This time we have chosen one of the most popular dimensions - 195/65 R15, which suits many small and inexpensive cars. Different markets, different understanding of the product, different design schools. What distinguishes tires from the East and West from each other, what are their strengths and weaknesses and what should a Russian buyer pay attention to?
East
Fresh model Bridgestone Blizzak Spike ‑ 02-the most expensive in the eastern team (price 3650 rubles), but cheaper than European giants.
Another novelty, Hankook Winter i * Pike RS 2, - with an increased number of studs and an updated tread pattern. It replaces the Winter i * Pike RS. This year it will appear in Russia in 57 dimensions - from 155 / 65R 13 to 255/40 R19.
The new tire replaces the Observe G3 ‑ Ice and will be available this fall in 16 sizes ranging from 14 to 19 inches. The rubber compound contains silica for frost resilience and walnut shell microparticles for extra grip on ice.
Another model with Japanese roots, now produced in Russia, is. Previously, this tire was indexed 7000 and belonged to the line of the Bridgestone brand.
The next player from Japan is the "relative" of the Toyo brand. These tires take part in our tests for the second time and are characterized as inexpensive, with modest performance.
New tire replacing the GT model Radial champiro IcePro, developed in its own R&D center in Hanover. And the GT Radial brand belongs to the growing international company Giti, based in Singapore. The novelty is available in 22 dimensions - from 175/65 R14 to 225/60 R17. The tires participating in the test are manufactured in China.
West
There are no new products on the western team, but the players are incredibly strong, as most of these tires are updated by manufacturers every year.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9, the most expensive tire on the domestic market, is the only one in the world that has two different types of studs.
Continental IceContact 2- is also unique and inimitable: its “studs” are glued into the protector, and therefore they are very firmly held in it.
Of the cheaper tires, the one that has taken prizes more than once in our tests, and.
The western team is closed by two direct competitors, representatives of the second echelon of Continental and Nokian - respectively models and.
cat house
The tape measure that marks the site of our winter tire tests every year, this time pointed to the Continental test site. It is located in Sweden, next to a small town with a purring, purring name Arvidsyaur - just some kind of "cat's house".
Mindful of the sudden warming in February, we decided to start tests early - in mid-January. And the weather did not disappoint: during the tests there were frosts from -7 to -14 ° C.
Two hatchbacks helped us in the tests Volkswagen golf... We assigned the main part of the routine work to the black one - he crawled over the ice and snow, recording the acceleration time and the braking distance with the built-in VBOX equipment. Red performed more creative tasks, participating in the assessment of handling and directional stability, since it was possible to completely turn off the stabilization system on it using a special program.
Dirty work
The first to enter the work is the black Golf, in which the and are involved. We start by accelerating and braking on ice on a small frozen lake, repeating runs eight to ten times for each set of tires. After two or three test kits - measurements on base (reference, as tire workers say) tires: you can't do without them.
Measurements on different surfaces differ in the “upper” speed limit, which serves as the maximum speed value during acceleration and the initial value during braking. On ice, this value is 20 km / h, and on snow - 40 km / h, since the modest ice area is much less snowy. Having recalculated the results taking into account the corrections determined using the reference tires, we get leaders and outsiders in these exercises.
The real surprise came from Hankook, who tore the traditional leaders. Incredibly, these tires have the Golf accelerating and braking on ice even better than the Continental and Nokian. To accelerate from standstill to 20 km / h, the Golf on Hankook tires took only 4.1 seconds, and the braking distance from 20 to 5 km / h was 6.6 meters. The longest acceleration was obtained on Gislaved tires: 5.9 seconds. A similar result, 5.8 seconds, was obtained on GT Radial and Firestone tires. The Golf slowed the worst on GT Radial tires, with a braking distance of 8.7 meters.
The fastest acceleration on snow to 40 km / h was provided by Continental tires with an indicator of 5.9 seconds, and Hankook was only one tenth behind them! Slowest of all - GT Radial tires.
In braking on snow, the Hankook took the lead. To slow the Golf from 40 to 5 km / h, these tires took 16.9 meters. The second place went to Gislaved: 17.2 meters. The last in braking were the Firestone and GT Radial: 19.1 and 19.0 meters, respectively.
We conclude our series of tests on ice with lap times, which characterize lateral grip. Continental retained the lead with a record 15.6 seconds lap. The closest rivals - Hankook, Nokian and Gislaved - took half a second longer. The slowest, in 18.0 seconds, the car completed the lap on Bridgestone tires.
In red and white
The tires freed up after measurements take their place on the red Golf - we will evaluate the handling on snow cover and on ice.
The test track is great: turns of different radius, from running to stop, straight, allowing the speedometer to reach 80 km / h, ups and downs, then unloading the wheels, then pressing them to the "road".
The idea was born to evaluate tires in two different driving modes. First, you go fast, but limit the speed in turns by the initial slip phase. The results of driving in this style will surely be of interest to most drivers. The second mode is for those who like to slide: almost do not reduce the speed before corners, refueling the car sideways into a corner. We have previously evaluated the behavior of the tires in both modes, only the average score was set.
We turn off the electronics in order to catch the peculiarities of the car's behavior on different tires.
In normal mode, the testers were pleased with the Golf's handling on Nokian and Pirelli tires. The experts, finding no reason for comments and noting clear reactions, gave them eight points each. Continental, Hankook, Nordman, taking into account small remarks, received 7.5 points each. It is noteworthy that in the Golf, shod in Hankook and Nordman tires, slight delays in reactions and insufficient information content of the steering occur when the steering wheel is turned up to 90 degrees, but with increasing reaction angles and information content improves, and with Continental tires - vice versa.
Firestone "spikes" collected the most complaints: significant delays in reactions, unstable behavior. The driver can only set an approximate direction of travel, but not an exact trajectory. Six points is the maximum.
With an active driving style, almost half of the subjects noted a slight slowdown in reactions and a deterioration in the information content of the steering when switching to sliding, which lowered the score by half a point. Eight points were awarded only to the Nokian tires, which retained the clarity of reactions even in deep slides. Gislaved, Nordman and Toyo demonstrated acceptable stability of reactions - they are not afraid to go over slightly with speed in a slippery corner.
Slipping is easiest with Firestone tires. The Golf has to be literally thrown into a turn, performing a set of "witchcraft" actions with the steering wheel and gas. It is extremely difficult to drive actively, since you need to constantly turn the steering wheel in different directions, since in sliding the reactions to the actions of the steering wheel practically disappear.
I also didn’t like driving actively on Bridgestone (they lowered the mark by 1 point) and, oddly enough, on Pirelli (reduced by one and a half points). On both tires, the Golf showed a deterioration in information content and reactions, forcing much more active steering, and on the Pirelli, it also showed ragged, unstable behavior. It's strange, because the early models of winter tires from this company have always served as a standard of handling both for us and for many tire manufacturers.
I liked the ice track no less than the snow one. It is not horizontal, but inclined, as it is flooded on the slope. Therefore, on one half you move with unloaded rear wheels, provoking a skid, and on the other half, with underloaded front wheels, initiating drift. This helps to better understand the behavior of certain tires.
Nokian earned the highest score on ice: the car steers without problems in any modes. Continental, Gislaved, Hankook and Nordman tires have small marks and have been reduced to 7.5 points.
Shod with GT Radial tires, the Golf moves as if it were zero gravity - as if no horizontal forces were acting. It slips very early, although it slides to the side smoothly (this is the only plus), and floats for a very long time, not responding to the actions of the steering wheel.
Firestone keeps the driver in even more tension: the maximum adrenaline is generated even with the stabilization system turned on. Slip disruptions occur unexpectedly, the car slides for an extremely long time ... There is a feeling that the clutch has disappeared altogether.
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Caution - Yeti!
The snow plateau is a huge rectangle, about four hundred by one hundred meters, divided by a snow parapet into two independent narrow and long straight lines. There are enough of them to accelerate to 100 km / h and assess the directional stability and behavior of the car during a soft lane change. And the width is enough to check the controllability when performing the rearrangement. From the first day we fenced off a strip of three meters wide with cones along the central barrier, forbidding it to be cleaned. A week later, a layer of snow with a depth of about 20 centimeters accumulated on it - what is needed to assess the passability.
A couple of hours after the red Golf with the stabilization system turned off drove onto the test track, Frank Degonier (Continental's engineer in charge of measurements and measuring equipment) suddenly approached us and asked with an absolutely serious face: “You know that there is a Yeti appeared? Right in front of the red Golf jumped out! But Anton managed to dodge him, only the snow remained on the hood. Come and see! "
It turns out that the Golf, while assessing the directional stability on Firestone tires, spun so that it broke through the snow parapet and flew into the adjacent lane. And the Continental testers call any incident on the tests, ending with contact with snow, "Yeti". In general, Firestone earned the lowest score for directional stability on snow: when trying to smoothly rebuild or avoid an obstacle, a sharp skid occurs and a dangerously long sideways slip without the ability to correct the trajectory. The Yeti was not seduced by other tires. And best of all, the Golf kept the straight in the snow at high speed on Nokian and Pirelli tires.
Rearranging, or abrupt lane change, is a traditional maneuver for Russian drivers. When performing a swap, we evaluate how the Golf reacts to sharp turns of the steering wheel and how predictable it behaves. The experts gave the maximum rating in this exercise to the Nokian tires: a small, well-understood, soft skid at top speed, requiring minor adjustments to keep the car on the desired trajectory.
Firestone tires turned out to be the worst here too: they are not suitable for dangerous maneuvers. With abrupt steering actions, the case ends in demolition, straightening the trajectory. With a smoother steering wheel operation, the front wheels have time to catch on the snow, but the rear wheels suddenly break into a long side slip, spinning the car.
Passability
The passability test is relevant both for the Russian hinterland and for large cities. We assess not only the ability of tires to row on snow, but also how easily a driver without special off-road skills can overcome a snow obstacle.
In deep snow, Goodyear tires are out of competition: they row forward or backward, you just have to step on the gas pedal. Nokian is half a point behind: rowing is not tractor-like, but still good. Continental and Nordman each earn eight points. The most unsuccessful deep snow tire is the GT Radial. On them, the Golf moves uncertainly, prowls from side to side, reluctantly maneuvers and reluctantly moves in reverse.
Winter hero
The leader of the snow and ice tests is the tire from the East - Hankook Winter i * Pike RS 2. It not only outstripped all compatriots in winter disciplines, but also pushed the “westerners” - even such giants as Continental and Nokian, who won in the “white” tests only second and third places, respectively.
Pirelli is fourth, followed by Nordman and Goodyear, and Gislaved is seventh.
They were followed by other tires from the East: Bridgestone, Toyo, Nitto, as well as Firestone and GT Radial, which showed the weakest results.
Delay until spring
In mid-April, the snow completely disappeared from the asphalt of the high-speed road of the VAZ test site near Togliatti. Having chosen calm weather, we continued the tests - now on the asphalt. The first step was to assess the impact of the tires on the economy of the Golf, combining these measurements with the assessment of directional stability and comfort.
We started with a ten-kilometer warm-up circle on the high-speed road at a speed of 130 km / h (the maximum allowed on our roads). The measurements were carried out on a two-kilometer horizontal straight section of the expressway.
In calm weather, the measurement results "fall" almost one to one - with a deviation of no more than 0.1%, which is twenty times less than the two percent generally accepted in tire tests. But every three sets checked, you have to repeat the runs on the base tire. Rolling resistance is significantly influenced by the temperature of the asphalt. The results obtained on the reference tire help to determine the "reference points", and already on them we refine the data obtained and, if necessary, recalculate.
On tarmac, the Golf keeps its course best on Gislaved and Pirelli tires: the reactions are crisp, almost like summer tires. Worse than the rest are the "eastern guests" Bridgestone, Nitto and Firestone. On the "bridge" at the Golf, the steering wheel became heavy, viscous and uninformative. The behavior of the car on Nitto and Firestone is similar: in the near-zero zone, low information content appears; when adjusting the course, the steering wheel has to be turned at significant angles. When leaving the near-zero zone, the reactions become unpleasantly sharp - with low information content, this is fraught with twisting of the steering wheel, which can provoke a skid.
The title of the most economical was won by Nokian tires: the Golf shod in them showed the best results at city and country speeds.
Braking and comfort on asphalt
We continue to evaluate the comfort on the secondary roads of the landfill, which practically do not differ from many Russian routes: pits, swollen cracks, seams.
The quietest tires were the GT Radial, Hankook and Nokian, while the noisiest were the Firestone, which hums like a gear rolling on the asphalt. On smoothness ahead - the same GT Radial and Hankook, and they were accompanied by Nitto. The toughest is again Firestone, transmitting vibrations from road irregularities in detail to the floor of the body and even to the driver's seat.
The final exercises are on dry and wet asphalt. We pre-clean the tracks with a dozen brakes on non-scored tires. We brake on each set of test tires four to six times: on dry asphalt - from 80 km / h, on wet - from 60 km / h, in order to save the tread from damage. The test speed, up to which the VBOX measuring complex measures the braking distance, is 5 km / h - at a lower ABS it allows short-term wheel locking, which negatively affects the accuracy of the results.
On dry asphalt, the shortest braking distance, 30.3 meters, was obtained on Gislaved tires, the longest - on the "bridge": 33.5 meters. The difference is 10.5%. On the wet front again Gislaved with an indicator of 17.8 meters, and the trailing one - Nitto with a result of 21.7 meters, which is almost 20% weaker.
"Black" tests
Gislaved Nord * Frost 200 confidently won on asphalt. Pirelli tires, Nokian and Goodyear. The Eastern ones made it only to fifth place, and was taken by GT Radial IcePro 3. Then the last pair from the European team follows: Continental finished sixth in the “asphalt” list, just ahead of the middle peer Nordman. The leader of the "white" list Hankook on the pavement, alas, could not rise above the tenth place. Bridgestone and Nitto are at the bottom of the black rating.
Total scores
So, the tires won with a score of 915 points. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9... They are the most balanced - in any conditions they will appeal to all drivers, regardless of training and driving style.
The second and third places were divided Hankook Winter i * Pike RS 2 and Continental IceContact 2 with 905 points each. What can I say about Korean tires? The best result both on the snow and on the ice, the most comfortable, economical, but - surrendering positions on the asphalt. We recommend them to those who use mainly "white" roads. Continental showed the second result in the "white" tests, but in the rest of the nominations it was middling. Their best qualities will develop on snowy and icy roads.
The fourth line of our rating is taken - 888 final points mean that these are very good tires. Strong on asphalt, will not fail on snow and ice, help to save fuel. Except that the ride comfort leaves much to be desired.
(877 points) performed more successfully on asphalt than in ice and snow disciplines. These tires still have the right to be called very good, but they are slowly losing ground - they dropped to fifth place, and took third place for several years. But if you need off-road tires, this is the best choice.
For the second tier brand, the sixth place (874 points) tires and the title of very good can be considered an excellent result. Universal tires average hand for any conditions, and in the snow can please even drifters.
Lost only four points to his direct competitor Nordman. The performance on the "white" roads is average, but on the asphalt Gislaved is in the lead. It is the best choice for city roads free of snow and ice. True, they do not shine with efficiency and comfort.
The entire eastern territory begins from the eighth place. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike ‑ 02 scored 847 points in the test - according to our classification, these are good tires. On the snow and ice they look like average peasants, but they will not be allowed to mischief. In terms of comfort and fuel efficiency, they are comparable to the "little brother" Firestone Ice Cruiser 7, and even slightly weaker on asphalt.
The ninth position is occupied by new tires with 840 points. The undoubted advantages are the stability of the results on different surfaces and a decent level of comfort.
Closes the top ten with a final grade of 821 points. The same modest place is in the “white” rating. These tires are economical, offer moderate comfort ... and last on the tarmac.
Tires GT Radial scored 811 points. And they were on the last line of the rating, compiled on the "white" roads. It is permissible to move on them on snow and ice without haste, and only on cars equipped with electronic assistants. But on asphalt roads, these tires will allow you to drive confidently and provide a high level of comfort.
Twelfth place and only 788 points - for tires. By modern standards, these are very weak tires for winter roads, not recommended for cars without ABS and stabilization systems. They should be driven very carefully, without trying to slip a little. On dry asphalt, however, they slow down better than the sister Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02, and can compete with it in terms of comfort and economy.
With an eye on the wallet
Good tires cost a lot of money. How to find the optimal balance between essential properties and price? You can focus on the "value" of each point scored by a particular tire. According to this parameter, GT Radial IcePro 3 is in the lead: each thousand rubles spent on this tire will result in 312 final points. Slightly less bargains are the Nitto Therma Spike and Toyo Observe Ice-Freezer.
In the middle of the list are the Nordman 7 and Gislaved Nord * Frost 200 tires. And the Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02, Continental IceContact 2 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 round out the price / quality rating.
Test results
| 12th place | 11th place | 10th place |
|
| 788 | 811 | 821 |
|
| brand, model | |||
| 2830 | 2600 | 2770 |
|
| Quality / price * | 0,28 | 0,31 | 0,30 |
| Country of manufacture | Russia | China | Japan |
| Load and speed index | |||
| 8,9–9,4 | 8,5–9,0 | 8,8–9,1 |
|
| Number of spikes, pcs. | |||
| 1,5–1,9 | 1,2–1,5 | 1,4–1,7 |
|
| Tire weight, kg | 10,10 | 9,02 | 8,95 |
| pros | Average braking performance on dry asphalt | Stable course following on snow; not noisy; satisfactory ride | Satisfactory handling; good cross-country ability; acceptable smoothness |
| Minuses | Discreet grip on ice and snow; low efficiency; unsatisfactory handling; problematic directional stability on snow, difficult - on asphalt; the toughest and noisiest | Poor grip on ice and snow; difficult handling; limited passability | Low braking properties on wet asphalt and on ice; difficult handling when performing extreme maneuvers on snow and directional stability on asphalt; noisy |
| 9th place | 8th place | 7th place |
|
| The sum of the points scored in the test | 840 | 847 | 870 |
| brand, model | |||
| average price in online stores | 3000 | 3650 | 3340 |
| Quality / price * | 0,28 | 0,23 | 0,26 |
| Country of manufacture | Malaysia | Japan | Germany |
| Load and speed index | |||
| Depth of the pattern in width, mm | 8,9–9,2 | 9,0–9,4 | 8,9–9,4 |
| Shore hardness of rubber, unit | |||
| Number of spikes, pcs. | |||
| Protrusion of spikes after tests, mm | 1,2–1,6 | 1,7–2,1 | 1,3–1,5 |
| Tire weight, kg | 8,97 | 9,12 | 8,67 |
| pros | Good road holding on snow; stable handling on ice | Confident cross-country ability and satisfactory handling during normal driving on snow | Better braking properties and excellent directional stability on asphalt; confident lateral grip and clear handling on ice |
| Minuses | Poor braking properties on ice and dry asphalt; high fuel consumption at a speed of 90 km / h | Weak braking on dry asphalt and lateral grip on ice; low efficiency; difficult handling during active driving in the snow; notes on road holding on asphalt and comfort | Weak longitudinal grip on ice; high fuel consumption at any speed; difficult handling when performing an extreme maneuver on the snow; small complaints about the smoothness of the ride |
* Obtained by dividing the total points by the retail price. The higher the score, the more profitable the purchase.
| 6th place | 5th place | 4th place |
||
| The sum of the points scored in the test | 874 | 877 | 888 |
|
| brand, model | ||||
| Average price in online stores | 3230 | 3590 | 3570 |
|
| Quality / price * | 0,27 | 0,24 | 0,25 |
|
| Country of manufacture | Russia | Poland | Russia |
|
| Load and speed index | ||||
| Depth of the pattern in width, mm | 9,2–9,4 | 9,5–9,7 | 9,0–9,4 |
|
| Shore hardness of rubber, unit | ||||
| Number of spikes, pcs. | ||||
| Protrusion of spikes after tests, mm | 1,4–1,7 | 1,2–1,7 | 1,3–1,6 |
|
| Tire weight, kg | 8,25 | 8,62 | 8,34 |
|
| pros | Confident acceleration on ice; clear handling on ice and snow; good cross-country ability, directional stability on snow and on asphalt | Phenomenal cross-country ability in deep snow; high braking properties both on wet and dry asphalt | Excellent directional stability; reliable acceleration on ice and snow; clear handling in the snow during normal driving; confident passability |
|
| Minuses | Light remarks on noise and ride | Small claims to directional stability on asphalt and handling on ice, as well as during active driving and extreme maneuvering on snow; not the best comfort Hankook Winter i * Pike RS 2 0.28 | 0,20 | 0,17 |
| Country of manufacture | Korea | Germany | Russia |
|
| Load and speed index | ||||
| Depth of the pattern in width, mm | 8,9–9,3 | 8,0–8,5 | 8,6–8,9 |
|
| Shore hardness of rubber, unit | ||||
| Number of spikes, pcs. | ||||
| Protrusion of spikes after tests, mm | 1,5–1,7 | 1,4–1,6 | 1,2–1,5 |
|
| Tire weight, kg | 8,65 | 8,36 | 7,99 |
|
| pros | Better longitudinal and high lateral grip on ice; better braking and confident acceleration on snow; clear handling on ice and during normal driving on snow; good cross-country ability | Better lateral and longitudinal grip on ice; better acceleration and confident braking on snow; clear handling on ice and snow; good cross-country ability and track-following on snow | Outstanding fuel efficiency; excellent handling on ice and snow; high grip on ice; excellent cross-country ability in deep snow; strict adherence to the course |
|
| Minuses | Weak braking on asphalt; claims for handling on snow with active driving and during extreme maneuvering, as well as directional stability on asphalt and comfort | Minor complaints about handling on snow with active driving, as well as directional stability on asphalt; remarks | Light notes on noise |
* Obtained by dividing the total points by the retail price. The higher the score, the more profitable the purchase.
Is the West invincible?
In our test, the European tires were stronger than the eastern ones. Apart from Hankuk, none of the eastern tires made it to the first half of the white results. Why? In the countries of the East, the use of studded tires is prohibited - manufacturers create them for foreign markets. There is no rich personal experience of operating such tires. Hankook, on the other hand, took an unconventional path - recruiting experienced specialists from successful Western tire companies to create new products. After all, winter tires are an extremely complex product, balanced for completely different surfaces (ice, snow, dry and wet asphalt), which require conflicting technical solutions.
Manufacturer car tires Nitto is better known in the North American market. The fact is that this concern is focused on machines with powerful engine... First of all, tires are intended for installation on vehicles with four-wheel drive or high-speed sedans. This class of cars is less popular in Europe. Little is known about the brand in the CIS market, but some models are in phenomenal demand. This statement is supported by the statistics of the company. For example, Nitto Therma Spike winter tires are often purchased. The reviews of motorists about the presented model are mostly positive. The features of this rubber should be discussed in more detail.
The purpose
The tires were designed for Vehicle equipped with all-wheel drive. They are sold in dozens of sizes with fit diameters from 16 inches to 21. This allows the manufacturer to almost completely cover the corresponding market segment. Winter tires. The use of special technologies made it possible to achieve stable adhesion to the roadway in the most severe operating temperature conditions. There are also disadvantages. The fact is that the compound is not intended for driving in a thaw. An increase in temperature leads to the fact that the rubber becomes a roll, the wear of the tread increases several times. The nature of the tires is also indicated by their speed and load indices. For example, some sizes are capable of supporting up to 925 kg per wheel. Tires are not intended for high-speed driving (on most models it is not recommended to accelerate more than 190 km / h).
Design
The ultimate owner of the Nitto brand is a large Japanese corporation. Therefore, during the design, engineers used the most Hi-tech of this Asian country. First, the designers created a prototype of the tires in the form of a digital model. After that, several prototypes were released and tested at the company's proving ground. Such an integrated approach significantly reduced the cost of design, made it possible to optimize the final specifications... Naturally, this had a positive effect on the speed of work.
Tread features
Many tire performance characteristics depend directly on the tread pattern. When developing these tires, the designers followed a completely unique path. Nowadays, winter tires are mainly endowed with a symmetrical directional pattern. Japanese engineers have released Nitto Therma Spike tires with an asymmetrical arrangement of elements. This design method is more typical for summer operation, but in this case, it still managed to prove its right to exist.
It is also unusual that the brand has moved away from classical scheme construction using multiple stiffeners. The winter tires Nitto Therma Spike have two tread zones. The outside is very wide. It consists of massive blocks of complex geometric shapes. The dimensions of these elements allow them to maintain their rigidity under a variety of operating conditions. From the reviews of the Nitto Therma Spike, it is clear that the tires behave well during straight-line movement, when maneuvering and braking. The car does not stray to the side, the ride is safe, stable and predictable.
The inner functional area is much smaller. It received a completely open design, as a result of which water is removed from the contact patch in the shortest possible time.
Combating hydroplaning
Driving through puddles is a pretty dangerous undertaking. A microfilm of water forms between the asphalt road and the tread. It interferes with their direct contact with each other. As a result, the car loses its road, starts to slip and wag. Naturally, the accident rate increases. To minimize risks, the brand has endowed these tires with a special compound and a developed drainage system. In reviews of the Nitto Therma Spike, drivers note that the tires behave almost perfectly when driving on wet roads.
Under the action of centrifugal forces, excess water is quickly drawn into the depth of the tread. Then it is redistributed over the surface and removed to the sides. The fully open tread design contributes to the speed of this process.
The concern's chemists have added an increased proportion of silicon dioxide to the rubber compound. This connection increases the quality of wet grip. The car feels the road perfectly, responds quickly to any changes in the steering commands.
On ice
Of course, one of the main characteristics winter tires is their quality of adhesion to ice surfaces. For this indicator, reviews of the Nitto Therma Spike are only positive. Rubber demonstrates phenomenal reliability, noticeably ahead of more eminent concerns.
First, the hallmark is the thorns. At the Nitto Therma Spike, they have a pentagonal shape with a variable cross-section. This allows you to provide the desired quality of traction with the surface for any motion vectors. The core of the elements is made of tungsten carbide material. As a result, the reliability of fixation in the tread increases, but one should not forget about the need for running-in. After installing new tires, the driver must drive about 1,000 km in the most sparing mode. This will allow the cleats to better lock in the attachment points and prevent them from flying out prematurely.
Secondly, each tread block is equipped with sipes. Elements increase the number of cutting edges in the contact patch. This has a positive effect on the final grip quality.
On snow
During independent Nitto tests Therma Spike found out that the model can move efficiently enough on loose snow. The drainage grooves are wider. This allows them to quickly remove snow from the contact area.
On the asphalt
In this case, the situation is ambiguous. According to reviews of the Nitto Therma Spike, it is clear that the tires move confidently on the asphalt road, but sometimes the car loses control. This trend is typical for all studded tires. It is highly discouraged to accelerate to high speed indicators on this rubber class.
Durability
The resource for this model of Nitto tires is enormous. The manufacturers themselves claim that the tires are capable of covering more than 85 thousand kilometers. Performance like this is exceptional. Achievement of the presented characteristics became possible due to the use of a number of innovative solutions.
First, the brand's engineers have achieved the ideal distribution of the external load over the contact patch. This eliminates uneven tread wear. Both functional areas (outer and inner) are erased at the same speed.
Secondly, the model was endowed with a reinforced frame. The metal wire is reinforced with elastic polymer joints. The energy generated when driving over bumps does not lead to deformation of the metal, but is distributed and extinguished by nylon. As a result, there is no risk of rupture of the frame and the occurrence of a hernia. In reviews of the Nitto Therma Spike, motorists note that the tires behave well even when they hit a pothole on the asphalt surface. For many other models, such exploitation is disastrous.
Third, these Nitto tires have received an increased proportion of carbon black in the compound. The use of this material reduces the rate of abrasion of the tread. The depth remains stable even after several tens of thousands of kilometers.
Comfort
In terms of comfort, this model has some complaints. Brand Nitto Therma Spike has equipped the presented tires with studs. Therefore, the ride is noisy. Even the variable arrangement of the tread blocks does not help to reduce the resonance.
The softness of the stroke is high. This is realized through the use of polymer materials in the frame. There is no shaking in the cabin as such.
The challenge for winter tire makers is to create a product that can work in completely different conditions. With the release of the new Therma Spike studded model, Nitto has come close to solving this problem.
What are the requirements for a winter tire? Ideally, work equally well on dry asphalt and wet, both on snow and ice, as well as when driving through puddles and mud. This is practically what happened during our test: under the wheels there was a wild mishmash of water, snow and ice. Well, isn't it an opportunity for the new Therma Spike to showcase their talents?
Before we start testing, let's study technical features new items. There are many interesting things here. For example, Japanese engineers succeeded in making the mixture even softer, which led to an increase in the efficiency of the tire at low temperatures. In addition, a natural component from walnut shells was added to the rubber compound Nitto Therma Spike. In addition to taking care of the environment, this decision has led to the fact that solid microparticles seem to bite into the ice, increasing the grip and braking performance of the tire.
The tread pattern deserves special attention. It is asymmetrical - such an advanced solution is quite unusual for winter tires. And the shape of the grooves in this Nitto model is unusual: all the lines are broken, as if they were drawn by an abstractionist. In fact, the multi-directional grooves provide the so-called edge effect both in straight-line driving and in bends. This is especially important on snow and ice - thanks to strongly fractured grooves, the rubber grips better on slippery surfaces. We also worked on strengthening the tread blocks, pursuing two goals at once: to improve handling characteristics and reduce the likelihood of premature wear. In addition, some block edges have been redesigned with sawtooth edges to further improve cornering stability and grip in deep snow.
Not without the latest 3D technologies. Firstly, there are three-dimensional sipes that allow the rubber to perform well on slippery surfaces due to a stable contact patch. Secondly, "locking" elements were added to them - a set of internal small depressions and bulges. When accelerating or decelerating, they close, significantly increasing the rigidity of the blocks, which allows them to maintain their shape as much as possible.
But, perhaps, the most interesting thing about the novelty is the thorns. We can say that they are real "stars". No, really. To begin with, the base of each is made in the form of a five-pointed star, so engineers have tried to minimize the likelihood of metal elements falling out. But the "claws" themselves have a cruciform shape, vaguely resembling an asterisk. This configuration ensures the contact of the spike with the surface not at one, but at two points at once. Moreover, this works both when moving in any direction (forward or backward), and in turns, where such spikes are very effectively biting into an icy surface. Interestingly, their location on the tread surface: in the longitudinal projection, the spikes form 20 lines to ensure maximum efficiency.
At the very beginning of the test, I was torn apart by conflicting feelings. On the one hand, nature brought surprise after surprise - the temperature fluctuations turned the roads into a real jumble of snow, ice and wet asphalt. In addition, heavy low clouds hung overhead, turning the surrounding nature into a dull gray picture. On the other hand, these conditions are the best suited for testing winter tires. So I had to distract myself from the gloomy weather and concentrate on the behavior of the tires.
The first thing I did in the city was the noise level. Of course, a miracle did not happen: the characteristic rustle of studded tires still makes its way into the car's interior, even despite the very decent soundproofing of the Mitsubishi Outlander. But, of course, this applies mainly to driving on asphalt. In addition, objectively speaking, the new Nitto does not spoil the acoustic comfort too much. For example, listening to music or a fellow traveler on the road practically does not interfere. Perhaps the vast majority of competing tires are louder.
As for the ride comfort, there were no complaints at all. The smoothness of the Japanese model provides quite decent. These tires cope with small cracks effortlessly, thereby relieving the car's suspension. Even on large bumps, the tire's elasticity helps to make the ride comfortable.
But the main surprise awaited after leaving on a half-empty suburban highway. Rare neighbors along the stream crawl along it like turtles. And no wonder, because after several temperature jumps, the coating turned into an obstacle course. Basically, under the wheels is wet asphalt, but no, no, yes, and there is an island of rolled snow or a mirror-smooth area of bare ice. And then the tires showed themselves in all their glory - they seemed to be at ease with everything. Therma Spike, like a true versatile soldier, easily cope with all tasks. And they do it so well that I slowly pick up the pace. A little faster, a little more and more ... However, the crossover still rides reliably and confidently. I try hard braking - and there are no problems. By the way, when decelerating, I noticed how confidently the car keeps its trajectory.
Imbued with confidence, I perform the following maneuver: with a set of speed I go through a gentle bend, where there is snow and ice under the wheels. I started cautiously, but soon pick up the pace. As it turned out, these tires perform no worse during lateral acceleration than in straight-line motion. True, in the end I still ran into the ceiling of possibilities - from a certain moment the car began to strive to go into a skid. However, it happened at such a speed that no sane driver who appreciates his life would pass such a turn.
After completing the test program, I can say that although the Nitto Therma Spike did not revolutionize, they definitely raised the bar for quality to a new level. So if you are faced with a choice of new winter "shoes" for a car, be sure to pay attention to these versatile, high quality and modern tires from Japan. In fact, they can not only instill confidence in you on the winter road, but also save you from many troubles.
Most Affordable - Cordiant Snow cross... Completely domestic (both development and manufacture) tire, upgraded last year. Another model of the last season is a little more expensive -.
Four more tires that can be called inexpensive by today's standards are the Nitto Therma Spike (the second brand Japanese company Toyo), South Korean Kumho WinterCraft Ice, popular Formula Ice (developed by Pirelli, and Russian production) and popular on the market "Japanese" Malaysian "assembly" Toyo Observe G3 ‑ Ice.
From the representatives of the second echelon - new models with German and Finnish ancestry, but produced in Russia: Gislaved Nord Frost 200 with a tread copied from the first generation ContiIceContact, and Nordman 7 with the "face" of the Hakkapeliitta 7 tire.
Finally, the leaders of our past: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Continental IceContact 2. As well as a hot new product from Nokian - the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9.
Tires in the north
We have already conducted tests outside of Russia and consider this very positive. This time we decided to go to the Pirelli winter training ground. It is located in the northern part of Sweden, in the province of Norrbotten, near the town of Elvsbün. Ice tracks are laid on the frozen lake Lilkorstresk (Small Krestovoye swamp), and snow runs along its shores.
At the beginning of February, the pre-run tires were delivered there, and at the end of the month we carried out all the snow and ice tests. The temperature during the tests ranged from -1 to -15 ºС, but at first the Swedish north made me very nervous. On the first day of our work, a warm atmospheric front came to the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia - and the air temperature rose to plus seven degrees! Snow and ice melted before our eyes. The locals said that they didn’t remember such warmth in February in their entire lives. Only on the third day, in the evening, did it freeze, the thawed lake ice got stronger again and a day later was already holding the car. Let's start testing on ice!
Saddle the new one hatchback Kia Rio and refine our own "toolbox". This time, in all exercises, experts give an assessment not in whole points, but in half-point increments - for more correct results.
On thin ice
First, an assessment of the longitudinal adhesion properties. Using the VBOX device, we record the acceleration time from zero to 30 km / h and immediately after that we brake, determining the value from 30 to 5 km / h. The length of the "track" allows you to take four measurements in one direction. Then four more back - and calculate the average. We roll the base tire every three test ones; at the end of the measurements, we recalculate all the results taking into account how the results of the "stove" have changed.The best acceleration, 6.5 seconds, was shown by Rio on Continental tires, second on Nokian tires: 6.8 seconds. No one doubted that the tires with 185-186 studs would be ahead. However, Cordiant, Goodyear and Nordman are stepping on their heels with 110 studs each in 6.9 seconds. The longest acceleration - Kumho: 9.7 seconds.
In braking, Nokian outperforms Continental just a little - 16.4 meters against sixteen and a half, and the third result, 16.7 meters, shows Goodyear. The last one was again Kumho: 23.7 meters.
Pit at zero
The controllability is estimated on the track of a closed configuration. This "path" is about a kilometer long with bends of different radii and a long straight line. And the main thing is that the ice here is very slippery, polished by the wind. We carry out the assessment together, on each set of tires we ride three laps each, then we change.
Crap! Incredibly slippery! To change places, I literally had to crawl from one side to the other, without taking my hands off the car.
Nokian tires earned the highest score in this exercise: clear reactions and good steering information are complemented by a soft, predictable start of the car's sliding and stable grip regardless of the degree of slippage.
Rio behaved a little worse, shod in and Nitto. In the first case, I liked the good balance of longitudinal and lateral grip, an understandable moment of transition to sliding. The score was lowered slightly due to small delays in reactions. On Nitto, the car conquered with good handling even in sliding and a tight, "understandable" steering wheel at large angles of rotation. However, there were some small complaints about the information content of the steering wheel at small angles - in the initial phase of the turn. Shinniks call this effect hole in zero.
The lowest scores were reported by Gislaved, Goodyear and Formula. On these tires, the driver is forced to increase the steering angles, there are delays in reactions. In addition, the Rio on Gislaved tires slips for a long time in the corner, and then the grip is sharply restored, which provokes the whip effect - a sharp skid in the opposite direction.
Goodyear did not like the imbalance of the longitudinal and lateral clutch: the car holds the curve much worse than accelerates and brakes. On Formula - low information content "on the steering wheel" in the corners, which provokes twisting and subsequent skidding.
The ice circle is the most unpleasant exercise for the driver. It is necessary to grope for the maximum speed on the verge of sliding, show the best time (it is recorded by VBOX) and confirm it. In this case, you have to go in one direction, counterclockwise. With good grip, a decent lateral force rolls over the body and head - you constantly strain all the muscles. All the time you have to look from the "road" to the devices and back. After fifty circles, my head begins to spin.
The Continental and Nokian were the fastest on the lap - 19.9 seconds per full revolution. Only one tenth (20.0 s) lagged behind them Cordiant. Slowest tires - Kumho: best achievement - 22.5 seconds.
How many laps did you have to do on each set to get the best results and repeat them? Ten to fifteen! The only tires that required more attention and skill were Goodyear: the car shod in them all the time strove to fall into a skid, I had to cut 19 laps. And in total, taking into account the repeated races on the basic tires, our Rio had to wind up more than two hundred revolutions!
Moving on to snow procedures
Snow fell exactly the next day after the completion of all ice tests. It is easier to prepare a track for assessing handling than a plateau for measuring longitudinal grip. Therefore, we start with more creative and interesting work.
In one bend, the track lies on a hillside, therefore it has short, but rather steep ascents and descents. This is a "feature" of local tracks for assessing handling - most tire manufacturers use mostly flat tracks. The climbs and descents load and unload the suspension by altering the vertical forces acting on the wheels. It is especially interesting when the wheel is unloaded in a corner: downforce decreases, the tire starts to slip.
Fresh snow fell on the cold ice - and shifted as the car slid in corners. The result is a mixed coverage: in some places snow, in some places ice - real!
Here, in terms of handling, I liked the Nokian tires more than others: very soft but confident cat habits, predictable car behavior. Rio on these tires does not require the driver - he just turns. The top speed is limited by a gentle skid that helps to prescribe a turn, requiring little or no adjustment.
The experts presented the greatest claims to the next three participants. annoying with an unexpectedly arising skid with a sharp, unpredictable stall, long sliding and the same sharp recovery of adhesion, which provokes a "shooting" skid in the opposite direction. On Gislaved tires, the steering wheel becomes unpleasantly empty and uninformative - you have to turn it at excessively large angles, which leads to an unexpected sharp break into a skid and deep slips. I didn’t like the Kumho tires because of the noticeable delays in reactions, significant steering angles, long slips and deep skid on the arc, requiring the driver to make immediate adjustments.
Exercise "rearrangement" due to excessively soft snow was performed only partially - they were able to assess only the behavior of the machine during extreme maneuvering, and from determining maximum speed the successful execution of the maneuver was refused.
Here, as on the handling track, Nokian tires earned the most points thanks to the sharpest responses, soft and predictable behavior and easy self-healing skidding at top speed. Dunlop liked the least of all: on these tires, the Rio shows not only noticeable delays in reactions, but also an unstable, wide steering balance: from significant drift of the front axle at the first jerk of the steering wheel to skidding of the rear wheels when trying to stabilize the car in the change lane.
And here is a well-trodden snow straight - you can take measurements of the acceleration time and braking distance. As in similar ice exercises, we combine acceleration with deceleration, repeating the exercises eight to ten times. Moreover, the acceleration time from 0 to 40 km / h on snow was evaluated twice - with and without the TCS traction control system. Braking from 40 to 5 km / h - only with ABS.
So, acceleration is normal, when TCS prevents the tires from slipping. Best results with Continental, Goodyear and Nokian tires. On them, the Rio is gaining 40 km / h in exactly six seconds. Kumho has the worst performance. Like on the ice, they accelerate slowly, losing over 11% to the leaders.
Disconnect the electronic collar and repeat the measurements. It turns out faster! Goodyear holds the leading position: 40 km / h from a standstill are subdued in 5.2 seconds. Acceleration is only one-tenth longer on Continental and Nokian tires. Kumho tires show the most modest result in this mode.
Braking is won by the leading pair - Continental and Nokian, showing the same result: 14.8 meters. At the closing this time - relatives Nitto and Toyo.
Final exercises - assessment of directional stability on a snow-covered track and cross-country ability in deep snow. At high speed, the Rio is the best at following the set course and most clearly rebuilt, shod in Nokian. In addition, we note the high information content of the steering: the driver drives the car in a straight line intuitively, without concentrating.
The worst marks were given to four participants. On Cordiant and Gislaved tires, when changing lanes, the Rio has an unpleasant steering of the rear axle, which turns into a skid. Attempting to correct course on Dunlop and Kumho tires is fraught with skidding, requiring immediate action, even with soft lane changes.
More confident than others in rowing Goodyear tires - on them Rio is ready to conquer any snowdrift. But on Kumho and Toyo tires, you can only ride a good ride. Getting under way in the snow is daunting: the slightest slip - and the wheels slip, digging deeper and deeper.
What's with the thorns?
We were pleasantly surprised. On all tires, after running-in, the spikes protruded above the tread within reasonable limits. The maximum is 1.41 mm for the Cordiant, the minimum is less than 0.9 mm for the Formula, Gislaved and Nokian tires. Only the Nokian has 185 studs on each tire, while the Formula and Gislaved have only 110. And this number with such a small protrusion is clearly not enough to provide good grip on ice.
As a reminder, the regulated stud protrusion on new tires is no more than 1.2 mm. We know from experience that after running in, this value can increase to 1.3–1.4 mm.
It is gratifying that tire manufacturers have stopped abusing the increased stud protrusion. After all, strongly protruding spikes "saw" the asphalt, on which deep ruts appear. And for the first time during our tests, not a single tire lost a single spike, confirming the postulate that the reliability of the retention of the spikes in the rubber is inversely proportional to the amount of their protrusion. The less you stick out, the harder you sit!
On the asphalt
In Togliatti, at the AVTOVAZ test site, we again had to wait for the weather. Dry roads and calm weather are the conditions for reliable rolling resistance results. The asphalt part of the tests could be performed only in the first half of May. I had to work at night in order to keep within the admissible temperature for winter tires + 5… + 7 ºC.
The procedure for evaluating the economy is the same as in the case of p. We start by warming them up, making a full circle along the high-speed ring (10 km) at a speed of 110–120 km / h. Along the way, we estimate how much the car deviates from the set course under the influence of external forces (side wind, slope), and also smoothly maneuver, simulating a soft detour around an obstacle or changing lane for overtaking. At the same time, the tester carefully monitors the reactions and behavior of the car, and also evaluates how convenient and understandable (read: safe) it is to drive it. The wider the "zero" and the greater the steering wheel turning angles, to which the car does not react, and the lower the information content (the rate of increase in steering effort with increasing steering angle), the worse the assessment.
Experts gave Formula Ice tires the highest mark for directional stability: some summer tires can envy the clarity of course holding and the reactions of the car shod in them! The complete opposite is Dunlop tires. The main disadvantages in the behavior of the car on these tires: wide "zero", empty steering wheel, delays in reactions when adjusting the course.
After a circle around the ring on a two-kilometer straight line, we estimate the amount of run-out from the maximum permitted "urban" and "suburban" speeds. Measurements are carried out in opposite directions, we repeat from three to five times, depending on the results obtained. At the same time, the driver gains impressions of the noise and smoothness of the ride at different speeds. The greenest, that is, the most economical ones, were the Nokian tires.
Before changing tires, the Rio makes a lap on service roads with cracks and cracks to determine the comfort rating. We found the quietest tires Gislaved, Toyo and Nitto, and the softest - Continental and Nokian.
The next exercise is to measure the stopping distance on a dry surface and on a wet surface. The initial braking speeds for winter tires are reduced compared to summer ones by 20 km / h - up to 80 km / h on a dry road and up to 60 km / h on a wet one. Better than others when braking on wet asphalt tires looked Continental, on dry - Nokian. The weakest results were with Nitto, regardless of the condition of the pavement, and on dry asphalt, Cordiant was the Nitto company.
Summarizing
The new tires won the test with the highest score (936) Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9... The second place with a total of 914 points took Continental IceContact 2... We categorize both tires as excellent and recommend to drivers of all skill levels.
On the third step of our pedestal - Goodyear ultragrip ice arctic, who earned 898 total points, just two points short of the excellent tire title. Its element is unclean winter roads and even virgin snow.
The fourth position with 888 points is occupied by Nordman seventh generation. Very good tires for the Russian winter, will give confidence in any conditions.
All of the tires listed are ranked in our table according to the price ranking. Or they have a price that is adequate to the characteristics and properties, which, in fact, are one and the same. And starting from the fifth place, small distortions begin in one direction or another.
For instance, Cordiant Snow Cross earned 871 points, which allowed him to gain a foothold in the "very good tires" category and take the fifth line in the final test result. They will not give up on any road, unless they require a long distance on dry asphalt due to modest adhesion properties, and also unhurried movement on a snowy road. You can buy them for 2500 rubles apiece.
Tires scoring 852 points (sixth place) open the category of good tires. Decent product with averages across nearly all disciplines. Not without weaknesses, among which are modest lateral grip on ice, poor directional stability on a snowy road and asphalt, and a low level of comfort. But it is sold for the same money as the Cordiant Snow Cross: the price is 2550 rubles.
Even more expensive tires are located on the seventh and eighth steps - Toyo Observe G3 ‑ Ice and Nitto Therma Spike, practically brothers both "by blood" and by properties. They scored 847 points each and settled in the good tires category. Liked the low noise level. The Toyo brand is well known in our market, and Nitto appeared quite recently, therefore it is a little cheaper.
The ninth and tenth places are shared by and, who earned 841 points. These tires still fall into the good category. Gislaved, smoother in terms of objective indicators, "failed" in handling and directional stability on the snow. The Formula has somewhat unbalanced characteristics: it is weak in longitudinal grip on ice, but more confident on asphalt, close to better results in dry braking and provides a clear course hold. But the difference in prices is noticeable: Formula is three hundred rubles cheaper, so a set of four will save more than a thousand. However, there is one technical nuance that unites both tires: the protrusion of the studs is insufficient - less than a millimeter after the tests. We believe there was a failure during the installation of the spikes.
Seven or eight years ago, together with Continental, we investigated and obtained the following pattern: one tenth of their performance is equivalent to three percent of the stopping distance on ice. Increasing the protrusion of "studs" to 1.2 mm allowed by the law on new tires will allow Gislaved and Formula to improve longitudinal grip by about 10% - this is where the hidden reserves are hidden!
On the eleventh line - tires Kumho wintercraft ice who scored 803 points. It is rather weak for modern spikes, but it is natural, since in most exercises these tires show modest results. Given their not the lowest price, they can hardly be called a bargain.
Count your money
In our diagram, the tires tested are ranked from left to right in ascending order of price, and the height of the bars corresponds to the number of points scored. Small columns at the bottom of the diagram show the ratio of quality and price and show how many points a tire is gaining for every thousand rubles given for it.
If you put the price at the forefront and scrupulously calculate each ruble, pay attention to another group of columns: the more points a tire earned for every thousand rubles of the price, the more profitable the purchase! The rating is headed by tires Cordiant Snow Cross, and the test leader Hakkapeliitta 9 comes in last place - expensive tires! Kumho WinterCraft Ice tires are in the middle, which is why many people buy them.
By comparing all our test results and prices, you can make right choice... Have a good trip!
Test results
| 11th place | 9-10 place | 9-10 place | 7-8 place |
|
| brand, model | ||||
| Country of manufacture | Korea | Russia | Russia | Malaysia |
| Load and speed index | ||||
| 9,1–10,0 | 9,2–9,4 | 9,1–9,7 | 8,5–8,9 |
|
| 61–62 | 55–56 | 60–61 |
||
| Number of spikes, pcs. | ||||
| 1,35 | 0,93 | 0,93 | 1,43 |
|
| Tire weight, kg | ||||
| 2800 | 3140 | 2850 | 2900 |
|
| Quality / price * | 0,29 | 0,27 | 0,30 | 0,29 |
| The amount of points awarded | 803 | 841 | 841 | 847 |
| pros | Satisfactory grip on asphalt. Stable handling on the "Russian road" | Satisfactory handling during extreme maneuvering and cross-country ability. Least noisy | Better road holding and good braking on asphalt. Comprehensible handling for extreme snow maneuvers | Satisfactory handling and directional stability. Low internal noise |
| Minuses | Poor grip on ice. Weakest acceleration on snow. Difficult handling during extreme maneuvering on snow and directional stability. Notes on handling on ice. Limited cross-country ability. Low level of comfort | Low efficiency at high speed. Difficult handling on ice and directional stability. Notes on handling on the "Russian road" | Poor longitudinal grip and difficult handling on ice. Notes on road holding on snow. Noisy. Low level of ride comfort | Weakest braking performance on snow. High fuel consumption at a speed of 90 km / h. Mediocre cross-country ability. Hard |
* Obtained by dividing the total points by the retail price. The higher the score, the more profitable the purchase.
| 7-8 place | 6th place | 5th place | 4th place |
|
| brand, model | ||||
| Country of manufacture | Malaysia | Thailand | Russia | Russia |
| Load and speed index | ||||
| Depth of the pattern in width, mm | 8,9–9,1 | 9,1–9,4 | 9,8–10,1 | 9,2–9,4 |
| Shore hardness of rubber, unit | 61–62 | 59–61 | 56–57 | 52–53 |
| Number of spikes, pcs. | ||||
| Protrusion of spikes after tests, mm | 1,21 | 1,32 | 1,51 | 1,17 |
| Tire weight, kg | ||||
| Average price in online stores at the time of preparation of the material, rubles. | 2710 | 2550 | 2500 | 3200 |
| Quality / price * | 0,31 | 0,33 | 0,35 | 0,28 |
| The amount of points awarded | 847 | 852 | 871 | 888 |
| pros | Clear handling. Good cross-country ability. Good directional stability in the snow. Least noisy | Clear handling on the "Russian road". Attractive price | Good grip on ice. Confident cross-country ability in deep snow | High braking properties on snow. Confident acceleration on ice. Low consumption fuel. Reliable handling. Stable directional stability on snow. Good cross-country ability |
| Minuses | Lowest braking performance on snow and asphalt. Low efficiency at high speed. Notes on directional stability on asphalt and ride smoothness | Low lateral grip on ice. High fuel consumption. Difficult directional stability on snow, problematic - on asphalt. Notes on handling during extreme maneuvering on snow. The toughest and noisiest | Poor braking on dry asphalt. Low efficiency. Complex exchange rate stability. Remarks about handling on the "Russian road". Very noisy. Harsh |
Owners of crossovers, especially four-wheel drive, often relate to seasonal changes in regular summer tires for the winter without enthusiasm. After all, almost all native tires are marked with the M + S index, which de jure allows them to be used in winter. The main thing that residual depth the tread was not less than 4 mm (otherwise - a fine of 500 rubles). But you need to understand that the M + S marking does not oblige the manufacturer to anything! Marking does not require any tests or certificates confirming the suitability of tires for winter, and therefore more and more often it can be seen on frankly summer, and "asphalt" tires, which incidentally speaks of the devaluation of not only the letter S (snow, "snow"), but also M (mud). So we are not looking at the letters, but at the tread, and if we do not see many small slits-lamellas, then we conclude: it is dangerous to ride on such ones in winter. Better yet, when the sidewall has the “Snowflake” mark in the form of three mountain peaks with a snowflake - these models really passed the exam on a snow track. The participants in our test are all marked with the following markings: these are 14 kits with spikes and nine without them.
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 when conducting additional races on "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 several years. Both in acceleration and in braking, the non-studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUVs yielded not only to principal competitors, but even to the tires of their own "second line" - the Nordman RS2 SUV tires! Nokian testers working in the neighborhood were alarmed, they themselves repeated the measurements ... An official investigation showed that the failed tires were produced at a plant near St. Petersburg at the end of 2016, more precisely in the 48th week. Then there was a failure in the technological cycle. They did not share the details with us (apparently, there were deviations either in the duration or in the temperature of vulcanization), but we were assured that the defective batch did not go on sale. Although outwardly everything is in order, and even the hardness of the tread rubber is the same as on tires produced in the 41st week of 2016 (their results were taken into account), but the difference in grip properties on ice reaches eight percent.
After measurements in the hangar, we get out into the growing frost - and once again we notice that as the temperature drops, the friction tires begin to catch up and even overtake the “spikes”. At minus twenty, the ice becomes so hard that the spikes cannot scratch it, and the tread rubber of most studded tires is harder - in the cold the friction tires are more elastic, they have a larger overall length of the sipes.
We, I repeat, take into account the changing conditions and adjust the results, but if all tests were carried out in a light frost, the 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, the estimates of the cross-country ability were supported by instrumental measurements - the 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 - Cordiant, and the most helpless on the virgin soil - Viatti tires produced by the Nizhnekamsk tire plant.
The asphalt part of the tests is especially relevant for residents of large cities, in which 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 along the way, we note that this time there were no tires littering 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 the best option affordable. And yet we avoid buying outsider tires - such savings are fraught with incomparably high costs.
Studded tire rating
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (55 standard sizes are available from 215/65 R16 to 315/40 R21) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,9 |
| 9,8 | |
| 49 | |
| Number of thorns | 172 |
| 1,05/1,54 | |
| Manufacturer country | Finland |
Hakkapeliitta index 9 is a novelty of the season: here for the first time two types of cleats were used. Those in the middle part of the tread have transversely oriented carbide inserts: they are responsible for longitudinal grip properties, and at the edges above the tread there are such trefoils that work effectively in turns. And this is not a marketing gimmick: an unequivocal superiority over competitors both on the handling track and in braking on ice. And in other forms winter tests tires at height. On asphalt, the grip is moderate, and the main problem is noise at speeds from 70 to 90 km / h.
The best tires for tough winter conditions!
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (2 standard sizes 205/55 R16 and 215/65 R16 are available) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 98 (750 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,2 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,5 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 56 |
| Number of thorns | 170 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,52/1,47 |
| Manufacturer country | South Korea |
This year, Hankook officially opened its polar training ground in Ivalo, Finland: the tracks and testing approaches are in many ways similar to those used by Nokian Tires. This also applies to the peculiarities of the tires themselves: the number of sprockets-stars was increased, which ensured decent test results on ice. But in deep snow, the tires do not shine, as well as on the asphalt, and besides, they make a lot of noise. But it is easy for them to forgive: the Hankook Winter i * Pike RS + tires are one and a half times cheaper than the Finnish novelty.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (91 standard sizes available from 175/70 R14 to 275/40 R22) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,4 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,5 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 54 |
| Number of thorns | 130 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,03/1,25 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
The tires produced in Voronezh are laced with powerful brace spikes - and they work gorgeous on ice during acceleration and braking. But in corners there are sharp breaks in sliding, so without a stabilization system, you have to be on the lookout. On the other hand, there is a good balance of grip properties on slippery roads and on asphalt, and therefore they can be safely recommended for winter operation in large cities. If you do not make high demands on acoustic comfort.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (75 standard sizes are available from 155/70 R13 to 275/40 R20) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,6 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,2 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 54 |
| Number of thorns | 130 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,37/1,41 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
The tires are manufactured at the Russian Continental plant near Kaluga. The Gislaved brand is owned by Continental - and the Nord * Frost 200 replicates asymmetrical pattern first generation ContiIceContact tread, but with simpler spikes and no thermochemical fixation. However, they also work well - especially in the lateral direction.
In general, these are well-balanced tires for use in large cities and beyond.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (37 standard sizes are available from 155/70 R13 to 225/55 R18) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,9 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,6 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 54 |
| Number of thorns | 130 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,63/1,62 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
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 litigation. But by Cordiant managed to justify themselves - and to increase production volumes, including by expanding the range of dimensions. Decent tires for their money, but they do not like asphalt roads: they do not hold very well, and rolling is accompanied by a loud and unpleasant rumble of the tread. Tires are not for the city.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (42 standard sizes are available from 205/70 R15 to 275/50 R22) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 12,2 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,2 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 57 |
| Number of thorns | 130 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,08/1,16 |
| Manufacturer country | Finland |
Nordman tires are Nokian Tires' second line, and the production uses molds from outdated Nokian tires. New for the Nordman 7 SUV season is the reincarnation of the Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV, which was produced from 2010 to 2017. Quite good grip on ice and snow, and on asphalt even better than the current "parent" model. Including in terms of acoustic comfort: there are fewer spikes.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (38 standard sizes are available from 175/65 R15 to 245/45 R19) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 98 (750 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 10,2 |
| Tread depth, mm | 10,5 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 56 |
| Number of thorns | 130 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,26/1,39 |
| Manufacturer country | Germany |
The model was introduced in 2012 and has not yet received a replacement. On ice, the tires work well in the longitudinal direction, but when cornering, they suddenly break into sliding. On the snow, including on the virgin soil, everything is much better. But on the pavement, the aggressive pattern generates an obsessive low-frequency rumble already from 30 km / h.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (58 standard sizes are available from 175/65 R14 to 265/40 R20) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,3 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,3 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 56 |
| Number of thorns | 104 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,05/1,09 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
Michelin with the X-Ice North 3 tire continues to bend the line to comply with European studding rules: no more than 50 studs per running meter of tread. And the spikes themselves are simple, round in cross section. This led to an unimportant hold on the ice. The picture is better on rolled snow, but getting out of the snow is a problem: the tread is to blame.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (23 standard sizes are available from 175/70 R13 to 245/45 R17) | |
| Speed index | Q (160 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,2 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 51 |
| Number of thorns | 100 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 0,87/1,06 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
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's a pity that there are also few pimples, they are round, overly sunken - and as a result mediocre behavior on the ice.
The situation is better on snow, including virgin soil. And even better - on asphalt, although you need to remember that the permissible speed is 160 km / h, although studded competitors have 190.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (35 standard sizes are available from 175/70 R13 to 265/60 R18) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 98 (750 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 10,9 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,6 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 56 |
| Number of thorns | 130 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 0,85/0,94 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
Formula is Pirelli's second line. In last year's tests on Lada Vesta, the tires took fifth place, but now the indicators are more modest. Especially on ice. Even after running-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 rolled snow, the results are better, although we do not recommend climbing into snowdrifts. On the asphalt they are excellent.
Not a bad budget tire option for urban use.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (122 standard sizes are available from 175/70 R13 to 285/45 R22) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 98 (750 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 12,2 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,5 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 55 |
| Number of thorns | 125 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 1,18/1,37 |
| Manufacturer country | Japan |
For many, the Made in Japan brand is a quality mark. But something went wrong with Toyo winter tires. It seems that the studs are not simple - with cruciform inserts, and the studding is of high quality, but the grip properties are moderate on ice, as well as on snow. However, the car's response to driving is well balanced.
On the asphalt - far from best comfort and adhesion properties.
The joy is the low price, which is quite consistent with the quality of the tires.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (19 standard sizes available from 205/70 R15 to 265/60 R18) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 98 (750 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,5 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,3 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 59 |
| Number of thorns | 120 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 0,93/1,03 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
Under the "Italian" name - tires produced in Nizhnekamsk using off-take technology. The design and production technology is the product of an engineering firm managed by one of the former top managers of Continental. However, the grip on ice and snow is mediocre, and most of all upset that winter tires, "developed by European specialists specifically for Russian roads," were helpless in deep snow. They are also noisy and tough. Not an option - even given the low price.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (96 standard sizes are available from 175/70 R13 to 275/50 R22) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 12,1 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 53 |
| Number of thorns | 128 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 0,57/0,73 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
One could immediately assume that the ice test of the Yokohama Ice Guard 55 tires will fail. Instead of the prescribed 1.2 mm, the spikes protrude by an average of 0.57 mm - and do not work. And the buyer is counting on Japanese quality- even though the tires were produced in Lipetsk.
There are also complaints about the tread: on packed snow - the maximum braking distance, and on virgin soil - the worst traction ability. For Russian conditions, other tires are needed, and they already exist: this season, sales of the new Yokohama IG65 model with an increased number of "curly" studs begin. More details about new tires - in one of the next issues of Autoreview.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (38 standard sizes are available from 175/70 R13 to 235/60 R18) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,7 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9,4 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 61 |
| Number of thorns | 128 |
| Protrusion of studs before / after tests, mm | 0,79/1,0 |
| Manufacturer country | South Korea |
Interestingly, duplicated in the name win - is it from the word "win" or from the word "winter"? For example, wintry ("cold", "inhospitable") or winch ("winch") are better suited. What winter or victory can we talk about when studded tires are inferior to most friction tires on ice, and on the Nexen handling track they are the slowest in the overall standings? The tread rubber is clearly not designed to work at low temperatures, as evidenced by its increased hardness.
Of the positive emotions, only a relatively quiet (for tires with spikes) rolling remains.
Non-studded tire rating
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (61 sizes available from 205/70 R15 to 295/40 R21) | |
| Speed index | R (170 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,4 |
| Tread depth, mm | 8,9 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 53 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
The SUV-indexed off-road tires have sidewalls reinforced with aramid fiber, which is reminiscent of the Aramid Sidewalls brand. So there should be no problems with impact resistance, in contrast to the "passenger" tires of the same name.
In severe frost, Nokian friction tires provide excellent grip on ice, behave well on snow, and small claims appear only on asphalt.
Excellent winter tires for use both in the city and outside.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (97 standard sizes are available from 175/70 R13 to 275/45 R20) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,9 |
| Tread depth, mm | 8 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 52 |
| Manufacturer country | Germany |
Leapfrog. The year before last, we liked ContiVikingContact 6 tires on asphalt, but they did not work well on ice, last year the situation changed to the opposite, this year it is better again on asphalt ... The dimensions, of course, are different, but the reason must be sought in the composition of the rubber compound : The tread rubber on the ContiVikingContact 6 was noticeably softer last year.
We are now taking into account the latest version of these tires from late 2016 production. Not ideal on ice and snow (especially deep), but great on asphalt.
Good winter tires for urban use. And the most comfortable ones!
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (57 standard sizes are available from 175/70 R13 to 255/45 R19) | |
| Speed index | S (180 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 98 (750 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 10,7 |
| Tread depth, mm | 8,6 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 46 |
| Manufacturer country | Japan |
Since studs are illegal in Japan, local manufacturers focus on friction winter tires. So we will consider it natural that
Lightweight tires with soft, quiet rolling. But at the same time - an imbalance of "winter" grip properties in the longitudinal and transverse directions, and abrupt breakdowns in sliding, it seems, are provoked by the sidewalls that are soft for a heavy crossover. Indeed, in the Goodyear range of winter tires there is a model specifically for crossovers and SUVs - UltraGrip Ice SUV, but these tires are not available in the size 215/65 R16. However, if the car is equipped with a stabilization system, then Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 tires are a good choice.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (16 standard sizes are available from 215/65 R16 to 255/60 R18) | |
| Speed index | R (170 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 11,2 |
| Tread depth, mm | 8,9 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 56 |
| Manufacturer country | Russia |
The tread pattern is exactly the same as the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R tires, but the materials are simpler. Another option for extending the life cycle of molds. And - considering the price - a very good option. Moreover, in some disciplines, Nordman RS2 SUV tires are even preferable: braking distances on ice are 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 on the track the handling is harsh and in deep snow they row mediocre.
The grip properties on asphalt are above average, there are no problems with comfort either, which means that these tires are relevant for large cities.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (38 standard sizes are available from 155/65 R14 to 255/50 R19) | |
| Speed index | T (190 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 102 (850 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 10,6 |
| Tread depth, mm | 9 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 51 |
| Manufacturer country | Slovakia |
The Gislaved brand continues to lose its authenticity. So the "new" Gislaved Soft * Frost 200 is nothing more than the ContiVikingContact tires of the previous, third generation. Fortunately, these are balanced tires - safe, comfortable, not very expensive - and therefore we safely recommend them for urban use, although an accidental arrival in a snowdrift can postpone the planned trip.
The Marshal brand belongs to the Korean company Kumho Tire, but these tires copy the Finnish Nokian Hakkapeliitta R tires in terms of the tread pattern and even the rare R speed index - and some sellers play on this similarity. By the way, on snow and on asphalt friction tires Marshal and Nokian are close, but on ice the loss of the copy is already obvious. They are also some of the noisiest and toughest friction tires around.
| Dimension | 215/65 R16 |
|---|---|
| (37 standard sizes are available from 175/65 R14 to 245/60 R18) | |
| Speed index | Q (160 km / h) |
| Lifting capacity index | 98 (750 kg) |
| Weight, kg | 12,4 |
| Tread depth, mm | 8,9 |
| Shore hardness of tread rubber, unit | 49 |
| Manufacturer country | Japan |
Winter tires Nitto (brand owned by Toyo Tires) appeared in Russia recently. The Therma Spike managed to please us with grip on ice, but lost the studs on asphalt more than anyone else. And friction tires Nitto Winter SN2 immediately signed their helplessness on the ice and in the snow. And all the more surprising is the failure of these tires even on asphalt.
Something is wrong with these Nitto ...
