old models, where the number of spikes was the same - 130. Why did the new standards appear and which tires are better for the Russian winter, we tried to figure it out.
The fact that spikes harm asphalt is an undeniable fact. Therefore, in many European countries, where the climate allows you to do without studs, only friction tires are allowed (in Russia, these are usually called "Velcro"). In Scandinavia, spikes are allowed, but their weight, size and number are strictly regulated: for one 16-inch wheel - no more than 130 pieces. But on July 1, 2013, the Scandinavians tightened the legislation. Now, for each linear meter of the tread, there should be no more than 50 spikes. For the popular size 205/55 R16, this means that the manufacturer needs to “thin out” 130 studs to 96! Why is this needed?!
Legislators explain the need to introduce new rules by their desire to save roads and thus save taxpayers' money (in Europe this argument works for the most absurd laws), as well as to take care of their health - they say, by inhaling asphalt chips, a person is at risk of various diseases, including cancer. But there are many more counterarguments from opponents of the new rules. Who proved that it is asphalt crumb that provokes diseases of the respiratory organs? How much road grit comes from studs, and how much from other causes? And why should there be exactly 50 spikes per linear meter? These questions, however, hung in the air. The new rules have been adopted and all tire manufacturers must follow them.
An exception
Or not all? For the new winter season, the Finnish company Nokian has prepared a long-awaited novelty - the Hakkapeliitta 8 model. It has 190 studs. One hundred ninety! So plentifully "civilian" tires (let's omit the topic of sports tires) never studded. And the G8 meets the new Scandinavian requirements! It turns out that there was a loophole in the law, which the Finns took advantage of: there can be as many spikes as you like if the tire damages the road surface no more than the reference one. (Reference, we recall, is a tire that has no more than 50 "hooks" per linear meter.)
Of course, the degree of "harmfulness" is assessed according to a carefully prescribed methodology. Granite tiles of a certain size are laid on the asphalt, along which a car at a speed of 100 km / h must pass 400 times (200 cycles in each direction), after which the tiles are weighed. If the granite rectangle “lost” more than necessary (that is, the tested studded tire affects the coating more than the reference), then such a tire will not receive approval. But the new Hakkapeliitta, as tests have shown, despite 190 spikes, is completely harmless to the road surface. Representatives of the company claim that they managed to achieve this result thanks to the use of fundamentally new, lightweight spikes.
Although many competitors believe that representatives of the Trafi Transportation Safety Agency - they are the ones who determine whether a tire is harmful to asphalt - cheated and tritely made an indulgence for compatriots from Nokian. Why? The basis of Nokian's well-being is the Hakkapeliitta series tires (this is 80% of all winter tires produced by Nokian). And in order for the new generation of Hakki to be strikingly different from competitors and attract buyers, the manufacturer decided to “stuff” the wheel with spikes, and the inspectors turned a blind eye to obvious violations in order to support the local industry. We repeat: this is what representatives of competing companies think.
In any case, Hakkapeliitta 8 received clearance. Michelin (X-Ice North 3 model) and Gislaved (Nord Frost 100 tire) also got cherished approval, but both of these manufacturers did not use loopholes and honestly reduced the number of studs to 96. The rest of the tire brands preferred to bide their time and simply stamped tires for future use "old-style" with 130 spikes: as it turned out, you can sell the "wrong" tires, but only if the "rubber" was released before July 1, 2013. In general, going for a set of winter wheels, this season the buyer can meet 3 types of tires at once! Which ones to choose?
Theory and practice
Let's discuss. In theory, the new models from Michelin and Gislaved, in which 96 spikes each, should cling to ice mediocrely, but smash competitors on asphalt (especially in terms of noise). And vice versa, the novelty from Nokian is simply obliged to fail the asphalt disciplines, but to shine on the ice track. This logic is based on “facts” known to every motorist: the more spikes, the better the tire performs on slippery surfaces. However, when driving on asphalt, the car relies precisely on the spikes, and not on the tread! That is, the contact patch is minimal, and on hard surfaces 190 spikes will make the car simply uncontrollable.
Alas, these arguments did not stand up to criticism from representatives of the tire industry. We interviewed several tire experts, but their answers were the same. First, spikes do not reduce the contact patch! It turns out that the tire is initially designed in such a way that the upper part of the spike, when driving on asphalt, sinks into the tread under the weight of the car. Secondly, excessive studding not only does not give advantages, but even harms: you can overdo it with the number of “hooks”, and then grip on ice will only worsen. We decided to test these arguments and carefully studied the tests conducted by our colleagues from different publications.
To begin with, let's see how the "traditional" tires and novelties from Nokian and Gislaved showed themselves in the tests of the Autoreview newspaper (the third generation Michelin X-Ice North did not participate in these tests). “With such a number of spikes, a victory over competitors, especially in ice disciplines, should be simply crushing! - experts of the publication tell about Hakkapeliitta 8. - But the matter was limited to a simple victory, without defeat. On the track, handling is the best time, driving a car is a pleasure. But the advantage over ContiIceContact tires, which have 60 fewer studs, is negligible, and in terms of accelerating dynamics, Continental tires are even better. Because although there are a lot of studs in the tread of Finnish tires, they are small: the diameter, the height of the stud, the width of the carbide insert - everything here is smaller than that of Continental tires.
At the same time, the novelty from Nokian surprised the Autoreview test group with unstable behavior on asphalt: “If on dry surfaces Nokian tires provide good deceleration, then on wet surfaces they have the longest braking distance. And the expected disadvantage was the “itchy” sound from the spikes, which did not leave the cabin in the entire speed range. How did the “toothless” Gislaved respond? A confident third place: “On the handling track - the third time, but the gap from the leader, who has almost twice as many spikes, is less than a second! (...) The slides are small and easy to control. And on the snow, decent behavior, although on the track the handling is hindered by harsh slips. But on wet pavement - the minimum braking distance! At the same time, the tires make little noise and gently “swallow” bumps.
Our colleagues from Finland - Tuulilasi magazine - had very similar results. In the first place is Hakkapeliitta 8, but experts also expected a more breakthrough model from their compatriots: “The increase in the number of spikes did not lead to a cardinal improvement in grip on slippery surfaces!” The Finns also noticed that the new Hakka is not good enough on wet pavement, and awarded an “8+” rating out of 10 possible for this exercise ... Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic (130 spikes, sixth position in the Auto Review test), and journalists noted how well the Ice Arctic performed on snow and ice tracks, and their biggest problem was the lack of lateral grip. When cornering with heavy braking, the car can skid.
Table 1
Third place was shared by Continental ContiIceContact, Pirelli Winter Ice Zero (both models have 130 studs and, respectively, the second and fourth places according to Autoreview) and... a novelty from Michelin. At the same time, noting the least number of spikes among all test participants, the Tuulilasi test team praised the latest generation of X-Ice North for good handling and predictable behavior. What is called, not a number, but a skill! Although the Michelin's weakness in terms of grip on snow and ice surfaces did not hide from the experts, the leaders cling to slippery roads much better. As for the Gislaved, which was so liked by the "autoreviewers", the Finns did not test this model (for unknown reasons).
Another Finnish publication, Tekniikan Maailma, also awarded the victory to Nokian. True, unlike the experts of Autoreview and Tuulilasi, TM journalists do not skimp on praise, stating that Nokian "raised the bar to a new level, thanks to exceptionally high results on icy surfaces." Like this! Although the magazine honestly notes that the creators of the Hakkapeliitta 8 had to sacrifice driving performance on asphalt. Gislaved Nord Frost 100? They have the third place, and Finns recommend these tires for the northern winter for their balanced character.
Other tires that Auto Review and Tuulilasi liked - Pirelli Winter Ice Zero, Continental ContiIceContact and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic - also earned high marks from Tekniikan Maailma, becoming the test leaders. But the new Michelin "Teem" awarded only the eighth line of the final protocol. Yes, they are praised for optimal handling on any surface, but they are scolded for not having good grip on ice. So, according to the scores, everything converges, except that the Tekniikan Maailma experts consider objective parameters (i.e. acceleration and braking on ice) more important than subjective ones, so the X-Ice North 3 was eighth, and not third, as it turned out in the Tuulilasi test .
Conclusions? After reviewing the test results of Autoreview, Tuulilasi and Tekniikan Maailma, we can say the following. With an almost twofold superiority in the number of spikes, the Hakkapeliitta 8 did not defeat the competitors. Yes, these are good tires for harsh winter conditions, but at such prices (for a set of dimensions 205/55 R16 you will have to pay 28 thousand rubles!) You can choose no less high-quality “rubber” for less money. For example, the "toothless" Gislaved Nord Frost 100: a modest 96 spikes did not prevent this tire from showing decent results. And the price is pleasant - 18 thousand for 4 wheels 205/55 R16. "Classic" tires with 130 spikes also did not get lost against the background of the "toothy" opponent! The top five in the tests of all three editions were Continental ContiIceContact, Pirelli Winter Ice Zero and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic.
So fans of "studs" do not have to worry: the revolution did not happen and tires of famous brands, regardless of the number of studs, are similar in characteristics, differing rather in nuances. Although the experts found one important difference - Gislaved Nord Frost 100 and Michelin X-Ice North 3 are significantly quieter than other models. However, experts still advise non-studded, friction tires for lovers of silence. But are such tires much quieter than spikes? And are Velcro really lagging behind in ice disciplines? We will talk about this very soon.
With my own eyes
In February, at the invitation of Michelin, we visited the presentation of the X-Ice North 3 model. Sweden, light frost, and a frozen lake, along which a tricky winding track was laid. In the parking lot - a dozen brand new Volvo V40 hatchbacks on different tires: in addition to their novelty, the Michelin star put out Nokian Hakkapaliitta 8 and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic. Who is stronger? The one with the most spikes! And if the difference between Goodyear and Michelin on the snow-ice track is small, then the colleagues on Hakka went ahead ... And they left assertively, you won’t catch up. Failure?
Not at all. Firstly, Michelin experts believe that at low temperatures the difference on the ice "ring" would be less, since the new thermoset rubber has an interesting effect - the lower the ambient temperature, the stiffer the tread becomes. And, for example, at -20-25ºС, when the ice hardness becomes prohibitive, X-Ice North 3 bypasses competitors due to the fact that the spikes cannot “hide” inside the tread! Secondly, the third generation of Xays is objectively better than the second, despite the smaller number of spikes. In particular, the braking distance on ice was reduced by 10%.
And thirdly. On the snow, the Michelin objectively outperforms the competition. (This, by the way, was noted by experts from Tekniikan Maailma.) When the car was carried out onto the virgin snow, Volvo on Goodyear and Nokian quickly “buried”, and hatchbacks on Michelin continued to move. And by the way, flying off the track on French tires is more difficult: skidding in Hakka and the Arctic begins sharper and it needs to be corrected with more accurate, balanced actions. So the average driver who hasn't taken a sport driving course will find the X-Ice North 3 a more understandable, balanced tire.
TOP-7 studded tires
Test car: Ford Focus.
Currently, the number of studs in a tire is not legally limited. More precisely, there are no restrictions if the product is tested by an independent testing organization, which confirmed that the damage caused by the tire to the roadway does not exceed the permissible limit. If the test is passed successfully, then the manufacturer has the right to determine the type of spikes and their number.
Another option is to refuse to conduct the test and use the maximum allowable number of spikes, that is, 50 pieces per 1 meter of circumference; for the size used in this test, the number of spikes is just under a hundred. Only three of the twelve manufacturers whose products participated in the test chose this option.
Increasing the number of studs improves traction on ice. This is a logical conclusion, which is confirmed by the test results almost without exception. However, a lot of studs does not guarantee success in the test, it only creates additional grip on the ice.
More studs usually means more noise, and this is one of the most annoying features of a tire. When driving on asphalt, studs can impair handling, stability and braking.
Traction on ice is created by the fact that the tire pierces the surface of the ice. This requires a certain amount of pressure on the ice. More spikes create less pressure on each spike individually. In cold weather, when the ice gets harder, a tire with fewer studs creates better traction.
Studded tires.
A few years ago, Nokian Tires amazed everyone by introducing a tire with 190 studs, which was 50-100% more than what the then tire market was used to. Since then Nokian has won one ice test after another; be that as it may, its gap from competitors is gradually shrinking.
This year, Continental also introduced a tire with a maximum number of studs - 190. It's not hard to guess where the German tire manufacturers turned to for inspiration when it came to the number of studs, but the result was excellent.
Hankook ranks third in the number of studs with 170. The South Korean manufacturer has spent years on research and development, and it's nice to see the result of his work - good winter tires from Asia. 10 years ago, Korean tires only received a sympathetic smile, but now Hankook has wiped the smirk off even the biggest European competitors.
A large group of manufacturers chose to use around 130 studs. Goodyear, Bridgestone and Pirelli are well-known manufacturers and it is clear that their tires will be selected for the test. As an alternative to the flagship products, smaller brands Sava and Dunlop were included in the test, as well as the old Nokian brand, which has always been a great success, Nordman.
Michelin, Gislaved and China's Lin¬glong decided to use less than 100 studs, meaning they didn't have to take a road test. The first two are premium tyres, but other features don't seem to make up for the poor grip on ice caused by the low number of studs.
Linglong has tested the Tekniikan Maailma before, it is one of the most successful winter models made in China.
Non-studded tires take on the challenge.
Non-studded tires don't need to worry about the number of studs, but the lack of studs has to be compensated for in some other way. Which creates a whole host of other problems. The set of tools for creating reliable grip on ice is very limited. In most cases it involves developing new materials to make the rubber compound as soft as possible and improving the tread pattern.
But if the rubber compound is too soft, it will lead to new problems, the most serious of which are poor grip on wet roads, unstable handling and low wear resistance.
In recent years, Nokian and Continental have taken the lead in non-studded tire tests. Even without studs, their tires have amazing grip on ice, but the downside is that buyers have to put up with sluggish handling on pavement or choose tires from other manufacturers.
Goodyear's non-studded tires have focused on handling on pavement, making minimal compromises to improve performance on snow and ice. Michelin, on the other hand, always chooses balanced characteristics, without outstanding sides, but also without obvious problems. Pirelli and Bridgestone are old brands that have long been known to consumers, but the properties of their models vary from test to test.
We included two lower-priced products in this test: Nokian's junior brand, Nordman, and tires from Nankang, a Taiwanese manufacturer known for producing good summer tires. Let's see if the winter tires of this brand can compare with their European competitors.
In this year's test twelve models of different price categories participated, and some of them showed certain flaws in some areas. Some tires were obviously designed for harsh winters, which forced manufacturers to sacrifice handling on asphalt. Others have chosen to create a product that is equally good under all conditions, but not perfect under any. Of course, a tire that can't handle at least one test is a bad choice, especially if you can find something better for the same price.
Do winter tires wear out?
The tire community is filled with a wide variety of information about how quickly different types of winter tires wear out and how this affects their grip. Some say that non-studded tires wear twice as fast as studded ones. Others claim that due to the wear of the studs, after a couple of years, studded tires lose traction much faster than non-studded ones.
For the endurance test, we chose six different brands from the last four years, four studded and two non-studded. During this test, the tires had to travel 15,000 kilometers on clean asphalt in cold weather. This is roughly equivalent to two winter seasons. Much of the route was on public roads, and the test included hundreds of controlled stops, braking and accelerating at city speeds to replicate driving conditions in an urban environment.
For the test, three cars were used, which moved in a column along the same route, under the same conditions, with a constant change of drivers. Two tires of each model were taken, the front and rear wheels were rotated every day. Thus, by the end of the test, each model had covered an equal distance on the front and rear axles, and was driven by each of the three drivers. In this way, the same conditions were ensured for all tires, and differences between cars, driving conditions and the characters of the drivers did not affect the result.
In addition, the tires were tested for braking on ice at the very beginning of the test and every 5,000 kilometers. These tests were carried out on indoor ice rinks under the same conditions. An interesting result - for both studded and non-studded tires, the grip decreased evenly throughout the test, and after 15,000 kilometers it was 80% of the original. Grip decreased about the same for all brands, and according to this indicator, the tires retained their original positions relative to each other.
This is good news because it confirms that tire test results are applicable not only to new tires, but also to used tires.
Of course, all test participants had some differences in wear resistance. The table below shows the tread depth and estimated tire life, up to a tread depth of 3mm.
Michelin has historically had a reputation for being the most durable tyre, and that reputation seems to have lived up to this test. It should be noted that the tire life given in this test is an estimate; that is, it may differ from the real one, taking into account the difference in cars, road and driving style.
It should also be noted that all tires, with the exception of Michelin and Goodyear, both studded and non-studded, wore about the same, about 2 mm each. Only the non-studded Continental wore 1.5mm of tread like the Michelin, but given the lower initial tread depth, this model reached the minimum 3mm depth faster.
The reverse side of wear resistance is grip, or rather, its lack. And the choice in this case remains with the buyer: whether he wants to buy the best clutch more often or the worst clutch less often.
Results on snow and ice.
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Behavior on asphalt, economy, comfort.
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Wear of winter tires (according to test results,published in 2014) |
Tread depth in mm after mileage |
Total wear (mm) |
Estimated service lifeup to a depth of 3 mm |
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| 0 km | 5,000 km | 10,000 km | 15,000 km | |||
Studded tires |
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| 9,29 | 8,86 | 8,33 | 7,82 | 1,47 | 64,184 km | |
| 9,56 | 8,95 | 8,18 | 7,56 | 2,00 | 49 200 | |
| 8,89 | 8,29 | 7,38 | 6,70 | 2,19 | 40 342 | |
| 9,49 | 8,81 | 7,96 | 7,23 | 2,26 | 43 075 | |
Non-studded tires |
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| 7,80 | 7,43 | 6,84 | 6,27 | 1,53 | 47 059 | |
| Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice 2 | 7,84 | 7,30 | 6,29 | 5,52 | 2,32 | 31 293 |
Information on the sticker
| Model | size | number of spikes | load index | speed index | direction of rotation | external/internal side |
date of manufacture | Manufacturer country |
| Studded tires | ||||||||
| 205/55R16 | 130 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 12 | Japan | |
| 205/55R16 | 190 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | No | Yes | 2015 week 4 | Germany | |
| 205/55R16 | 130 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 43 | Poland | |
| 205/55R16 | 96 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2015 week 6 | Germany | |
| 205/55R16 | 130 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 43 | Poland | |
| 205/55R16 | 170 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2015 week 2 | South Korea | |
| 205/55R16 | 98 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 41 | China | |
| 205/55R16 | 96 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 37 | Russia | |
| 205/55R16 | 190 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2015 week 3 | Finland | |
| 205/55R16 | 128 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 48 | Russia | |
| 205/55R16 | 130 | 91 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 48 | Germany | |
| 205/55R16 | 130 | 91 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2015 week 4 | Poland | |
| Non-studded tires | ||||||||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2015 week 45 | Japan | ||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | No | Yes | 2015 week 5 | Germany | ||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 31 | Poland | ||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 29 | Spain | ||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | Q (160 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 51 | China | ||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | R (170 km/h) | Yes | No | 2015 week 8 | Finland | ||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | R (170 km/h) | Yes | No | 2014 week 51 | Russia | ||
| 205/55R16 | 94 | T (190 km/h) | Yes | No | 2015 week 2 | Russia | ||
Test results.
Studded tires
Driving on ice and snow: this Nokian model is the best ice tire currently on the market. Grip during acceleration and braking is excellent, the tires do not get out of control even in extreme conditions. Among other things, this model offers reliable grip and handling on snow. Driving on asphalt: on a clean road, it becomes noticeable that this tire is designed for winter. It lacks traction when braking and maneuvering, but by its very nature, this tire has a calm character, so it will not give you an unpleasant surprise in the form of a sudden loss of traction. Economy and comfort: this model is no more noisy than any average studded tire, although you will have to hear the sound of the studs. Rolling resistance is good for a studded tire. Behind:
Against :
Grade: ★★★★★ 8.8 points |
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Driving on ice and snow: Continental has balanced driving performance. It has good grip on ice and good lateral grip makes it easy to handle. It works just as well in the snow and responds quickly to steering inputs. Driving on asphalt: the developers have not forgotten about the driving performance for warm weather. This tire has above average wet grip and good handling. On dry roads, steering is a bit slower than most winter tyres, but this model won't surprise the driver by skidding hard. Economy and comfort: noise level and rolling resistance are average for a studded tire of this class. Behind:
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Driving on ice and snow: Hankook has good grip on ice, these tires give a feeling of safe driving even in the most difficult conditions and in extreme situations. On snow, the tire behaves logically, providing a smooth transfer of steering effort. Although this model has not previously held high positions in the tests, it pleases with a balanced behavior on the winter road. Driving on asphalt: good braking on wet roads, but nevertheless, the tire feels too soft, it reacts slowly to course changes. Luckily, the rear tires always retain traction, so there are no surprises with this model. Economy and comfort: tread and stud noise is average for a tire of this class. Hankook earned special praise for having the lowest rolling resistance of any studded tire tested. Behind:
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Driving on ice and snow: Goodyear makes quality tires, although they don't always come out on top in tests. This model has good braking on ice and especially on snow, but lateral grip is not quite optimal. However, the tires always remain in control, even under extreme conditions. On the snow, this model behaves very calmly. Driving on asphalt: On pavement the Goodyear performs better than most studded winter tires. Good braking and precise handling allow you to feel confident when maneuvering. Economy and comfort : both noise level and rolling resistance on par with most studded tires. Behind:
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Driving on ice and snow: Pirelli has excellent grip on ice, light and precise steering power transmission. The rear tires sometimes lose traction quite easily, but then regain control of the road just as quickly and easily. The Pirelli also performs well in the snow, although here its traction is slightly worse than most studded tires. Driving on asphalt: in the wet, Pirelli is one of the best studded tires on the market. When maneuvering, it maintains reliable grip and responds quickly to steering turns. On dry roads, it also demonstrates excellent handling, but the braking distance becomes too long. Economy and comfort : The rolling resistance is average, but the noise from the studs is quite noticeable. Behind:
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Driving on ice and snow: short braking distance on ice, fairly good traction. This model has sufficient lateral grip, although the handling is not too confident, especially in extreme conditions. Sometimes the rear tires lose traction in the snow too easily. However, they regain control of the road fairly quickly. Driving on asphalt: on pavement, this tire proved to be one of the best. It demonstrates stable and easy handling and a clear transfer of steering effort. Economy and comfort: Rolling resistance is good, and for a studded model, this tire is very quiet. Behind:
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Driving on ice and snow: this tire has amazing snow grip and good steering feel. It behaves calmly and provides confident handling even in extreme conditions. On ice, this tire lacks traction and has a long braking distance. When maneuvering, the grip limit is also quickly reached. Driving on asphalt: good grip when braking on wet roads. When manoeuvring, the tire feels a little soft, yet the handling remains logical and predictable thanks to the firm grip. On dry roads, the Gislaved is your typical slow winter tire, but the grip is still solid. Economy and comfort: the small number of studs makes the Gislaved a fairly quiet tire. But the rolling resistance is one of the highest in this test. Behind:
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Driving on ice and snow: This Michelin model behaves exceptionally calmly on the winter road. Unfortunately, the front tires don't have enough grip on ice, which makes the braking distance quite long. In addition, when maneuvering, the tire often lacks lateral grip. Snow grip is slightly better, but still not up to par with the best tyres. Driving on asphalt: braking distance on clean asphalt is short. This model demonstrates confident maneuvering on asphalt, while its rear tires maintain grip even in the most difficult conditions. However, the steering power transmission is too slow. Economy and comfort: the rolling resistance is about the highest in the test, but thanks to the small number of studs, the noise level is quite low. Behind:
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Driving on ice and snow: when accelerating and braking on ice, grip is good, the tire behaves calmly in extreme conditions, although at times it lacks longitudinal grip. Grip on snow is mediocre, but the quiet nature of the tire does not allow the driver to lose control of the road. Driving on asphalt: grip on dry and wet roads is rather mediocre. Good braking grip. When maneuvering quickly, the tire behaves rather sluggishly, the reaction to steering turns is slow. Economy and comfort: average noise levels that do not cause any particular complaints. This tire has the highest rolling resistance of any tire tested. Behind: Good grip on ice. Against: Mediocre grip on dry and wet roads; rolling resistance. Grade:★★★ 7.8 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow:
traction on ice is at an acceptable level, the tire has a fairly short braking distance and good lap times. In extreme conditions, a lack of grip can suddenly show up, especially on the rear wheels. On snow, the tire behaves quite unpredictably, sometimes it is difficult to control it.
Against:
Grade:★★★ 7.8 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow:
Nokian's previous successful model demonstrates how much technology has advanced. The Nordman is still a roadworthy winter tire, although it can't keep up with the new releases in terms of grip. On slippery roads, the tire behaves calmly, although you should not expect too much from it.
Against:
Grade:★★ 7.7 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow
A: This model didn't do well in the test. Grip on snow and ice was the weakest of all studded tires, the tire was quite difficult to manage. Weak grip resulted in slower steering power, with the rear wheels losing contact with the road quickly in extreme conditions. The behavior of this tire was full of unpleasant surprises.
Against:
Grade:★ 7.2 points. |
Non-studded tires
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Driving on ice and snow:
the best non-studded tire on snowy and icy roads. Good grip during acceleration and braking, but the best thing about this tire is that it maintains control of the road even in extreme conditions when the grip limit is reached. She behaves logically and predictably under any circumstances.
Against:
Grade: ★★★ 7.7 points. |
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Against:
Grade:★★ 7.6 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow:
The Michelin is calm on snow and ice and has good braking grip. However, on slippery roads, the grip limit of the front tires is very limited, and the vehicle may skid if the steering wheel is turned hard. The rear wheels have excellent grip, and there are no problems with them even in the most difficult situations.
Against:
Grade:★★ 7.6 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow:
good grip on ice, although not the best. This tire is easy to steer, but when maneuvering very quickly, the rear wheels lose traction. Clear handling on snow, balanced, reliable behavior.
Against:
Grade:★★ 7.6 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow:
good grip on ice, short braking distances and precise handling. On snow, the traction limit is low, especially when cornering. But the tire easily and quickly regains control of the road.
Against:
Grade:★★ 7.5 points. |
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Against:
Grade:★ 7.0 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow:
traction on ice is quite modest, at least compared to the best models. The front wheels lose traction quite easily. Thanks to good lateral grip, handling on snow is very good. Grip during acceleration and braking on snow is also at a high level.
Against:
Grade:★ 6.9 points. |
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Driving on ice and snow:
Nankang did very poorly on the test. Her biggest problem was the lack of grip on ice during acceleration and braking. Good lateral grip improved her position a little, but, nevertheless, the overall impression was extremely unfavorable. On snow, this tire skids too easily.
Against:
Grade: 6.7 points. |
How the test was done.
Braking test: was carried out on ice, snow, dry and wet asphalt. The tests were carried out at various temperatures. In this case, the ABS system was used. On ice, the speed at the time of the start of braking was 50 km/h, on snow and asphalt - 80 km/h. Snow and ice braking tests are usually carried out on an open track, under the same conditions (particularly at the same temperature).
Overclocking test: was carried out to measure the traction of tires on snow, ice and wet pavement. In this test, acceleration was measured on ice (5-20 km/h), on snow and asphalt (5-35 km/h). As with other stages of the test, it was carried out at different temperatures, its results may differ from the results of other tests. This test was conducted both outdoors and on indoor tracks.
Handling test: in this part of the test, the speed of the track was taken into account. The result could vary depending on which driver was driving. The tests were carried out on ice, on snow and on wet roads. Dry lap times are usually not measured in tire testing.
Subjective assessment of controllability: in this part of the test, the handling of the tires on ice, snow, dry and wet roads was evaluated according to the impressions of the drivers and complemented the main stage of the handling test. The final score is the arithmetic average of the scores of all drivers. The main criterion for high marks was safe and predictable handling.
Noise level : evaluated subjectively from inside the machine. During this part of the test, the driver listened to the noise while the car was coasting from 100 to 40 km/h. No measuring instruments were used in this part of the test.
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Among studded tires, Continental, Nokian and Michelin have been sharing the podium for several years, not letting strangers into the circle of the elite. And this year was no exception.
The named trio of spikes is again the best on Russian roads: each has more than 900 points. First place goes to Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7, the most suitable for active drivers. But it is, alas, the most expensive and most disadvantageous: the price / quality ratio is 6.24. Very close, with a difference of less than half a percent, the Russian version of the Michelin X-Ice North 2: cool, confident and inexpensive, price / quality - 5.51. Continental, a little late with the presentation of the novelty ContiIceContact, threw its vassal Gislaved Nord Frost 5 (price / quality - 5.15) into the gap, slightly increasing its spikes. He did not disappoint and won the third place for the senior, and lagged behind the leader by less than 2%.
Pirelli and Goodyear tried their best to compete with the top three, but once again they successfully repulsed the attack. So, in fourth place is the Pirelli Winter Carving Edge lighter, in fifth is the intelligent Goodyear Ultra Grip Extreme. In terms of price / quality ratio, both tires are almost equivalent: 5.06 and 5.09, respectively.
The sixth and seventh lines were occupied by strong good players - the Dutch Vredestein Arctrac (862 points, price / quality - 4.29) and the domestic
Cordiant Sno-Max (856 points and 3.62).
Slightly behind, next to the bar of 840 points, are the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 5000 (price / quality - 5.43) and the Korean "winter pike" Hankook Winter i-Pike, which clearly competes with Vredestein, since they have the same price / quality ratio. Nizhnekamsk's novelty Kama Euro 519 closes the top ten with a modest result of 828 points (price / quality - 3.62, like Cordiant), which turned out to be not as strong as expected. Let's hope for a quick update.
10th place: Kama Euro 519
- Despite the fact that the Kama has the most spikes, the grip on ice is very low: the car starts off and accelerates uncertainly, slows down in jerks. The lateral grip is the weakest among all the spikes. When sorting out the speed, the car is blown off the intended trajectory, it slides for a long time. Unexpected slippage and a sharp loss of grip are especially unpleasant. It is impossible to predict the beginning of a breakdown, you understand this only when the car has already “floated”.
- On snow, acceleration and braking are weak, lateral grip is the worst, the edge of transition to sliding, as well as on ice, is not felt.
- On a snowy road, the car goes smoothly, however, if you drop the steering wheel, it strives to go into deeper snow. When adjusting the course, the steering angles are large. Snowdrifts are best overcome with intense slipping. An undoubted advantage is a confident exit back if it was not possible to break forward.
- Course stability on the pavement is not bad, but there is not enough information on the steering wheel and delays when taxiing interfere. Braking on dry and wet pavement is worse than average.
- Fuel consumption is average at any speed. The spikes are too deep, which largely explains the low traction on ice.
- They make a lot of noise, they transmit the entire microprofile of the road to the car, as if they were heavily pumped.
9th place: Hankook Winter i-Pike
- "Pike" or "tip" - this is the last word in the name of tires with a tread pattern similar to the often copied Gislaved NF 3.
- On ice, the grip properties are weak, they make you move slowly. With a slight increase in speed, the car “does not hear” the steering wheel in a turn, loses its intended trajectory and slides for a long time. It's good that breakdowns and recovery occur quite smoothly.
- On snow, the tires brake and accelerate more confidently, but the lateral grip is much worse than the longitudinal one.
- At small angles of rotation, the “empty” steering wheel interferes with the driver, at large angles - breakdowns into a skid. It is impossible to feel the beginning of the slide.
- On a snowy road they carry a car without comment. They are reluctant to drive in deep snow, and you have to skid with caution, otherwise you can dig in.
- On asphalt, they lag a little when taxiing. They brake on dry and wet worse than others.
- They make an unpleasant noise at any speed, two rumbling peaks stand out from the general rumble - at urban (40-60 km / h) and suburban (90-110 km / h) speeds.
- Sensitively shake the car on bumps.
- Fuel consumption is average at any speed.
- Studded neatly, but a little too small, an extra two to three tenths of a millimeter of protrusion of the studs would have improved traction on ice.
8th place: Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 5000
- The model goes down in history, giving way to the new IC 7000, but so far it has been successfully sold.
- These tires have never been strong on ice: reluctant acceleration, below-average braking, frankly poor lateral grip and sluggish responses. Nevertheless, at moderate speed they behave quite adequately. There is only one problem: to guess this speed.
- I went a little faster - the steering angles and the reaction time of the car increase significantly, it begins to smear the trajectory and gets out of control.
- On snow, the steering angles are smaller, but the behavior is unstable, the front end drifts in the initial phase of the turn and skids on an arc of constant radius. In both cases, a little overspeed leads to long slides. They slow down worse than the rest, the rearrangement is performed at the lowest speed, on a par with the Kama.
- On a snowy road, they hold a straight line confidently. They are not afraid of deep snow marks on the road, overcoming them without stress.
- On clean pavement, I like the informative steering and precise execution of steering commands.
- Braking on asphalt of any condition is average.
- Not comfortable enough: the tread makes an almost helicopter drone, and the tires transmit shocks from any road bumps to the body, as well as vibrations to the floor and steering wheel.
- The studding is of very high quality in terms of dispersion (no more than 0.2 mm), but is somewhat small and there are ten less studs than tires of other brands.
7th place: Cordiant Sno-Max
- Domestic tires; unlike the Kama, they correspond to European standards in terms of the number of spikes.
- They accelerate and slow down on the ice moderately, but in the turn they are forced to be careful: they hold noticeably worse across than in the longitudinal direction. They require a sweeping amplitude of steering, and on the curve of a turn, the feeling that the car turns not due to the rotation of the front wheels, but because of the withdrawal of the rear ones, does not leave.
- On the snow, the balance "along-across" changes. The weakest acceleration and braking are combined with an average level of lateral grip. When taxiing, the turning angles of the steering wheel are too big, the slip is a little longer than that of the giants, although they remain within reasonable limits.
- The course on the snow is kept clearly, but large steering angles complicate its correction. They are not afraid of snowdrifts and snowdrifts: they confidently start, move and turn, reliably get out in reverse.
- They float on asphalt, while the steering wheel is “empty”, it has to be turned at significant angles.
- On dry pavement, the brakes are average, on wet pavement they are better than average.
- They make a lot of noise on the asphalt with a tread and spikes and howl in dense snow. They transmit vibrations from small road bumps and shocks from road joints.
- In terms of fuel consumption, the most insatiable in the test.
- The quality of the studding: the protrusion spread is small (0.4 mm), but the spikes still stick out high, there is a risk of losing or breaking the cores out of them.
6th place: Vredestein Arctrac
- Feature of the tire - the small weight coexisting with the increased loading capacity.
- On ice, the longitudinal grip is weak, and the transverse grip is medium. They slip at the start, delaying the acceleration process; the car is stopped worst of all. At the same time, they show average results on the circle, although they do not at all inspire confidence in the corners: they either cling to or break off. They are sharply restored, unpleasantly jerking the car. They don't like slips.
- On snow, they accelerate modestly, brake and turn moderately.
- The car is clearly controlled on them, but only before the start of slips, into which it turns unexpectedly for the driver. The case ends with a sweeping skid.
- They move smoothly along the snow-covered straight line, without remarks.
- They overcome deep snow uncertainly, turn reluctantly, but get back well.
- On the pavement, we liked the clear course and clear “zero”.
- They brake well, and on a dry surface - very well, almost on a par with Goodyear. Wet show average results.
- They make noise and shake the car, voicing asphalt bumps, rustling loudly in dense snow.
- At a speed of 90 km / h, fuel consumption is average, at 60 km / h - increased.
- Studding is of high quality both in protrusion of spikes and in spread.
5th place: Goodyear Ultra Grip Extreme
- Acceleration and lateral grip on ice are average, braking is better. Each turn of the steering wheel at speeds above 30 km/h causes a slight steering skid. If you let off the gas at the same time, the skid will intensify and require steering adjustments.
- On snow, all characteristics are also not below average. In turns, the car is controlled clearly, the limit is limited by the demolition of the front end. However, in the second rearrangement corridor, skidding begins already at a low speed. Keeping the car in check and achieving high results is possible only with the help of an electronic assistant or proactive driver actions.
- Course stability on a snowy road is clear, without comment.
- Snow crossings are not for these tires. It is better to move only in tightness in snowdrifts, otherwise you will get up, or even dig in.
- On asphalt, they go straight in a straight line, but they are late with steering .. But they slow down best of all, both on wet and dry (in this they are almost on a par with Vredestein).
- They buzz with a tread, but the noise of spikes is a separate article. They howl at high speed and distinctly crunch at low speed. Shake the car on small and medium bumps.
- They roll well, because they consume average fuel.
- The quality of the studding is comparable to the Cordiant: the spread is within reasonable limits, but the performance is on the verge of the maximum allowable.
4th place: Pirelli Winter Carving Edge
- Ice, like Goodyear, is not afraid. Accelerate, brake and turn confidently. On an arc of constant radius, the limiting speed does not cause a pronounced drift or skid, the car's steering is close to neutral. On the ice ring, the speed is limited to a soft drift-skid. This allows you to change the curvature of the turn by resetting or adding gas.
- They also work quite conscientiously on snow: in braking, acceleration and rearrangement they show average results. The behavior is clear, understandable, without remarks, with an element of "ignition" - they provoke an active ride.
- On a snow-covered road they go smoothly, clearly responding to taxiing.
- It is better to overcome deep snow with a slight slip, but without excessive zeal, otherwise you can dig in.
- Asphalt line is held tenaciously in a summer way, braking on a wet surface is average, on a dry one it is above average.
- Annoyed by the hoarse-howling crunch of thorns. They shake noticeably on any irregularities, even small ones.
- Studding is satisfactory in all respects.
3rd place: Gislaved Nord Frost 5
- They differ from last year's ones in a slightly increased size of the solid insert of the spikes.
- Open the category of premium tires. Better braking and lateral grip, very good acceleration on ice. In corners they behave very confidently, at the limit the speed is limited by a slight skid, which requires a little adjustment.
- On the snow, they also hold up with dignity: very good braking, good acceleration and average lateral grip. There are no complaints about the handling of the car, its behavior and the clarity of reactions. Handles well even on slides.
- Stubbornly keep the course on a snowy road. In deep snow, however, they do not behave very confidently.
- On the pavement, they are reminiscent of Goodyear: they are a little late in reacting to course corrections.
- In braking on wet pavement, they are the best (on a par with Goodyear), on dry pavement - quite a decent average result.
- Noisy, very distinctly crunchy spikes, especially at low speeds.
- They transmit shocks from single irregularities to the body.
- Fuel consumption is increased at any speed.
- Studding: the spread of the protrusion is within reasonable limits, but the protrusion itself would be nice to slightly reduce - for the sake of the durability of the spikes.
2nd place: Michelin X-Ice North 2
- A nice feature of these tires, which inspire confidence in safety on any road, is well-balanced longitudinal and transverse grip. We note good braking on ice (despite the classic round spikes), average acceleration and very good lateral grip. On the arc of the turn, when the gas is released, the car is slightly twisted, helping to register the turn.
- On the snow, excellent traction properties: the shortest braking distance, intense acceleration and a record speed on the rearrangement. Stable behavior and clear reactions even in gliding. When overspeeding, they gently slide sideways, intensively decelerating.
- Better than others, they hold a snowy road, they are sensitive to steering actions. Deep snow is overcome confidently, allowing you to make any maneuvers.
- They are good on the pavement: they clearly keep the given direction, without delay they react to the actions of the steering wheel.
- Dry braking is average, but on wet tires they pass: the weakest result.
- Snorting noise on paved roads. Shake the car a little on road microroughnesses.
- The most economical (along with Nokian) at any speed.
- Studding is very high quality, gives reason to believe that the spikes will last a long time.
1st place: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7
- There is only one step from confidence to aggressiveness. All ice performance, including lap times, is better than average and acceleration is the best. However, there is a feeling that the tires accelerate and brake better than they turn. Behavior in corners on ice is understandable and predictable, in the limit, a slight helping skid.
- On the snow, very good braking (only Michelin is better), the best acceleration, the second result in the rearrangement. They are well controlled even in slips, they react without delay to turning the steering wheel, due to this they fit into a turn of seemingly unimaginable steepness. All this provokes a fast ride, so you need to honestly assess the level of your skill.
- Clearly follow the set course on a snowy road.
- In deep snow, everything is done easily and naturally, without fear of stops, slip starts, or sharp turns.
- On asphalt, they float a little from side to side.
- They brake on a dry surface moderately, but on a wet one they show the most modest result.
- They rustle with spikes and tread, shake the car on small bumps.
- Economical at any speed.
- Studded very high quality, problems due to the loss of spikes are not expected.
Outside: Continental ContilceContact
- These tires were presented to the public after the completion of our "white" tests. But we found an opportunity to compare them with the test winner Nokian HKPL 7 in New Zealand, where winter is in full swing in June. They rented the same "Golf VI", on which they conducted their own tests, but could not find asphalt roads, because the duel took place only on ice and snow. However, for the first acquaintance and revealing the abilities of the novelty, this is enough.
- On ice, they accelerate and brake almost on a par with the Nokian, but in the transverse grip it’s just a cut above: the difference is more than 8% in favor of the German novelty. Handling is beyond praise, reactions to turning the steering wheel are clearer, the behavior is more stable - at the limit, the car only slightly slips with the rear axle. And this is on very slippery ice, where the Nokian behaves like an average: it does not shine with information content on the steering wheel and stability of behavior - it breaks into a demolition, then into a skid and slides longer than we would like.
- On snow, the difference is almost the same, the braking distance and acceleration time are comparable to those of Nokian, but handling, like on ice, is better than that of the "seven". The steering wheel is filled with information on a straight line, clear reactions and understandable behavior in a turn. Tires draw the car into corners without a hint of drift HKPL 7 on the same track are less informative, give intermittent drift at the entrance to the turn and more active skid on the arc.
- In deep snow, the "Germans" lose a little to the "Finns": they start off uncertainly, requiring the addition of gas, but with intense slipping they strive to dig in.
- Studding is high quality and stable.
FRICTION TIRE RANKING
The non-studded tires collected in the test, they are also Velcro or Scandinavian, are already known to our readers. They were updated two or three years ago, with the exception of the long-lived Vredestein Nord-Trac and the new Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice +.
The results of the leaders were heaped - in the range from 899 to 924 points. The first five do not differ by more than 3%. But their characters are different, and each tire in our test set its own record, or even several.
When choosing, the reader should be guided not by the overall result, but by individual preferences and preferences, and, of course, take into account the advantages and disadvantages we have listed.
The Russian Nokian Hakkapeliitta R set records in braking and acceleration on snow and at the same time showed the worst braking on dry pavement. It remains the most expensive on the market: price / quality - 6.16. The most attractive in this parameter is the Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 (4.99) - the best in terms of longitudinal grip on ice and braking on dry pavement, but the most voracious in terms of fuel consumption. The Michelin X-Ice 2 is a well balanced tyre, all performance is good except for acceleration on snow. The expensive ContiVikingContact 5 (price / quality - 6.04) has the best results on the ice lap and in acceleration on snow, and it turned out to be the worst in braking on wet pavement. The Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice+ is an all-round tire that is the best in repositioning. The price/quality ratio (5.45) is the same as that of a Michelin tire, and, apparently, they will have to compete with each other in the market. But the title of the most economical tire in the struggle between Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 and Michelin X-Ice 2 was won by the Russian-Finnish tire.
Far from the new Vredestein Nord-Trac with 852 points is noticeably behind the others. Even in terms of the price / quality ratio of 4.11, it is clear that he is no longer able to compete with younger giants.
Kama Euro 519 without studs scored 830 points. Here is an example of the misuse of a product originally created in a studded version. In terms of rubber hardness, Nizhnekamsk tires are closer to Europeans (such as ContiWinterContact TS 830, Michelin Alpine, Pirelli Snowsport, Kumho KW17), and therefore cannot compete on equal terms with Scandinavians on ice and snow. But on clean asphalt they feel very confident.
7th place: Kama Euro 519
- These tires are designed for studding, but the "bald" version is often sold - not the best solution for icy and snowy roads.
- On ice, the traction is worse than any real non-studded tire. Acceleration is prolonged, braking is ineffective, jerky. In corners, large steering angles, delayed reactions, prolonged slips, in the limit of demolition of the front end and a significant straightening of the trajectory.
- On snow, braking is very weak - only Vredestein is worse; acceleration is mediocre, like Michelin; at the rearrangement, the maximum speed and behavior are worse than those of the others. The comments are almost the same as on ice: insufficient information content on the steering wheel, large angles of its rotation, prolonged sliding. On a snowy straight, the car pulls in the direction of deeper snow, the correction of the course is complicated by large steering angles.
- In deep snow, they turn better than they go straight, so you can tack if necessary. On asphalt, they swim a little within the lane and are late when taxiing. They brake great. On a wet surface they show the best results, on a dry one - above average.
- One of the reasons: the tires are harder than others. Not comfortable enough: they make a lot of noise, periodically howl and shake the car noticeably. Fuel consumption at 60 km / h is too big, at 90 km / h is average.
6th place: Vredestein Nord-Trac
- On ice, traction leaves much to be desired; braking and acceleration are very weak (only Kama is worse). However, on the ice circle they are kept in the middle peasants, they creak like other “Scandinavians”. Nevertheless, the behavior of the car is predictable, without surprises and problems. Upon reaching the maximum speed, it begins to gently slide outward, straightening the trajectory.
- In the snow they perform about the same. In braking, the worst, lateral grip is weak, except that acceleration is average. When accelerating, it feels good how the electronics keep the tires from slipping. Maneuvering is complicated by increased steering angles. In corners, top speed results in slight oversteer.
- On a snow-covered straight line, with uniform movement and gas release, the car scours a little, in light acceleration it goes much more clearly. They do not like snowdrifts, it is better to overcome them on the move, without stopping and not to turn the steering wheel unnecessarily. It is not recommended to skid, otherwise you can dig in.
- On the asphalt they go smoothly, but they are late when adjusting the direction. Braking on pavement is also not brilliant, and on wet and dry brakes are weak.
- Loudly rustling tread on rough pavement, howling at high speed in corners, clapping on bumps. Large bumps are unpleasantly hard. Fuel consumption at 60 km / h is average, at 90 km / h it is increased.
5th place: Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice+
- A novelty of the company, which, in fact, fell into the category of premium tires.
- She does not have a noticeable preference for the surface, with the exception of asphalt. On any road, the tires show a fairly smooth character and similar behavior.
- On ice, both longitudinal and lateral grip are average. At the moment of starting off, it is easy to break the wheels into slipping, so you need to put pressure on the gas carefully.
- On snow, braking and acceleration are also average, and the speed at the rearrangement “jumps” into the lead. This is partly the merit of electronics (on the Golf it is non-switchable). The skid in the second corridor starts early, but ESP simply does not allow it to develop. The same thing happens during acceleration: as on the Vredestein, it feels good that the electronics are strangling the engine, otherwise the tires will slip into slip.
- On the snowy road, everything is smooth, without remarks.
- In deep snow they behave confidently, easily maneuver, do not dig in when slipping.
- On asphalt, when changing course, you feel a slight steering of the rear axle.
- Braking is not a record, but very effective on wet pavement, and (especially!) On dry pavement.
- Comfortable: softly rustling tread, rolling gently along the road.
- At 60 km / h, fuel is consumed economically, according to this indicator they compete with Michelin. However, at 90 km / h, the consumption increases to the average.
4th place: Continental ContiVikingContact 5
- The leader of our test two years ago. This time the results are more modest. Apparently, the new exercise “braking on wet pavement” influenced. Nevertheless, no weaknesses were found on snow and ice, they are held in the premium category (over 900 points).
- On the ice, they accelerate and brake in the top four, and on the lap they show the best result. They squeak, creak, as if instead of ice under the wheels there is wet concrete, but they hold on! When maneuvering, the steering turns are quite large.
- On the snow they feel much more confident: better acceleration, very good braking and an average result on the rearrangement. As on ice, steering angles are too big. The course on the snowy road is quite clear, the direction correction is responded without delay
- Deep snow is overcome confidently in any mode.
- On an asphalt straight line, they float slightly within the lane. They stop well on dry pavement, but on wet pavement they pass, braking the worst. Wet grip is considered by tire manufacturers to be the opposite of rolling resistance. Here, like the "bridge", no "wet" clutch, no fuel economy.
- Comfort comparable to Michelin: quiet and smooth.
- Fuel consumption at 60 km / h is average, at 90 km / h it is increased.
3rd place: Michelin X-Ice 2
- Feel confident on the "white" roads and off-road. There are no failures, except for weak acceleration on snow.
- They don’t shine on the ice, but they hold on confidently: they slow down and accelerate actively, on the lap they share the second result with Nokian. Unlike the "bridge", they captivate with a balanced clutch "along and across". Clear reactions, smooth transitions into slips - in general, they behave clearly and reliably.
- On snow, the characteristics are not leading: in braking, the worst of the top four, in rearrangement, it is also the fourth result, acceleration is the weakest.
- When you add gas, they actively screw into the turn, and on the reset they slightly straighten the trajectory.
- The snow-covered road is kept without comment.
- In deep snow behave confidently. Even with intensive slipping, they emerge, go forward, not trying to dig in, and are not afraid of slipping.
- On asphalt they go without comment, even to small turns of the steering wheel they react without delay, almost like summer tires.
- On dry pavement, they brake better than average, on wet pavement - very well.
- Comfortable, noise and smooth running without comment. Economical at any speed, but roll a little worse than the Nokian.
2nd place: Bridgestone Blizzak WS60
- On "white" surfaces they show outstanding results, but, alas, along with frankly weak ones. On ice, excellent braking and better acceleration. It would seem that the model is just right to declare the ice leader!
- But weak lateral grip spoils the whole picture (only the Kama passes the ice circle more slowly), makes you be careful in corners. Tires that inspire confidence during acceleration and braking noticeably lose grip in a turn.
- Management is clear, sliding is soft and understandable. On snow, braking is very good and a decent result on rearrangement, but acceleration is very weak. The tires require accuracy when starting off and are only ready to take full throttle when moving (it looks like Nokian behaves).
- On a snow-covered road they go better than others, they immediately respond to direction corrections.
- Snowdrifts are easily overcome, they are not afraid of slipping, because they do not dig in.
- On the pavement they go clearly, but the reactions, like most winter tires, are slightly smeared.
- On a dry road, they slow down best of all, they don’t favor wet roads - the result is worse than average.
- They make noise, transmit vibrations and slight itching from microroughnesses.
- Highest fuel consumption at any speed.
1st place: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R
- Almost equally strong on snow and ice, not a single weak characteristic.
- On the ice surface, very good braking is in harmony with the same lateral grip and acceleration. A light twisting skid helps in turning, they are well controlled in slips, they gently restore grip when exiting slips.
- On snow, all characteristics are the best. Confident braking, energetic acceleration, high speed (together with the Goodyear) of the rearrangement and clear behavior on it. Accept and forgive small mistakes in management.
- Confidently hold on to the snow-covered road. Snowdrifts and snow marks are not terrible. Start after a stop, turns of any curvature, departure back - all this is done without difficulty and special skills.
- On asphalt, they float slightly within the lane.
- On dry pavement, the brakes are weak, on wet pavement they are moderate. It seems that there is little left for the asphalt, all the “powers” went to the snow and ice.
- No comments on noise. But you can find fault with the smoothness of the ride: single irregularities are marked on the body with sharp shocks.
- They set a record for fuel efficiency, even ahead of Michelin.
The editors express their gratitude to all companies that provided tires for testing.
Special thanks to Nokian Tires for technical support.Michelin- French company, one of the world leaders in the production of car tires. It has about 70 enterprises worldwide, as well as 5 research technology centers (in France, the USA and Japan) and 5 test sites (in France, the USA and Spain).
In addition to the main brand of the same name, the Michelin group of companies also owns other well-known brands, such as Kleber, Goodrich, Wolber, Riken, Tyremaster, Uniroyal, Taurus and others.
Website: www.michelin.ru
In Russia, Michelin also has its own tire manufacturing plant. It is located in the village of Davydovo, Orekhovo-Zuevsky district, Moscow region. The production capacity there is not the largest - about 2 million tires per year, but it is there that the only tire studding workshop in the company is located, in which all rubber produced by Michelin in Europe is studded.
In Russia, Michelin tires are sold either by our production, or by the company's European plants in Italy and Hungary.
“Michelin X-Ice North 3” is a new winter studded tire that incorporates a wide variety of innovative technologies developed by Michelin. Most of them are combined into one complex called “smart spike” (Smart Stud System) and includes:
- Thermoactive rubber compound, which is used as an inner tread layer and which is able to change its elasticity depending on the ambient temperature: at high temperatures it becomes soft and the studs seem to be pressed into the tread, significantly improving grip on asphalt; at low temperatures, it becomes stiff, making the very fixation of the spikes more rigid and thereby increasing grip on icy surfaces.
- The Ice Powder Remover technology is designed to remove ice chips and is a system of 6 wells that absorb this ice chips around each spike.
- The design of the stud itself, which has the form of a cylinder with a cone-shaped tip, which is installed on a wide base, which ensures reliable fixation of the stud.
The tread pattern of the “Michelin X-Ice North 3” tires received an increased number of gripping edges to improve grip on snowy roads. The angle of the drainage channels has also been changed, which increased the resistance to hydroplaning and slashplanning. These tires use the new Flex-Ice 3 tread compound, which contains proportionate natural and synthetic rubber for improved grip on wet roads. In addition, it contains silicon additives that contribute to wear resistance.
To reinforce the carcass of the tires, IronFlex technology was used, which consists in the use of an additional layer of steel threads and provides additional impact resistance.
