The German magazine Auto Bild has tested 12 winter tyres in the size 225/40 R18 on a Golf GTI. Is it really possible to drive a sports car safely in winter without losing any performance?
© Anuscha Sonntag / AUTO BILD
Safety and driving pleasure? How can these two aspects be combined in winter? After testing all season tyres for city cars and winter tyres for passenger cars, Auto Bild has now compared winter tyres for sports cars in the size 225/40 R18. This test was carried out on a Volkswagen Golf GTI but these tyres are also suitable for other sports cars such as the Audi A4 Avant, A5 Cabriolet, Quattro and Sportback, A6, TT, BMW 5-Series e60, Mercedes CLS, E-Class, etc.
The following 12 tyres were tested:
Despite very good performances in the wet, and particularly in terms of aquaplaning resistance, the Kumho WinterCraft WP71 has more difficulty on snow. Indeed, its delayed steering response and reduced lateral guidance on this surface does not allow it to obtain a better rating than “conditionally recommended”.
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The BFGoodrich, Pirelli, Toyo and Maxxis tyres obtain an honourable score despite some weaknesses. Auto Bild underlines their shortcomings in the wet, with in particular, a tendency to understeer in wet conditions. Nevertheless, they deliver good performance on snow, particularly the BFGoodrich G-Force Winter2 which is one of the best tyres in this category.
The Continental WinterContact TS850 P provides dynamic wet handling and short braking distances on both wet and snowy surfaces. Auto Bild regrets its relatively high price and its low safety reserves in aquaplaning situations.
The Falken Eurowinter HS01 is very convincing on snow, particularly on slopes. It is also very good in the wet, but it understeers slightly in dry conditions which prevents it from ranking higher in this comparison test.
The Vredestein Wintrac Pro and the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance + finish equal despite slightly different performances. The first is efficient on snow and delivers good handling on dry and wet roads. The second is more versatile and offers dynamic and precise handling despite its dry braking distances which are slightly too long.
Michelin and Hankook tie for 2nd place, and show no real shortcomings. The Pilot Alpin 5 delivers a high level or performance in all test conditions. Its high comfort and low rolling resistance are only tarnished by its high price. The Hankook Winter i*cept evo3, which has just been launched, is impressive. Exemplary on dry and snowy surfaces, it offers the best aquaplaning resistance. Its low price makes this tyre a good choice for Auto Bild who regrets its lack of comfort.
Following this test, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 has been voted the best winter sports tyre by Auto Bild. Very sporty, it delivers dynamic handling on both wet and snowy surfaces. Its high precision and very good winter performances make it an excellent choice for the magazine that has not much more to say.
Bridgestone LM005 winter tyre highly rated on the EU label and in independent tests. © Bridgestone
2020 Top 5 winter sports |
+ |
- |
1 - Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 |
Sporty, dynamic handling in the wet and on snow |
Comfort |
2 = Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 |
Good wet handling, price |
Comfort |
2 = Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
High level of performance in all conditions, very good on snow |
Price |
4 = Goodyear UltraGrip Performance + |
Dynamic handling |
Braking in dry conditions |
4 = Vredestein Wintrac Pro |
Snow, stability when cornering |
Fuel consumption |
The detailed test can be found in German on the Auto Bild website.
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