Winter studded tire rating 2021
Contents:
• According to the law, the car must be “changed shoes” before the beginning of December. However, the weather in the Russian regions is different, and, as experienced drivers say, it is best to change tires when the average air temperature drops below 7 ° – then frosts already occur and roads can become icy.
To spike or not to spike – depends on the conditions in which the car is operated. In a city full of snow porridge, and on asphalt, Velcro behaves best, rating of non-studded tires 2022-2023 already on the pages of BestRated. On smooth, packed snow and ice, studded tires have no equal.
There are many good and different tires on the domestic market, both Velcro and studded, and our rating of winter studded tires 2022-2023, compiled on the basis of winter tire tests conducted by Autoreview and Za Rulem.
Rating of winter studded tires
10. Pirelli Ice Zero 2
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car
- The presence of spikes: yes
- RunFlat technology: no
- Diameter: R16/R17/R18/R19/R20
• The rating of winter tires is opened by the second generation Pirelli Ice Zero, which got rid of the shortcomings of its progenitor – noisy driving and poor grip on ice. This was achieved by changing the tread pattern. The new generation has a dense “middle” and diagonally searching grooves for water drainage, which gradually expand towards the edge. She got Pirelli Ice Zero 2 and snow lugs to improve the car's cross-country ability.
• Another difference is that there are more spikes (their number has grown from 130 to 190 pieces), and they have become 0,2 grams lighter. But the increased number of spikes does not mean that driving a car “shod” in Pirelli Ice Zero 2 has turned into a test for the ears – thanks to a matrix of spikes specially designed to reduce noise, it was possible to reduce noise by a few decibels. In addition, the grip was improved by changing the angle of inclination of the landing hole, and significantly – by 20%.
• Field tests of the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 showed that the tires turned out to be quite solid, they confidently kept the car on ice and snow, and there were no serious problems with them.
Pros and cons Predictable and stable ride on wet snow and ice Quiet ride on pavement Feels less confident on pavement9. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000S
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car
- The presence of spikes: yes
- Diameter: R13/R14/R15/R16/R17
• This is the heiress of the Ice Cruiser 7000 tire, which appeared on the Russian market 10 years ago and received mixed reviews from drivers. They did not like the behavior of rubber on ice, low cross-country ability and slipping in deep and loose snow. And a couple of years ago, the company decided to give the old model a new breath.
• The Ice Cruiser 7000S retains the best features of its predecessor, such as its phenomenal endurance. The reason for this lies in the special stud retention system and the wear-resistant rubber compound, which allows the tire to serve for a very long time.
• The ride quality of the Ice Cruiser 7000S has become better – a car shod with such tires shows high results in longitudinal stability and becomes more responsive in turns.
• Thanks to the tread with two annular channels and wide lateral outlets, the tire easily dumps excess from itself even in deep snow, allowing the driver to overcome snow drifts without any problems.
• However, the tires are still rigid, so that the driver will feel every bump in the road with his whole body.
Pros and cons high longitudinal stability high responsiveness good cross-country ability on loose snow tires are hard, all road irregularities are felt8 Nokian Tires Hakkapeliitta 8
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car
- Studs: no
- Diameter: R13/R14/R15/R16/R17/R18/R19/R20/R21
• And here is the first representative of the legendary family from Nokian, super popular in the vast Russian Federation. This old-timer tire entered the market back in 2013 and has been steadily holding the quality mark ever since. Its distinguishing features are high cross-country ability, excellent behavior in extreme situations and economy.
• The special tread pattern allows this studded rubber to feel comfortable both on snow and on clean asphalt. The spikes compared to the previous, seventh model, have become lighter and shorter, and a small cavity that appeared in the support flange contributes to driving comfort – the air in it serves as a spring, weakening the impact of the spike on the asphalt on the tire.
Pros and cons excellent confident acceleration and braking on snow and ice high grip on ice very high cross-country ability economy feels less confident on asphalt harsh and noisy7. Toyo Observe G3-Ice
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car
- The presence of spikes: spiked
- Diameter: R13/R14/R15/R16/R17/R18/R19/R20/R21/R22
• This rubber is designed specifically for the winter season and difficult weather conditions. The manufacturing company has developed a special mixture for the G3-Ice tread – it includes natural “micro-spikes”, which are actually crushed walnut shells. According to marketers, thanks to "natural" spikes, even on the most slippery ice, the Toyo Observe G3-Ice shows excellent results.
• And the test results of winter tires generally confirm this. Toyo Observe G3-Ice had problems only with lateral grip – here the model lags behind the leaders of the rating by a noticeable 15%. And in terms of other characteristics, this is a confident middling tire, a solid workhorse that will take you both in the city and out of town.
Pros and cons good acceleration time on snow high directional stability on snow good handling quiet does not feel good on ice and asphalt low cross-country ability low efficiency6 Nokian Nordman 7
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car
- The presence of spikes: yes
- Diameter: R13/R14/R15/R16/R17
• Best of all, these tires feel in harsh northern conditions – on ice and snow; Here the grip they have is truly outstanding. But on asphalt, riding on such tires is not very comfortable, here Nordman 7 performs at the level of budget tires. This inconvenience is offset by a low price – Nordman 7 has some of the best performance in terms of economy and durability in the ranking.
• According to the company's engineers, the reason for the excellent driving performance on ice and snow is proprietary technologies, which are air grooves on the sides of the tread with spikes (they really look like claws in appearance). They reduce stud vibrations, reduce road noise and wear.
Pros and cons very economical high cross-country ability mediocre level of comfort on dry pavement weakly slow down5. Yokohama iceGUARD iG65
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car, SUV
- The presence of spikes: yes
- Diameter: R16/R17/R18/R19/R20/R21/R22
• This model differs from other representatives of its lineup with a new composition of the rubber compound (with microsilica) and an increased number of spikes – now there are 172 of them, and they are arranged in 20 rows. The difference can be felt immediately: the grip of the car has improved significantly even in the most difficult conditions, such as smooth ice.
• In general, judging by the test results, this tire can be called universal – an excellent choice if you want to ride both in the city and outside the city. She rides well on asphalt, feels medium-confident on snow and ice. True, from the point of view of comfort, driving on such tires can hardly be called premium, because of the noise and transmission of all the bumps in the road to the fifth point of the driver.
Pros and consEqually feels confident both on asphalt and on snow Difficulty with driving on slippery surfaces – on an icy track a long braking distance is noisy4 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9
- RunFlat technology: yes
- Seal technology: no
- winter tires with studs
- type of winter tires: for northern winter
- thorns
- tread pattern type: symmetrical
- directional protector
- Diameter: R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, R21
• The ninth generation of the popular "Hakki" differs from its predecessors in traditional changes – the tread pattern and the composition of the rubber compound. However, the main difference is the studding, which has become double (for the first time among ordinary, "civilian" tires).
• There are two types of studs on the Hakkapeliitta 9: those located in the center are responsible for acceleration and braking, and the side ones, of a different shape, are for lateral grip and handling on ice. And although there were fewer spikes (instead of 190, their number dropped to 172), however, the behavior of the tires on ice and snow was not affected.
• It is interesting that Hakkapeliitta 9, unlike its predecessors, feels much more confident not on snow and ice, but on asphalt and can rightfully be called “urban”. And although the Scandinavian Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 has lost ground to the Frenchwoman in terms of patency on ice and snow, she is still good in some ways.
• We are talking about efficiency – when driving on asphalt, the Hakkapeliitta 9 shows (along with Nordman and the Korean Hankook Winter i * Pike RS2) one of the best results. Another distinguishing feature of the Hakkapeliitta 9 is the high smoothness of the ride and a very comfortable ride; You don’t seem to notice flaws in the road on such tires.
Pros and consMost fuel efficient tires in the ratingVery smooth rideExcellent flotation A little noisyStopping distance on snow is too longMost expensive tires in the rating in terms of price/quality ratio3. Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car
- The presence of spikes: yes
- Diameter: R13/R14/R15/R16/R17/R18/R19
• These tires perform better than you would expect at their price point. On snow and ice, the Korean woman confidently performs on a par with her northern girlfriends – Continental IceContact 3 and Hakkapeliitta 9. And in terms of efficiency, Winter i * Pike RS2 is comparable to Hakkapeliitta 9. But the Korean woman surpasses everyone in silence; judging by the test results, the Winter i*Pike RS2 has the lowest noise level.
• The reasons for the excellent driving performance of the tire are three at once:
- increased number of spikes,
- new rubber compound
- branded tread pattern.
• First of all, special zigzag grooves attract attention – according to Hankook engineers, this pattern provides improved grip when driving in deep snow. The wide blocks in the central section, as well as the fang-shaped edges on both sides of the tread, help the car to confidently stay on the snow.
Pros and cons economical quietest tires in the rating best tires in the rating in terms of cost / quality ratio soft and comfortable good handling on snow and ice average braking on asphalt2. Continental IceContact 3
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car
- The presence of spikes: yes
- tehnologiia RunFlat: 225/60R17, 225/60R18, 255/55R18, 245/50R19
- Diameter: R14/R15/R16/R17/R18/R19/R20/R21
• The third version of IceContact has a new tread pattern – now it is not asymmetric, but directional, the grooves have expanded and now drain water more efficiently. The composition of the rubber compound has also changed; rapeseed oil has been added to it. According to engineers, this will make the tire softer and more elastic even at low temperatures. The spikes have become double: the first spike in the pair is responsible for the longitudinal grip, that is, acceleration and braking, and the second for the transverse.
• The tire came out well. According to the test results, she feels good both on snow and on asphalt. And although its results do not reach the leader of the rating – Michelin X-Ice North 4, however, they are very, very worthy. The only thing in which the Continental IceContact 3 managed to overtake first place on the snow was in acceleration (the difference was only a fraction of a second). But from the point of view of behavior on asphalt, IceContact 3 is impeccable – the braking distance on both dry and wet surfaces is the shortest.
• However, for the city, especially Moscow with its love for reagents, it is not recommended to use this rubber. It is very soft, which, although good for comfort, leads to increased spike loss. Judging by the feedback from drivers, the spikes go straight with the rubber when braking on asphalt. Salt and other chemicals on the road can also adversely affect the IceContact 3. But where this model will really show its best qualities is on country roads.
Pros and cons excellent lateral grip on ice high reliability and controllability high cross-country ability noisy a large number of dropped spikes even with careful driving1. Michelin X-Ice North 4
- Seasonality: winter
- Construction: radial
- Sealing method: tubeless
- Car type: passenger car, SUV
- The presence of spikes: yes
- Diameter: R15/R16/R17/R18/R19/R20
• This tire has made a kind of mini-coup in the automotive market. It turned out to be so good that, according to the results of tests of winter studded tires in 2021-2023, it moved back even such a popular car market veteran as Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9.
• One of the main differences between the best winter tires is the impressive number of studs (there are 250 of them). No wonder the Michelin X-Ice North 4 performed brilliantly on snow and ice during acceleration and braking.
• In terms of lateral grip, the premium Michelin tire is slightly behind the Continental IceContact 3 (second in the rankings). And she does not feel too confident in deep snow either – here her results are worse than those of the second, third and fourth places in the rating.
• The Michelin tire performed well in terms of handling. The ride is smooth yet crisp, very informative, and the car moves predictably. Even on an icy road. Even when sliding. The rest of the representatives of the studded rubber rating, although they are good in themselves, do not please the driver with such an almost lively responsiveness.
• However, this conceivable perfection has one flaw, and quite tangible – the behavior on the pavement. The X-Ice North 4 truly reveals itself only in difficult conditions – on snow (including deep and packed), ice and ice with snow.
Pros and cons excellent handling, handling and responsiveness when driving on slippery surfacesWinter tire tests 2021-2022
Test from experts "Autoreview"
Due to coronavirus restrictions, the team ""could not go abroad to study the behavior of each tire at a specialized training ground.
• However, an adequate replacement was found for the Finnish test site – the Dmitrovsky test site. There, Autoreview experts mounted the tested tires on the wheels of the domestic brand SKAD Admiral 6,5Jx16 and studied how each tire behaves when braking on an icy road, during acceleration and even slalom. And the uneven, rough surface of the coating of the Dmitrov test site perfectly imitated the conditions of a real, “live” road.
| test data | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parameters | Indicator weight, % | Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10p | Michelin Michelin X-Ice North 4 | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 | Goodyear ultragrip arctic 2 | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 |
| Ice | 35 | |||||
| Braking properties | 15 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Accelerating dynamics | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Handling (time on track) | 5 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Ease of management | 5 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Snow | 15 | |||||
| Braking properties | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| Accelerating dynamics | 5 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
| Traction in deep snow | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Wet asphalt | 10 | |||||
| Braking properties | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Dry asphalt | 10 | |||||
| Braking properties | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Comfort and economy | 20 | |||||
| Acoustic comfort | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Smooth running | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| Rolling resistance (freewheel) | 5 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| Overall rating | 100 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8 |
| Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
Test trials of the magazine "Behind the Wheel"
In January, the tire test team of the magazinewent to Finland. It was there that the Korean company Hankook built a special test site. Conditions in Finland are close to those, ranging from snow cover to frost keeping in good shape at -20 – 25 °.
• All tire tests were carried out on a Volkswagen Golf car, and the magazine's experts monitored how the tire behaves on ice, snow and asphalt during acceleration and braking. On all three types of coverage, lateral grip, handling, directional stability and even the ability to break through snowdrifts were also tested.
