Summer is over, very autumn has come, the air temperature is gradually dropping, the rains begin and then the thought comes to mind - "But I will soon need winter tires." That is why, in order to prepare you for the conscious choice of tires, we have prepared an article with the 2014 winter tire rating below.

It's no secret that good winter tires are the key to your safety. Providing good grip, preventing your car from skidding. In this article we will look at the rating TOP 10 winter tires 2014-2015... We will start this rating not as usual with the tires that scored the lowest points, but with the best winter tire of 2014:

1. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 - Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8

Best winter tires 2015 according to the rating "Behind the wheel", she scored 949 points out of a possible thousand, taking the first line in the competition.

2. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic

These tires use a completely new shape of studs, as well as their unusual placement, aimed at increasing the contact patch and improving traction. For better handling on snowy roads, a new tread pattern has been specially developed for this winter tire.

3. Michelin X-ICE North XIN3

Michelin winter tires are ranked among the leading tires every year. X-ICE North XIN3 is a new development of the company, which allowed to reduce the braking distance by 10% on slippery roads.

4. Nokian Nordman 5 - Nokian Nordman 5

In the production of these tires, the "bear claw" technology has been applied, which has proven itself in the Hakkapeliitta series. In the center zone, the tread pattern has integrated checkers, which make the steering transfer more sensitive.

5. Gislaved NordFrost 100 - Gislaved NordFrost 100

The tires are lightweight and feature an optimized stud head geometry. The tread pattern is divided into blocks, the edges of each of which have multidirectional corners. This pattern provides traction and precise handling both on snow and on ice-covered roads.

6. Nokian - Nordman 4 -

The tires feature a wide tread, as well as a unique reinforced steel breaker, which together provide stable behavior on any highway surface. The tires offer a low noise level as well as an unrivaled ride softness thanks to a resilient cushion located under each stud, making it a great mid-range option.

7. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 01 -

This series has replaced the Ice Cruiser. The novelty is equipped with new cruciform studs for maximum grip on icy roads. The winter tire test showed a 9% reduction in braking distances on average compared to the previous series.

8. Dunlop Ice Touch -

The tread of these tires is characterized by a multidirectional pattern and the presence of retractable grooves. At first glance, the spikes on the tires are randomly located, in fact, this arrangement provides maximum contact with the road.

9. Pirelli Ice Zero -

The best rubber of the Italian brand showcases a new studding technology, similar to a random placement. The multidirectional design of the cleat helps to reduce the mobility of the cleat, and the wide base optimizes the distribution of the load.

10. Yokohama Ice Guard AyZhe 35 -

Japanese tires are equipped with 3G sipes for improved handling on icy and snowy roads. For better removal of slush and snow, the surface of the tires is covered with semi-radial grooves. The special rubber compound prevents the spikes from falling out and prevents

Winter tires with studs are very popular in Russia due to the particular climate and roads. The 2014-2015 season provided many new products, but not all of them had time to pass the tests! The tires that were tested showed the following rating results:

12) Above the Chinese are the Nokian Nordman 4 tires, made in Russia. With good results in the snow tests and the best rolling resistance of any nominee, these tires failed almost every other test and received a modest final 7.1 points.

11) Here is the Chinese Jinyu YW53, who were able to collect 7.1 points and climbed higher in the ranking due to better behavior on the ice.

10) This position went to Vredestein Arctrac tires, originally from the Netherlands. These tires feel good on ice and snow, but “lay down” on wet asphalt, and there are some problems with directional stability. The result is 7.5 points.

9) Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-01 studded tires staked out here, scoring 7.7 points due to excellent behavior on ice and snow.

8), who received 7.9 points. Having shown a decent result in all tests, this rubber fell short only in rolling resistance tests.

7) Here, in the ranking of studded tires for winter 2014-2015, there were Polish Dunlop Ice Touch tires, the behavior on acceleration and braking, which on snow and ice is almost identical to the leaders of this season, with the exception of handling and rolling resistance. The result is 8.0 points.

6) Rubber from South Korea Hankook Winter i * Pike RS W419 scored 8.1 points. With 170 studs, these tires showed very average braking on ice and one of the worst on dry asphalt.

5) German studded tires Gislaved Nord Frost 100 with a final score of 8.3 points. In all tests, this rubber was behind the leaders, seriously losing only in braking on dry asphalt.

4) Polish-made Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires. Their final result - 8.4 points, received for excellent balance in all road conditions, but on ice and snow the leaders still behave more confidently.

2-3) The places of the rating were shared by the tires of German production - Pirelli Ice Zero and Continental ContiIceContact, which scored 8.6 points each. They showed almost the same performance in all tests, both models were only slightly inferior to the leader (however, we note that the Continental ContiIceContact has problems with directional stability, and the Pirelli Ice Zero turned out to be the noisiest of all the tested samples).

1) Here is the winner of the best winter studded tires this season, who managed to score 8.8 points. Although here there is something to complain about! There are some problems with braking on wet asphalt and noise in the car.

The topic of seasonal tire change does not lose its relevance - we see great interest in our publications on this topic, and it is the more acute, the closer the next shoe change season. As a reminder, visitors to the Za Rulem.RF website have the opportunity to ask their questions online and get answers from professionals. In touch with you Sergey Mishin - the head of the tire test group. He is assisted by testers Evgeny Larin, Valery Pavlov, Andrey Obrazumov, Dmitry Testov, Anton Mishin, Yuri Kurochkin and Anton Ananiev.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the answers to the most typical and most unexpected questions from the readers of Za Rulem.RF. Perhaps among them you will find information that interests you. If you haven't found it, ask your question in the comments below.

Ivan Ivanovich: So after all, thorns or Velcro?

Vyacheslav Subbotin, ex-curator of the tire group: Velcro, thorns! We ran a special test on this topic. The temperature range, when Velcro and studs behave in the same way, for example, show the same stopping distance, is minus 13-15 0 С. At lower temperatures friction tires start outperforming studs. The spike may not always be able to pierce hard ice. And due to the developed sipes, friction tires have a large area of ​​contact with ice, especially rough. At higher temperatures, studded tires are better. But there are nuances. At minus 20 0 С the difference between studding and Velcro will be about 20%. And at minus 2–3 0 С, the stopping distance of Velcro will be almost twice as long. Therefore, choose the type of tires primarily based on the average daily operating temperature. Details. It was a great job!

Anonymous: Is it essential to take the Duster? In terms of weight, it is at the level of foreign cars. Interested, for example, are Pirelli Winter Carving Edge tires (listed as for a passenger car / crossover) and Pirelli Ice Zero (listed as for a crossover, i.e. SUV).

Vyacheslav Subbotin: It doesn't matter! The difference between SUV tires and tires with the same tread pattern, for example for sedans, is mainly in the reinforced sidewall. Mixtures, belt design, etc. the same. But it often happens that for this or that crossover it is simply not possible to find ordinary tires without an SUV attachment - there is no such size.

Evgeny Korchagin: In all tests, not a word about tire RESOURCE. Here I choose the average price spike 215/65/16 for Qashqai. Tests praise "Nordman" and "Gislaved", but according to reviews, it is better to throw out both after two, maximum three seasons - there is a problem with the cord, and the spikes are losing. For comparison, "Ice Cruiser 7000" does not shine in tests, but freely nurses four seasons, many have no spikes at all. I myself bought "breeches" for the last car, on the whole I liked it, but there is nothing to compare it with by experience. So the dilemma turns out: to take tires according to tests, but for two or three seasons, or still think about the resource?

Vyacheslav Subbotin: Evgeny! We've done endurance tests a couple of times in our long history of tire testing. But the pleasure is expensive. How much gasoline you need to burn. The last such test was about five or six years ago. After a long run of tens of thousands of kilometers, we checked the driving characteristics of the tires. Won then Michelin. According to the data obtained, his qualities turned out to be closest to the initial ones, but in others they fell dramatically.

However, on some models, especially the leader ones, we ride for a long time. They are on our editorial machines. And as experience shows, "Nordman" and "Gislaved" (and other models of well-known tire brands and their own tires of the second echelon) practically do not lose their studs even after four seasons. There is no need to even talk about a broken cord. To destroy it, you need to leave the season with a pressure of one atmosphere. In general, Continental has the most durable studs - they glue them. We tried to rip them out with ticks, such a dispute went with the manufacturer. They puffed like steam locomotives while dragging. They ripped out ... with a piece of rubber. :-)

Mikhail Kiselev: Tell us about the behavior of Chinese tires (for example, everyone's favorite Triangle), Korean (Nexen or Kumho) and compare them with Russian and, if possible, with Japanese used tires (most likely 50% and more tread), because the tests "Behind the wheel" are not very interesting in the Far East.

Vyacheslav Subbotin: Chinese tires in the domestic market still occupy a negligible share. Our motorist is just looking at them. So we do not yet take these tires into regular tests, although we are also studying products from the Middle Kingdom. You know, according to first impressions, they are of the same quality as Chinese cars. Driving properties are not very good. I wouldn't buy one for myself. But the low price can serve as a weighty argument. An experienced motorist who has driven all his life on summer tires in winter can afford it. It is likely that in the next tests we will taste the Chinese novelties. But the result can be predicted in advance. Tires "Nexen" or "Kumo" from the second tier of Korean tire manufacturers do not shine with test results. Hankuk looks much better against their background. They seriously approached the design of tires for Russia, Scandinavia and other winter countries. For example, they have a powerful research center along with a test site in Europe. Therefore, the results of our tests are high. We do not ride used tires. And we believe that it is risky to buy such and drive them. As a rule, they are badly worn out and can be with hidden damage. In the 90s, I myself rummaged through a pile of tires that had served in Europe. Then the whole capital was in such dumps. Found four what I thought were excellent tires. I put it on the "Moskvich-2141", so it, poor fellow, immediately began to lead to the side. And by the end of winter, a cord got out of two tires. I threw the money down the drain.

Tatyana Rzhannikova: "Hakkapeliita" is always ahead in the tests. And the price is also the leader. But is "Nordman" the "Hakka" of the past models? Or, in all respects, a different tire made using simplified technologies?

Vyacheslav Subbotin: "Nordman" is really "Hakka" of previous generations, and it is prepared on the same molds. The technology is exactly the same as that of Hakki. But the materials are used a little easier. Let's say a simple cylindrical spike. It would be different, and the price would have increased significantly. However, this does not mean that "Nordman" is bad. Look at the test results, table of measurements and expert assessments. Sometimes he sets the stage for new models of leading companies.

Anonymous: Good afternoon, advise winter tires for Ford Mondeo 1.5 tons, front wheel drive, 215/55 / ​​R17, and which is better for my region. I live in Saratov, winter temperature is from -15 to -25, studded or Velcro? I don't leave the city in winter, roads in the city are rarely uncleaned, more often it is wet snow.

Vyacheslav Subbotin: Colleague, I also ride on! Studded "Nord-Frost 5" have been standing for the fourth year already. For this machine and a variety of operating conditions - what you need. And I go skiing to the mountains on them, and I choke on slushy Moscow in traffic jams. That is why I recommend to you studded tires, moreover, from the top line. Whatever one may say, "Mondeo" is a big, heavy and also nimble car. He needs predictable reactions. After all, his connection with the road is not so hot - the steering wheel and brakes are not informative enough. Good tires will correct this deficiency. "Nord-Frost" chose, first of all, from the driving characteristics, but looked at the price / quality ratio. Now the wear is not great, rare spikes have taken off. I looked closely at Michelin X-Ice North 2 before. The characteristics are similar, but confused by the high price. Perhaps next season I will put myself a studded Michelin.

Yuri Rogov: Tell me, please, what is the difference between "ContiIceContact" tires with BD and HD indices?

Sergey Mishin: These indices appeared on the tires of "ContiIsContact" in 2013. The BD index tells you that you have ordinary, "old" ones, with so-called diamond spikes. Tires with the HD index - modernized, modified to comply with the new Scandinavian road surface wear regulations, which came into force on July 1, 2013. HD differs from regular (BD) pimples with lightweight and modified composition. The number of studs in HD and BD tires is the same. In 2013, HD was supplied to the Scandinavian market, BD - only to the Russian market. Since 2014, Continental has promised to produce and supply only HD tires to all markets.

Sergei Amosov: If possible, show the difference in numbers between "European" and "Scandinavian" friction tires (Velcro).

Sergey Mishin: "Scandinavian" friction tires are the main tires for our market - for severe winters, they have softer tread rubber (50-55 Shore units), which provides the best performance on ice and snow. Cons - relatively "loose" behavior on the asphalt and not the best brakes. "Central European" friction tires are focused primarily on damp, warm winters. "Sharpened" for handling and brakes on wet asphalt and wet compacted snow, they are distinguished by higher resistance to aquaplaning and slashplanning. Cons - low grip on ice.

They are divided into soft (hardness 58-60 Shore units) and hard (60-65 units). It can be used in warm regions of Russia and megalopolises (Moscow, St. Petersburg), where ice is practically not found on the roads. The harder the rubber, the better the brakes and behavior on the asphalt, but the worse the grip on the ice.

Maxim Sysolyatin: Still, I would like to return to the resource of studded tires. Are there any criteria (other than the loss of studs) that you can rely on and understand that it's time to change tires? Another question: you said that your editorial machines have different tires with different service life, maybe just check them - compare them with the same new ones. That will be interesting!

Sergey Mishin: The main criterion for assessing the condition of winter tires is residual. In reality, a winter tire ceases to exist when there are 4 or less millimeters left. At the same time, tire manufacturers allow the use of such worn tires in the summer. It is incorrect to compare new tires with worn-out ones for several years, since almost all manufacturers ANNUALLY upgrade their models (in terms of mixture composition, materials and design). Even new tires of the same model, but with different years of production, differ in characteristics.

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Maxim Sysolyatin: Several questions at once. Why don't heavy trucks and city buses "change their shoes"? At the interchanges of the Moscow Ring Road, they are the main cause of congestion! How to find out the date of production of tires and what is the shelf life? Finally, is it true thatis it better to use smaller tire widths for winter than for summer?

Sergey Mishin: About heavy trucks and buses. In our country, there are no laws (as in the Scandinavian countries) on the mandatory use of winter tires. It is very expensive to “change shoes” on trucks and buses, and the issue of storing summer tires is difficult. But by and large you are right, such a law is long overdue. About. On the sidewall of any tire, you can find an "embossed" combination of four numbers, for example 2014. The first pair means the week of production, the second - the last two digits of the year of manufacture. About the shelf life of tires. According to Russian laws, a passenger tire must serve for at least 5 years. Further, the consumer is advised to evaluate the condition of the tire himself by the presence or absence of small cracks on the sidewall. Tire manufacturers do not recommend using tires for more than 7–8 years, the critical age is 10 years, even if the tread looks like new. During this period, rubber significantly loses its characteristics. About. Take a look at our tire tests in the 14 "size. In summer we test tires 185 / 60R14, in winter on the same 175 / 65R14 tires. A wider tire provides better grip on asphalt in summer. A narrow one allows you to achieve a higher specific pressure in the contact patch, which means it will better cling to ice. Besides, narrow tires more easily "cut" the snow slurry on the road and not so easily float in puddles.

Evgeny Arefiev: Tell me which studded tires to choose for the Duster within 4000 rubles per wheel? I live in Volgograd, roads are poorly cleaned in winter, so the defining qualities of a tire should be cross-country ability and handling on snow and ice. I lean more towards Cordiant Snow Cross or Nokian Nordman 4. Which is better?

Sergey Mishin: For snow and ice, Nordman 4 is better suited. After all, the tread of this tire mimics the pattern of the repeated winner of many tests Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4.

Andre M: My BMW X3 E83 has a summer 17R 235/55, tell me what size to put on a winter one?

Sergey Mishin: BMW does not provide narrower tires for your car. So for the winter you will have to stay at the same size. I recommend choosing tires with a directional tread pattern, which more effectively clear the road from water and snow in the contact patch.

Alexander Taubinsky: My Octavia normally has a summer 16R205 / 55, I decided to save money and buy on 15R195 / 65 disks, which, other things being equal, turns out to be cheaper than buying only 16R205 / 55 tires, plus saving twice a year on re-shoes. What are the pros / cons of lowering the radius?

Sergey Mishin: Changing to size 195 / 65R15 instead of 205 / 55R16 in winter conditions is a very smart decision from a technical point of view. The rolling radius of these tire sizes is almost the same, so there will be no distortion in the speedometer readings. 195 mm wide tires float on water and slurry at a higher speed compared to 205 mm and are therefore safer. On snow and ice, these tires will have a slightly better grip, since their specific pressure per unit area is slightly higher. In addition, the increased profile makes the tire more comfortable, adding a smoother ride on bumps, and road bumps and bumps are more common on winter roads. The disadvantages of narrower and taller tires are slightly worse brakes on asphalt (different laws of physics work here, the width of the contact patch is reduced). And also - less distinct reactions on the same asphalt, due to the fact that a tall tire deforms more under the action of lateral forces. But since the points described in the previous paragraph, then 195 / 65R15 tires are preferable. At the same time, as you noted, the 15th tires are significantly cheaper than the 16th ones.

TSHG: Why in the last two tests of winter tires, published on the website, the tires of "ContiIceContact" showed different results - 2nd place in passenger sizes and 4-5th place in SUVs?

Sergey Mishin: Firstly, the lists of competitors in these tests differ - in 1-4 there were no such strong rivals as Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Pirelli Ice Zero. Secondly, I believe that small and large pies, even made from the same dough will taste different - because it is baked differently. One of the factors affecting tire grip and handling is the pressure distribution across the contact patch. Probably, these characteristics differ in the Continental ContiIceContact tires in the sizes 175 / 65R14 and 215 / 65R16. The different weight of Lada Priora and Renault Duster is also important - they load tires in different ways. Compare measured results, such as braking distances on asphalt. At 175 / 65R14, Conti's performance on wet asphalt (20 m) is better than the Pirellian Formula Ice (21.1 m) per meter, and on dry (34.2 m versus 34.6 m) it is almost half a meter better. And in the size 215 / 65R16, on the contrary, Formula Ice (20.0 m) on a wet road surface outperforms Conti (21.1 m) for the same meter. On dry land, their results - 33.6 m and 33.7 m - are comparable.

Olegg: Are spikes ever quiet?

Sergey Mishin: One of the main disadvantages of studded tires is the increased noise level. But this is not the main evil: spikes also increase the braking distance on asphalt (iron glides on it better than rubber, even on cars with ABS) by about 5 percent relative to friction ones.

Today, only Nokian has succeeded in implementing a tire (with HKPL 8 tread) in a working prototype, capable of releasing and retracting studs as needed - see photo. But at the same time, the company's specialists admitted that these prototypes are still far from a finished product that can be offered to the market. In my opinion, there are studded tires that are less noisy than others, but only at city speeds - 50-60 km / h. These are tires that have been reduced in studs in accordance with the latest regulations in Scandinavian countries. I advise you to pay attention to Gislaved Nord Frost 100 and Michelin X-Ice North 3.

Artem Plasteev: Why are Maxxis not found anywhere in the tire tests? Normal tires for reasonable money, and even with a lifetime warranty, not China, but Taiwan after all. But yes, a lot of expensive tests ...

Sergei Mishin: Not quite a correct question. This can be set for any model not present in the test. In 2010, we tested all-terrain winter tires where this brand met. Then the tested tire took the fifth place.

Nicholas K: I have a problem: a bump is swollen on the sidewall of the tire. Is it possible to continue driving, and if not, what is the best way to do it? Buy a new one of the same model or a pair of more modern ones? The condition of the tires is good - Bridgestone is fitted with Velcro, I think, maybe I can take a couple of HKPL R2 and leave the second BR wheel as a spare wheel?

Sergei Mishin: A bump is bad. It can burst at any moment, the wheel will release air very abruptly, the car can be "lost" at this moment. The surest option is to buy the exact same tire model. The other pair will differ in characteristics, so that the car's behavior in the corner will change: steering may become excessive (there will be a tendency to skid) or insufficient (pronounced drift may occur).

Andrey Khakhulin: We need advice. When buying a used car, there was winter tires, but in this set: Dunlop SP Winter Ice 01 - two pieces, Toyo Observe G3-Ice - two pieces. The condition of the tires is the same. Actually, what would you advise to buy, Toyo or Dunlop? I don't like it when different tires are installed on the car ...

Sergey Mishin: The Toyo Observe G3-Ice model is much fresher than the old Dunlop SP Winter Ice 01, which has already replaced the Dunlop SP Winter Ice 02 today. I hope it's clear which tires are better to buy.

ALEX S: Recommend R17 SUV studded tires, optimal in terms of price and quality. The more I read, the more I doubt what to choose ...

Sergey Mishin: Read the results of our 235 / 65R16 SUV tire test. The sizes R16 and R17 are similar. I would choose the Nordman 5 SUV for myself - quite good tires, while relatively inexpensive. In second place is the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 SUV.

Andress: I hold in my hands two issues of the magazine: one for September 2015, the other for September 2014. In both tests, 14-inch winter tires with a striking performance difference. For example, braking on ice 30-5 km / h this year Nokian HKPL 8 brake 13.6 m, and that year as much as 18 m! And so with all tires. What, one wonders, to believe?

Sergei Mishin: The absolute results of measurements on ice are not at all the same as on asphalt, on which the results can vary by two to three meters from year to year. On ice, they are much more than on asphalt, depending on the ambient temperature, humidity and many other weather parameters. Even on the same ice, the same tire will have different results on different days. Not to mention the difference from year to year. You can believe the difference between the tires as a percentage.

Andrey Veledeev: How should rubber be labeled, which can be driven in winter in accordance with the new law? Is it enough a snowflake, M + S, or just a "snowflake in the mountain"?

Sergei Mishin: The technical regulations describe winter tires quite extensively. Literally: “marked with a sign in the form of a mountain peak with three peaks and a snowflake inside it, as well as marked with signs“ M + S ”,“ M&S ”and“ MS ”... But at the same time, the residual tread depth permissible during operation is clearly limited - at least 4 , 0 mm.

Olga Maryasova: It's time to buy winter tires, the manufacturer recommends 165 / 70R14 or 185 / 60R14. I do not understand which standard size to choose for the winter for a Skoda Fabia car of 2008 onwards. with a 1.4 liter engine. Since I don't consider myself an ace, the choice fell on the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8, but the size 185 / 60R14 is missing. The consultant suggested 175/65. Can you deviate from the recommendations of the car manufacturer? R14 is due to existing rims with old tires.

Sergey Mishin: Whether or not to deviate from the recommendations of the car manufacturer, such a decision will have to be made only by you. Tires of dimension 175 / 65R14 are suitable for your car if they correspond to the load capacity index. The rolling radius will be very close to 165 / 70R14 or 185 / 60R14 tires.

Alexey Sergeevich: Some manufacturers offer all-season tires. Tell us about them. How effective are they in winter in urban environments?

Sergey Mishin: All-season - universal tires for year-round operation in conditions of mild winters with little snow and cool summers. Do not expect high grip from them on asphalt in summer and on ice in winter. In urban conditions in the summer you can live on such tires if there is no heat and you do not drive aggressively. It is more difficult in the real Russian winter. You can feel confident only on the asphalt, cleared of snow and ice. But in yards covered with snow, in an icy rut, such tires are helpless.

Victor A .: Good afternoon! I read all the possible tests of winter studded tires and opted for the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 SUV. One problem - the size 225/60 R17 I need (at the request of the manufacturer) is missing from Gislaved. Close - 225/65 R17, but in this case, the wheel diameter increases by 22 mm (I'm afraid it will cling to the arches when the steering wheel is completely turned out). Please advise a worthy analogue for Subaru Forester IV. Operation - Moscow and nearby countryside. P.S. Watched Continental ContiIceContact but pricey. Maybe Yokohama see a (full-time all-season) like IceGuard Stud IG55? What is your relationship to this brand? For some reason it is not in your tests.

Sergei Mishin: It seems to me that you have a strange attitude towards magazines and tires. First, the Yokohama IceGuard Stud IG55 tires are featured twice in our tests this year: in the September issue in 175 / 65R14 and in the October issue in 205 / 66R16. Secondly, this is not an all-season tire, but a real studded tire, which cannot be standard on any car, even on the Subaru Forester IV. Read the magazine carefully!

Ivan Nikolaev: I choose non-studded winter tires for Nissan X-Trail. My eyes settled on the Michelin X-Ice, but I can't decide whether to take the new Xi3 or the old Xi2. Do you think it makes a big difference for trips around Moscow?

Sergey Mishin: Any new models are always better than the previous ones. The question is the magnitude of the difference between them. I have not had the opportunity to compare these two tires with each other, but I suppose the difference in city trips will be almost indistinguishable. But there is one caveat. Michelin can discontinue an old model at any time and it will disappear from the shelves. If you damage a wheel, you will have to buy not one, but a whole set of new ones or from another manufacturer.

Shahin Tarverdiev: Help me choose winter tires. Friends advise Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 or Gislaved NordFrost 100. The first, as I saw, is 1000-1500 rubles. expensive. Is it worth it? For me, stability and noiselessness are important, since there is no sound insulation on my Lifan Solano. Recommended sizes 195/60 and 185/60 are indicated on the car door, is it possible 185/65? As I understand it, 195 is for summer, 185 for winter. Thank you in advance.

Sergei Mishin: Typical Russian approach: "I would have good tires, but not expensive." There is only one place for free cheese ... Gislaved NordFrost 100 is perhaps one of the quietest spikes. You are right, tires are narrower - for winter, wider - for summer. As a rule, wheel arch contact occurs when using wider tires, and 5% of the profile height should not be critical. To understand if higher tires are suitable for your car, you should try them on: it is enough to assemble and put on one front wheel. Squeeze the suspension, turn the steering wheel all the way to the left and right, pay attention to the gap between the tires and the edge of the arch.

20141013_06–2

x x: What can you say about re-studding the wheels?

Sergei Mishin: I don't trust repeated studding. First, you need to understand why the cleats fell out of the tread. If the holes are slightly larger in diameter than required, then new spikes will fall out again. If the spikes of reduced diameter are to blame, you need to find the right ones. Secondly, you need to find the same studs with which the tire was originally studded. It’s not that easy. They differ in size, configuration (single-flange, double-flange, three-flange), in materials, in the shape of a carbide insert ... Thirdly, road dirt, sand, etc. has already entered the open hole, it is unlikely to be perfectly cleaned. Those remnants of dirt that could not be removed will work like an abrasive, intensively wearing out the new stud and the rubber around it, which will lead to repeated loss of studs.

Yura Baranov: Tell me - there are wheels on r14 tires 205–70! the question is, can I put tires 185–70 on these wheels?

Sergei Mishin: In your case, it is necessary to clarify the rim width of the available disks. Look for the embossed rim width markings on the surface of the rim (under the tire). It is a number representing the width of the rim in inches, followed by the letter J. The ratio of tire to rim width is shown in the table.

Archi Thomas: There was a question about the choice of winter tires for the VAZ "classics". The choice fell on the Nordman 4 or 5, Yokohama IC35, also considering the Tunga Nordway. I understand that Tunga does not fit into this company, but I have never met her in tests. Actually the question is: what is better to put, and what do you say about Tungu? Standard sizes 175 / 70R13 ...

Winter in Russia and Ukraine, as a rule, despite all available forecasts of weather forecasters, comes suddenly and unexpectedly for both motorists and public utilities. Surely, almost everyone is familiar with the phenomenon when, after the first snow, it is almost impossible to sign up for a tire fitting. Fortunately, we are starting to sell winter tires in advance. So, the 2014-2015 winter tire season actually started in the summer at the end of July 2014. The latest novelties of "winter shoes" for the car began to appear in stores and on the websites of electronic trading platforms.

Every year manufacturers try to come up with something new, both in terms of improving the composition of the rubber itself, the design of the tire, and in terms of marketing and product promotion. What new did the 2014-2015 season bring us? Of course, it will be simply unrealistic to evaluate the entire range of products from all manufacturers, so let's together focus on only the main, best winter tires.

Nokian tires

The Finns have done a great job and have seriously updated their line of winter tires for passenger cars (including SUVs). Nokian Nordman 5 and 5 SUV models appeared with modified studs of various shapes (round for cars and square for SUVs). The price starts from 2135 rubles. The Hakkapeliitta CR3 for tough climates has been added to the friction tire range with an optimized steel belt for even greater durability. Separately, we would like to highlight the new spike model Hakkapeliitta 8. The number of spikes has been increased by almost one and a half times. The cost of new items varies from 3,650 rubles for 175/65 R14 to 13,200 rubles for 245/45 R18.

Bridgestone tires

The Japanese have updated the Blizzak tire line. In the series of friction rubber, we will highlight the Blizzak VRX model. Thanks to the improved rubber compound, grip on ice is increased and the service life is significantly increased. The cost varies from 2900 rubles for 185/65 R14 to 5900 rubles for 215/50 R17. For SUVs, the Blizzak DMV-2 model appeared (price from 3650 rubles for R15 to 6250 rubles for R18). There is a new microporous tread structure, an updated pattern. Proprietary ECO-Products technology reduces rolling resistance.

Continental tires

The Germans have updated the ContiVikingContact (Velcro) line. The sixth generation has already come out. There is a completely new tread pattern, improved grip, and an innovative sipe structure. The cost varies from 3350 rubles for 175/65 R14 to 8450 rubles for 225/55 R17. The tires are designed for the Scandinavian and Russian winters and are especially reliable on ice.

Video about the new ContiVikingContact 6 tires:

Dunlop tires

Pictured Dunlop Ice Touch

Pictured friction rubber Dunlop Winter Maxx WM01

In Russia, two last year's well-proven tire models deserve attention: studded Ice Touch (price from 2900 rubles for 185/65 R14 to 6950 rubles for R17) and frictional Dunlop Winter Maxx WM01 (price from 2650 rubles for 185/65 R14 to 7100 rubles for 215/55 R17). There are no new products for 2015 yet.

Good Year tires

For the new season, Ultra Grip Ice Arctic SUV tires are presented (on the left in the photo), and also on the right in the photo - Ultra Grip Ice 2 (from 2850 rubles for R14 to 9000 rubles for R18). The latter deserve attention, since are the next generation of Ultra Grip Ice, popular in Russia. They are made of a special cryoadaptive rubber compound that is flexible even at low temperatures. Also on the shelves are very reliable Ultra Grip Ice Arctic (from 2900 rubles for R14 to 5700 rubles for R16). They are specially designed for cold arctic regions. In addition, they have improved capabilities for driving in wet snow and slush.

Video about the ice test of winter tires, though for 2013, but nothing, you will pick something up for yourself when choosing new tires for your car this year:

The winter tires of the new season 2014-2015 are designed to provide ever greater reliability and increased comfort when driving in difficult climatic conditions. For the territory of Russia, this is especially important, therefore, when choosing winter tires for your car, show special scrupulousness and thoughtfulness. Fortunately, the number of manufacturers and the range of their tires on the market is rather big.

A year earlier, Roman Kharitonov reviewed winter tire tests for one of the federal websites. The material has not lost its relevance during this time, many brands of tires can be found in various car dealerships in Russia and the CIS countries. We suggest you remember this post.

The tire is a significant attribute of the vehicle's integral structure. This simple-looking rubber band is responsible for comfort and control, safety and feedback.

And if some parameters vary so slightly that they are caught only by professional measuring equipment, then such a thing as the braking distance, depending on the tires, changes much more, and, most importantly, is often a decisive factor in an emergency on the road.

When to change tires? The question is subtle, and there is no one hundred percent correct answer. Formally, it is recommended to switch to winter tires when the average daily air temperature drops to five to seven degrees Celsius. Firstly, the composition of the rubber compound of summer tires in such weather conditions noticeably hardens, which affects the driving properties, and, secondly, this approach minimizes the risk in case of an unexpected onset of cold.

But too early switching to winter tires is also wrong. Especially when it comes to studded models, and also about friction (non-studded) tires of the Scandinavian type, in general, too. Both those and others are sharpened primarily for the primordially winter disciplines like snow and ice. "Velcro" for mild winters of the Central European type tolerate cold asphalt much better, but on ice and snow they become absolutely helpless, and therefore even vendors, manufacturers recommend using them only in southern Russia.

Every year the expert community conducts tests of automobile rubber. On the eve of summer, society receives information about summer tires. Before the beginning of winter - about winter. In our review, we will rely on foreign auto clubs and publications, or rather, consider the results of tests of winter tires of the German instance ADAC and the Finnish magazine Tuulilasi (http://www.tuulilasi.fi)

The ADAC club offered the audience the results of measurements of friction (studless) tires for the winter of the European type, which are poorly suited for Russian conditions. However, for the sake of completeness, it will be useful to see their results.

The selection of Finns from Tuulilasi turned out to be much more relevant. They have assembled eight sets of Scandinavian type studded winter tires. That is, tires designed primarily for snow and ice, but also appropriate on cold asphalt. Snow and ice tests were carried out in Ivalo, Finland in the first week of March. The temperature fluctuated around zero degrees. The carriers of winter tires are the Volvo S60 sedan and the Volvo V70 station wagon. Most of the measurements were carried out using the V-Box equipment. Assist systems ABS and ESC were included - in the latter case, Sport mode was used, allowing for a little slippage. Driving on dry and wet asphalt was carried out in the Finnish Tampere.

Tuulilasi experts accelerated and braked on ice, assessed handling on slippery surfaces, checked the same parameters on snow, that is, tested tires in traditional winter conditions. At the same time, they did not forget about dry and wet asphalt, as well as about resistance to slashplaning (a parameter showing the speed at which a car ascends on a snow-water slurry. An analogue of aquaplaning in summer). Finnish experts have also evaluated the rolling resistance and hence the fuel consumption.

ADAC club tire test (non-studded winter tires of the Central European type. Designed exclusively for mild winters) -

German tires Continental ContiWinterContact TS850 became the leader of the German test. After passing through all the disciplines, the experts came to the conclusion that the main advantage of this model is a verified balance. Continental ContiWinterContact TS850 behave equally confidently in all cases, of course, adjusted for class. The velcro of the Scandinavian ContiVikingContact 5 feels much better on ice, not to mention the spiked Continental ContiIceContact. But for a winter tire of the Central European type, the performance of the ContiWinterContact TS850 on wet asphalt and ice is unrivaled.

Winter tires of Japanese brands usually do not shine with talents against the background of competitors. But this is only in the case when models for severe cold are compared with each other. But the Japanese tires for mild winters in the circle of competitors feel much better. This was confirmed by the test of the ADAC club. Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 passed all types of tests of the German institute, keeping within each of them in a favorable green area.

In mild winters in the ADAC test, the Dunlop Winter Response 2 performed well. The car feels especially good in these tires on snow and wet asphalt. The experts also praised the low rolling resistance, which affects fuel consumption, albeit not very significantly.

Dunlop's other Central European winter tires, the SP Winter Sport 4D, performed just as well as the Winter Response 2. ADAC praised them primarily for their balance, as did first place winners, the Continental ContiWinterContact TS850, which is significant.

In the tire industry, Michelin is a name. The French company is definitely not expected to be weak. At the same time, Michelin tires rarely make it to the very top of the pedestal of tire tests of different publications, from year to year they find themselves somewhere in the middle of the list. This year's ADAC test was no exception. Experts from the German auto club praised them for their behavior on ice and snow, as well as their work on wet asphalt. But the results on dry surfaces are worse, and the Germans recorded this aspect as the minuses of the French tire, as well as the increased noise.

Another model of the French tire giant, the Michelin Alpin A4, performed more confidently in the ADAC tests than its relative. German experts noted a good balance and focused on a huge resource. This tire is more likely to puncture than wear out the tread pattern. At the same time, it behaves equally safely on dry or wet asphalt and ice.

The Central European Velcro of the Korean company Hankook performed satisfactorily in the ADAC measurements. If the summer tires of the Korean company have already approached the level of world leaders, which is especially evident in the Ventus Prime 2 model, then in the case of winter tires, the level of Korean tires is still average. Experts of the ADAC Hankook Winter i * cept RS W442 liked it on dry asphalt, but disappointed on snow and wet asphalt.

Pirelli SnowControl Serie 3

Within the Pirelli SnowControl segment, Serie 3 proved to be surprisingly strong on ice and snow. They did not disappoint on wet asphalt, but did not please on dry. In addition, despite the lack of studs, the Pirelli SnowControl Serie 3 proved to be a noisy model. Everything in the aggregate was drawn only to a satisfactory assessment of the ADAC club.

The family feature of Vredestein tires is the tread pattern. The company persists in using the herringbone pattern. This partially affects the properties of the tires. In the ADAC test, they performed well on ice and snow, but were loud and relatively weak on wet pavement.

Tuulilasi magazine tire test(Studded winter tires of the Scandinavian type. Well suited for Russian winters) - (http://www.tuulilasi.fi)

If in the German test the German tire won, then in the Finnish test - the Finnish one. Last year's novelty is the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 with a gigantic number of studs (190 in the 205 / 55R16 dimension). On the ice, this is truly a royal tire. On the snow, too, everything is extremely convincing and only on the asphalt there are minor errors, which is quite normal for such a generous studding. However, despite this, Tuulilasi journalists noticed that the eighth "hakkapeliitta" steers well in the rain and brakes well on dry asphalt. At the same time, it does not critically resist rolling and does not make too loud a noise.

Unlike the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8, the German Continental ContiIceContact tires have been in production for a long time. On the sidelines, there are even rumors that this tire is about to be replaced by a successor, but so far it remains in service and shows excellent ability in winter conditions. These tires have excellent handling and braking performance on ice, as well as on a snow-wrapped road. Performance on dry and wet pavement is not outstanding, but decent. Resistance to slushplaning (ascent on a snow-water slurry) is not the best, but at the same time it is at a safe level.

The bronze in the Tuulilasi test was pulled out by the studded Pirelli Ice Zero. On the ice, they do not feel much worse than the leaders. Although the slippage of the rear axle in sliding is more pronounced here, which forces the driver to constantly be concentrated and tense. In addition, after the ice races, some of the spikes loosened and began to protrude outward more. In real life, this means that after a couple of seasons there will definitely be less spikes, which cannot be said, for example, about the Continental ContiIceContact, where the “claws” are set on a special glue. No misses in the snow. But the resistance to slushplanning is not important here. On the slush Pirelli Ice Zero float early. Not everything is smooth on the asphalt, both wet and dry. On wet pavement, the tire brakes well, but loses grip when cornering. On dry asphalt, braking is also unimportant. The rolling resistance is low, but the noise level is high. The third place was ensured by the priority of the ice, on which everything is normal for the studded Pirelli.

The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic lagged behind the Pirelli in terms of points, but in terms of the totality of indicators, they are definitely not worse. Although the priorities are somewhat shifted here. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic grips asphalt brilliantly. On wet asphalt and slush, they are favorites, which will be appropriate in Moscow, abundantly flooded with reagents. On a dry road, there are no misses either, although the reactions are somewhat blurred. At the same time, everything is also not bad on ice and snow, although it barely reaches the level of leaders. Braking and accelerating on ice in the zone of good performance. In the snow, the behavior is slightly worse. Analyzing the above, it can be noted that Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic are perfect for wintering in big cities, where there is mostly asphalt under the wheels, but at the same time snow or ice is not excluded.

Hankook Winter i * Pike RS W419

New; against the background of its predecessor, the number of thorns increased. Instead of 128, there are now 180. Braking and acceleration on ice are average, but the handling is close to ideal. The ice lap times are the best of all tires. Although the reactions still feel blurry. The snow disciplines were easy and straightforward for Hankook. On the asphalt, everything is also worthy. In the segment of winter tires, the Hankook Winter i * Pike RS W419 has seriously improved the image of the Korean company.

Michelin X-Ice North 3

As in the class of frictional winter tires of the Central European type, in the segment of Scandinavian winter tires, Michelin performed average. They have fewer spikes than the competition. Acceleration and braking on ice is rather weak. The speed of the ice track is the same. Acceleration on snow is solid, but braking is not. Snowy turns knock the car off course. Slush is not a problem for Michelin, and on dry pavement they have the shortest stopping distance from 100 km / h. Emergency behavior is stable, but noise is relatively high.

Dunlop ice touch

Dunlop Ice Touch is a close relative of the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic. The icy acceleration of Dunlop winter tires is stunted, but icy braking is significantly better. From the point of view of handling, the fear is caused by an early and sharp breakdown of the car into a skid. On snow, acceleration and braking performance is better than on ice, and the behavior is about the same - with a tendency to sudden loss of traction even at low speeds. The braking distances on wet pavement are short enough and Dunlop will generally behave confidently in rain. At the same time, they react very quickly to steering turns on dry surfaces, where they cope well with emergency maneuvers.

Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-01

Among the winter tires of the Scandinavian type, the Japanese Bridgestone tires turned out to be outsiders. They accelerate well on ice, but slow down badly on it. Braking distance on snow is much better and handling is average. Bridgestone have shown excellent slush-planning resistance but have relatively long braking distances on wet pavement. In addition, the tires also have vague steering responses on dry surfaces. The noise is relatively low, but the rolling resistance is too high.

Friction (non-studded) winter tires of the Scandinavian type

To date, there are no actual Scandinavian-type velcro tests yet. But based on past years, we can distinguish models worthy of purchase. These are: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2, Pirelli Winter Icecontrol, Continental ContiVikingContact 5.