Many motorists believe the added traction of four-wheel drive is all that’s needed for surefooted driving on snow or ice, but fitting the right tyre is just as important, arguably even more so. Winter tyres, a niche product in the UK, are unbeatable should you need grip in these harshest of conditions. To help find the right product, Auto Bild Allrad tested 12 brands of size 245/45 R18 winter tyres for SUVs and 4x4s on snowy, wet and dry roads. The motoring publication’s test team also added a summer tyre to its test programme, and this provided some interesting results.
We begin with testing on snow, and here Michelin tops the results table, with the Auto Bild Allrad testers awarding the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 first place in every snow-related discipline. Highlights include the snow braking test, in which the Michelin tyre helped the Cupra Formentor test vehicle stop from 50 km/h in just 20.5 metres. The worst winter tyre result was 6.2 metres further – more than a car length – while the summer tyre required an additional 29.9 metres to stop.
This is not a misprint. On snow, the summer tyre-shod Formentor took 54.4 metres to stop from 31 mph, a speed just slightly above the typical limit in built up areas. It was equally incompetent when testing handling on snow, with Auto Bild Allrad later commenting that the summer tyre was as “winter ready as a swimsuit.” Even the last-placed winter tyre delivered far superior performance.
For anyone who drives on snow or ice, Auto Bild’s recommendation is to buy winter tyres from premium brands which, although pricier, offer excellent safety reserves. “This added safety is worth the extra investment.”
Wet & dry testing
The UK receives around 24 days of snow or sleet per year, but rain is a much more regular guest in the colder months. This means winter tyres need to provide maximum safety on wet roads and during heavy rain. Auto Bild Allrad named the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P best in wet braking thanks to a stopping distance of 31 metres, which was 11.9 metres shorter than the worst-performing winter tyre. The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 impressed in the wet handling test, while the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6, Giti Winter W1, Hankook i*cept evo3 and the Continental tyre offered the best safety reserves in the aquaplaning tests.
But the winner in every single wet test was the summer tyre. The story was the same when Auto Bild Allrad tested on dry tarmac, at least as far as braking and handling is concerned.
The summer tyre delivered the best result in both disciplines, pushing the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 into second place and the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 into third. Auto Bild Allrad explains that “due to their softer rubber compound and the many fine cuts (sipes) in the tread blocks, winter tyres stand no chance against summer tyres on dry roads.” Even so, all of the 12 winter tyres performed well or at least acceptably in the dry.
Rolling resistance testing shows that the Goodyear, Continental, and Bridgestone tyres potentially offer the greatest fuel savings. Giti and Michelin, along with the Kumho WinterCraft WP52, were quietest in the external noise test, which was conducted at 60 km/h (37.3 mph).
All-season an alternative to winter tyres
Summarising its findings, Auto Bild Allrad reiterates that “the best all-wheel-drive system can only truly demonstrate its advantages on snow and ice if the extra power is transferred to the road via the tyres.” After calculating the combined results of its snow, wet and dry testing, the motoring publication awarded five tyres its “exemplary” recommendation – the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, Continental WinterContact TS870 P, Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3, Bridgestone Blizzak 6, and Hankook i*cept evo3. Auto Bild Allrad comments that all five tyres allow drivers to “keep a cool head even in the most heated situations.”
As mentioned at the start, winter tyres are a niche purchase in the UK. Auto Bild Allrad’s testing shows us that the best winter tyres are hard to fault when driving on snow or ice, conditions in which we advise against driving with standard summer tyres. But for those whose driving experience in the colder months mainly involves wet and dry roads, with perhaps a surprise dusting of snow thrown in, all-season tyres may be a preferable choice. Luckily, Auto Bild Allrad has also tested these products in the run-up to winter 2024/25.
How the tyres performed:
Test winner – rated exemplary
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
+ Exemplary premium tyre with top performance on snow and wet surfaces. Precise, direct handling characteristics, short braking distance on in all conditions, low rolling resistance.
– High price level.
Rated exemplary
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
+ Top tyre with excellent driving characteristics on snow and wet surfaces, good aquaplaning safety reserves, short braking distances, low rolling resistance.
– High price level.
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
+ Excellent characteristics on snow and ice, safe, dynamic performance in the wet and dry, high comfort, low rolling resistance.
– Slightly high price level.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6 Enliten
+ Top performance on snow and wet surfaces, sporty handling with convincing grip and short braking distances in the wet, low rolling noise, good driving comfort.
– Slightly high price level.
Hankook i*cept evo 3
+ Convincing driving characteristics on snowy surfaces, very good aquaplaning safety reserves, short braking distances in all conditions, low rolling resistance, reasonably priced.
– Elevated external noise.
Rated good
Vredestein Wintrac Pro
+ Sporty dynamic driving characteristics and short braking distances on snow and ice, good traction on snow, safe wet and dry handling.
– Just average aquaplaning safety reserves, slightly extended wet braking distance.
Kumho WinterCraft WP52
+ Good driving characteristics on snowy roads, short braking distances on dry and wet roads, good wet handling, low ride noise.
– Average aquaplaning reserves.
Giti GitiWinter W2
+ Good traction and lateral stability on snowy surfaces, good aquaplaning safety reserves, loq ride noise.
– Slightly delayed steering response and increased rolling resistance.
Rated satisfactory
Pirelli P Zero Winter
+ Balanced winter driving characteristics, secure grip, and sporty handling on wet surfaces, as well as low external and internal noise levels.
– Limited aquaplaning safety reserves and slightly longer braking distances.
Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro
+ Dynamic wet and dry handling, short braking distances on dry roads, low noise levels, good ride comfort.
– Average winter capabilities, restricted aquaplaning safety reserves.
Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
+ Good traction and short braking distances on snowy surfaces, quiet driving characteristics, and very good aquaplaning safety reserves.
– Significantly delayed steering response, limited lateral control, increased wet braking distances.
Not recommended
Imperial ICE-Plus S210
+ Safe driving characteristics with short braking distances on dry surfaces, quiet and comfortable.
– Noticeable weaknesses in winter capabilities, poor grip and uncertain handling characteristics on wet surfaces, low aquaplaning safety.
