Nokian Nordman and Nokian Hakkapeliitta: which is better and what are the differences? Comparison of Yokohama tires with global brands Which winter tires are better than Hankuk or Nokian

Recently, more and more motorists are paying attention to Nokian tires. IN model range The company has a variety of winter tires, which attracts customers. However, many of them wonder whether it would be better to purchase tires from another manufacturer? To answer this question let's compare winter tires Nokian with models from other brands.

Nokian or Goodyear

Top winter model Nokian has Hakapelita 8. Goodyear has Ultra Grip Ice Arctic. The Hakkapeliitta 8 tires feel ideal on Russian winter roads, as they were developed specifically for such conditions.

There are increased numbers of spikes on the surface of the rubber. Paired with a modified tread pattern, they significantly improve traction in difficult conditions.

They are resistant to the effect of aquaplaning, as they have a drainage system through the grooves of which moisture and snow are removed. They have improved wear resistance, ideal grip on ice and snow, and also provide minimal braking distance.

However, in ruts, tires behave unstably and are characterized by high cost.

Goodyears are also suitable for harsh winters and are also suitable for off-road use. Thanks to the change in rubber composition, they have an increased service life. Advantages of this model:

• directional stability will be maintained at high speed,
• resistant to aquaplaning.

But when they hit a rut, they can skid.

If we compare Nokian and Goodyear, then it is impossible to give an exact answer. Nokian has better grip and cross-country properties, but at the same time the cost of these tires is higher. If financial capabilities allow, then it is best to purchase Nokian, but if not, then Goodyear, since they also have acceptable performance.

Nokian or Cordiant

The company Cordiant is the best model – Snow Cross. Its cost is approximately the same as that of Hakkapeliitta 8, so the comparison conditions are close. Cordiant improves vehicle dynamics and prevents slipping on snow and ice. Handling in such conditions is excellent.

The directional stability of the tires is at a decent level. However, on asphalt surfaces, the braking distance increases, and at high speed, fuel consumption increases significantly. Among other things, the tread pattern causes additional noise.

Hakapelita 8 does not have such disadvantages. There is only one - poor resistance to rutting. However, compared to the disadvantages, Cordiant is only a minor drawback. As you can understand, Nokian is a noticeable leader in comparison with Cordiant and is suitable for any operating conditions.

Nokian or Hankuk

When choosing winter tires, many motorists are faced with a choice: Hankuk or Nokian? To answer this difficult question, consider the Hankook WinterI Pike RSW419 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 models. Both models are equipped with studs and are presented in the same class - for passenger cars.

Nokian have the following advantages:

• increased resource,
• ideal grip and maneuverability in harsh conditions,
• minimum braking distance.

However, its disadvantages are that when hitting a rut there is a risk of skidding, and the cost of tires is quite high. Hankook tires have slightly worse performance, but the grip is almost the same due to the increased number of studs.

The cost is much lower. That is why it is better to choose between these two models in accordance with your financial capabilities.

As it turned out, Nokian is noticeably in the lead compared to Cordiant. However, it is approximately on par with Hankook and Goodyear. Therefore, when choosing, it is best to take into account individual preferences and the allocated budget.

Every motorist is faced with the problem of choice quality rubber for your car. Today this has become much more difficult. Presented on the car market huge assortment tires of the most different manufacturers. And most of them are of very high quality.

How to choose tires wisely

To do right choice, there are several important points to consider. First of all, this concerns cost. Sometimes the price of tires is quite reasonable, and the quality matches the wheels produced by a well-known manufacturer. That is, you can always choose a budget option.

Of course, the service life expensive tires differs in duration. They have a wide tread that quickly drains water. In addition, they reduce braking distances on icy roads.

When choosing tires, regardless of their price, you need to focus on important nuances:

• Tires must match the dimensions vehicle. The appropriate size can be found in its technical manual.
• Maximum speed.
• Tire category.
• Seasonality.
• Possibility of braking on icy surfaces.

It is very important that the speed and maximum load values ​​coincide with the tire dimensions. Failure to comply may result in suspension failure.

Yokohama or Dunlop

The cost of these tires is approximately the same. However, before making a choice, it is worth getting to know them technical characteristics. Find out what advantages each model has.

Yokohama

For production, the manufacturer uses computer technology. Therefore, the tire fully meets international standards.

New tires reduce braking distance.

Winter wheels are equipped metal spikes original design. They provide reliable grip on icy roads. Skidding of the car is completely eliminated. A studded tire increases the safety of the trip and makes it more comfortable.

Especially for the summer season, the wheels are made of rubber, which does not begin to melt when high temperature.

A universal (all-season) tire is made of two-layer rubber. It can remain elastic in severe frosts and not melt in extreme heat.

There are models that have special semicircular holes on the tread. Due to them, tires repel snow, dirt and water, and quickly clean themselves. Longitudinal grooves prevent wheel slippage, maintaining lateral stability cars.

The rubber is designed for long-term use. Sometimes this period exceeds 10 years.

Each wheel undergoes a thorough check. Samples with the slightest deviation from the norm are rejected. Therefore, the company guarantees 100% quality of its products.

Dunlop

The wheels have a wide tread. The design of the drawing and its calculation were performed using computer graphics. The rubber adheres tightly to the road surface, ensuring complete safety of the trip.

The tread has a non-directional symmetrical pattern. The car never skids when wet or very slippery road.

When driving over potholes and potholes, no shocks are felt inside the car.

Tires provide minimal braking distance. This is very important for driving on city streets.

Winter models are equipped with steel studs that provide excellent traction. On such tires the car never skids.

Summer tires are made of special rubber. It prevents melting at high temperatures.

All-season ones are made of several layers. As a result, the wheels do not freeze in severe frosts and do not melt in hot weather.

Dunlop can be used for a long time. If used correctly, they will last more than 10 years.

The characteristics of both tires are almost the same. Motorists speak only positively about them. At low cost Each model has improved quality characteristics.

According to car owners, Yokohama is more suitable for slippery roads. If you install Dunlop, you should use all-season options. They show excellent results in winter cold and summer heat.

Of course, when choosing a tire, you also need to take into account its parameters and characteristics. Wheels with different parameters often behave differently.

Yokohama or Nokian

World famous Nokian wheels are produced in Finland. In our country they are manufactured in Vsevolzhsk. Products are certified according to ISO 9001 standard.

A special feature of Nokian tires is a wear indicator. It allows you to easily measure the tread depth. Finnish tires guarantee powerful grip on any road surface, regardless of its surface. The trip is as comfortable as wet asphalt, and on an icy road.

According to experts, the quality of Nokian tires is slightly higher than Yokohama, so if possible, it is better to install Finnish tires.

Yokohama or Hankook

IN South Korea Hankook tires are considered the best for winter. Many global car manufacturers, such as Volvo and Volkswagen, produce their cars with Hankuk tires.

They have become very popular in our country thanks to high quality and low cost. Motorists note several positive qualities:

• Low price.
• Excellent stability.
• Softness.
• Doesn't make any extra noise.
• Small braking distance.
• Long service life.

Hankooks are more suitable for normal use. If we are talking about sports cars, the best will be Yokohama.

Pirelli or Yokohama

The Italians produce Pirelli models:

Highway

Road wheels for driving on asphalt. Not designed for winter use.

Snow

Special winter tires. They are distinguished by full traction on icy surfaces or snowy roads thanks to the original tread pattern. Rubber can withstand severe frosts.

Flaws:

• Poor handling.
• Lots of noise when driving on dry asphalt.
• Increased tread wear.

All Season

All-season tires. Can be used on snowy roads. Creates good grip on icy surfaces. Tread wear is kept to a minimum.

Performance

Special tires for high-speed driving. They have powerful traction and make driving easier. Designed for high temperatures.

Flaws:

• Create discomfort when moving.
• Wear too quickly.

All Season Performance

All-season, for high-speed driving. Can be used all year round. The car remains stable on icy roads and shows good results on dry asphalt.

Both Pirelli and Yokohama are of impeccable quality. They have proven their reliability in any type of driving. It is very difficult to give preference to any product. The choice will depend on your individual approach, as well as your driving style.

Earned the title of best new tire"Nokian-Hakkapelita 8" performed by SUV: it has 943 points. Excellent grip on ice, excellent on snow, high cross-country ability, clear handling, clear course on any road are combined with high fuel efficiency. The disadvantages are average braking properties on dry asphalt. In my opinion, among crossover tires, Hakka stands out for its most balanced properties. True, the price is steep: 6310 rubles (all prices are given as of August 2014, when the article was being prepared for publication - Ed.) per piece!

In second place was the Goodyear-UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire. The Arctic tire scored 933 points, only slightly behind the leader. It demonstrated better grip on ice combined with good braking properties on wet asphalt and fantastic cross-country ability in deep snow, turning the crossover into an air-cushion vehicle. But Goodyear did not reach first place due to insufficient braking properties on dry asphalt and a low level of comfort: these tires hum noticeably when driving. One more thing weak point– thin sidewall, which explains the record low weight of 10 kg: such a tire is easy to damage on potholes. However, in terms of price-quality ratio, Goodyear (5.24) is noticeably more attractive than Nokian (6.69).

Having earned 906 points, Pirelli Ice Zero tires made in Russia took third place. They are better balanced than Goodyear and demonstrate even grip on any surface; high cross-country ability coexists with clear directional stability on asphalt. The downside is the low level of comfort. The price is reasonable: 4830 rubles per piece.

Not far behind, a new product from the second tier of the Nokian company, the Nordman 5 SUV model, took fourth or fifth position. Performance characteristics on ice, snow and asphalt are average, except that lateral grip on ice and snow is above average. Our experts appreciated the excellent directional stability on asphalt and the clear reactions, like summer tires. However, handling on snow and ice is only satisfactory. As a result, 899 points.

“ContiIceContact” fought with “Nordman” to the end and scored the same points as its competitor - 899. The difference between the models is that they are balanced differently. Strengths“Conti” – impressive performance on snow and ice, reliable stud fixation: these are the only tires in which the protrusion of the cores above the rubber did not change during running-in and testing. At the same time, they are reluctant to brake on dry asphalt and do not like snowdrifts. And the price is 6000 rubles. A little expensive, and in terms of price-quality ratio (6.62), the Continental is closest to the winner of the test.

Having earned 896 points, the Gislaved-Nord Frost 100 SUV rose to sixth place in the final protocol. Like the Nordman, these tires differ from the leaders in their more modest performance on ice and snow. Acceleration on the Gislaveda is weak, and in addition, it does not have very confident lateral grip. But the “Swede” can boast of excellent braking on asphalt (the best on wet), clear handling and precise course following on any road. The price is quite reasonable - 4,570 rubles, but still higher than that of Nordman, which took fourth place.

Seventh place and 881 points – the result of the Hankuk-Winter I-Pike RS tires. Persistent Koreans are relentlessly improving their “spikes” step by step. In South Korea, as in Japan, studded tires are prohibited, so the Hankuk company works for Russia and Scandinavia. In terms of performance on ice and snow, the Hankuk is close to the Gislaved and Nordman, slightly inferior to them in braking on ice. Braking on dry asphalt let us down: compared to the leader, the braking distance is 8% longer. However, among the expert assessments there is not a single failure: all are not lower than 7, and directional stability on asphalt is rated even higher - at 8 points. Minor drawback– increased protrusion of spines. Some stick out almost 2.5 mm and can fly out. You can buy such tires for 3930 rubles apiece, and this bargain: price/quality ratio is 4.46.

Domestic " Cordiant-Snow Cross" was able to score 865 points and take eighth position. Among the budget options (price 3,660 rubles) - perhaps best choice. Braking on ice is better than that of the “Gislaved” and “Nordman” along with the “Koreans” and “Japanese” - however, due to the stud protrusion increased to 2.2 mm. On snow, these tires also provide short braking distances. And on the asphalt, “Snow Cross” loses 10% to the exercise leaders - apparently, excessively protruding spikes interfere. On any road, be it a winter road or clean asphalt, there is no need to rush: when adjusting the direction, you will have to turn the steering wheel at large angles and take into account steering rear axle. The tires do not offer comfort: they make a loud noise and are excessively harsh on uneven surfaces.

In ninth place are Formula Ice tires: created by Pirelli, but produced in Russia. The grip on snow is weak, and on ice it’s also not great – in braking they are 23% behind the leader. But on wet asphalt they show record results (on par with Gislaved) and stop well on dry asphalt. Unfortunately, they cannot boast of a smooth ride, and they also categorically refuse to move in deep snow. As a result, “Ice” scored 858 points. Price – 3720 rubles.

Bridgestone-Blizzak Spike 01 is in tenth place with 857 points. The assets include average traction on snow and above average on ice, tolerable handling and directional stability on asphalt. In the passive – the worst braking on asphalt, increased consumption fuel, reluctance to move in deep snow and a low level of comfort with a particularly annoying loud noise from the tread and studs. And the price is not a bargain - 4460 rubles.

In eleventh position (847 points) are Japanese tires “Toyo-Observ G3 Ice”. They are weaker than the Bridge in snow and ice disciplines and even in braking on wet asphalt. True, in dry conditions they brake a little better than the countryman. And they occupy an average position in terms of fuel consumption. Not so noisy and harsh, but do not have clear directional stability at any winter road and they don’t like snowdrifts. We consider the price of 4380 rubles to be overpriced.

TEST RESULTS

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Expert opinions on each tire are presented below

This test will allow you to enjoy extreme testing and clearly see the advantages and disadvantages of a number of basic models of winter studded tires. For comparison, ten tires from various leading global manufacturers were selected, all of which are leaders in their industry. These tires were Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8, Continental ContiIceContact, Gislaved Nord Frost 100, Pirelli Winter Ice Zero, Michelin X-Ice North 2, Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic, Dunlop Ice Touch, Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000, Hankook Winter i*Pike and domestic Kama Euro-519.

The number of studs - care for the roads or driver safety?

When comparing models of winter studded tires, it is necessary to separately highlight the problem of the number of studs themselves installed in the tire. Discussions about tightening the rules for the use of studs have been going on in the Scandinavian countries for a long time, and the reason is increased wear of the road surface. The “greens” began to claim that asphalt dust is also carcinogenic, that is, it causes cancer. And in 2009, a new standard was announced - up to 50 studs per linear meter, regardless of the tread width or tire diameter. At the same time, the previous restrictions remained in force: the protrusion of the studs above the tread surface should not exceed 1.2 mm.

What about security? After all, the more studs, the better, other things being equal, the “hook” for the ice... They left a loophole for the tire manufacturers! It turns out that you can install more studs, but then you will have to prove that denser studs will not increase the destructive effect on the road. As a result, a method for full-scale assessment of the impact of studded tires on the road surface was developed at the Finnish testing center Test World. In a nutshell, after a certain number of rides on granite tiles, the mass of this tile should not decrease more than after the same impact of reference tires with a “legal” number of studs.

However, there was no rush demand for such tests. For example, Michelin decided that this was not a completely fair way to get around the new restrictions - and threw all their efforts into improving tires with a reduced number of studs. The developers of the new Gislaved tires did the same. Nord Frost 100. And the rest?

The rest have fully loaded their production capacities in order to produce as much as possible more tires, studded according to the old rules (no more than 130 studs for 16-inch tires). After all, the ban that came into force on July 1 concerns the production, but not the sale, of tires with the “wrong” studding!

And only company Nokian Tires went its own way: the number of studs on the tires of the new Hakkapeliitta 8 model not only did not decrease, but increased by one and a half times! Naturally, the mentioned test was passed, and, as we learned, it was carried out not at the Test World test site, but in our own testing center near the town of Nokia. It turns out that this is possible - under the supervision of an official observer from the transport security agency Trafi. Competitors, naturally, made a fuss - they say that with so many spikes it is impossible to successfully pass the test!

Ice testing

The testing team gets down to their hard work. One by one, the tire sets are subjected to the most brutal tests in the most icy conditions. Finally, the last, tenth set of studded tires was tested for “acceleration-braking” - and... The first sensation! ContiIceContact tires have the shortest braking distance. They also provided the car with better acceleration dynamics. And although the advantage over the “bristling” Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires is very small, it is there! That is, 190 studs lined up in 18 rows perform no better on the ice than 130 studs distributed over 12 rows. At least in 14-degree frost. Why? Yes, because to reduce the harmful effects on the road surface, the Finns really had to change the design of the studs: they are not only lighter, but also smaller - in height and diameter - than those used in Continental tires. And those that were previously used in Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 tires. And the carbide insert on the “small” studs is not so powerful.

The two favorites are hot on the heels of the new Pirelli Winter Ice Zero tires.

Another bright new product this season promises to be the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires. There are already 96 “legal” studs - and they provide quite decent braking on ice, although during acceleration they are only the eighth result. The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Dunlop Ice Touch and Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires, familiar to us from last year’s tests, were also ahead. By the way, why is Michelin represented by the second generation X-Ice North tires and not the third? The company decided that it would be better not to give these tires to anyone for comparative tests until the new model is officially launched on the market.

Bridgestone also prepared new products for the winter season, but also refused to provide them before the official premiere. Therefore, in the overall standings - Bridgestone tires Ice Cruiser 7000, which will also be actively sold on our market this coming winter.

Korean school presented Hankook tires Winter i*Pike, and the Russian one - Kama Euro-519 tires. On the ice, the results of both are very modest. But for now we are talking only about grip qualities in the longitudinal direction.

The handling assessment began with driving around an ice circle at the highest possible speed, and continued on a winding track, where both lap time and a subjective assessment of the comfort and reliability of control were taken into account. In these exercises Nokian tires Hakkapeliitta 8 have already achieved a convincing victory. Excellent cornering performance, excellent control over the car on the highway! They can also be safely recommended to those who go to amateur ice races: “taking off” a couple of seconds from a lap is not a problem!

Continental tires are in second place, and closely behind them are the second, albeit small, but still a sensation - Gislaved tires. They made it possible to drive the car very confidently along a winding road.

Another surprise were the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires. With them, the car brakes and accelerates well, but it doesn’t hold up well in corners and even “jumped” off the icy road a couple of times. Fortunately, there are not meter-long snowdrifts around, but safety stripes with a ten-centimeter layer of fluffy snow.

Snow element

The next day the frost dropped from fourteen degrees to minus seven. Testers have at their disposal a 600-meter track with perfectly packed snow. The work will be monotonous: acceleration to 50 km/h, braking, acceleration again, braking again... But if previously the driver was required to work with the pedals in order to prevent unnecessary wheel slipping at the start and blocking during braking, now electronics monitor this - Traction Control and ABS. And soon, it seems, it will be possible to do without a driver altogether.

Let's look at the results of manual tests on snow. It is easy to see that when braking they are very close: the difference between the best tires(Dunlop Ice Touch) and the worst (Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000) is less than three meters, which is within ten percent. When accelerating, the spread is a little larger, about 20 percent, and the favorites here are different - the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires. That is, the Finns have conjured up not only the studs, but also the tread - after all, in the snow it is not so much the studs that are important, but the tread.

And on the handling track, winding around fir trees and snow-strewn boulders, Nokian tires are the calmest: quick reactions and fully controlled slides. Moreover, when sliding, it is better not to slow down, otherwise the stabilization system, which is turned off by the button, will “wake up” and the pace will decrease. Another indicator: if on Nokian tires the stabilization system was “awakened” only once, then on other tires it was activated much more often - due to errors caused by extended slips (the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 and Kama Euro-519 tires were especially upset by them) .

Driving on asphalt

At the beginning of spring, winter tests were supplemented with a cycle of “asphalt” tests. First, we looked at how the tires behaved on slush - a snow-water porridge that covered the asphalt in an even layer. The depth of this layer is only 3.5 cm, and Hankook tires float at a speed of 19.4 km/h. However, the best Bridgestone tires in this type of testing are not far behind - their limit is 21.2 km/h. And on wet asphalt, no longer mixed with snow, the shortest braking distance belongs to Gislaved tires, and the worst - to Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8.

On wet asphalt, Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires performed rather poorly, but on dry pavement they showed one of best results. This, by the way, is a reason to remind again that modern studded tires work on asphalt no worse, and sometimes even better, than studless tires Scandinavian type- those that are popularly called Velcro. This is due to the stiffer rubber, which is necessary for reliable fixation of the studs. There is still a myth in circulation that a studded tire rolls on asphalt, relying more on the studs than on the rubber. But in fact, the spikes, in contact with the asphalt, are recessed into the body of the tread, practically not reducing the contact patch between the rubber and the road. However, it all depends on what goals the manufacturer sets when creating a specific tire model. By changing the tread pattern, hardness and chemical composition of the rubber, you can shift the balance of qualities, giving preference to either behavior on slippery winter surfaces (ice, snow) or on asphalt.

With the Dunlop Ice Touch tire model, this balance is clearly shifted towards the asphalt: the Audi A3 brakes confidently and responds best to sharp turns of the steering wheel. But on ContiIceContact tires, the braking distance on both dry and wet asphalt is a couple of meters longer, that is, preference is given to “winter” qualities.

Where studded tires always lose to non-studded tires is acoustic comfort. There is clearly more noise from them, especially if the tread has as many as 190 studs, like Nokian tires. However, even with fewer studs, Kama Euro, Pirelli, Continental and Bridgestone tires click about the same. And the quietest tires are Michelin X-Ice 2. Along with the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires, they are also the softest.

How are these soft tires will they behave if they fall into a hole or run into an asphalt ledge? The test team subjected winter tires to a similar experiment. At a speed of 40 km/h, the car runs into a steel channel installed at an angle of 30 degrees - a piece of U-shaped beam. If the tire holds up, the attempt is repeated at a speed of 45 km/h. And so on until the tire “gives up the ghost.” To avoid damaging the suspension of the brand new Audi A3, it was replaced with a well-worn Mercedes-Benz C 180.

The Bridgestone tires withstood the most impacts: they were only punctured at a speed of 70 km/h! And this is no coincidence: when developing their tires, the Japanese take into account the specifics of bad roads, strengthen the structure and test it themselves with crash tests.

The Continental tires also hold up well - they gave up at a speed of 60 km/h. The bulk of the tires were finished off at a speed of 50 km/h, but the Michelin tires, which we initially liked for their softness, were punctured in the very first race, at a speed of 40 km/h. It was even decided to repeat the experiment - what if it was an accident? As a result, the second Michelin X-Ice North 2 tire with a through hole is sent to a landfill. Again, everything is understandable: the French company is paying more and more attention to reducing rolling resistance, for which the sidewall is becoming thinner (this reduces the so-called hysteresis losses - energy consumption for heating due to deformation).

The tires were also tested for rolling resistance using a running drum. And it turned out that Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires roll easier than others, and not Michelin X-Ice North 2. But this is without studs, since studded tires would damage the calibrated surface of the drum. It is not a fact that this rating will not change with spikes. However, in terms of fuel consumption, the difference is still small - the bulk of the tires are separated by 0.2-0.3 l/100 km. And the difference between the most “economical” and the most “gluttonous” tires (as expected, they turned out to be Bridgestone tires) is 0.6 l/100 km. And yet, since the experiment was carried out without spikes, its results were not taken into account when calculating the final estimates.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8

Overall rating: 9.0

• Handling on ice and snow
• Braking properties on dry asphalt

• Noisiness
• High price

With such and such a number of spikes, victory over competitors, especially in ice disciplines, should be simply devastating! But the matter was limited to simply victory, without defeat. On the track the handling is the best, the car is a pleasure to drive. But the advantage over ContiIceContact tires, which have 60 fewer studs, is insignificant, and in terms of acceleration dynamics, Continental tires are even better. Because although there are a lot of studs in the tread of Finnish tires, they are small: the diameter, stud height, width of the carbide insert - everything here is smaller than that of Continental tires. Perhaps, at a higher temperature, on “soft” ice, the effectiveness of “small” spikes would be higher, but our tests took place in 14-degree frost.

Nokian tires are traditionally good on snow: precise and timely reactions to the steering wheel and gas.

But on asphalt the behavior is unstable. Nokian tires provide good deceleration on dry surfaces, but on wet surfaces they provide the longest braking distance. And the expected drawback was the “itching” sound from the studs, which did not leave the cabin throughout the entire speed range.

Continental ContiIceContact

Overall rating: 9.0

• Grip properties on ice and snow
• Handling on ice and snow
• Impact strength

• Grip properties on wet asphalt

On ice the ContiIceContact tires are great. Acceleration and braking are the best in the test, and the balance of drift and drift on the ice track is such that you are driving not in the front, but in the four-wheel drive vehicle. You let off the gas a little at the entrance to the turn - and then you drive the car in an arc in a controlled slide with four wheels!

The tires are also good on snow, and only the not always appropriate slight tendency for the rear axle to skid did not allow us to give the highest score for “handling reliability.”

On asphalt, grip properties are at an average level, although the “Rearrangement” maneuver was done very well. The car reacts sluggishly to the first impulse, but then the tires “squeeze” and withstand lateral overloads well. It's a pity, the soundtrack during such maneuvers is very intrusive - the Continental tires howl quite a bit even on a straight line, and the noise intensifies in turns.

These tires hold up well. And the studs in them hold on to the last: in order to pull out a stud set on glue, you need to apply a force 2-2.5 times higher compared to other tires.

I wonder if the ContiIceContact tires will still perform as well on ice after switching to a lightweight stud? Such tires with the HD index, produced after July 1, 2013, have already appeared at Russian dealers.

Gislaved Nord Frost 100

Overall rating: 9.0

• Traction and handling on ice
• Grip properties on snow
• Grip properties on asphalt

• Moderate handling on snow

"Not in numbers, but in skill!" The tread of the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires has only 96 studs with a standard offset, but on ice these tires are better than many tires that have 130 studs. On the handling track - the third time, but the gap from the leader, who has almost twice as many studs, is less than a second! It’s not for nothing that German tire makers (Gislaved today is 100 percent a product of Continental) worked on a new tread and new “triangular” studs! The slips are small and easy to control.

And in the snow there is decent behavior, although on the track the handling is hampered by sharp slips.

But on wet asphalt - minimal braking distance! At the same time, the tires make little noise and gently “swallow” bumps.

In general, they are well-balanced winter tires: they work confidently on country roads and are almost ideal for city use. And the price looks reasonable.

Pirelli Winter Ice Zero

Overall rating: 8.7

• Ice grip

• Moderate handling on ice and snow
• Noisiness

These tires came to our test a month and a half before the official premiere (AR No. 17, 2013) - we didn’t even know the real name of the model, since there were no markings on the smooth sidewall. But both the tread and the spikes new design were already “marketable” - now both the insert and the tenon body have a complex trapezoidal shape.

As for longitudinal dynamics on ice, Pirelli tires are almost on a par with the test leaders. But on the controllability track there were sharp slips into lateral slips. However, Pirelli tires, whether winter or summer, have always given the car sharper, sportier reactions.

Similar behavior is observed on snow, but here the grip properties in the longitudinal direction were at an average level.

On asphalt there is good deceleration, both on dry and wet.

The smooth ride is good, but there is a lot of noise - the hum is audible even when driving on packed snow.

Albeit with reservations, we also recommend these tires - primarily for those who drive in winter mainly on city streets cleared of snow.

Michelin X-Ice North 2

Overall rating: 8.5

• Comfort
• Grip properties on wet and dry asphalt

• Insufficient resistance to slashplaning
• Low impact strength

When we conducted this test with the participation of Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires in early February, we received an invitation to the official premiere of the next tires generation-X-Ice North 3. But all attempts to get new tires for testing failed! However, in Russia the new product will not appear in all sizes and half of the sales volume of Michelin studded tires will be in X-Ice model North 2.

Decent tires, and with a pronounced family feature of Michelin tires - high stability on slippery roads and soft, understandable transient processes. The bad thing is that the slides themselves last a little longer than we would like.

This was also evident on the asphalt: extended slides prevented the “rearrangement” from being performed at high speed. But there are no problems with braking, and the level of comfort is beyond praise: these are the softest and quietest tires in our test!

They could use a stronger sidewall, otherwise when hitting an “obstacle,” the thin rubber breaks at a speed of 40 km/h, although most tires last up to 50 km/h, and some remain intact at higher speeds.

Overall, very comfortable winter tires that are best used on the streets of large cities.

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic

Overall rating: 8.4

• Braking performance on ice and snow
• Grip properties on wet and dry asphalt
• Impact strength

• Handling on ice
• Traction on snow

Introduced last year, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ace Arctic tires immediately topped our tests, but this year's performance wasn't quite as impressive. The reason could be changed weather conditions, the progress of competitors, but it seems that the issue is due to lower quality studs. The “cocked-cornered” studs themselves have not changed, but most of them turned out to be excessively recessed into the tread - the offset is on average 0.9 mm versus 1.2-1.3 mm for competing tires. Here we need to look for the reason for the lag behind the test leaders in both acceleration and braking on ice. And on the handling track, the lag goes beyond the bounds of decency: the Audi A3 on Goodyear tires covers the 800-meter track ten seconds longer than on Nokian tires! Last year we noted that Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires work better in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction, but now the imbalance has worsened - the car holds up very poorly on an arc!

On snow, the handling situation is better, but there are problems with acceleration. On asphalt - at the level of average peasants. It is curious that the clatter of the studs is almost inaudible, but the tread itself howls throughout the entire speed range.

What these tires definitely pleased us with was their resistance to impacts: they took third place in this discipline.

With normal stud quality, these tires would certainly be able to compete with the leaders, but based on the results of our test, we would not recommend using these tires on cars without electronic systems stabilization.

Dunlop Ice Touch

Overall rating: 8.3

• Braking performance on snow

• Handling on ice and snow
• Smooth ride

According to the final assessment Dunlop tires only 0.1 points inferior to Goodyear tires. No wonder: the Dunlop brand today is three-quarters owned by the Goodyear concern, and the Dunlop Ice Touch and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires were developed by the same team of engineers. The tread patterns are different, but everything else - the depth of the grooves, the hardness of the rubber and the studs - is the same. Unfortunately, the quality of the studs is also the same: the studs in the Dunlop tires also turned out to be set deeper than necessary. By the way, the tires were made at the same plant in Poland.

The problems with handling on ice are also similar: Dunlop tires hold up noticeably worse in the transverse direction than in the longitudinal direction. Driving a car along a winding road is difficult due to sudden, unexpected slips.

But on snow - minimal braking distance! At the same time, acceleration and handling characteristics are the same “sluggish” as on ice.

But on a dry surface there is a minimum braking distance and maximum speed performing a "rearrangement". The car reacts clearly and quickly to steering turns, which is very rare for winter tires! True, there is side effect- increased rigidity when passing small irregularities.

Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000

Overall rating: 7.5

• High impact strength
• High resistance to slashplaning
• Traction and handling on asphalt

• Grip properties on ice and snow
• Comfort
• Handling on ice and snow

Aggressive tread, cut by a fine network of wavy lamellas - and studs lined up in 14 lines. But the studs are ordinary - with cylindrical inserts, and the tread rubber is not as “tenacious” as that of competitors, which is indirectly evidenced by its increased hardness - 20% more than Nokian tires. And the result is very modest grip properties on both ice and snow. Handling also leaves much to be desired (speed in corners is limited by unpleasant sliding of the front axle).

On snow and water slush, Bridgestone tires float up later than others. And they work excellently on asphalt: on the “rearrangement” the reactions are so fast and accurate, as if the car was “shod” not in winter, but in all-season tires. And most of all I was pleased with the impenetrable sidewalls. But there is a trade-off here: a stronger sidewall is also stiffer, so Bridgestone tires do not have the best effect on a smooth ride.

Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires will certainly find their poor buyer, especially in the outback - where tires are often replaced not because of tread wear, but because of “holes” received in holes. However, this fall dealers will offer an alternative Ice tires Cruiser 7000 - new model Blizzak Spike-01 (details in the next issues of Autoreview), but evaluate the improvements within comparative test We will only be able to do it next year.

Hankook Winter i*Pike

Overall rating: 7.5

• Grip and handling on dry asphalt

• Grip properties on ice and snow
• Low resistance to slashplaning
• Grip properties on wet asphalt

Even at the stage of “static” measurements, we assumed that Hankook tires were superfluous in this test: most of the studs barely protrude above the tread level. There are those that rise only 0.3 mm! Such studs, of course, do not work on ice - the car slides dangerously both when braking and when turning. But at the same time, it receives a decent rating for the reliability of control: yes, the car slips and therefore drives slowly, but the limit on grip properties is felt well, the stalls are soft, and there is a good balance of drift and drift. It happens like that.

However, Hankook tires failed to shine on snow, where studs no longer play a big role. The tread does not cope well with drainage functions - in slush (snow-water mixture) Hankook tires float up earlier than others. They also work poorly on wet asphalt (the braking distance is too long) - and only on dry asphalt everything is more or less in order. But this is not enough to recommend Hankook Winter i*Pike tires as winter tires. True, there is an argument that for many sounds stronger than arguments about safety: Hankook tires are exactly half the price of Nokian tires.

Kama Euro-519

Overall rating: 7.1

• Braking performance on snow

• Ice grip
• Handling on ice and snow
• Low level of comfort

Despite the tread pattern, which is very reminiscent of Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4 tires, Russian tires Kama Euro-519 cannot yet compete on equal terms with imported analogues. Longitudinal traction on snow is encouraging, but on the handling track all hope disappears. It is difficult to “tuck” a car into a turn, and therefore before each of them you need to reduce the speed more than in the case of other tires.

The picture on ice is also sad: slips are also poorly predicted and poorly controlled. Yes, and there are problems with braking on ice. The reason seems to be the same as in the case of Hankook tires: insufficient protrusion of the studs above the tread surface. On average - 0.8 mm: such a reach is not enough for a good “hook” on ice.

On asphalt the tires perform at an average level. When performing sharp maneuvers, reactions to the steering wheel are “smeared”. And even though the thorns make a slight clattering noise, the tread hums quite a bit. And on uneven surfaces these tires are among the toughest.

Yes, Kama Euro-519 tires took last place in our test. But if you remember the price and the star cast of participants, then this is not just the last, but an honorable last place. And if the manufacturer establishes control over the quality of studding, then, you see, it will be possible to claim higher and no less honorable places.

These days, relentless tire marketing changes the state of mind of unprepared customers much faster than a skilled hypnotist. Millions of dollars invested in the promotion of already established and completely new brands have prepared for us a huge number of simple and correct solutions that, at first glance, do not require proof.

Choice optimal option- not the easiest task

New products of the season, created solely thanks to innovation, are pouring down on us like from a cornucopia. The ideal tread shape, a completely new rubber composition, fuel economy, improved grip characteristics and even such an abstract argument as the design of the tire are presented by advertising as an excellent reason to buy. But what is behind these words? Are they really synonymous with quality, reliability and comfort? Well, well, let's try to figure it out and put everything in order.

Dexterity and a little cheating

It's no secret that in an effort to justify the need to purchase a particular product, the manufacturer often resorts to some tricks. Even such a simple parameter as test temperature can play a cruel joke when choosing rubber. If you test tires at 15 degrees in cloudy weather and at 25 degrees in sunny weather, the results can change significantly.

And if you remember the nuances of the road surface, the wide range of tire sizes, the ability of rubber to age and the condition of the tread, you immediately give up. In fact, the increased safety and reduced braking distance declared by the manufacturer can only be achieved under certain conditions that are specific to your real life can only have a mediocre relationship.

Cheat sheet for the buyer

Judge for yourself, if in St. Petersburg the average temperature from April to October is 11.6 degrees, an average of 62 mm of precipitation falls, and road potholes formed after winter are not so uncommon, then in Rome - 20 degrees, no frosts and precipitation in 2 times less. So will we get the coveted security of premiums? european tires, and is it worth paying for it?

The situation for tire buyers is, of course, difficult, but not as hopeless as it might seem. To prevail in the “enemy territory” of cutthroat marketing, we will arm ourselves with basic knowledge about the types summer tires and let’s take as our allies the test results of Russian and European publications. Then we will invite their majesties logic, statistics and the Internet and try to draw unbiased conclusions.

Some basic knowledge

A summer tire differs from a winter tire not only in its tread pattern, but also chemical composition rubber used. Since the latter is a trade secret of the manufacturer, it is easier for the average buyer to use such a formulation as hardness. For summer tires it always exceeds 60 Shore units, and for winter tires it is 48-55 units. In fact, hardness indirectly indicates the temperature range of use of tires, and the outlier range of 55-60 units falls on the all-season tire segment.

Using winter tires in summer is not economically justified due to high wear and low grip properties at temperatures above 15 degrees. Of course, at low speeds, careful driving style and tiny mileage in cold summer conditions, the use of non-studded tire options can be logically justified, but the price to pay for such savings may be too high. This situation is well illustrated in the Autoreview test results, where expensive winter tires turned out to be worse than the most budget summer options.

Summer tire tread patterns

If we exclude from the review special-purpose tires, which are not used on ordinary passenger cars, then formally there are four tread groups left:

Tread patterns

• Classic tread the most common and universal: it has an average noise level and does not depend on the direction of rotation. Typically this pattern is used on budget models tires and does not impose special requirements on the direction of rotation when installed on a vehicle.
• Directional symmetrical It is always marked on the outer side with the direction of rotation. This type of tread removes water well from the contact zone and has increased resistance to aquaplaning.
• Directional asymmetric The pattern is also marked "Rotation" and is sometimes additionally marked with the words "Inner" and "Outer" to indicate inside and outside.
• Asymmetrical non-directional tires are usually designed for extreme driving conditions, as they allow for more abrupt lane changes. They are marked similarly to directional asymmetric ones, i.e. They have markings on the inside and outside.

Seasonality

For use in summer period The following types of tires are suitable:

• all-season,
• summer

All-season - is it worth it?

All-season necessarily contain the marking ALL SEASON and sometimes M+S; such tires have many transverse straight grooves or curved sipes designed to displace water from the contact zone. They are more passable on dirt roads, capable of providing good grip on snowy and wet roads, but are noisier compared to summer road tires. At temperatures below -5 degrees Celsius or above +25, the effectiveness of such tires begins to decrease.

A driver operating a regular car in the territory of post-Soviet space in 99% of cases I’m interested summer tires are road type only. Summer tires for SUVs off-road(marking All Terrain or Mud Terrain), sports track tires or slicks for drag racing are needed by a few, and the requirements there are more specific. In our review we will be based on the needs of the majority of drivers, so road tires are relevant for us.

These tires are designed to drive on hard surfaces, regardless of whether it is dry or wet. They necessarily have wide longitudinal grooves, the number of which determines the stability of straight-line motion and the ability to drain water from the contact patch at high speeds.

If such a tire is additionally marked by the manufacturer as HIGHWAY, then it demonstrates its best performance on highways, however, in the winter or transition period in the presence of snow, mud or ice, operation of this type is tantamount to suicide.

High-speed tires labeled PERFORMANCE behave similarly, differing from the previous type in being more resistant to overheating and allowing you to move, accordingly, at higher speeds and loads.

All Weather tires

Tires with a pronounced V-shaped tread pattern are sometimes called rain tires, since this shape allows water to be very effectively drained from the contact zone. If the tread, in addition to longitudinal grooves, has a large number of transverse grooves, then such tires are sometimes labeled as “All weather”, i.e. all-weather. This is a step towards all-season tires, since their tread is virtually identical, however, since the composition of the rubber remains a mystery to us, it is still not worth using such tires at sub-zero temperatures.

These tires will be ideal for drivers who have increased safety requirements on wet roads and do not want to skid on the first hill with mud or wet grass on the way to the dacha.

Summer tire test results for 2014-2015

So, we got acquainted with the theory, now we move on to practice. This is where things get much more confusing than it seemed when studying information about tread types. Tests from such authoritative sources as the General German Automobile Club (abbr. ADAC - Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club), Russian automobile magazines “Behind the Wheel”, “AutoReview”, as well as collections of tests from independent European online publications come to our aid.

What immediately catches your eye is that recent years The leaders of the tire world ratings remained unchanged. As five years ago, the top positions are consistently occupied by products from such brands as Nokian, Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, Pirelli and Dunlop, which is not surprising, given the very high price category. Perhaps the main feature here is the emergence and growth of production of some brands, for example Nokian, on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Tire parameters

A very interesting event is the growth in the quality of tires from the Korean manufacturer Hankook, which, despite the middle price segment, is not inferior to the leaders in many respects. An interesting trend is also observed in the lower price segment, where Chinese and Russian manufacturers. And if China continues to arouse mistrust, then such new domestic brands like Nordman and Cordiant, on the contrary, they have become strong middling in quality while remaining affordable.

Optimal solution

Economy class

Buying four tires requires a serious financial sacrifice from the family budget, but if your religion allows you not to idealize the tire gods, then you should not change traditions. The budget segment has always been a compromise; there have never been and never will be ideal solutions.

Although if you remember what inexpensive summer tires were fifteen years ago, then, as they say, it’s “heaven and earth.” So which summer tires are best?

Our selection of summer tires
Cordiant Sport 3 (Russia)	Formula Energy (Russia)
Where to buy:	Where to buy:
Price: 2700 RUR (for 205/55 R16)	Price: 2699 RUR (for 205/55 R16)

Middle price segment

As they say, “the optimal combination of price and quality,” and it’s difficult to add anything to this statement. When braking on dry surfaces, Hankuk beat half of the much more expensive tires, and on wet surfaces he became a new tire deity. Nordman was slightly inferior in grip characteristics, but saved money, besides, as they say on the market: “Nordman came up with and made Nokian in order to sell the same tires cheaper!”

Our selection of summer tires
Hankook Ventus Prime2 (Hungary)	Nordman SX (Russia)
Where to buy:	Where to buy:
Price: 3190 RUR (for 205/55 R16)	Price: 2900 RUR (for 205/55 R16)

Expensive tire segment

For those who do not like to skimp on their safety, Michelin will excellent option. In almost all tests of various publications, this tire takes first place in 2015, and its only drawback is the price. If you still don’t like the Michelin brand or have problems with the availability of tires, then Nokian would be an excellent choice.

Our selection of summer tires
Michelin Primacy 3 (Germany)	Nokian Hakka Blue (Russia)
Where to buy:	Where to buy:
Price: 3800 RUR (for 205/55 R16)	Price: 3890 RUR (for 205/55 R16)

All-season tire segment

Neither manufacturers, nor market sellers, nor tire shop employees like all-season tires. Just think, while normal people buy two sets of tires and change them every five years due to natural aging, someone manages to buy one.

From a marketing point of view, this is a blatant injustice, and it would be easier for everyone to forget about this type of tire, but bad luck, demand always generates supply and marketing forces are powerless here. The German club ADAC states: there is an all-season tire that brakes better than some budget tires- both in winter and summer. Testers clarify: good all season tires the brakes are only 5% worse than the average summer or winter ones, and in the off-season this is an ideal option!

Well, the choice is yours, and we have the best options:

Our selection of summer tires
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons (USA)	Hankook Optimo 4S (Korea)
Where to buy:	Where to buy:
Price: 5740 RUR (for 205/55 R16)	Price: 4816 RUR (for 205/55 R16)