The car market offers a huge range of tires, it is very difficult to choose the best ones. Therefore, to simplify the choice of motorists, independent experts compile ratings of winter tires, they indicate the advantages and disadvantages of tires of various brands.

In the winter season, drivers have a question: “to stud or not to stud tires?”. Studded products are designed for harsh winters, ensure the normal stability of the machine when driving on ice or deep snow. Studless tires are not only suitable for driving on icy or snowy roads, they can be used on dry or wet road surfaces. There is an alternative option - these are the so-called "Velcro", they have a large lamella of the tread blocks, this design, in the absence of spikes, ensures the stability of the car on snow or ice. Which of these tires is better depends on the preferences of the driver and the operating conditions of the vehicle.

When choosing tires for the winter on your own, use the ratings of winter tires, when they are compiled by independent experts, the following characteristics of tires of various brands are taken into account:

• stopping distance of a car on a dry, snowy, slushy, ice-covered road;
• maximum acceleration of the car;
• fuel consumption;
• rubber noise;
• driving comfort.

Comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of rubber of different brands allows you to identify leaders in the manufacture of high-quality tires.

Leaders and outsiders of budget classes of studded tires

First place

Tire Sava Eskimo Stud

The tire is designed for extreme winter conditions, it occupies a leading position among models of budget tire classes. It consists of a silicon-containing polymer, which provides the elastic properties of products at a sufficiently low ambient temperature.

Advantages:

• low noise;
• vehicle stability on ice, snow, dry and wet asphalt;
• average course stability.

Disadvantages: average handling, directional stability when tested on a wet road surface.

Second place

Tire Matador MP30 Sibir Ice 2

Tires are designed in compliance with world standards and taking into account the peculiarities of the Russian climate. The composition of rubber provides elasticity, resistance of products to low-temperature operating conditions.

Advantages:

• wear resistance;
• low weight due to the use of aluminum spikes;
• good acceleration on winter roads;
• short braking distance on wet and dry road surfaces;
• average grip on ice and snow.

Drawbacks:

• average directional stability and handling on roads covered with ice;
• noisy.

Third place

Tires Cordiant Snow Cross

These tires are designed for harsh Russian winters. The resistance of products to wear is ensured by the presence of silicon in the composition of rubber. These tires proved to be excellent when driving on packed snow, in some respects they even surpassed middle-class tires.

Advantages:

• average braking on the road covered with ice;
• good acceleration on packed snow and icy road surfaces;
• average exchange rate stability among test participants.

Flaws:

• not the shortest braking on dry and wet paved surfaces;
• spikes protrude strongly, creating additional noise while driving;
• increase in fuel consumption when moving the car at high speeds;
• there is a chance of getting stuck when driving on loose snow.

Fourth place

Rubber Kama Euro 519

Structurally tires consist of two layers of rubber. One makes the studs resistant to falling out, the second makes the tires flexible at very low temperatures.

Advantages:

• fast braking on snow and dry pavement;
• average cross-country ability on winter roads;

Drawbacks:

• increased braking on icy roads and wet pavement;
• tires respond slowly to steering commands;
• low stability on snowy, icy roads.

Fifth place

Tire Viatti Brina Nordico V-522

The products have an asymmetric tread pattern that provides traction with the road surface. The outer part of the tread ensures the stability of the machine during cornering.

Advantages:

• good directional stability of the car on a snow-covered road;
• elasticity.

Flaws:

• for all types of testing, tires showed low results;
• increased braking on any type of road surface;
• a small patch of rubber contact with the surface when driving on ice.

Leaders and outsiders of the middle class of studded tires

First place

Tire Hankook W419 iPike RS

These tires have a unique composition of the rubber compound, which provides increased rubber elasticity at fairly low temperatures. The silicon which is a part of rubber increases resistance of products to wear.

Advantages:

• good braking performance on winter roads;
• excellent tire grip with the road surface when driving on packed snow or a road covered with a shallow snow layer;
• provide directional stability of the car when driving on asphalt;
• help reduce fuel consumption;
• high wear resistance.

Flaws:

• poor cross-country ability while driving on slush or road surface covered with snow porridge;
• unpredictability of tires when performing maneuvers on dry pavement;
• not the quietest tyre.

Second place

Tires Gislaved Nord Frost 200

Rubber developed by a Swedish company using new technologies. The improvement in the performance of these tires when tested on a snowy road is provided by a large number of small tread blocks. The tread lamellas have a different design, providing greater grip of rubber with the road surface.

Advantages:

• provide confident movement of the car on a snow-covered or snow-covered road;
• good braking performance on asphalt;
• Tires make virtually no noise.

Drawbacks:

• tires respond to steering commands with a slight delay;
• poor handling on icy ruts.

Third place

Tire Nordman 5

The tire is designed with a special tread that provides good grip of tires on the road surface. The design feature of the tread is the location in its central part of the longitudinal rib, which has edges in the form of zigzags - this improves the directional stability of the car.

Advantages:

• light spikes that reduce the weight of the product;
• good braking performance on snowy or icy road surfaces;
• help reduce fuel consumption.

Flaws:

• in comparison with competitors, manageability is not the highest;
• poor braking performance on dry asphalt pavement;
• weak lateral part of the tread is often damaged;
• noisy.

Fourth place

TireYokohama IceGuard Stud IG55

Designed with a special tread design that provides good grip of rubber with the road surface. The spikes are located on the surface of the product in such a way as to reduce the amount of noise while driving.

Advantages:

• good indicator of directional stability and controllability;
• spikes rarely fly out due to their deep seating in rubber;
• practically silent.

Drawbacks:

• the braking performance on an icy or snowy road is not the highest among competitors;
• poor patency on a surface with icy ruts;
• average directional stability while driving on an asphalt road surface.

Fifth place

Tire Kumho WinterCraft ice WI31

The tire tread is covered with a large number of sipes to ensure a good grip of tires with the road surface. The aramid fibers that make up the tires give them rigidity and serve as micro-studs.

Advantages:

• excellent performance when driving on dry and wet asphalt;
• deep-set studs reduce rubber noise;
• good performance on packed snow.

Flaws:

• weak braking on ice;
• slipping on a slurry of snow;
• poor handling on snowy roads.

Conclusion

Winter tire ratings determine the top best manufacturers, allow you to choose the most suitable tire option for a specific car and its operating conditions. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the winner does not always fit the characteristics of the operating conditions of the vehicle, and outsiders, in most cases, behave well when driving around the city.

Also take into account the tire sizes recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, and the matching of tires and wheels. As a rule, you can install larger diameter wheels and lower profile tires, for example, wheels with a radius of R14 can be replaced with R15 or R16, choosing the appropriate rubber.

Where are we going this winter? For those who plan to buy winter tires, we offer test results for winter tires - studded and non-studded. Journal experts "Behind the wheel" Traditionally, we conducted test drives of tires that are sold in Russian stores before the winter season 2011-2012.

Let's start with studded tires. Pirelli (Winter Carving Edge model) unexpectedly took the first place, overtaking last season's leaders - Nokian, Michelin and Continental (it owns the Gislaved brand).

Best Studded Tires 2011

Place	Manufacturer and model
1.	Pirelli Winter Carving Edge
2.	Michelin X-Ice North 2
3.	Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7
4.	Continental ContiIce Contact
5.	Nord Frost 5
6.	GoodYear UltraGrip Extreme
7.	Cordiant Sno Max
8.	Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000
9.	Kama Euro 519
10.	Contyre Arctic Ice II
11.	Amtel NordMaster ST310

Note: Tires with size 205/55R16 were tested

As for non-studded tires, they are also called "Scandinavians" or "Velcro", then there were no surprises. Like last year, Nokian, Continental and Michelin were among the leaders.

Best non-studded tires 2011

Place	Manufacturer and model
1.	Nokian Hakkapeliitta R
2.	Continental ContiVikingContact 5
3.	Michelin X Ice 2
4.	Bridgestone Blizzak Revo GZ
5.	Cordiant Polar SL
6.	Amtel NordMaster CL

Note: 175/65R14 tires tested

Winter is coming, and we have already tested budget winter tires in the popular size 205/55 R16. Already known models and novelties of the season took part in the test. Ten sets of tires were tested on winter roads and asphalt. A couple of pleasant surprises were presented by the domestic Belshina. But let's talk about everything in order.

At the winter test site in Finland, we tested ten sets of tires: Nokian Nordman RS2, Gislaved Soft Frost 200, Cordiant Winter Drive, Hankook Winter I*Cept iZ2, Dunlop Winter Maxx WM01, Kumho I`Zen KW31, Sava Eskimo Ice, Belshina Artmotion Snow Bel-317, Viatti Brina V521, Nitto Therma Spike.

The most expensive tires in our test were Dunlop tires - 195 rubles, but Russian Cordiant tires are the cheapest - 93 rubles. But all tires somehow belong to the budget line in their lineups.

The winter part of the tests was carried out at the polar range on ice and snow at a temperature of -10 ... -8 °C. The spring part of the tests took place at a temperature of +5…7 °C.

Ice test

Ice is not the most pleasant surface for friction tires, but if they are of the Scandinavian type, they should perform well even in such conditions.

In braking on ice, the gap between the first and last place was 4 meters. When braking from a speed of 25 km / h, this is quite a lot.

In the exercise "Acceleration on Ice", the situation has not changed much, only Hankook and Sava have changed places. However, for some, the results of this test may not be decisive when choosing tires.

But the ability of the tire to hold in the turn, that is, the level of lateral grip, is an important indicator. We evaluate it by moving at the maximum possible speed along the ice circle.

Here, unexpectedly, Viatti tires took second place, the four outsiders did not change. But for a more comprehensive assessment of the behavior of both tires and the car on ice, we conduct a series of races on a winding ice track. In addition to the lap time, we subjectively assess the handling of the car.

The main surprise was by no means the first place of Cordiant (although the Russian tires surprised), but the seventh place of Belshina. Moreover, the loss to the leaders is not so great, and for ourselves we noted that the car on domestic tires goes, albeit not too fast, but predictably, which means it is safe. Nitto frankly failed in this test, losing even the penultimate place by about 4 seconds.

Snow test

If testing on ice quickly reveals flaws in the design of the tire, then snow is no longer such a demanding surface. In braking, the spread of results was only 7%.

We cannot fail to note the excellent fourth result of Belshina. She lost a stopping distance meter to the leader. Nitto managed to fail in the snow, showing the greatest braking distance.

In acceleration on snow, the spread of results has already increased to 15%. At the same time, the first six kept within the difference within 5%. Belshina, alas, ended up in the top three, although in fact the loss of outsiders does not exceed one and a half seconds.

Despite excellent braking results, the Hankook tires ended up in last place in handling on the winding snowy track, losing about three seconds to the leader, the Sava tires. Belshina ended up in seventh place, demonstrating good traction. But the propensity to skid prevented a faster drive.

Asphalt test

In large cities, where roads are kept relatively clean in winter, tires spend most of their time on asphalt. You can also add the off-season periods when temperatures are already low, but there is no snow yet. In such conditions, winter tires must also provide safety. On pavement, dry and wet, we perform braking tests and evaluate handling on wet pavement.

It often happens that tires that did not perform very well in winter tests prove themselves on asphalt. This is exactly what happened to Belshina.

In braking on wet pavement, the Sava tires showed the best result. An unexpected second result is for Belshina. And Dunlop and Kumho turned out to have the longest braking distance - they "left" 4 meters further than the leaders.

On dry pavement, Nokian climbed to first place, Belshina dropped to sixth position, losing a little more than a meter to the leader, which cannot be considered a failure.

The last surprise came from Belshina in the handling test on wet pavement.

We managed to drive the fastest wet handling track on Sava tires. The fourth place of Belshina is an excellent result. In addition to a good absolute time for passing the track, we noted the reliable and understandable behavior of the car on domestic tires.

rolling resistance

The rolling resistance of tires is evaluated on a special stand. The parameter indicates how easily the tire rolls on the road. The lower this figure, the more economical it will be to ride on such tires.

Results and ratings

The results of all tests with grades can be viewed in the final table. If we analyze the intermediate scores, it turns out that in the asphalt part of the program, Belshina Artmotion Snow took fifth place, leaving behind only eminent brands. But the final ninth place went to the Belarusian tire manufacturers for lack of grip on ice.

First Place Winners Nokian Nordman RS2 showed themselves excellently in all "ice" disciplines, confidently kept on the snow and slowed down best of all on dry pavement. But they cost from 142 rubles. Recommended for those who live outside the city and most often ride on snow and ice.

Slovak tires lost quite a bit to Russian-made Finnish tires Gislaved Soft*Frost 200. But they pulled out due to good performance on asphalt, although in winter tests they also kept up with the leader. Good universal tires, but the price is slightly above average - 150 rubles.

Korean Hankook Winter I*Cept iZ2 they braked best on snow and never failed in other disciplines, for which they received a well-deserved third place. At a price of 140 rubles, you can choose them as a universal "shoe" if there is no confidence in the Russian product.

Polish Sava Eskimo Ice handled well on snow and wet pavement, but failed in acceleration on snow. The rest of the performance was average, so the fourth place. At the same time, the price is not the lowest - 129 rubles.

Russian tires with an indistinct name Viatti Brina V521 took fifth place in the test. They did not fire in any of the tests, but they did not fail either. Therefore, at a price of 96 rubles, they can be considered a good purchase for those who do not like to spend extra money.

Sixth place finishers Cordiant Winter Drive lived up to its name, ahead of all competitors in handling on ice. But at the same time they showed the worst result in braking on dry pavement. However, at the lowest price - 93 rubles - quite acceptable tires for moderate winters.

Chinese Kumho I'Zen KW31 and Japanese Dunlop Winter Maxx WM01 scored almost the same number of points, finishing seventh and eighth respectively. In all indicators, they were slightly below average, but without obvious failures. At the same time, Chinese tires cost 167 rubles, and Japanese tires cost 195 rubles (the most expensive in our test), so Chinese tires would be a more rational choice.

Ninth place went to domestic tires. The reason for the low place is poor results on ice, but confident behavior on asphalt, both dry and wet. At a price of 107 rubles Belshina ArtMotion Snow can be safely recommended to those who spend most of their time on clean city roads, occasionally getting on the snow. In addition, our tires boast a large tread depth of 10 mm.

Japanese tires Nitto Therma Spike did not show themselves anything special, while showing the worst results in three disciplines - handling on ice, braking on snow and handling on a wet track. At a price of 138 rubles, it makes sense to look towards other manufacturers.

Finnish tires have always been famous for their quality. So the tires immediately took the lead, showing the best results in 13 out of 16 indicators in the tests conducted by "Behind the Wheel". Compared to last year's Hakkapeliitta 7 wheels, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 has an almost 50% increase in the number of anti-skid studs, as well as a change in their location on the tread, as a result of which no stud overlaps the next one. In addition, the new stud shape avoids strong stud deflection under load, providing maximum traction. Thanks to this, Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires make it possible to achieve the highest level of traction on both ice and snow. In addition, Hakkapeliitta 8 tires guarantee excellent off-road capability for crossovers and easy handling on pavement.

Another newcomer to the market that came from Finland is the tires that won in. These tires are based on an innovative rubber compound with an abundance of crystalline polyhedral particles with a deep layer of occurrence, as a result of which the grip quality of tires with the road surface does not decrease as the tread wears out. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 tires are great for winter, avoid unnecessary fuel consumption and provide high acoustic comfort while driving. Of the weak points of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2, one can single out the average braking performance on open pavement.

Tires are another bright representative in a series of new products for the upcoming winter season 2013-2014. These tires have been built almost from the ground up using a range of new design and manufacturing techniques to take tire quality to the next level. First of all, we note the use of new, overload-resistant cross-shaped spikes Cross-Edge Pin with the function of self-cleaning of the lamellas from snow and ice dust. Also on the Blizzak Spike-01, a new tread pattern was applied with cross grooves with expanded intersections, and shoulder grooves were added to increase the off-road qualities of the tires.

Tires are no less technologically advanced, although they belong to the class of non-studded winter tires. An improved Multi-Cell Compound rubber compound was used to create them, and the tread was developed using a new generation of design software. Blizzak VRX tires were conceived primarily as an effective means of dealing with snow, and therefore the tread received two specialized tread patterns - an arrow-shaped tread for uniform traction and specially shaped cross grooves that provide a strong grip on snowy surfaces. Both patterns are located asymmetrically relative to each other, which greatly improves the off-road performance of the Blizzak VRX tires.

The tires (which “for some reason” did not take part in the “Behind the Wheel” test) are one of the few specially designed for harsh and frosty winter conditions with roads constantly covered with ice or snow. The new shape of the studs, as well as their improved fixation, provide reliable traction on both snow and ice. In addition, Michelin X-Ice North 3 tires are excellent at resisting possible vehicle skids, while not adversely affecting handling and directional stability. The third generation of these tires combines many new Michelin innovations (the Smart Stud System includes a new thermoactive rubber compound in the tread of the tire ThermoActive Tread Compound, as well as the technology of removing ice chips (Ice Powder Remover) and Michelin conical spike). The result is a 10% reduction in braking distance on ice and a 25% improvement in stud retention… well, the stronger sidewall in the new generation Michelin X-Ice North provides more safety for a longer period of operation.

Another studded novelty for the 2013-2014 season is. This rubber features the all-new Pirelli Dual Stud stud technology, which features a double extended tungsten carbide core, a flat outer surface to prevent premature wear, and a wide multi-directional base at the base of the stud to optimize load distribution and reduce mobility. The stud of the Pirelli Ice Zero tires itself has a bi-directional “double claw” shape, which allows you to more effectively “bite” into the icy road surface, providing a high level of flotation even with a dense and high snow layer.

The new tires are designed to provide unsurpassed traction on icy roads and effective braking on snowy surfaces. Their new lightweight aluminum studs with a hexagonal high-strength core and a reinforced base provide excellent G-force handling while also providing the right amount of traction for snowy off-road riding. Formula Ice winter tires use a more frequent stud pattern than a standard winter tyre, making the new product better in terms of emergency braking on winter roads. The new directional tread pattern with wide lateral grooves and a bi-directional central rib provides excellent handling on any surface, as well as fast removal of snow or water from the tire-to-road contact area.

We conclude our review of the new products for the upcoming winter season with Swedish tires, designed in collaboration with the German company Continental and positioned as premium tires. An interesting fact is that in Nord Frost 100 tires, the developers were forced not to increase, but to reduce the number of studs due to new EU requirements. As a result, advanced technology for the production of "three-beam" spikes "Tikka Spikes" with a reinforced base structure was born. In addition, the layout of the studs on the tread and their orientation relative to each other have changed. As a result, Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires demonstrate simply impressive braking reliability on snow or ice covered roads, as well as provide excellent maneuverability and vehicle directional stability in winter road conditions. True, we note that this will have to be paid for by slightly increased fuel consumption. The tread pattern of the Nord Frost 100 tires has also undergone a significant transformation: the central rib with oblique grooves is made of a harder rubber compound, which guarantees stability on the road, and the side zones are equipped with a large number of specially shaped diagonal grooves for more efficient removal of wet snow.

So, we got acquainted with the list of the main novelties of winter tires for the 2013/2014 season on the Russian market, now it's time to decide on a rating based on the results of in-depth testing conducted by the specialists of the Za Rulem magazine. We will not go into technical details and talk about testing methods, you can familiarize yourself with these data in the September issue of the magazine "Behind the Rulem". We will give the final rating, dividing it separately into studded and non-studded tires (R14 175/65 tires were tested).

The best studded winter tires 2013-2014 (according to the results of tests "Behind the Wheel"):

1. Continental ContiIceContact
2. Michelin X-Ice North 2
3. Gislaved NordFrost 100
4. Norman 4
5. Kama Euro 519*
6. Cordiant Polar 2
7. Amtel Nordmaster ST

* New Kama Euro 519 winter tires were tested outside the official standings, as they represent an experimental batch of tires from a well-known Russian manufacturer and, at the time of testing, have not yet been available for retail sale.

The best non-studded winter tires 2013-2014 (based on tests "Behind the Wheel"):

1. Michelin X Ice 3
2. Continental CVC5
3. Nordman RS
4. Bridgestone Bizzak Revo GZ
5. Pirelli Winter Ice Control
6. Cordiant Winter Drive
7. Yokohama iceGUARD IG50

In conclusion, we remind you once again that you can find detailed information about the testing methods and the exact results of this rating of winter tires in the September issue of the Za Rulem magazine.