Nokian Powerproof 2 review
The Nokian combines excellent aquaplaning resistance with capable handling
Finnish tyre maker Nokian has restructured production and is back after a three-year hiatus due to the invasion of Ukraine. The Powerproof 2 is promoted as a tyre designed to perform in the wet and it was excellent in the deep-water aquaplaning tests, finishing second to the Firestone in both the curved and straight-line tests.
It was seventh in wet cornering and straight- line wet braking (2.7 metres off the best), which doesn’t look great, and on the wet track it was sixth, but it was one of five mid-field tyres that were covered by just one second. Around the tricky wet lap it felt really good. It needed a moment to settle into some of the corners but otherwise it was superb, with strong mid-corner grip and confidence-inspiring precision.
Its fourth place in the dry straight-line braking test was less than 1.5 metres off the best, and in dry handling it was equal sixth, but it was a close contest. While the Nokian wasn’t the sharpest in terms of steering, it was still neat and predictable. But it was seventh for tyre noise and returned a mid-pack rolling resistance result, contributing to a competent rather than an inspiring overall performance.
Blackcircles says
“Blackcircles.com is unable to provide any insight into the tyre’s popularity or performance with our customers at present.”
Results
| Nokian Powerproof 2 | ||
| Overall | 97.00% | |
| Price | £68.74 | |
| Wet braking | 90.3 | 7th |
| Wet handling | 98.2 | 6th |
| Wet cornering | 84.5 | 7th |
| Straight aquaplaning | 97.8 | 2nd |
| Curved aquaplaning | 98.7 | 2nd |
| Dry braking | 96.2 | 4th |
| Dry handling | 98.6 | = 6th |
| Noise & refinement | 97.4 | = 7th |
| Rolling resistance | 86.8 | 5th |
