Click here to read the test scores from evo's 2011 winter tyre test Click here to read the verdict from evo's 2011 winter tyre test
Introduction
If you’ve driven in snow on winter tyres you will be convinced that they are most definitely A Good Thing. Come late Autumn, drivers in large parts of Europe switch over to winter tyres and in some areas it’s a legal requirement. Most UK drivers struggle through on what our neighbours call ‘summer’ tyres, reasoning that the snow doesn’t stick around long enough to justify the expense of fitting another set of tyres. However, it’s claimed that winter tyres also work better in cold, wet conditions, and we get long periods when our roads are slick and treacherous.
Winter tyres have improved significantly in the last 10 to 15 years and are now quiet and can be used in summer conditions too, though they offer less grip and precision than a summer tyre. Is the solution the ‘all-season’ tyre? This more recent and largely North American invention has been designed to cope with winter and summer conditions.
Our test takes all three tyre types – winter, all-season and summer – in the popular 225/45 R17 size and puts them through comprehensive tests on snow, on cold, wet tarmac and on dry tarmac. Measured test results make up 75 per cent of each tyre’s total score while subjective scores for wet and dry handling, feel and refinement account for the final 25 per cent.
Click here to read the test scores from evo's 2011 winter tyre test
Click here to read the verdict from evo's 2011 winter tyre test
The tyres on test:
Winter tyres (and typical cost per tyre):
Continental ContiWinterContact TS 830 P £177
*Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D Succ £165
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 2 £189
Michelin Alpin A4 £222
Nankang Snow SV-2 £94
Pirelli Sottozero W240 Serie 2 £165
All Season Tyres
Hankook Optimo 4S £133
Kumho Solus Vier £115
Vredestein Quatrac 3 £144
Summer Tyre
Continental ContiSportContact 3 £127
* A pre-production tyre included for reference only.
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