Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Perhaps the most important thing: the new tires will sport not traditional "round" but "triangular" studs. Apparently, from the windows of Goodyear's European headquarters in Brussels, they are tired of watching the success of competitors (first of all, Continental and Nokian), which have been using multifaceted spikes for several years. A semicircular carbide insert was placed in a triangular body, and in order not to exceed the spike mass limited in the Scandinavian countries (1.1 g), excess metal was removed from this body - and at the base it looked like a cocked hat. When installing, the cleat is oriented so that the longer edge of the insert actively works during braking. The logic is clear: most often, winter accidents happen due to the fact that it is not possible to brake on the ice. The "geography" of the studs has also changed: they are now dispersed over the entire tread surface - and leave on the ice when braking not 12 lines, like the previous UltraGrip Extreme model, but 22.
In addition, a new directional tread pattern, sipes with so-called waffle internal engagement, a two-layer rubber compound with a high silica content and new polymers in the surface layer that help maintain elasticity at low temperatures. According to the developers, the new Goodyear tires outperform the competition not only on ice and snow, but also on asphalt! Including in terms of wear resistance: the declared resource of Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires is one and a half times higher than that of Goodyear UltraGrip Extreme studded tires! And ten percent higher than that of Michelin X-Ice North 2 studded tires. Personally, I hardly believe it, but go and check: correct comparative tests of tire mileage is a long, troublesome and expensive business.
For snow and ice, a softer tread with fine sipes is needed, for asphalt, a harder one. A compromise is the internal "blocking" of the lamellas due to the so-called waffle engagement between adjacent rubber blocks
But I managed to evaluate the grip properties on ice. Fortunately, half of the diesel Audi A3 - with stickers "Competitor Tires". Competentors include Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7, Michelin X-Ice North 2 and Continental ContiIceContact. All cars are equipped with V-Box Mini measuring systems.
When braking on ice from 40 km / h, the new Goodyear tires showed the same results as the ContiIceContact - a difference of 20-30 cm is comparable to the measurement error. On Nokian and Michelin tires, the car passed from half a meter to a meter more to a full stop. The balance of power is similar when assessing handling on ice: Goodyear and Continental tires can take turns a little faster. But the breakdowns in sliding are sharper, which is why the non-disconnectable stabilization system works more rudely than when driving, for example, on Michelin tires. In general, throughout the day, both on ice and on snow, it was the Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires that stood out pleasantly with their soft, well-predictable transitions to sliding. For "civilian" driving, especially in a car without a stabilization system, that's what you need. And there is a simple explanation for the fact that Michelin tires are inferior to both ContiIceContact and the new Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic in ultimate ice performance. While 16-inch Goodyear or Continental tires have 130 studs each, Michelin tires of the same size have only 118 studs in their tread, which is in line with the new rules for using studs in Scandinavian countries. If now the number of studs depends only on the landing diameter of the tires (for example, for 16-inch tires - no more than 130, for 14- or 15-inch - no more than 110), then from July 2013 on each running meter of the tread there should be no more than 50 thorns. It is possible that in these rules there will also be a ban on studding of the central part of the tread: studies have shown that it is in this zone that studs destroy the asphalt most of all. Then what is Goodyear hoping for, since their new tires will be outlawed in Scandinavia in a year? And they hope for a loophole provided for in this regulation: in Finland there is a procedure for assessing the effect of studded tires on the road surface. A tire at a speed of 100 km / h is rolled 400 times on a granite stone, then it is measured how much the mass of this stone has decreased due to the abrasive action of the spikes. If the wear of the calibrated stone is within the standard, then tires can be allowed for sale even with an increased number of studs. Difficult and uncertain. If such a scheme does not work, then Goodyear will be forced to adapt the tires to the new rules - to reduce the number of studs, the pattern of studding, which will certainly lead to a deterioration in their grip on ice.
The outer tread layer, saturated with silica, provides good grip on ice and wet asphalt, and the inner layer of harder rubber (about 60 Shore instead of the surface 50) is responsible for the secure fixation of the studs
However, Russia is not yet threatened with the introduction of such norms, therefore, “original” Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires will be supplied to us, and if earlier Goodyear tires with empty holes came to Russia, and dealers produced studding, now the manufacturer will deal with this responsible matter.
By the way, this did not please everyone. In Ukraine, where studs are chosen only by every twentieth buyer of Goodyear winter tires (in Russia, studded winter tires are preferred by two-thirds of drivers), many dealers have refused to buy UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires altogether.
The "triangle" studs in the new Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires are located across the full width of the tread - 22 rows of studs!
Garland of grooves in the shoulder area designed to enhance the "rowing" ability of Dunlop and Goodyear tires in deep snow
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Dunlop ice touch
The new Dunlop Ice Touch studded tires are also debuting alongside the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires. Since 75% of Dunlop Tires is owned by Goodyear (the remaining 25% is owned by Japan's Sumitomo Rubber Industries), it should come as no surprise that Dunlop tires incorporate the same technologies found in the new Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic. The same "triangular" studs, two-layer tread, sipes with the same internal engagement. What are the differences?
Christian Lees (right), one of the creators of the rubber compound for the new tires, demonstrates the elasticity of rubber at low temperatures: a strip of ordinary rubber immersed in liquid nitrogen breaks easily, and the tread rubber of Goodyear winter tires remains elastic
Dunlop Ice Touch tires are intended to give the car a sportier response through less movable tread blocks. While Goodyear tires have V-shaped sipes in the central part of the tread without internal engagement, in Dunlop tires all sipes are "locked", that is, the movement of adjacent rubber strips is limited. And you can feel it! On a winding track, the Audi A3 responds more quickly to the steering wheel, but ... A little late with the skid correction - and the car “loses” its trajectory. Slip breaks are sharper, there is no time to correct mistakes. However, two or three sighting circles - and such reactions are already beginning to be used for the good: laconically driving ahead of the curve, you can go very fast! It already seemed to me that I go three to four seconds faster for a 1.5-kilometer lap, although the V-Box stated a gain of only 0.7 seconds compared to the Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires, on which I rode without any stress. And when braking from 40 km / h, Dunlop Ice Touch outperforms the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 tires by no more than half a meter. It is a pity that the organizers put things in such a way that they could not directly compare the new Dunlop and Goodyear tires ... If we compare the two new products with the eyes of a “blonde”, then Dunlop tires with their ornate grooves in the central grooves look more interesting.
In the meantime, I can safely say that both new products may well claim leadership in our next comparative test of winter tires, the results of which we plan to publish in September this year.
Dunlop Ice Touch tires with a beautiful tread pattern give the car a sporty response when driving on snow and ice
In general, I read a whole bunch of reviews about different rubber and which ones to take with spikes or Velcro, but I liked this rubber with a price-quality ratio and did not lose it ..! On the road, the predictable skid behaves adequately, but does not like the track very much, since the sidewalls are too soft and therefore it is easy to damage it. In deep snow, like a tractor, it drove where on the Hakka 7 they sat down, plus, in comparison with it, the braking distance on snow and ice is less! As for the minuses, I did not notice them, like everything is good
EvgeniyOne of the best tires in my memory. Goodyear always considered not a bad brand, but here they exceeded expectations at times. The tires are quite soft, but strong, reinforced sidewalls. I liked the shape of the thorn very much, they are not ordinary sharp, they do their job perfectly, they move on ice and icy snow without sliding shadow. During the season, all the thorns except one in the front are in place. On dry and wet roads do not cause discomfort, handling is at the level.
VladislavI like the Goodyear spikes. Their price is adequate and the quality matches. The rubber is soft and quite firm. The main thing when driving is you feel confident, in any weather conditions it behaves well. I definitely recommend it.
Andrew VladimirovichI always go on business trips in my car, they keep the car well on the track. The tires are quite soft, hence not noisy. On them I do not even feel all the scarcity of our roads. The quality of the studs is five plus.
IgorI bought Goodyear ultra grip ise Arctic tires and you know I don’t jelly yet, especially on ice and on snow they behave very well.
Khiryanov DenisMinus - they buzz terribly. Plus - the car turned into a tank. Tires are pulled out of any snowdrift until they are planted on the bottom of the car. Snow porridge is cut with a bang. I did not notice anything supernatural on the ice, they behave predictably. Definitely tires for suburban use.
DmitriyI drove this tire before on a pontiac trans sport, beyond all praise, I bought a new car and immediately bought the same tires
Alexey GoncharovDecent tires, worth the money 100% Handling is excellent, gives confidence when driving on snow and ice. After them I sat down on Velcro and went nuts ..
I took this rubber in the winter of 2013 on a Camry 215/55/17, two tires have already covered about 60 thousand km of wear, 30-35%, This winter 2015-2016 I had to buy two new cylinders due to the fact that I caught the armature on one cylinder , on the second, a hernia jumped out. I took 7,000 rubles for a balloon in 13, haka 7 cost about 10 tr., bear 8-odd, I think the price-quality is 100%. The rubber is wear-resistant, on dry asphalt 180 is easy, comfortable and not noisy. A friend has a new continental for a set of 42 tr. (softer and quieter) but the price tag
alexander 89 regionThe tire was simply disappointing. One season in a taxi. The mileage was about 40,000 km. Sperndi left three spikes in each wheel. About thirty pieces remained in the back. Snow rutting porridge rushing like a tank. and dry asphalt the reaction is bad. In our taxi three cars have never been put on such rubber again. Rubber for one season at best.
YuriThe best of those that I had!
MichaelGood day! Tires for those who are outside the city in winter or for uncleaned streets. Rowing in the snow specifically, SUVs skid, and I'm driving. But there are 2 drawbacks: noise at a speed of more than 80 km / h and braking on the asphalt at high speed. But permeability is more important to me.
DmitriyDouble opinion ... We skate the second season. The driving style is aggressive. After the first season, all the thorns are in place !!! Rows perfectly on wet asphalt, ice and dry snow! From the snowdrifts knee-deep rushing like a tank)) they never got stuck and the shovel was not useful at all))) maybe the merit of all-wheel drive and 238hp .. But it is better not to drive through puddles ... at a speed of 100 km / h you enter like sand. but keeps the trajectory. Worse in a wet snow porridge. Feelings - a cow on ice ... wet snowfall - trouble ...
VictoriaPrice quality
MaxiaGreat Rubber! I buy it for the third car. Satisfied in all respects. A small minus is noise. But a huge plus is safety!
KonstantinI bought these tires after riding a toyo Velcro. I feel much more confident on the winter road. I ran 1000 km. During the winter, not a single stud flew. I like the tires.
ValeryAfter reading the reviews, I decided to write my own. Of course, from a man's point of view, it's hard for me to judge. But by my feelings the tires are super. I will ride the 4th winter. After 3 seasons, the loss of spikes% 15-20 somewhere. After the first winter I did not notice at all the loss of at least one spike. You have to drive a lot and on different surfaces, but the city-highway on the urra, neither ice, nor snow porridge are not terrible. Noise? Well, yes, like any other spike. The last rubber was Yokohama. So for my money is excellent rubber. Next season I will take it.
Maria DmitryThey make noise like an airplane taking off. In two months, 4500 km. No 30% thorns. I drive calmly. I ran in. For this money, I regret that I did not take the Michelin.
novelI bought it at the beginning of winter and did not regret it! I left the season - normal flight! On the road they hold confidently, they make acceptable noise, that's why they are spikes. For the whole winter -1 thorn of 4 wheels! In general, take it, you will not regret it!
AlexanderTires loved her departure for 5 winters! The thorns are still almost all in place! but time takes its start to crack exfoliate the next I will take the same !!!
Alexey 40rusThe tires were just chic, he took the kit and put it on the cast, the car became like a tank, any snowdrift passed and did not notice, the spikes are all in place, in the first season I drove 15,000 thousand, the tread is like new, there is noise on the asphalt but not great, great resistance when driving on dry and wet asphalt, the elements of these wheels are only snow, ice, mud !!! Recomend for everybody...
VitalyI drive like a freak. Drunk in the snow, he digs and carries for the additive as it should. I like the tires. There were no accidents with them. Fire rubber for this money. But bridgestone is better, albeit noisy, but better
AlexanderThey cost their money, I have left the whole season, but I drive quite aggressively, sometimes I have to leave the traffic lights and play checkers a little, during this time they never gave a reason, they confidently hold the road, there are no slippage like on skates, as happens with thorns, those at whom the spikes are flying out apparently pumped or under-pumped the wheels, this is important, check the pressure.
VladimirAlexey
The bus is definitely not for the city. It makes a lot of noise on the asphalt. But in the snow like a bulldozer! Rushing ahead. It is not particularly suitable for hard driving in winter track conditions, for two winters two tires for replacement due to falling into pits.
Thorns drop 50-70% in one season.
In short, for trips to the country in winter - a hurricane, you will not find a better tire. But for the city ....
The tires I took on the CIVIC hatch behave perfectly that on the track that I left in the snow for the sixth season, wear and tear, minimum spikes, everything is in place, everything is 5+, for another car I will take the same model !!!
Aleksey AleksandrovichI left for five seasons, sold for 500 rubles. I read the reviews, everything is true, it turns out that this is the tire that people take in the second round, I will definitely take the same one.)
RomaSkated 2 seasons on it. Shipov diminished of course after season 2. By about 40%. I drive aggressively. Through the snowdrifts like a tractor! On the ice, too, confident. I will buy on the second round! One drawback is noisy.
KirillAfter two seasons of city driving, half of the studs are missing. Draw your own conclusions ...
EvgeniyHow I got acquainted with these tires: Probably many people in their life have had such situations when in their pocket something that would not rattle trifles, and even used rubber in normal condition was not, well, on occasion they got a goodyear ultragrip 600 model, Fortunately, there was no limit, the run on it was a penny, it was practically new, but as they say youth is disgusting, and the rubber was destroyed in one winter, from the bad moments I can only say that it is noisy, everything else is at its best. Well, and then I decided to try, goodyear ultragrip ice arctic, and for the 4th winter I have not dismounted from these tires, the quality is at a height, rushing, rowing and happy. In snowfalls, when the bulk rides 45-70, I can confidently keep a 100-ku. In general, so far I have not found better for myself and my region, maybe it is, but this is really good rubber, and who needs silence, go down into the bunker under the ground.
P. S. My wife and I have both cars on this rubber, safety is above all!
Saab 9-3Good afternoon, I want to write my review, I drove on these tires for 4 seasons, the tires are class, they leave any snow, the loss of spikes is 1-3-6, I threw out the fourth, there was an accident fluttered the wing while driving home, the sable was demolished at the intersection,
... Who says that the sidewalls are weak, don't believe me, I have a Skoda Rapid car in 2019 decided to change the old rubber for a new one, the same one took 4 balconies of 4,280 each, the fresh tires of 2019 are satisfied, my dimension is 195 * 60 * 15. The main thing is to run in up to 1000 km no more than 80 km per hour, guys super recommended tires
friend. I read an article if you drive 90 km per hour the wear will be 40 percent less than if you drive 120 km, a winter studded tire does not like high speeds. For now, I hope the article will be useful.
Rubber for snow and ice. When I took a new rubber, I drove gently on the bank of the spikes, smooth acceleration, braking, the change of rubber took place on time, I watched the pressure, etc. Spikes fly out for the first season mercilessly, there is nothing to say about the second and subsequent ones ...
novelat first it was good, but after 2 seasons there were 10 thorns in the circle. Without thorns, the rubber does not work at all. Even with my dead 1.6 120 horses of which a third have already scattered breaks into axle boxes on dry asphalt. I was very disappointed, I will not take any more. Summer Goodyear norms. skating season 3, no complaints
Alexander KhokhlovActually, these winter tires are very often praised not only by tire fitters, but also by ordinary drivers, whom I had to see when changing tires in the autumn. Many people put Ice Arctic from Goodyear. Why, how are these tires different from others?
First, the tread pattern, which is noticeably different from the treads of other brands. The rubber looks like this:
As you can see in the photo, the absence of a decent number of spikes is noticeable on the rubber. This is explained by the fact that the rubber is very soft, actually noticeably softer than others, and therefore the spikes will fall out a little more often. And most likely misuse, maybe in the summer we drove on asphalt. Judging by the reviews, thorns fall out very rarely, at least in winter for sure. But if you like to ride winter tires in the summer, then such a picture as in the photo above will "please" you more often.
The softness of winter rubber determines its confident grip on the icy road, and thanks to the peculiar tread pattern on loose or soft water-soaked snow, the tires rake just fine. It is also convenient to get out of the track thanks to the deep side tread pattern. For winter - you can not imagine better.
The general characteristics are as follows
- size range from 13 to 17 inches
- with a profile width from 155 to 225 mm
- With a profile height from 40 to 70
This tire has a high speed index - up to 190 km / h
The rubber, as seen in the photo, is studded, and the shape of the studs is also unusual, they are triangular, due to which they cling to the ice much better than ordinary round studs.
These tires are produced in Poland and Germany (depending on the diameter of the tire), so there are no complaints about the quality. And the reviews that you can read on the market and sites are overwhelmingly positive. And if you consider that the price fluctuates in the middle price range (cheaper than Hakki, but more expensive than Amtel and Kordiant), then many of these tires are considered the best winter tires.
If you come across negative reviews, remember that it affects the quality of a new tire. For a winter studded one, it is considered that you need to leave at least 500 kilometers at a speed not exceeding 60 km / h, only then the studs will take the desired and correct position. And if you drive 100 km / h from the first day, then there is nothing to write negative reviews later. These tires are very good, without a bulldozer.
According to the results of braking distance tests on ice, she took the honorable first place, ahead of more eminent and expensive brands. Most likely, the tire owes this to its spikes, which are located not only at the edges, but are also present in the center.
Approximate prices for different standard sizes
Quite inexpensive for such a high quality, from 2500 rubles for R13 to 4800 for R16 with a high load index. So if there are 12-20k rubles to buy winter tires, then we recommend paying attention to the Goodyear brand and specifically to this tire model.
Video review
and, of course, where without a video that clearly demonstrates all the innovative properties of this new tire. Looking at him, I want to immediately shoe my car into these cool tires))
Test results
And of course, where can we go without testing. We recommend to see how Ice Arctic tore up competitors))
The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is a premium winter studded tire with directional tread pattern for passenger cars.
Also the model has for crossovers and SUVs.
Country of origin: Germany, Luxembourg, Poland.
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic Test by Swedish Auto Motor & Sport in 2015
In 2015, experts from the Swedish publication Auto Motor & Sport tested the Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic winter tire in the size 205/55 R16 and compared it with fifteen budget, medium and premium tires. For clarity of the results, not only similar spike tires, but also friction models of the Nordic type took part in the test.
Test results
According to the results of the test, Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic took the fifth place in the overall standings and, in general, showed balanced results in each of the disciplines (although it was not without its drawbacks).
The tire brakes very well on ice, snow, wet and dry asphalt (on each of the surfaces it was in the top three among similar studs), however, there are problems regarding acceleration and handling, which did not allow it to take a higher position in the overall rating.
| Discipline | A place | A comment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braking on wet asphalt | 3 | a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 0.59 meters longer; b) with the best friction tire - shorter by 0.74 meters. |
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| Handling on wet asphalt | 3 | a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 1.13 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - less by 0.27 sec. |
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| Dry braking | 9 | Difference in stopping distance: a) with the best friction tire (test leader) - 2.13 meters longer; b) with the best studded tire - 0.9 meters longer. |
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| Braking on ice | 3 | Difference in stopping distance: a) with the best studded tire - 1.05 meters longer; b) with the best friction tire - shorter by 0.04 meters. |
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| Lateral stability on ice | 15 | Lap time difference: a) with a better studded tire - 0.11 min longer. b) with the best friction tire (leader of the test) - longer by 0.08 min. |
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| Acceleration on ice | 6 | Difference in acceleration time to 25 km / h: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 1.44 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - less by 0.12 sec. |
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| Snow braking | 2 | Difference in stopping distance: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - longer by 0.05 meters; b) with the best friction tire - 0.31 meters longer. |
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| Acceleration in the snow | 3 | Difference in acceleration time to 30 km / h: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 0.16 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - less by 0.1 sec. |
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| Lateral stability in snow | 5 | Lap time difference: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 0.79 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - 0.97 sec longer. |
|
 | Profitability | 13-15 | Fuel consumption difference: a) with the best studded tire - more by 0.07 l / 10 km; b) with a better friction tire - more by 0.02 l / 10 km; |
Review of the experts who conducted the test:
They behave very well on dry asphalt and well on wet ones. On ice and snow, handling is not effective enough.
As usual with winter tire manufacturers, the roads and frozen lakes of northern Sweden in the Åre region were chosen as the place for the presentation (it took place at the end of last winter) and the introductory test of new products. In addition to the well-functioning infrastructure for conducting such tests, these places were also chosen because the winter in Scandinavia and a number of regions of Russia is quite similar in nature - with very severe frosts and low humidity. According to Goodyear, it was precisely for such conditions that the UltraGrip Ice 2 tire was developed. As the company expects, it will be in demand, first of all, by residents of large cities, where snow drifts and ice on the road are a relatively rare phenomenon, but morning ice happens regularly ...
Compared to the previous model, the UltraGrip Ice 2 has undergone a number of key changes. The most important of these are improved tire usability in conditions below -25 ° C, improved handling on snow and ice, and better grip on winter roads. Technologically, this is achieved through the use of a cryo-adaptive rubber compound. Goodyear claims that it remains flexible even at very low temperatures and allows the tire to maintain good grip on very slippery surfaces. Steering and braking on snow and ice is achieved thanks to sipes located perpendicular to the direction of travel of the tire - they are similar to the tracks of a snowcat. Tires literally bite into the snow or ice that covers the roadway.
The first races on front-wheel drive diesel Audi A3 equipped with UltraGrip Ice 2 were carried out on two stages. On the first, we checked the tire's handling on rolled snow, on the second, snowy areas alternated with ice bald patches. We checked the veracity of the manufacturer's quality claims against Nokian Hakka R2, Michelin X-Ice Xi3 and Continental Conti Viking Contact5.
Subjectively, the novelty felt at about the same level or slightly better than the Nokian and was driving in the snow a little less "fun" than the Continental, but noticeably better than the Michelin X-Ice Xi3. The handling of the Goodyear tire felt more predictable and crisp to me compared to the Nokian. Much more interesting was the comparison of these tires in a braking test carried out on a marked area using Racelogic devices.
Despite the fact that Nokian outperformed all competitors in braking by a meter or two, both Goodyear and Conti were equally good at accelerating and outperformed Nokian in this parameter. On average, the braking distance on the Goodyear tire was about 42-44 meters, while Nokian managed to stay within 40. But these figures are relative and far from accurate measurements under the same conditions, as it should be on full-fledged tests.
The standard condition for such tests is that the speed does not exceed 50 km / h. It is dictated by the European traffic regime in the city, but there is one more nuance - the results. During one of the races on a Michelin tire, having exceeded the speed by only 10 km / h, I suddenly realized that the car's brakes simply ceased to exist. The pedal pressed into the floor and the almost broken back of the seat under the heart-rending squealing of ABS on the "three-ruble note" did not help much, and I already began to figure out which board is better to get into the snow parapet in order to save an expensive bumper and optics - to spoil the car, albeit insured, I really didn’t want to. As a result, it was possible to stop the car far beyond the mark at which, having braked, it was necessary to go to the U-turn. I didn't want to test the rest of the test participants in a similar mode ...
It seems that for a city dweller, the choice should be obvious - you need to take the rubber that brakes better. After all, an extra ten centimeters is exactly what separates the car owner from becoming a body service client. But in practice, realizing that the life of a city driver is not limited to trips on salted cold asphalt, when choosing, it is worth considering the handling and behavior of the tire outside city streets. For me personally, the choice in favor of studs is obvious and familiarity with the new UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV studded tire for crossovers turned out to be a wonderful argument in favor of "nails".
UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV is a new generation of tires from Goodyear, which was created specifically for operation in the harsh climatic conditions of the Scandinavian countries and some regions of Russia, where the air temperature on a typical winter day can drop to minus 25-30 ° C and below. In the company's lineup, the novelty takes place under the Eagle UltraGrip and UltraGrip 8 and next to the UltraGrip 500 model.
The last one I call as a starting point for comparison. During the presentation, Goodyear argued that the new product outperformed the Ultragrip 500 SUV in terms of improved handling and traction on ice. This is realized using Multicontrol Ice technology, which consists of angled directional studs with a wider carbide insert and an optimized distribution. The new shape of the base of the cleats makes them more stable, and a wide trailing edge is necessary for more effective braking. Optimized stud distribution improves traction and reduces external noise.
Handling in snow and slush is achieved thanks to V-shaped sipes and open shoulder grooves. For deep snow, the shoulder tread has a sawtooth design that effectively grips snow around the edges of the tire, wide grooves deflect it, and the silica in the rubber compound improves wet braking performance with more energy dissipation.
In a test carried out in December 2013 by Test World at three different European proving grounds - Finland, Luxembourg and Germany in the BMW X5, the UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV was the leader in the categories of snow stopping distance, snow grip, handling on the snow". The UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV also performed well in the following categories: shortest braking distance on ice, handling on ice, and grip on ice. Unofficially, we were hinted that the competitors used in these tests were the same tires that we had on the day of the presentation - Hakka 7 SUV, Michelin XIce North2, Continental ContiIceContact 4x4.
Unfortunately, that day the temperature on the ice of the lake did not drop below -7. So we had to take our word for maintaining the braking performance at extremely low temperatures. The very same acquaintance took place on the track, partly consisting of a snow run, partly of pure ice, and partly of a run with ice. The configuration of the section was made from a start straight, a long turn followed by an acceleration-deceleration section, a couple of low-speed turns, a straight and medium-length turn of the "five", followed by an exit to a straight line with an S-shaped section and a braking section.
It was proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of braking by eye - by the number of cones evenly spaced at a distance of 50 meters. And here it was also possible to check how stable the Audi Q5, shod with tires from Goodyear and from competitors, was during braking "pedal to the floor". From the very first races, the outsider became obvious - Michelin. In the braking section, the car stopped a couple of bodies behind the last cone. But that was only the beginning. After entering a turn in a car with a disabled ESP (with an activated system in such conditions, you can only drive very smoothly and slowly), the car had to be taken out of the parapet every other time, and on a straight section with bare ice, the crossover was noticeably shaking. The result of the circle on Michelin was close to the one that showed the passage of the section in a quiet city mode with electronic assistants on every second pressing the engine - 55 seconds.
The picture changed dramatically when we switched to the Q5 with Nokian, Conti and Goodyear tires. The last two showed flawless behavior on the ice, predictable reactions in the turn. As in the friction tire test, the Nokian was, in my opinion, better at braking, although the presentation graphs here gave the palm to Goodyear. But when it comes to handling on ice and snow, here Goodyear went head to head with the Conti, only slightly losing in acceleration on ice after turning. On RaceLogis, this difference looked like 44 and 42 seconds, respectively. As for the sensations, both tires left the most favorable impression, the crossover maintained its course and stability in turns equally well. The choice here will already be determined by the availability of a suitable standard size and the financial capabilities of the car owner. However, the price tag for all test participants is almost the same and is in the region of 7-8 thousand rubles. for a tire in the dimension 215 / 50R17 or 225 / 55R17. So, rather, operating conditions and driving style will be decisive again.
It's time to think about shoes for the next winter season. Traditionally, in addition to the financial component, the choice will be determined within the same dilemma - studded or frictional? As an answer to this question, Goodyear offered two new models of UltraGrip tires at once - UltraGrip Ice 2 and UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV. We are testing new items in the north of Sweden.
