Winter tyre reviews 2019: results by category

Which winter tyre performed well in which area? Our tables reveal all

by: Kim Adams

27 Sep 2019

In association with

The tyres were assessed in 13 tests, and these results were used, along with the prices, to calculate an overall rating. In each test, the best tyre is rated at 100 per cent, and the other contenders are scored relative to the winner to show how close the results are. These differences are reflected in our overall ranking.

Verdict

Test debutant Toyo is a step behind the rest in our tests, only shining in the dry – not the main focus of a winter tyre. Ninth place for Hankook is not what we would have expected, given previous showings, but the i*cept RS2 has lost some of its ability on snow.

The next four tyres are hard to separate, so close are the margins after our 13 tests. Pirelli’s performance with the ageing Sottozero 3 is impressive, but Nokian will have hoped for more with its new Snowproof. Vredestein impresses on its test return and there is another solid showing from Falken. Snow performance helps Dunlop all but match the more wet and dry-focused Michelin.

It’s tight at the top, but the UltraGrip just stole the win from the TS 860 with a great performance on snow and in the wet.

Winner

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+

Placed first in six of our 13 test categories – and second in three others – the Goodyear is a worthy overall winner in this year’s competition.

Results

Wet braking

1	Continental	100
1	Goodyear	100
3	Falken	97.9
4	Michelin	96.9
5	Pirelli	96.6
6	Dunlop	96.4
7	Vredestein	95.3
8	Toyo	94.6
9	Nokian	93.1
10	Hankook	88.1
Sum	Continental PC 6	116.3
AllS	Continental ASC	102.9

Wet handling

1	Goodyear	100
2	Continental	99.7
3	Michelin	98.2
4	Vredestein	97
5	Dunlop	96.8
6	Pirelli	95.2
7	Falken	95
8	Nokian	93.5
8	Hankook	93.5
10	Toyo	91
Sum	Continental PC 6	95.3
AllS	Continental ASC	96.7

Wet Circle

1	Continental	100
2	Goodyear	99.5
3	Michelin	98.7
4	Vredestein	98.4
5	Dunlop	97.8
6	Nokian	96.5
7	Falken	96.1
8	Pirelli	95.4
9	Hankook	94.9
10	Toyo	90.8
Sum	Continental PC 6	100.5
AllS	Continental ASC	97.4

Straight Aqua

1	Falken	100
2	Continental	94.2
3	Michelin	93.4
4	Vredestein	92.6
5	Pirelli	92.1
6	Toyo	91.9
7	Dunlop	91.8
8	Goodyear	91.7
9	Nokian	90.1
10	Hankook	89.8
Sum	Continental PC 6	94.9
AllS	Continental ASC	91.1

Curved Aqua

1	Falken	100
2	Goodyear	98
3	Dunlop	97
4	Michelin	96
5	Vredestein	95
5	Continental	95
7	Nokian	94.1
7	Pirelli	94.1
9	Toyo	93.1
10	Hankook	92.1
Sum	Continental PC 6	93.1
AllS	Continental ASC	94.1

Dry braking

1	Nokian	100
2	Toyo	99.6
3	Vredestein	98.4
4	Pirelli	97.4
5	Michelin	96.8
6	Hankook	96.4
7	Goodyear	95.6
8	Continental	95
9	Dunlop	94.8
9	Falken	94.8
Sum	Continental PC 6	119.7
AllS	Continental ASC	98.1

Dry handling

1	Continental	100
2	Toyo	99.9
3	Vredestein	99.5
4	Nokian	99.3
4	Michelin	99.3
6	Pirelli	99
7	Hankook	98.9
7	Goodyear	98.9
9	Falken	98.6
10	Dunlop	98.1
Sum	Continental PC 6	101.6
AllS	Continental ASC	100.2

Snow braking

1	Goodyear	100
2	Dunlop	99.2
3	Continental	98.3
4	Nokian	97.6
5	Hankook	97.3
6	Michelin	96.1
6	Falken	96.1
8	Vredestein	95.1
9	Pirelli	92
10	Toyo	87.9
Sum	Continental PC 6	45.6
AllS	Continental ASC	95.1

Snow traction

1	Goodyear	100
2	Michelin	97.5
3	Dunlop	96.4
4	Continental	95.9
5	Hankook	94.9
6	Nokian	94.7
7	Vredestein	94.5
8	Pirelli	92.5
9	Falken	89.1
10	Toyo	87.2
Sum	Continental PC 6	37.8
AllS	Continental ASC	90.6

Snow circle

1	Goodyear	100
2	Nokian	97.7
3	Dunlop	97.3
4	Continental	96.1
5	Pirelli	95.8
6	Hankook	94.3
7	Falken	93.6
8	Michelin	93
9	Vredestein	92.7
10	Toyo	89.3
Sum	Continental PC 6	61.7
AllS	Continental ASC	89.1

Snow handling

1	Dunlop	100
2	Goodyear	99.9
3	Hankook	99.8
4	Continental	99.3
5	Michelin	97.5
6	Nokian	97.2
7	Vredestein	95.3
8	Falken	95
9	Pirelli	94.9
10	Toyo	91.1
Sum	Continental PC 6	60.7
AllS	Continental ASC	97.9

Rolling resistance

1	Nokian	100
2	Dunlop	92
3	Continental	91
4	Goodyear	89
5	Pirelli	88
6	Michelin	86
7	Hankook	80
7	Toyo	80
9	Vredestein	76
10	Falken	63
Sum	Continental PC 6	93
AllS	Continental ASC	94

Cabin noise

1	Goodyear	100
2	Dunlop	96.2
2	Falken	96.2
4	Nokian	95.2
5	Continental	93.3
5	Toyo	93.3
5	Pirelli	93.3
8	Vredestein	92.4
9	Hankook	88.6
10	Michelin	87.6
Sum	Continental PC 6	92.4
AllS	Continental ASC	94.3

Prices

1	Toyo	£97.50
2	Pirelli	£100.82
3	Hankook	£100.92
4	Falken	£107.17
5	Dunlop	£116.68
6	Continental	£122.50
7	Nokian	£122.80
8	Vredestein	£123.88
9	Goodyear	£124.73
10	Michelin	£125.47
Sum	Continental PC 6	£92.57
AllS	Continental ASC	£107.06

Overall

1	Goodyear	100
2	Continental	99.5
3	Michelin	98.4
4	Dunlop	98.3
5	Vredestein	97.7
5	Falken	97.7
7	Nokian	97.6
8	Pirelli	97.3
9	Hankook	95.9
10	Toyo	95.3
Sum	Continental PC 6	94
AllS	Continental ASC	98.5