TOP-10: Rating of winter tires 2020

The winter period is just around the corner and it's time to think about buying new winter tires if the old one has already fallen into disrepair. With the help of active Internet users, we have compiled a rating of the best winter tires at the current time. When selecting the nominees, we took into account the diameter of tires R14, R15, R16, R17, expert opinion, customer reviews and the results of voting on social networks and forums.

Rating of the best winter tires

10. "VIATTI BRINA NORDICO V-522"

The tenth place is occupied by a domestic product - wheels "VIATTI BRINA NORDICO V-522", a hybrid tire, a mixture of studded rubber and a friction wheel. The product is characterized by an asymmetric tread pattern. This placement has a clear plus - it's versatility. The outer side of the tread is pressed against a surface with a relatively high coefficient of grip, while the inner side behaves well on slippery roads. Additionally, domestic engineers decided to enhance the capabilities of the rubber and made the middle part almost indistinguishable from the friction tire. The number of studs has been reduced and the product now complies with the main European standards.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Good grip on the winter road (wet asphalt, snow, ice);
• High level of balancing;
• Increased strength.

Disadvantages:

• The price is slightly overpriced, as for a domestic manufacturer.

Customer feedback in one of the online stores: I have been using rubber for a year and so far I am satisfied with the results. It costs half as much as the Finns, but the quality is the same. The only negative is that it took a long time to get used to the wheels, after the usual velcro.

9. "KORMORAN EXTREME STUD"

The ninth position of the chart is given to winter tires "KORMORAN EXTREME STUD". The product is manufactured by a subsidiary of the MICHELIN Corporation. Rubber is ideal for driving on unclean streets, which is always important in post-Soviet countries. A large tread block, a symmetrical pattern, wide drainage grooves with which you can scoop up wet snow and mud like a scoop - all this should help the residents of, for example, Saratov or Ulyanovsk, get out of the most impassable mud.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Soft cushioning;
• The car drives out even from deep snowdrifts.
• Low price.

Disadvantages:

• High noise level;
• Not for dry roads.

8. "YOKOHAMA ICEGUARD F700Z"

In eighth place are the YOKOHAMA ICEGUARD F700Z tires. A somewhat unexpected result, since this winter tire was highly appreciated by professionals. Symmetrical tread pattern, large block, ergonomic design of the branch channels, ten rows of studs - all these nuances suggest that the tire was created for operation in harsh winter conditions. The design features of the product provide the ability to get out even from deep snowdrifts and confidently brake in a snowy mess. An additional plus is the use of an innovative development of the YOKOHAMA company - an external rubber coating with a white gel, which literally bites into ice crumbs and works like a sponge, absorbing water from the place of contact with the road surface.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Good grip on wet and snowy roads;
• Low price.

Disadvantages:

• Spikes fly out quickly.

7. "MARSHAL WINTERCRAFT ICE WI31"

The results of voting and evaluation of buyers, led to the seventh place MARSHAL WINTERCRAFT ICE WI31, from the Korean company "KUMA". The external spectacular cutting of the tread pattern did not become a weighty argument for the appraisers: as you can see, you won't get a lot of points for beauty, and the first places in the top went to practical and proven products. The spikes are in six rows, which many considered insufficient for our roads. Unfortunately, the voters also did not appreciate the really useful know-how: cutting the inner walls in the form of honeycombs, helping the wheels to get out of the impassable mud.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Low noise level;
• Fast and high-quality removal of snow and ice crumbs from under the wheels;
• High level of wear resistance;
• Low price.

Disadvantages:

• It handles a lot of snow and mud worse than its competitors;
• Poor cushioning on bumpy roads.

6. "HANKOOK WINTER I PIKE RS W419"

The sixth place was taken by the tires "HANKOOK WINTER I PIKE RS W419", also made by a manufacturer from South Korea. Real Russian users rated this rubber harshly, because according to the ratings of European and American buyers and according to the opinion of professionals from the Test World landfill, it takes an honorable second place. Most likely the problem lies in the price, which was not to the liking of Russian motorists.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Fast braking;
• High level of lateral grip on ice;

Disadvantages:

• Slow braking on wet or dry asphalt.

5. PIRELLI ICE ZERO

Winter tires "PIRELLI ICE ZERO" took the golden mean of the 5th place in the rating. The Italians use rally studs for their civilian wheels. They are reliable, durable and very difficult in their work: they look in different directions, literally bite into the ice and throw away the adhering snow and mud in different directions. In independent tests from Autoreview, the tires did their job so well that they took the third place of honor, and in a number of tests, such as resistance to gliding on a water film, braking on dry asphalt and handling on ice came second.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• High level of adhesion to any road surface;
• Improving vehicle stability during emergency braking
• Reliability and durability.

Disadvantages:

• High price.

4. "YOKOHAMA ICEGUARD IG55"

In the fourth place in the ranking is another model of winter tires from the YOKOHAMA concern: ICEGUARD IG55. The main advantage of the tire is one solid central rib, incorporated into the structure to increase speed characteristics. The second plus is the presence of inclined drainage channels, perfectly throwing away water and sleet with ice crumbs. The spikes are star-shaped; external helium spraying on the rubber is also present. One of the best winter tires for fast driving.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Ensure stable driving on ice and snow surfaces;
• New model of wear-resistant and durable cleat;
• Helium coating for absorbing and repelling wet snow with water.

Disadvantages:

• High price;
• Not for dry asphalt.

3. "MICHELIN X-ICE NORTH 3"

The deserved third place on the podium went to the development of the famous French company "MICHELIN". Winter tires "X-ICE NORTH 3" received favor in reviews and evaluations due to the fact that they have everything that is in trend today. A clever tread with a self-cleaning function from snow, an external rubber compound that can change the level of rigidity depending on weather conditions, tapered studs and shock-resistant, impenetrable sidewalls - these are the main advantages of this solid and high-quality product.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Reliable level of adhesion to icy surfaces;
• The car confidently enters corners on unclean roads;
• Do not skid in deep snow;
• Wear-resistant;

Disadvantages:

• Soft rubber: not suitable for active riding.
• High price.

 2. "NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA 7"

The second place in the rating of the best winter tires was taken by the wheels "NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA 7". Finnish rubber has long been known in our market and is in significant demand due to its quality, reliability and durability. The construction uses a hexagonal anchor stud, air-type shock absorbers, an eight-row stud and a unique tire tread design from Finnish designers. The main plus of rubber is that it has been repeatedly tested in real operating conditions, where it has shown itself from the very best side.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Excellent grip on ice
• Does not slip even in large snowdrifts;
• Excellent directional stability on wet asphalt;

Disadvantages:

• Increased noise;
• High price.

1. "NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA 8"

If you change the Finnish winter tires, then you should change it for the best. And what could be better than an improved old and proven model? As a result, our appraisers did not change horses on the crossing and gave the gold first place to a more advanced version of the Finnish product - "HAKKAPELIITTA 8". The eight is considered the best winter tires for the second year in a row and it is unlikely that it will give up its leading positions in the 2017-2018 winter season.

Advantages and features of winter tires:

• Vehicle stability when cornering due to good balancing;
• Reliable traction with the road surface in winter;
• In the nests, the thorns sit firmly and do not fly off.

Disadvantages:

• High price;
• Increased noise level while driving;
• It should not be used on ordinary dry asphalt due to the low level of traction.

What should be considered when buying winter tires and which one is better to choose?

Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to these questions, since each person has his own personal preferences and needs. Someone is interested in the ability to drive fast even on winter, slippery roads, others are interested in the question of price, for others it is important to get durable tires that will last for several seasons. The only thing we can say is that all the manufacturers on the list make quality tires that provide the highest level of safety when driving on snowy roads. The final choice depends only on your individual preferences.