Dimension 215/65 R16 is the most common among "crossover" tires, and many manufacturers offer two or even three models - with varying degrees of "off-road". In order not to get stuck in this diversity ourselves, we introduced the tire manufacturers to our test program - and shifted the burden of choice to them. The approaches turned out to be different. The company, for example, felt that frankly road tires would perform better. Scorpion Verde, although Pirelli has more “toothy” tires in its arsenal Scorpion STR. Approximately the same way went and the company Continentalproviding road tires for testing CrossContact UHP. But for Michelin were "toothy" tires. Yokohama unveils new all-terrain tires Yokohama Geolandar SUV, and Bridgestone and Dunlop declined our offer, which, of course, did not become a reason to exclude tires of these popular brands from the test: we bought tires and Dunlop Grandtreck AT3.

We also had Korean tires ( Hankook DynaPro HP and ), and Russian ( Viatti Bosco A/T and Cordiant All Terrain ), and the twelfth set is the tires that were “shod” on the conveyor Renault Duster: Continental CrossContact LX.

List of tires tested:

• Viatti Bosco A/T

We mount all tires on light-alloy wheels, balance them… And here are the first results! Least of all lead was spent on balancing Hankook, Kumho, Yokohama and Amtel tires, and Dunlop and especially Cordiant required the most - almost half a kilo of weights per set! This is an indicator of the so-called mass tire heterogeneity. It is clear that the less weights were required for balancing, the better the tire was made.

We assemble an irrigation system from hoses and garden sprayers - and proceed to the races on wet pavement. First - braking from 80 km / h. On each set - at least six times, applying maximum effort to the pedal (Duster is equipped with ABS). We measure the distance traveled to the stop, average the results - and state that on the best Pirelli tires in this type of test, the car froze after 26.5 meters, and on Dunlop tires - almost ten meters further.

The same wet asphalt, but the task is different: to determine at what maximum speed the tester will be able to keep the car in the marked corridor, simulating a turning arc with a radius of 35 meters. That is, if in the previous exercise the grip properties of tires on wet asphalt in the longitudinal direction were evaluated, now it is the ability of tires to perceive lateral loads. The alignment is the same: the best -, the worst - Dunlop.

And the last “wet” exercise is an imitation of a detour around an unexpected obstacle. His results also reflect the susceptibility of tires to lateral loads, but this time the loads change dynamically - both in direction and in absolute value. The task is to "grope" top speed clean execution of the maneuver. If the tires allowed our test rider to dodge an obstacle at a speed of 71.8 km/h, then on Dunlop tires the car began to fall out of the marked corridors at speeds above 66.5 km/h.

Now - emergency braking and "rearrangement", but already on dry pavement. The alignment is the same, except that they joined the outsiders, Dunlop tires, on braking Russian tires Cordiant All Terrain.

But let's not forget about birthright. When the first pneumatic tires appeared more than 120 years ago (by the way, the invention of John Dunlop), comfort was considered their main advantage! And how are things with the comfort of the pneumatics of our days? Alas, the most "tenacious" tires turned out to be the most "tough" - these are tires and tires Continental CrossContact UHP. On a bad road it is much more pleasant to ride on tires. And they make less noise than others. Tires are quite comfortable Continental CrossContact LX, tires Cordiant All Terrain and tires Yokohama Geolandar SUV. However, even the noisiest tires in our test Continental CrossContact UHP and tires do not cause irritation.

Now - the assessment of rolling resistance. Acceleration to 110 km / h, transition to "neutral" - and wait until the car stops. The longer the run-out, the lower the rolling resistance and, accordingly, the less energy will be required to overcome it, and as a result, the gain in fuel efficiency. In this exercise, Kumho and Bridgestone tires showed themselves better than others, and worse - Cordiant All Terrain. In practice, this can mean a difference in fuel consumption in the range of five to six percent.

And finally, permeability. We went to the same unpaved proving ground track that the Renault Duster had already driven on during our accelerated endurance test. Remember the joke that the better the cross-country ability, the further you run after the tractor? The "tractor" was a UAZ, and the most "passable" tires - Yokohama Geolandar SUV. On them, Duster confidently leaves a deep rut, famously climbs slippery slopes. Excellent tires for the autumn thaw! Works well off-road Dunlop tires. But Pirelli is getting into a puddle here - the “smooth” tread works great on asphalt, but is helpless in the mud.

Let's move on to the results. We assumed that the "weighted average" owner of a car like the Renault Duster would have a maximum of 20% of mileage off-road driving, hence the share of "off-road" ratings in the overall standings. The remaining 80% is asphalt, and we paid more attention to safety on wet asphalt. With such priorities, the test winners are tires and tires Continental CrossContact LX. Moreover, if we recommend the first ones to those who rarely drive off the asphalt, then the second ones are more universal. BUT best tires for those who often have to knead the dirt - Yokohama Geolandar SUV. By the way, Nizhnekamsk Viatti Bosco A/T tires were a pleasant surprise. Considering their price - a great option!

And further. Most of the tires that took part in the test are marked "M + S" ( Mud+Snow, « dirt + snow”), which implies their year-round operation. But we deliberately did not include tests on winter surfaces in the testing program, since we are sure that in most regions of Russia it is better to drive on real winter tires in winter.

All tires indicated in the test you can purchase in Tula in our stores

The popularity of installing all-season tires on SUVs is understandable - many models leave the factory assembly line with just such tires, so when replacing them, car owners do not go too deep into the features of choosing tires in accordance with the season. Attracts consumers and what is often all season tires called all-terrain, i.e. for driving on any road.

Why, then, summer tires are better for SUVs? To answer this question, Avtocentre specialists selected seven tire models from different manufacturers. Among them are two summer ones, radically different in tread pattern, and five all-weather ones. Two summer tires won - Nokian and Uniroyal. But the difference in their final score is small, and for all-seasons the spread of points is quite significant.

The tire test was carried out at the Gerotek test site in South Africa, where everything is tested, even military equipment.

Gerotek landfill in South Africa

Among them there are very good models, and "middle peasants" and outsiders. Thus, all-season tires from Goodyear and Barum, which have balanced performance on all surfaces and show average and above average results in all tests, according to the final assessment, approached the Uniroyal summer tire. The latter with excellent hydroplaning resistance lagged behind Nokian due to the worst grip on dry pavement. It is worth noting that on asphalt, all-season tires were better than summer tires only in single tests. And when checking the off-road potential, the features of the tread pattern of two summer tires which came as a surprise...

off road

In contrast to the performance on asphalt, traction on unpaved roads was also tested.

Since “SUVs” are often bought for field trips, a test was included in the test program to check the traction of tires on the ground. And the most interesting thing is that at this stage of testing, the best was Pirelli tire Scorpion STR, which showed poor results on asphalt, especially on wet surfaces.

At the same time, the leader of the asphalt is the tire Nokian Hakka The SUV ended up in the tail, which is quite understandable due to the presence of a longitudinal continuous block and longitudinal grooves in the tread design. It is also important that for driving on dirt roads you can choose tires with good traction characteristics from the summer line. This was proved to us by the Uniriyal Rallye 4x4 street tire, which performed at the all-terrain level.

Braking with ABS on wet pavement from 80 to 5 km/h

Braking with ABS on dry pavement from 80 to 5 km/h

Stopping distance when braking from 80 km/h to 5 km/h. No measurements were made below 5 km/h - when the wheels are blocked, the error increases.

Hydroplaning resistance

The speed at which the tire lost contact with the road was checked, which was manifested by the beginning of the car's withdrawal from a given trajectory.

Aqua stability in turn

The behavior of the car was evaluated when driving through a water bath in a turn. The expert put a subjective assessment based on the nature of the withdrawal to the side.

Handling on wet pavement

The handling test was evaluated subjectively while driving on a constantly irrigated winding circular track.

Handling on dry pavement

The handling test was subjectively controlled on a winding circular track.

Lateral grip on dry pavement

Lap time on a winding circular track. Instrument control - VBOX Racelogic.

Lateral grip on wet pavement

The control was carried out on two tracks - wet circular and wet winding circular.

Acoustic comfort

Acoustic comfort was controlled from the outside while the wheels were rolling at a speed of 60 km/h.

The level of comfort was assessed subjectively when driving on several types of pavement - uneven pavement, washboard, road joints and hatches.

Ground pull

Time to overcome the control distance at the start "from a place" with the included traction control.

General table of results (click to enlarge)

Owners of crossovers, especially all-wheel drive, often refer to the seasonal change of staff summer tires for winter without enthusiasm. After all, almost all native tires are marked with the M + S index, which de jure allows you to drive them in winter. The main thing that residual depth tread was not less than 4 mm (otherwise - 500 rubles fine). But you need to understand that the M + S marking absolutely does not oblige the manufacturer to anything! For marking, no tests or certificates are required confirming the suitability of tires for winter, and therefore, more and more often it can be seen on frankly summer, moreover, “asphalt” tires, which incidentally indicates the devaluation of not only the letter S (snow, “snow”), but also M (mud, "mud"). So we don’t look at the letters, but at the tread, and if we don’t see a lot of small slots-lamellas, then we conclude: it’s dangerous to ride on such in winter. And even better, when there is a “Snowflake” stamp on the sidewall in the form of three mountain peaks with a snowflake, these models really passed the test on a snowy track. The participants in our test are all with this marking: these are 14 sets with spikes and nine without.

The test program is standard, all the tracks of the White Hell test site near the Finnish town of Ivalo are well known to us - and most importantly, to be lucky with the weather. Almost lucky: there was no snowfall, although the temperature danced from 5 to 23 degrees of frost, so its influence had to be taken into account by conducting additional races on the "reference" tires. But the measurements of the longitudinal dynamics took place in a closed hangar with a more stable temperature.

This is where the embarrassment happened with Nokian tires, and with a model that has been produced for more than a year. Both in acceleration and in braking, studless Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV yielded not only to principal competitors, but even to the tires of their own "second line" - Nordman RS2 SUV tires! Nokian testers working in the neighborhood were alarmed, they repeated the measurements themselves ... An internal investigation showed that the failed tires were produced at a plant near St. Petersburg at the end of 2016, more precisely on the 48th week. Then there was a failure in the technological cycle. They did not share details with us (apparently, there were deviations either in the duration or in the temperature of vulcanization), but they assured that the defective batch did not go on sale. Although on the outside everything is in order, and even the hardness of the tread rubber is the same as on the tires released in the 41st week of 2016 (their results were taken into account), but the difference in grip on ice reaches eight percent.

After measurements in the hangar, we get out into the hardening frost - and once again we notice that as the temperature drops friction tires they begin to catch up and even overtake the spikes. At minus twenty, the ice becomes so hard that the studs cannot scratch it, and the tread rubber of most studded tires is harder - in the cold, friction tires are more elastic, they have a longer total length of slots-lamellae.

We, again, take into account changing conditions and adjust the results, but if all tests were carried out in light frost, friction tires would roll back to the bottom lines of the protocols.

Handling tests were carried out on the ice of the polar lake Tammijärvi

And in the snow, frost plays into the hands of friction models: while maintaining the elasticity of the tread, they better cling to the snow shagreen.

This time it was possible to support the cross-country ability assessments with instrumental measurements - acceleration time in deep snow with the traction control system turned off. It is curious that Russian tires topped and closed the rating: the best are Cordiant, and the most helpless in the virgin lands are Viatti tires manufactured by the Nizhnekamsk Tire Plant.

The asphalt part of the tests is especially relevant for residents of large cities, where the streets are cleared of snow and ice for most of the winter.

The final part of the tests is already in April, on "summer" surfaces. And in passing, we note that this time there were no tires littered with spikes.

At the top of the final ranking are the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 SUV tires. Expected result: if the model of the previous generation regularly won in our tests, then the new one, and even with two types of studs, easily outperformed the competitors.

Expensive? Then we carefully look at the points, at the main advantages and disadvantages of other tires - and choose best option affordable. And yet we avoid buying outsider tires - such savings threaten incomparably large costs.

Studded tire rating

Hakkapeliitta with index 9 is the novelty of the season: two types of spikes are used here for the first time. Those in the middle part of the tread have transversely oriented carbide inserts: they are responsible for the longitudinal grip, and at the edges of the tread rise some kind of trefoils that work effectively in corners. And this is not a marketing trick: a clear superiority over competitors both on the handling track and in braking on ice. Yes, and in other forms winter tests tires are top notch. On asphalt, grip is moderate, and the main problem is noise at speeds from 70 to 90 km / h.

The best tires for harsh winter conditions!

This year, Hankook officially opened its polar test site in Ivalo, Finland: the routes and test approaches are in many ways similar to those used by Nokian Tires. This also applies to the features of the tires themselves: the number of star spikes was increased, which ensured decent test results on ice. But in deep snow, tires do not shine, as well as on asphalt, and besides, they make a lot of noise. But it's easy for them to forgive: Hankook tires Winter i*Pike RS+ is one and a half times cheaper than the Finnish novelty.

Tires made in Voronezh are flavored with powerful studs-brackets - and work smartly on ice during acceleration and braking. But in corners - sharp breakdowns in sliding, so without a stabilization system you have to be on the alert. But - a good balance of grip on slippery roads and on asphalt, and therefore they can be safely recommended for winter operation in big cities. If you do not make high demands on acoustic comfort.

Tires are produced at the Russian plant Continental near Kaluga. The Gislaved brand is owned by Continental - and the Nord*Frost 200 model copies the asymmetric tread pattern of the first generation ContiIceContact tires, but the studs are simpler in shape and without thermochemical fixation. However, they also work well - especially in the transverse direction.

In general, these are well-balanced tires for use both in large cities and beyond.

The tires were produced at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant and the tread pattern suspiciously resembles the Finnish Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 tires, which even became a reason for a lawsuit. But Cordiant managed to justify itself - and increase production volumes, including by expanding the range of dimensions. Decent tires for the money, but they don’t like asphalt roads: they don’t hold very well, and rolling is accompanied by a loud and unpleasant rumble of the tread. Tires are not for the city.

Nordman tires are the "second line" of Nokian Tires, and for production, molds of obsolete Nokian tire models are used. The novelty of the Nordman 7 SUV season is the reincarnation of the Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV, produced from 2010 to 2017. Good grip on ice and snow, and on asphalt even better than the current "mother" model. Including acoustic comfort: there are fewer spikes.

The model was introduced in 2012 and has not yet received a replacement. On ice, the tires work well in the longitudinal direction, but in corners they sharply break into slips. On the snow, including virgin lands, everything is much better. But on the pavement, the aggressive pattern generates an obsessive low-frequency rumble from 30 km / h.

Michelin with the X-Ice North 3 tire continues to bend the line to comply with European studding regulations: no more than 50 studs per linear meter of tread. And the spikes themselves are simple, round in section. This led to an unimportant hold on the ice. On packed snow, the picture is better, but getting out of a snowdrift is a problem: the tread is to blame.

BFGoodrich tires are Michelin's "second line", they are produced at the same plant in Davydovo near Moscow as Michelin X-Ice North 3 tires. But the tread is its own, original. It is a pity that there are also few spikes, they are round, excessively recessed, and as a result, mediocre behavior on ice.

On snow, including on virgin soil, the situation is better. And even better - on asphalt, although you need to remember that the permissible speed is 160 km / h, although studded competitors have 190.

Formula - "second line" Pirelli. In last year's tests at Lada Vesta, tires took fifth place, but now the figures are more modest. Especially on ice. Even after break-in, the protrusion of the studs above the tread surface is less than a millimeter (last year we recorded 1.1 mm on new tires). On packed snow, the results are better, although we do not recommend climbing into snowdrifts. They hold up well on asphalt.

A good budget tire option for urban use.

For many, the Made in Japan brand is a sign of quality. But with winter Toyo tires Something went wrong. It seems that the spikes are not simple - with cruciform inserts, and the studding is of high quality, but on ice the grip properties are moderate, as well as on snow. However, the response of the car to control is well balanced.

On asphalt - far from the best comfort and grip.

Joy - a low price, which is consistent with the quality of tires.

Under the "Italian" name - tires produced in Nizhnekamsk using off-take technology. The design and manufacturing process is the product of an engineering firm run by a former Continental executive. However, grip on ice and snow is mediocre, and most of all upset that winter tires, “designed by European specialists specifically for Russian roads”, were helpless in deep snow. Also, they are noisy and harsh. Not an option - even considering the low price.

One could immediately assume that the ice tests of the Yokohama Ice Guard 55 tire would fail. Instead of the prescribed 1.2 mm, the spikes protrude an average of 0.57 mm - and do not work. And the buyer expects Japanese quality- even though the tires are made in Lipetsk.

There are also complaints about the tread: on rolled snow - the maximum braking distance, and on virgin soil - the worst traction abilities. For Russian conditions, other tires are needed, and they already exist: this season, sales of a new Yokohama models IG65 with an increased number of "curly" spikes. More details about new tires - in one of the next issues of Autoreview.

Interestingly, duplicated in the name win - is it from the word "win" or from the word "winter"? Better fit, for example, wintry ("cold", "unfriendly") or winch ("winch"). What kind of winter or victory can we talk about if studded tires are inferior on ice to most friction tires, and on the handling track Nexen is the slowest in the overall standings? Tread rubber is clearly not designed to work at low temperatures, as evidenced by its increased hardness.

Of the positive emotions, only relatively quiet (for tires with spikes) rolling remains.

Rating of non-studded tires

Off-road tires, with the SUV index, have sidewalls reinforced with aramid fiber, which is reminiscent of the Aramid Sidewalls brand. So with impact resistance, unlike the "passenger" tires of the same name, there should be no problems.

In severe frost, Nokian friction tires provide excellent grip on ice, behave well on snow, and small complaints appear only on asphalt.

Excellent winter tires for use in the city and beyond.

Leapfrog. The year before last, we liked the ContiVikingContact 6 tires on asphalt, but they didn’t work well on ice, last year the situation reversed, this year it’s better on asphalt again ... Of course, the dimensions are different, but the reason must be sought in the composition rubber compound: Last year the tread rubber on the ContiVikingContact 6 tires was noticeably softer.

Now we are taking into account the latest version of these tires manufactured at the end of 2016. Not ideal on ice and snow (especially deep), but they work perfectly on asphalt.

Good winter tires for urban use. And the most comfortable!

Since studs are prohibited in Japan, local manufacturers are focusing on friction winter tires. So we will assume that it is natural that

Lightweight tires with soft, quiet rolling. But at the same time, there is an imbalance of “winter” grip properties in the longitudinal and transverse directions, and sharp breakdowns in sliding seem to be provoked by sidewalls that are soft for a heavy crossover. Indeed, in the range of Goodyear winter tires there is a model specifically for crossovers and SUVs - Ultra Grip Ice SUV, but these tires are not available in size 215/65 R16. However, if the car is equipped with a stabilization system, then Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 tires are a good choice.

The tread pattern is exactly like the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R tires, but the materials are simpler. Another option to extend the life cycle of molds. And - given the price - a very good option. Moreover, in certain disciplines, Nordman RS2 SUV tires are even more preferable: the braking distance on ice is shorter!

Quality tires for a reasonable price. On ice, they are almost as good as the leaders among tires without studs, and on snow they have even better grip in the longitudinal direction. Although the handling is harsh on the track and rowing is mediocre in deep snow.

Grip properties on asphalt are above average, there are no problems with comfort either, which means that these tires are relevant for large cities.

The Gislaved brand continues to lose authenticity. So the “new” Gislaved Soft*Frost 200 is nothing more than ContiVikingContact tires of the year before last, the third generation. Fortunately, these are balanced tires - safe, comfortable, not very expensive - and therefore we safely recommend them for urban use, although an accidental drive into a snowdrift may delay the planned trip.

The Marshal brand belongs to the Korean company Kumho Tire, however, according to the tread pattern and even the rare R speed index, these tires copy the Finnish Nokian Hakkapeliitta R tires - and some sellers play on this similarity. By the way, on snow and asphalt friction tires Marshal and Nokian are close, but on ice the loss of the copy is already obvious. It is also one of the noisiest and toughest friction tires available.

Winter tires Nitto (brand owned by Toyo Tires) appeared in Russia recently. The Therma Spike model managed to please us with traction on ice, but it lost the most spikes on asphalt. And the Nitto Winter SN2 friction tires immediately showed their helplessness on ice and in snowdrifts. And the more surprising is the failure of these tires even on asphalt.

Something is wrong with these Nittos...

The German magazine AutoBild has tested more than 50 summer tires in size 185/60 R 15 for compact cars. First places in the braking test went to Pirelli, Continental and Dunlop.

AutoBild is again looking for the best tires for the new summer season. There are 53 summer tires for compact cars (185/60 R 15) on the test track. Experts have carefully studied their stopping distance, handling, hydroplaning protection, noise and comfort levels, as well as economy (wear resistance and rolling resistance). The first part of the test measured the stopping distance of each model on dry and wet roads at a speed of 100 km/h. And only 18 tires showed best result, were admitted to the second part of the test, where their operational properties were considered in detail.

This season's surprise: the Nankang XR611 Toursport achieved the best result in the wet with just 35.4 meters. True, on wet pavement, its braking distance was extended by 25 meters - not enough to get into the "major league".

Balanced behavior demonstrated Pirelli Cinturato The P1 Verde (37.0 and 47.5 meters dry and wet respectively) is the best overall result in the test. It is followed by Continental PremiumContact 5 (36.6/48.1 meters), Dunlop Sport BluResponse (35.9/49.5 meters) and Bridgestone Turanza T001 (36.4 / 49.8 meters). The most dangerous brands were Sailun, Autogrip, Tristar, Silverstone, Toyo, Rotalla and Maxtrek, which took more than 70 meters to stop on a wet road. For comparison: where the car on Pirelli tires stopped, the car with Maxtrek tires continued to rush at a speed of over 65 km / h.

Test results.

The next 18 tires received a pass to the second round of the test.

The popularity of installing all-season tires on SUVs is quite understandable - many models leave the factory assembly line with just such tires, so when replacing them, car owners do not delve too deeply into the features of choosing tires in accordance with the season. Attracts consumers and what is often all-season tires called all-terrain, i.e. for driving on any road.

Why, then, summer tires are better for SUVs? To answer this question, Avtocentre specialists selected seven tire models from different manufacturers for the test, which took place in South Africa at a special training ground. Among them are two summer ones, radically different in their tread pattern, and five all-weather ones. Two summer tires won - Nokian and Uniroyal. But the difference in their final score is small, and for all-seasons the spread of points is quite significant.

The tire test was carried out at the Gerotek test site in South Africa, where everything is tested, even military equipment.

Among them there are both very good models, as well as "middle peasants" and outsiders. Thus, all-season tires from Goodyear and Barum, which have balanced performance on all surfaces and show average and above average results in all tests, according to the final assessment, approached the Uniroyal summer tire. The latter with excellent hydroplaning resistance lagged behind Nokian due to the worst grip on dry pavement. It is worth noting that on asphalt, all-season tires were better than summer tires only in single tests. And when checking the off-road potential, the features of the tread pattern of two summer tires appeared, which was a reason for a surprise ...

off road

In contrast to the performance on asphalt, traction on unpaved roads was also tested.

Since “SUVs” are often bought for field trips, a test was included in the test program to check the traction of tires on the ground. And the most interesting thing is that at this stage of testing, the Pirelli Scorpion STR tire became the best, which showed poor results on asphalt, especially on wet surfaces.

At the same time, the leader of asphalt - Nokian tire Hakka SUV ended up in the tail, which is quite understandable due to the presence of a longitudinal continuous block and longitudinal grooves in the tread design. It is also important that for driving on dirt roads, you can pick up tires with good traction characteristics from the summer line. This was proved to us by the Uniriyal Rallye 4x4 street tire, which performed at the all-terrain level.