Winter Tires: Here's What You Definitely Need to Keep in Mind!

TCS experts tested 32 winter tires in two popular sizes. The results showed significant differences, especially on wet roads. Among the small-car tires tested, the difference between the shortest and longest braking distances from 80 km/h was nearly 18 meters—enormous! As for the mid-size tires, the TCS actually advises against six models altogether based on the test results.

Two compact car tires «highly recommended»

The 185/65 R15 88T/H size is suitable for compact cars such as the VW Polo, Hyundai i20, Renault Clio, Citroën C3, Skoda Fabia, and Toyota Yaris. The tires were evaluated based on 19 test criteria in the two main categories: «Driving Safety» and «Environmental Performance.» Topping the list with a «highly recommended» rating are the Continental WinterContact TS 870 and the Michelin Alpin 7. Both impress in terms of driving safety. The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3, Linglong Sport Master Winter, Optimo Winter Touring OW41, Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3, and GT Radial WinterPro2 Evo received a «recommended» rating.

A difference of nearly 18 meters in braking distance

An emergency stop from 80 km/h on wet asphalt demonstrates just how significant these performance differences can be for safety. The Bridgestone Blizzak LM 005 comes to a stop after 33.5 meters. With the Rockblade Rock 868S, the same vehicle requires 51.4 meters. That’s 17.9 meters more braking distance. By the time the vehicle equipped with the Bridgestone has come to a stop, the one with the Rockblade is still traveling at around 47 km/h. At such a collision speed, pedestrians face a life-threatening risk of injury. Also notable is the comparatively low mileage of this tire size. On average, the projected mileage is around 31,000 kilometers.

Mid-range tires: Four at the top

The larger size, 225/50 R17 98V, is used on vehicles such as the Audi A4 and A5, Skoda Octavia, Peugeot 3008 and 5008, as well as various BMW and Mercedes models. Here, the top results are even better: Four tires are rated «highly recommended» by the TCS experts, and six are «recommended.» However, six models are also classified as «not recommended.» The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 and the Continental WinterContact TS 870 achieve the best results. Both impress in terms of both driving safety and environmental performance. Also rated «highly recommended» are the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 and the Michelin Alpin 7. The TCS rates the Bridgestone Blizzak 6, the Hankook Winter i*cept RS3, the ESA+TECAR Supergrip Pro2, the Dunlop Winter, the Vredestein Wintrac Pro+, and the Yokohama BluEarth Winter V906 as «recommended.».

The TCS advises against using six tires at once

The Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro, the Toyo Tires Observe EWS1, the Tracmax Ice-Plus S210, the Aptany RW211, the Royal Black Royalwinter UHP, and the Sunwide Snowide are rated as «not recommended.» All six received only a “poor” rating for driving safety. The Falken and Toyo tires show significant weaknesses, particularly on winter road surfaces. The Tracmax and Aptany tires underperform especially on wet and winter road surfaces, respectively. The Royal Black and Sunwide tires exhibit significant shortcomings on both dry and wet road surfaces.

Get advice when making a purchase

The TCS winter tire test provides a good overview of what’s currently available. Do your winter tires have less than four millimeters of remaining tread depth? If so, you should consider installing new tires for the upcoming winter season. The TCS recommends tires that have received a rating of at least «recommended.» It’s also best to seek advice from a knowledgeable mobility partner, such as an AGVS-certified garage or tire dealer. After all, your personal requirements regarding driving safety and mileage should also influence your choice of tires—the decision shouldn’t be based solely on price.

For more information, visit:
tires.tcs.ch

Or here are the test results for the Tires for Small Cars (PDF) or the test results for the Mid-Range Tires (PDF)