Post date: 05-Dec-2013 18:44:37

Winter Tyre Test - Food for Thought?

The safety margin between summer tyres and winter tyres is easily the difference between having a crash and not, and proves that there's still a compelling case for switching when the temperatures drop. If every driver had the opportunity to drive winter and summer tyres back-to-back on snow covered road, we would have no debate about switching to winter tyres in the UK.

How does a top selling summer tyre compare?

The difference in grip is huge. On summer tyres you lose control of the stearing quickly as the wheels spin, making even the simplest trip a white-knuckle ride.

Autoexpress (6 November special No.1,293) carried out a full test of numerous tyres with wet tests done close to the seven degree celsius point at which winter tyres start to have an advantage, but even then the summer tyre was only just ahead. The margin was also narrow in the dry tests. Add in a poor result for rolling resistance, and the compromise of running winter tyres on wet and dry roads is small - and far outweighed by the advantages when snow falls.

Test results:

1. Nokian WR D3 (100%) Price £95

2. ContiWinterContact TS 850 (99.3%) Price £133

3. Goodyear Ultragrip 8 Performance (98.9%) Price £122

4. Michelin Alpin A4 (98.7%) Price £128

4. Hankook WinteriCept RS (98.7%) Price £90

6. Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D (98.6%) Price £124

7. Pirelli Sottozero Winter 210 Serie II (97.9%) Price £126

8. Zeta Antarctica (95.1) Price £55

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