As is usual with winter tire manufacturers, the roads and frozen lakes of northern Sweden in the Åre region were chosen as the venue for the presentation (it took place at the end of last winter) and the introductory test of the new products. In addition to the well-functioning infrastructure for conducting such tests, these places were chosen because 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, the UltraGrip Ice 2 tire was developed precisely for such conditions. 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 occurs regularly .
Compared to the previous model, UltraGrip Ice 2 has undergone a number of key changes. The most important of them are the increased suitability of the tire for use in conditions below -25°C, improved handling on snow and ice, as well as better grip on winter roads. Technologically, this is achieved through the use of a cryo-adaptive rubber compound. Goodyear says it remains flexible even at very low temperatures and allows the tire to maintain good grip on very slippery surfaces. Controllability and braking on snow and ice are achieved thanks to sipes located perpendicular to the direction of tire movement - they are similar to snowcat tracks. Tires literally bite into the snow or ice covering the road surface.
The first races on front-wheel drive diesel Audi A3s equipped with UltraGrip Ice 2 were carried out in two sections. At the first, we tested the tire's handling on packed snow; at the second, snowy sections alternated with ice patches. We checked the veracity of the manufacturer's quality statements in comparison with Nokian Hakka R2, Michelin X-Ice Xi3 and Continental Conti Viking Contact5.
Subjectively, the new product felt approximately on the same level or slightly better than the Nokian and drove in the snow a little less “fun” than the Continental, but noticeably better than the Michelin-starred X-Ice Xi3. The handling of the Goodyear tire seemed to me more predictable and precise compared to the Nokian. Much more interesting was the comparison of these tires in the braking test, which was carried out on a marked area using Racelogic devices.
Despite the fact that Nokian beat all competitors in braking by a meter or two, both Goodyear and Conti were equally good at acceleration and were superior to Nokian in this parameter. On average, the braking distance on a 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 is expected in full-fledged tests.
The standard condition for such tests is a speed of no higher than 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 Michelin tires, having exceeded the speed by only 10 km/h, I suddenly realized that the car’s brakes simply ceased to exist. The pedal pressed to the floor and the almost broken back of the seat under the heart-rending squealing of the ABS on the three-ruble ruble didn’t help much, and I already began to figure out which side would be better to get into the snow parapet in order to save the expensive bumper and optics - damaging the car, even if it was insured, I really didn't want to. As a result, it was possible to stop the car far beyond the mark at which, having slowed down, it was necessary to make a 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 tires that brake better. After all, an extra ten centimeters is exactly what separates a car owner from becoming a customer of a body service. But in practice, understanding that the life of a city driver is not limited to trips on salty 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 acquaintance with the new studded tire for crossovers UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV 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 use in the harsh climatic conditions of 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 line, the new product occupies a place under the Eagle UltraGrip and UltraGrip 8 and next to the UltraGrip 500 model.
I name the latter as a starting point for comparison. During the presentation, Goodyear specialists argued that the new product is superior to the Ultragrip 500 SUV in such indicators as improved handling and grip on ice. This is realized using Multicontrol Ice technology, which consists of installing directional studs with a wider carbide insert at an angle and optimizing their distribution. The new shape of the base of the studs makes them more stable, and the wide trailing edge is necessary for more effective braking. Optimized stud distribution improves traction and reduces external noise.
Handling on snow and slush is achieved thanks to V-shaped sipes and open shoulder grooves. To pass through deep snow, the shoulder area of the tread has a sawtooth design and effectively captures snow at the edges of the tire, wide grooves remove it, and the silica included in the rubber compound makes braking more effective on wet roads with greater energy dissipation.
In a test carried out in December 2013 by Test World at three different European test sites - Finland, Luxembourg and Germany on the BMW X5, the UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV was the leader in the categories Snow Braking Distance, Snow Grip and Handling. on snow". UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV tires also showed excellent results in the following categories: “shortest braking distance on ice”, “handling on ice”, “grip on ice”. Unofficially, we were hinted that the competitors 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 the preservation of braking performance at extremely low temperatures. The acquaintance itself took place on a track partly consisting of a snowy run-up, partly of pure ice, and partly of a run-up with ice. The configuration of the section was made of a starting straight, a long turn, followed by an acceleration-deceleration section, another couple of low-speed turns, a straight line and a mid-length “five” turn, followed by an exit to the straight 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 possible to check how stable the Audi Q5, shod with tires from Goodyear and from competitors, is when braking “pedal to the floor.” From the very first races, the outsider - Michelin - became obvious. During the braking section, the car stopped a couple of car lengths behind the last cone. But that was only the beginning. After entering a turn in a car with ESP turned off (with the system activated 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 exposed ice the crossover shook noticeably. The result of the lap on Michelin was close to that shown by passing the section in quiet urban mode with electronic assistants turned on every second - 55 seconds.
The picture changed dramatically when we switched to a Q5 with Nokian, Conti and Goodyear tires. The last two demonstrated impeccable behavior on the ice and predictable reactions in turns. As in the friction tire test, the Nokian was, in my opinion, better in braking, although the presentation graphics gave the Goodyear the lead here. But when it comes to handling on ice and snow, the Goodyear was neck and neck with the Conti, only slightly losing in acceleration on ice after a turn. On RaceLogic this difference looked like 44 and 42 seconds respectively. Both tires felt like they left the most favorable impression; the crossover maintained its course and stability in corners equally well. The choice here will 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. per tire in size 215/50R17 or 225/55R17. So, most likely, operating conditions and driving style will again be decisive.
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 framework of the same dilemma - studded or friction? As an answer to this question, Goodyear immediately offered two new models of UltraGrip tires - UltraGrip Ice 2 and UltraGrip Ice Arctic SUV. We are testing new products in northern Sweden.
Test of winter studded tires size 205/55 R16 (2013)
List of tested tires:
- Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000
- Continental ContiIceContact
- Dunlop Ice Touch
- Gislaved Nord*Frost 100
- Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
- Hankook W409 I*Pike
- Kama EURO 519
- Michelin X Ice North 2
- Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8
- Pirelli Ice Zero
“One hundred seventy, one hundred eighty, one hundred and ninety...” - this is Uncle Vanya counting the studs in the next tire. Stop! What the hell are one hundred and ninety if in Northern European countries, where the use of studs is still allowed, a restriction came into force in July of this year: no more than 50 studs per linear meter of tread? That is, a 16-inch tire (205/55 R16) should have no more than 96 studs! We count it again - and we are convinced that the tread of the new Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires still has 190 studs, almost twice as many!
Why did the Finns decide to bypass the new rules - and does such a number of spikes give any advantage over competitors? Let's find out in the course of our next comparative test, in which ten models of studded tires of size 205/55 R16 took part.
Discussions about tightening the rules for the use of studs have been going on in the Scandinavian countries for a long time, and the reason is increased wear of the road surface. The “greens” began to claim that asphalt dust is also carcinogenic, that is, it causes cancer. And in 2009, a new standard was announced - up to 50 studs per linear meter, regardless of the tread width or tire diameter. At the same time, the previous restrictions remained in force: the protrusion of the studs above the tread surface should not exceed 1.2 mm.
What about security? After all, the more studs, the better, other things being equal, the “hook” for the ice... They left a loophole for the tire manufacturers! It turns out that you can install more studs, but then you will have to prove that denser studs will not increase the destructive effect on the road. As a result, a method for full-scale assessment of the impact of studded tires on the road surface was developed at the Finnish testing center Test World. In a nutshell, after a certain number of rides on granite tiles, the mass of this tile should not decrease more than after the same impact of reference tires with a “legal” number of studs.
However, there was no rush demand for such tests. For example, Michelin decided that this was not a completely fair way to get around the new restrictions - and threw all their efforts into improving tires with a reduced number of studs. The developers of the new Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires did the same. What about the rest?
The rest have fully loaded their production facilities to produce as many tires as possible, studded according to the old rules (no more than 130 studs for 16-inch tires). After all, the ban that came into force on July 1 concerns the production, but not the sale, of tires with the “wrong” studding!
And only the Nokian Tires company went its own way: the number of studs on the tires of the new Hakkapeliitta 8 model not only did not decrease, but increased by one and a half times! Naturally, the mentioned test was passed, and, as we learned, it was carried out not at the Test World test site, but in our own testing center near the town of Nokia. It turns out that this is possible - under the supervision of an official observer from the transport security agency Trafi. Competitors, naturally, made a fuss - they say that with so many spikes it is impossible to successfully pass the test!
Perhaps, explains Mikko Lukkula, head of Nokian's studded tire development department. “For three years, we have created fundamentally new lightweight studs, conducted dozens of tests on road surface wear and are confident that our tires work great on ice.
So, the main intrigue of the test is indicated.
Uncle Vanya gets behind the wheel of an Audi A3, Andrey Mokhov, having checked the reliability of the optical sensor, sits on the right and opens the laptop. Now - a dozen braking and acceleration, then - on the lift, changing tires, acceleration and braking again...
Despite the fact that acceleration is controlled by the traction control system, and deceleration is controlled by ABS, the studs crush smooth ice into snow powder.
The last, tenth set of studded tires was tested for “acceleration-braking” - and... The first sensation! ContiIceContact tires have the shortest braking distance. They also provided the car with better acceleration dynamics. And although the advantage over the “bristling” Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires is very small, it is there! That is, 190 studs lined up in 18 rows perform no better on the ice than 130 studs distributed over 12 rows. At least in 14-degree frost. Why? Yes, because to reduce the harmful effects on the road surface, the Finns really had to change the design of the studs: they are not only lighter, but also smaller - in height and diameter - than those used in Continental tires. And those that were previously used in Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 tires. And the carbide insert of the “small” studs is not so powerful.
The two favorites are hot on the heels of the new Pirelli Winter Ice Zero tires.
Another bright new product this season promises to be the Gislaved Nord*Frost 100 tires. There are already 96 “legal” studs - and they provide quite decent braking on ice, although during acceleration they are only the eighth best. The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Dunlop Ice Touch and Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires, familiar to us from last year’s tests, were also ahead. By the way, why is Michelin represented by the second generation X-Ice North tires and not the third? The company decided that it would be better not to give these tires to anyone for comparative tests until the new model is officially launched on the market.
Bridgestone also prepared new products for the winter season, but also refused to provide them before the official premiere. That’s why our category includes Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires, which will also be actively sold on our market this coming winter.
The Korean school is represented by Hankook Winter i*Pike tires, and the Russian school is represented by Kama Euro-519 tires. On the ice, the results of both are very modest. But for now we are talking only about grip qualities in the longitudinal direction.
The handling assessment began with driving around an ice circle at the highest possible speed, and continued on a winding track, where both lap time and a subjective assessment of the comfort and reliability of control were taken into account. In these exercises, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires already achieve a convincing victory. Excellent grip in corners, excellent control over the car on the track! By the way, I can confidently recommend these tires to those who go to amateur ice races: “taking off” a couple of seconds from a lap is not a problem!
Continental tires are in second place, and closely behind them are the second, albeit small, but still a sensation - Gislaved tires. They allowed me to drive the car very confidently on a winding road.
Another surprise awaited me when the Audi A3 was fitted with Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires. The car brakes and accelerates well, but handles poorly in corners. In the first laps I even jumped off the icy track a couple of times. Fortunately, there are not meter-long snowdrifts around, but safety stripes with a ten-centimeter layer of fluffy snow.
But around the “snowy” handling track there are just snowdrifts...
The next day the frost dropped from fourteen degrees to minus seven. We have at our disposal a 600-meter track with perfectly packed snow. The work will be monotonous: acceleration to 50 km/h, braking, acceleration again, braking again... But if previously the driver was required to work with the pedals in order to prevent unnecessary wheel slipping at the start and blocking during braking, now this is monitored electronically - Traction Control and ABS. And soon, it seems, it will be possible to do without a driver altogether.
At the same time, the Audi A4 robotic car was honing its skills on the neighboring track! For now, an operator sits behind the wheel, but only to set the required motion modes and check that the robot performs them correctly. The executive systems, at the command of the electronics, press on the gas, on the brake, and even turn the steering wheel. At the end of the track, the machine turns around on its own and continues taking measurements in the opposite direction.
I felt a slight surge of professional jealousy, but quickly consoled myself with the fact that such a piece of hardware would not replace me for a long time on the handling track! By the way, I was allowed to ride as a passenger in a car with a robot “at the wheel” - and... Should I, echoing the English Luddites, rip out this impudent “arm” or “leg”? Soon there will be no need for testers on handling tracks either! For example, this self-driving car can already make “rearrangements” in the snow. Angular velocity sensors detect slipping, and a command is immediately given to correct the steering wheel... Another five years - and such cars will be driven along winding roads, revealing the difference between the tires!
For now, we look at the results of manual tests on snow and see that when braking they are very close: the difference between the best tires (Dunlop Ice Touch) and the worst (Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000) is less than three meters, which is within ten percent. When accelerating, the spread is a little larger, about 20 percent, and the favorites here are different - the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires. That is, the Finns have conjured up not only the studs, but also the tread - after all, in the snow it is not so much the studs that are important, but the tread.
And on the handling course, winding around fir trees and snow-strewn boulders, I felt most comfortable on the Nokian tires: quick reactions and completely controlled slides. Moreover, when sliding, it is better not to slow down, otherwise the stabilization system, which is turned off by the button, will “wake up” and the pace will decrease. By the way, this is also an indicator: if on Nokian tires I “awakened” the stabilization system only once, then on other tires I disturbed it much more often - due to errors caused by extended slips (the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 and Kama Euro-519 tires were especially upset by them ).
At the beginning of spring, we supplemented the tests with a cycle of “asphalt” tests.
First, we looked at how the tires behaved on slush - a snow-water porridge that covered the asphalt in an even layer. The depth of this layer is only 3.5 cm, and Hankook tires float at a speed of 19.4 km/h. However, the best Bridgestone tires in this type of testing are not far behind - their limit is 21.2 km/h.
And on wet asphalt, no longer mixed with snow, the shortest braking distance belongs to Gislaved tires, and the worst - to Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8.
Yes, yes, skeptics from other tire companies have already whispered that with so many studs, Nokian tires will not work well on asphalt. On a wet surface this is true, but on a dry surface the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires showed one of the best braking results. This, by the way, is a reason to remind again that modern studded tires work on asphalt no worse, and sometimes even better, than non-studded Scandinavian-type tires - those that are popularly called Velcro. This is due to the stiffer rubber, which is necessary for reliable fixation of the studs. There is still a myth in circulation that a studded tire rolls on asphalt, relying more on the studs than on the rubber. But in fact, the spikes, in contact with the asphalt, are recessed into the body of the tread, practically not reducing the contact patch between the rubber and the road. However, it all depends on what goals the manufacturer sets when creating a specific tire model. By changing the tread pattern, hardness and chemical composition of the rubber, you can shift the balance of qualities, giving preference to either behavior on slippery winter surfaces (ice, snow) or on asphalt.
With Dunlop Ice Touch tires, this balance is clearly shifted towards asphalt: the Audi A3 brakes confidently and responds best to sharp turns of the steering wheel. But on ContiIceContact tires, the braking distance on both dry and wet asphalt is a couple of meters longer, that is, preference is given to “winter” qualities.
Where studded tires always lose to non-studded tires is acoustic comfort. There is clearly more noise from them, especially if the tread has as many as 190 studs, like Nokian tires. However, even with fewer studs, Kama Euro, Pirelli, Continental and Bridgestone tires click about the same. And the quietest tires are Michelin X-Ice North 2. Along with the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires, they are also the softest.
How will such soft tires behave if they fall into a hole or run into an asphalt ledge? Two years ago we already carried out crash tests of summer tires. And now, for the first time, winter tires have been subjected to a similar experiment.
At a speed of 40 km/h, the car runs into a steel channel installed at an angle of 30 degrees - a piece of U-shaped beam. If the tire holds up, the attempt is repeated at a speed of 45 km/h. And so on until the tire “gives up the ghost.” We didn’t mock the suspension of the new Audi A3 - we found a well-worn Mercedes-Benz C 180.
Bridgestone tires withstood the most impacts: they were only punctured at a speed of 70 km/h! And this is no coincidence: when developing their tires, the Japanese take into account the specifics of bad roads, strengthen the structure and test it themselves with crash tests.
The Continental tires also hold up well - they gave up at a speed of 60 km/h. The bulk of the tires were finished off at a speed of 50 km/h, but the Michelin tires, which we liked so much for their softness, were punctured in the very first race, at a speed of 40 km/h. We even decided to repeat the experiment - what if it was an accident? Bang! Psh-sh-sh... And the second Michelin X-Ice North 2 tire with a through hole is sent to the landfill. And again, everything is understandable: the French company is paying more and more attention to reducing rolling resistance, for which the sidewall is becoming thinner (this reduces the so-called hysteresis losses - energy consumption for heating due to deformation).
By the way, we also tested the tires for rolling resistance using a running drum. And it turned out that the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires roll easier than others, and not the Michelin X-Ice North 2. But this is without studs, since studded tires would damage the calibrated surface of the drum. It is not a fact that this rating will not change with spikes. However, in terms of fuel consumption, the difference is still small - the bulk of the tires are separated by 0.2-0.3 l/100 km. And the difference between the most “economical” and the most “gluttonous” tires (as expected, they turned out to be Bridgestone tires) is 0.6 l/100 km. And yet, since the experiment was carried out without spikes, we did not take its results into account when calculating the final estimates.
Test results
Expert opinions on each tire are presented below
| Place | Tire | Expert opinion |
| 1 | Rating: 9.0
Nokian
|
Load/Speed Index:94T Weight, kg9.2 Number of studs/studding lines 190/18 Protrusion of spikes, mm1.2 Country of origin: Finland With such and such a number of spikes, victory over competitors, especially in ice disciplines, should be simply devastating! But the matter was limited to simply victory, without defeat. On the track the handling is the best, the car is a pleasure to drive. But the advantage over ContiIceContact tires, which have 60 fewer studs, is insignificant, and in terms of acceleration dynamics, Continental tires are even better. Because although there are a lot of studs in the tread of Finnish tires, they are small: the diameter, stud height, width of the carbide insert - everything here is smaller than that of Continental tires. Perhaps, at a higher temperature, on “soft” ice, the effectiveness of “small” spikes would be higher, but our tests took place in 14-degree frost. Nokian tires are traditionally good on snow: precise and timely reactions to the steering wheel and gas. But on asphalt the behavior is unstable. Nokian tires provide good deceleration on dry surfaces, but on wet surfaces they provide the longest braking distance. And the expected drawback was the “itching” sound from the studs, which did not leave the cabin throughout the entire speed range.
Braking performance on dry asphalt Noisiness High price |
| 1 | Rating: 9.0
Continental
|
Load/Speed Index:94T Weight, kg9.8 Rubber hardness Shore, unit 49 Protrusion of spikes, mm1.3 Country of origin: Germany On ice the ContiIceContact tires are great. Acceleration and braking are the best in the test, and the balance of drift and drift on an ice track is such that you are driving an all-wheel drive car rather than a front-wheel drive one. You let off the gas a little at the entrance to the turn - and then you drive the car in an arc in a controlled slide with four wheels! The tires are also good on snow, and only the not always appropriate slight tendency for the rear axle to skid did not allow us to give the highest score for “handling reliability.” On asphalt, grip properties are at an average level, although the “Rearrangement” maneuver was done very well. The car reacts sluggishly to the first impulse, but then the tires “squeeze” and withstand lateral overloads well. It's a pity, the sound during such maneuvers is very intrusive - the Continental tires howl quite a bit even on a straight line, and the noise intensifies in turns. These tires hold up well. And the studs in them hold on to the last: in order to pull out a stud set on glue, you need to apply a force 2-2.5 times higher compared to other tires. I wonder if the ContiIceContact tires will still perform as well on ice after switching to a lightweight stud? Such tires with the HD index, produced after July 1, 2013, have already appeared at Russian dealers. + Grip properties on ice and snow Handling on ice and snow Impact strength Grip properties on wet asphalt |
| 3 | Rating: 8.8
Gislaved
|
Load/Speed Index:94T Weight, kg8.8 Rubber hardness Shore, unit 48 Number of studs/studding lines96/14 Protrusion of spikes, mm1.3 Country of origin: Germany “Not in numbers, but in skill!” The tread of the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires has only 96 studs with a standard offset, but on ice these tires are better than many tires that have 130 studs. On the handling track - the third time, but the gap from the leader, who has almost twice as many studs, is less than a second! It’s not for nothing that German tire makers (Gislaved today is 100 percent a product of Continental) worked on a new tread and new “triangular” studs! The slips are small and easy to control. And in the snow there is decent behavior, although on the track the handling is hampered by sharp slips. But on wet asphalt - minimal braking distance! At the same time, the tires make little noise and gently “swallow” bumps. In general, they are well-balanced winter tires: they work confidently on country roads and are almost ideal for city use. And the price looks reasonable. + Traction and controllability on ice Grip properties on snow Grip properties on asphalt Moderate handling on snow |
| 4 | Rating: 8.7
Pirelli
|
Load/Speed Index:94T Weight, kg9.1 Tread depth, mm: 9.5 Rubber hardness Shore, unit 50 Number of studs/studding lines 130/16 Protrusion of spikes, mm1.2 Country of origin: Germany These tires came to our test a month and a half before the official premiere - we didn’t even know the real name of the model, since there were no markings on the smooth sidewall. But both the tread and the studs of the new design were already “commercial” - now both the insert and the stud body have a complex trapezoidal shape. As for longitudinal dynamics on ice, Pirelli tires are almost on a par with the test leaders. But on the controllability track there were sharp slips into lateral slips. However, Pirelli tires, whether winter or summer, have always given the car sharper, sportier reactions. Similar behavior is observed on snow, but here the grip properties in the longitudinal direction were at an average level. On asphalt there is good deceleration, both on dry and wet. The smooth ride is good, but there is a lot of noise - the hum is audible even when driving on packed snow. Albeit with reservations, we also recommend these tires - primarily for those who drive in winter mainly on city streets cleared of snow. + Grip properties on ice Moderate handling on ice and snow Noisiness |
| 5 | Rating: 8.5
Michelin
|
Load/Speed Index:94T Weight, kg9.3 Tread depth, mm: 9.4 Rubber hardness Shore, unit 52 Number of studs/studding lines 118/12 Protrusion of spikes, mm1.0 Country of origin: Russia When we conducted this test with the participation of Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires in early February, we received an invitation to the official premiere of the next generation tires - X-Ice North 3. But all attempts to get new tires for testing were a fiasco! However, in Russia the new product will not appear in all sizes and half of the sales volume of Michelin studded tires will be on the X-Ice North 2 model. Decent tires, and with a pronounced family feature of Michelin tires - high stability on slippery roads and soft, understandable transition processes. The bad thing is that the slides themselves last a little longer than we would like. This also manifested itself on the asphalt: extended slides prevented the “rearrangement” at high speed. But there are no problems with braking, and the level of comfort is beyond praise: these are the softest and quietest tires in our test! They could use a stronger sidewall, otherwise when hitting an “obstacle,” the thin rubber breaks at a speed of 40 km/h, although most tires last up to 50 km/h, and some remain intact at higher speeds. Overall, very comfortable winter tires that are best used on the streets of large cities. + Comfort Grip properties on wet and dry asphalt Insufficient resistance to slashplaning Low impact strength |
| 6 | Rating: 8.4
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
|
Load/Speed Index:94T Weight, kg10.3 Protrusion of spikes, mm0.9 Country of origin: Poland Introduced last year, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ace Arctic tires immediately topped our tests, but this year's performance wasn't quite as impressive. The reason could be changed weather conditions, the progress of competitors, but it seems that the issue is due to lower quality studs. The “cocked-cornered” studs themselves have not changed, but most of them turned out to be excessively recessed into the tread - the offset is on average 0.9 mm versus 1.2-1.3 mm for competing tires. Here we need to look for the reason for the lag behind the test leaders in both acceleration and braking on ice. And on the handling track, the lag goes beyond the bounds of decency: the Audi A3 on Goodyear tires covers the 800-meter track ten seconds longer than on Nokian tires! Last year we noted that Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires work better in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction, but now the imbalance has worsened - the car holds up very poorly on an arc! On snow, the handling situation is better, but there are problems with acceleration. On asphalt - at the level of average peasants. It is curious that the clatter of the studs is almost inaudible, but the tread itself howls throughout the entire speed range. What these tires definitely pleased us with was their resistance to impacts: they took third place in this discipline. With normal stud quality, these tires would certainly be able to compete with the leaders, but based on the results of our test, we would not recommend using these tires on cars without electronic stabilization systems. + Braking properties on ice and snow Grip properties on wet and dry asphalt Impact strength Handling on ice Traction on snow |
| 7 | Rating: 8.3
Dunlop
|
Load/Speed Index:94T Weight, kg10.1 Tread depth, mm: 9.8 Rubber hardness Shore, unit 55 Number of studs/studding lines 130/14 Protrusion of spikes, mm0.9 Country of origin: Poland According to the final assessment, Dunlop tires are only 0.1 points inferior to Goodyear tires. No wonder: the Dunlop brand today is three-quarters owned by the Goodyear concern, and the Dunlop Ice Touch and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires were developed by the same team of engineers. The tread patterns are different, but everything else - the depth of the grooves, the hardness of the rubber and the studs - is the same. Unfortunately, the quality of the studs is also the same: the studs in the Dunlop tires also turned out to be set deeper than necessary. By the way, the tires were made at the same plant in Poland. The problems with handling on ice are also similar: Dunlop tires hold up noticeably worse in the transverse direction than in the longitudinal direction. Driving a car along a winding road is difficult due to sudden, unexpected slips. But on snow - minimal braking distance! At the same time, acceleration and handling characteristics are the same “sluggish” as on ice. But on a dry surface there is a minimum braking distance and a maximum speed of “rearrangement”. The car reacts clearly and quickly to steering turns, which is very rare for winter tires! True, there is also a side effect - increased rigidity when passing small irregularities. + Grip properties and handling on asphalt Braking performance on snow Smooth ride |
| 8 | Rating: 7.5
Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000
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Load/Speed Index:91T Weight, kg10.6 Tread depth, mm: 9.7 Number of studs/studding lines 130/14 Protrusion of spikes, mm1.0 Country of origin: Japan Aggressive tread, cut by a fine network of wavy lamellas - and studs lined up in 14 lines. But the studs are ordinary - with cylindrical inserts, and the tread rubber is not as “tenacious” as that of competitors, which is indirectly evidenced by its increased hardness - 20% more than Nokian tires. And the result is very modest grip properties on both ice and snow. Handling also leaves much to be desired (speed in corners is limited by unpleasant sliding of the front axle). On snow and water slush, Bridgestone tires float up later than others. And they work excellently on asphalt: on the “rearrangement” the reactions are so fast and accurate, as if the car was “shod” not in winter, but in all-season tires. And most of all I was pleased with the impenetrable sidewalls. But there is a trade-off here: a stronger sidewall is also stiffer, so Bridgestone tires do not have the best effect on a smooth ride. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires will certainly find their poor buyer, especially in the outback - where tires are often replaced not because of tread wear, but because of “holes” received in pits. + High impact strength High resistance to slashplaning Traction and handling on asphalt Handling on ice and snow Comfort |
| 8 | Rating: 7.5
Hankook
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Load/Speed Index:91T Weight, kg10.0 Tread depth, mm: 9.4 Rubber hardness Shore, unit 57 Number of studs/studding lines 130/12 Protrusion of spikes, mm0.7 Country of origin: South Korea Even at the stage of “static” measurements, we assumed that Hankook tires were superfluous in this test: most of the studs barely protrude above the tread level. There are those that rise only 0.3 mm! Such studs, of course, do not work on ice - the car slides dangerously both when braking and when turning. But at the same time, it receives a decent rating for the reliability of control: yes, the car slips and therefore drives slowly, but the limit on grip properties is felt well, the stalls are soft, there is a good balance of drift and skidding... It also happens. However, Hankook tires failed to shine on snow, where studs no longer play a big role. The tread does not cope well with drainage functions - in slush (snow-water mixture) Hankook tires float up earlier than others. They also work poorly on wet asphalt (the braking distance is too long) - and only on dry asphalt everything is more or less in order. But this is not enough to recommend Hankook Winter i*Pike tires as winter tires. True, there is an argument that for many sounds stronger than arguments about safety: Hankook tires are exactly half the price of Nokian tires. + Price Grip and handling on dry asphalt Grip properties on ice and snow Low resistance to slashplaning Grip properties on wet asphalt |
| 10 | Rating: 7.1
Kama
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Load/Speed Index:91T Weight, kg10.3 Tread depth, mm: 9.0 Rubber hardness Shore, unit 59 Number of studs/studding lines 136/14 Protrusion of spikes, mm0.8 Country of origin: Russia Despite the tread pattern, which is very reminiscent of Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4 tires, Russian Kama Euro-519 tires cannot yet compete on equal terms with imported analogues. Longitudinal traction on snow is encouraging, but on the handling track all hope disappears. It is difficult to “tuck” a car into a turn, and therefore before each of them you need to reduce the speed more than in the case of other tires. The picture on ice is also sad: slips are also poorly predicted and poorly controlled. Yes, and there are problems with braking on ice. The reason seems to be the same as in the case of Hankook tires: insufficient protrusion of the studs above the tread surface. On average - 0.8 mm: such a reach is not enough for a good “hook” on ice. On asphalt the tires perform at an average level. When performing sharp maneuvers, reactions to the steering wheel are “smeared”. And even though the thorns make a slight clattering noise, the tread hums quite a bit. And on uneven surfaces these tires are among the toughest. Yes, Kama Euro-519 tires took last place in our test. But if you remember the price and the star cast of participants, then this is not just the last, but an honorable last place. And if the manufacturer establishes control over the quality of studding, then, you see, it will be possible to claim higher and no less honorable places. + Price Braking performance on snow Ice grip Handling on ice and snow Low level of comfort |
Denis about the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire
I rode on these tires from 10.13 to 04.14 Khabarovsk Territory, average temperature in winter -30*, a lot of snow, roads are cleanedonly from the mayor’s house to the city administration. In general, what I want to say is that I’m happy with the tires, they balanced well at about 15 grams per wheel, and I didn’t even have to load one. First impressions are very noisy after the summer, but I think this is normal for studs, although after for about a month the noise has decreased significantly, maybe I got used to it, or maybe the spikes got used to it, who knows, in short, it’s not fatal. Secondly, the 100% element of rubber is loose snow and snow porridge, I’ve never sat down on my belly during the winter, pushing a snowdrift with my bumper but it rushes like a tank, the tread pattern is designed like this, an evil tree. Third, icy conditions, the ice is a little worse, but worse in what respect the car brakes perfectly, by the way, look in the rearview mirror more often, you get up and no one will stand up behind you, personal experience. But It’s problematic to start from a traffic light, the tires slip, you need to get used to it, I’m used to it quickly, we accelerate quietly with the brakes, and then accelerate, accelerate well, the spikes cut into the ice normally. Snowy, icy slopes, climbs, all sorts of ski resorts are a blast. In general, I’m happy with the tires, In terms of price/quality ratio, believe me, you won’t find a better one. Today I changed my shoes for the summer, you can look at the tires on the studs, that we have the front wheels - 9 studs per wheel, the rear wheels - 3 studs, I think for a full winter season this is normal, considering that there are about a hundred of them per wheel, the wear is somewhere around 20% were devoured, I think there should still be enough for 2-3 seasons.
Car: Honda Stream 1.7L 2001-2007
Rating: 4.31
Wassya about the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire
205/60/16 96T Unexpectedly, but perhaps the best thing I tried, only ~ 10 models of different studs. The first thing I will draw the attention of the reader of my valuable review is the behavior of the tire on ice. With a small number of spikes, it clings to the level of Konti Ice Contact; those who go out on the ice have heard a lot about Kontik. Good grip and braking, rear axle drift is uniform and predictable. Curly spikes decide! Oddly enough, for the first 3000 km I drove in the warmth and on clean asphalt. Due to the small number of studs and the softness of the rubber, it is quite comfortable, the Michelin and bridge are much noisier. It behaves very adequately in warm weather, does not float, does not walk at 180 speed along the entire route. In the water on the asphalt I stormed deep puddles very confidently, you feel very comfortable after wearing a summer slick.It paddles awesomely through slushy snow, snow drifts and ruts are easily navigated with front-wheel drive. If you closely compare the Bridgestone spike01, the directional stability of the Goodyear is an order of magnitude better, the bridge walked at speed and seemed somehow overly stiff and sporty in the steering wheel. Excellent advice on comfort and Scandinavian character, I recommend it especially with all-wheel drive.
Car: Skoda Octavia 2.0L 2004-2007
Rating: 4.38
Nikolay about the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire
I took the kit at the end of winter this year. I was very pleased with the price with a good discount. I even voiced the question, and official representatives of the manufacturer responded. The staff work at a high level, they return calls, all questions are answered quickly. When I ordered, I specified the freshness of the tires. The girl checked at the warehouse, called back - all the tires were manufactured in the 4th quarter of 2015, and upon receipt they were indeed November. Transport delivery is fast, and the girls themselves see which company is cheaper. I'm very pleased with the management. As for Goodyera. The mileage is low (I took it in February), so I can’t speak for wear and tear. Very good grip on ice, there was a downhill turn near the house, a neighbor on the side of the road carefully installed “fencing” pipes????, with the old tires I was always afraid to float into them. On Gooderax, the turn is carried out clearly, without the slightest skid. I was very pleased. The car is European, the ground clearance is low, but on these tires it paddles confidently in the snow, and since the wife of the same VW has the opportunity to compare the behavior of identical cars on the same sections almost simultaneously. And on Goodere he rows more confidently. As for the noise, it’s not that annoying, of course, it makes a clattering sound, but there is no hum. In general, I’m happy with the tires, I’ll buy a second set for my wife for the winter, as soon as I get good discounts and money.I also bought a set of summer tires from this store. I took Mishek because the second car also has summer Mishki, and the remaining two wheels are still on spare tires. Prices in stores are comparable; for some reason there weren’t any decent deals on summer tires in the summer, so I bought them here. Bears are bears, there’s nothing bad to say except for the price, but after a month I stupidly gave the side panel (well, it’s soft) and again in the tried and tested way for, now with just one bear. All three times the managers’ work was excellent, I hope the good reviews won’t spoil them. Thank you.
Car: Volkswagen Passat
Will you buy it again? Definitely yes
Rating: 4.69
Mikhail about the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire
Size 205/55 R16, auto Ford Focus2, 2.0 (145 hp). This is already my second car that I have installed these tires on. And if the impressions have changed, then only for the better (they were also in the size 175/65 R14 on 2110). Dry asphalt, wet, snow, ice - everything is predictable and confident, within the limits of what is naturally permissible. At first they are noisy, after 1000 they become quieter, now the second season - almost inaudible, very pleased.Their element is snow, and this is where all the best qualities of these tires appear. In a blizzard or snowfall on a country road, confident movement with overtaking and changing lanes. It’s impossible for them to skid in the snow in the yard - they’ll pull you out! You don’t feel aquaplaning, no puddles, no snow-water porridge - very confident. After the first season (~8 t.km), 1-2 studs disappeared on the drive wheels. Total! The driving style is moderately aggressive, with active acceleration and braking. I try to avoid slipping, but sometimes it happens on the slides - the spikes hold on! They forgive getting into holes, here, I think, the developers worked separately, and this is good - in the first year of the release of these tires I read reviews about how they exploded on harmless holes. I myself am a witness to this; on the 10th, in the first week after the purchase, I threw out one wheel. Now everything is much more reliable. Well, if trouble happens, and with our roads this is very possible, then Good Year gives a premium 1-year guarantee (http://site/news/premium-garantiya-goodyear/), I already took advantage of it, damaged the wheel after getting into a steel, uncovered gutter, like some garage owners like to install. Many thanks to the Mosavtoshina team!!! I highly recommend these tires, all my friends who use them are also very happy. The main thing to remember is that the laws of physics have not been canceled, and no matter how good the tires are, winter is winter.
Car: Ford Focus 2 1.8L 2004-2007
Rating: 5
Danila about the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire an honest review
Reliable tires2 tires - the first season on the drive axle, the second on the driven axle. Lost ~40-50% of spines. Replacement.
2 tires - the first season on the driven one, the second and third season on the driving one, so far I have lost 15-20%, no more. I bought 2 new ones, put them on the driven axle, next year I’ll swap them and keep driving and driving..
Conclusion - it definitely needs a break-in. Style - moderate, urban. It’s generally difficult to drive without slipping in winter, the car is like that, if you give it a little more gas, the wheels come off, the rear wheels are only loaded with the handbrake sometimes.
The price is more than comfortable. Everyone writes about balancing - I have never encountered such a problem and did not find it here.
There is traction in a straight line, it turns well, without complaints, the moment the rear axle breaks off is intuitive, the drift of the front axle (since it is front-wheel drive) is controlled - I slightly released the gas pedal and it went like it was on rails.
There is braking, and it’s good, which was surprising, because... studded tires.
No complaints, rebuilding without any problems, everything grinds.
Braking is good, if there is ice under the slurry - also no problem, since the tread pattern spreads everything in different directions, which allows the rubber to grip.
The turns are great, the main thing is not to get too carried away and not to fly at too high a speed. The tires lift the air too much.
He digs like a mole, no problems, you push a snowdrift with your bumper and drive like a tank. Allows you to park on snowdrifts. I got stuck once when I caught a diagonal - the L200 pulled me out, first they dug me out with a shovel. In the evening I parked in a snowdrift, and in the morning it melted, I didn’t drive out completely).
Braking is good, I didn't notice any problems.
Changing lanes in a snowstorm, without any complaints, on even gas, absolutely intuitive control.
Turns - see above.
Thaw:
Everything is fine, puddles are not noticeable, no aquaplaning was noticed.
The rubber is very soft, up to +2 degrees everything is fine, but at +4-5 the sensations are completely different.
The only time in 3 seasons when I felt discomfort was December 2017, when everything thawed and it was up to +5 degrees. I thought it was just some kind of nonsense, but no - a friend’s Hakka 9 on a sedan (225/45r17) also became a waste. So in comparison, everything is fine.
The main drawback is noise. Like in a UAZ (just kidding). The car has been equipped with additional complete sound insulation for a long time now - I don’t really notice any problems. This is all due to the tread pattern, which has no longitudinal grooves at all. But here you choose - silence or hook.
Before that I was on Hakkapelita (different, many seasons and on different cars), Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 5000 (1.5 seasons - all the studs fell out) and the last 3 seasons on these tires.
Car: Peugeot 307
Size: 205/55 R16 94T XL
Will you buy it again? Definitely yes
Rating: 4.77
Andrey about the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire, an honest review
I switched to these tires with also UltraGrip, but not studded.In terms of comfort, of course, there is a huge difference. After 80 km/h the noise is very strong, and by 120 km/h it drowns out all other sounds in the car.
When I first changed my shoes, I felt a certain softness and rolliness in the controls - as I understand it, the rubber is very soft even compared to Velcro. But then you kind of get used to it.
However, this is the price for the ability to brake on ice! Literally in the first week of use it snowed, then everything rolled/frozen and there was a skating rink on the roads. Out of habit, I crept with fear, touching the brake pedal gently and affectionately - but the ABS, which by this moment was red and swollen with Velcro, was silent, the wheels did not lock. And for this reason, I forgive all the inevitable disadvantages of spikes - when it is slippery, it still slows down.
True, for some reason, when accelerating on slippery conditions, the difference with Velcro is not as noticeable as when braking. Apparently, a front-wheel drive car also plays a role here.
Of course, for most of the winter there is still no snow on the city streets. Therefore, I will separately say about driving on asphalt - it is noisy. But otherwise everything is ok. If the braking distance is longer than that of Velcro, it is only during emergency braking to the floor, and during a quiet ride I did not notice any damage to braking on asphalt.
During the winter that is almost over, I have not yet seen any fallen off thorns, but these are the chickens that will need to be counted in the spring when they change their shoes.
In general, the tires are not particularly comfortable. But I know that if I have to slow down, I will have a good chance and this gives me peace of mind. The main thing is not to start driving more aggressively))
Car: Opel Astra H
Size: 205/55 R16 94T XL
Will you buy it again? More likely
Rating: 4.31
Egor about the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire
This was my first tire from this company, after which I became a loyal fan of Goodyear. Goodyear is worth the money, the price-quality ratio is simply ideal, it is a really high-quality product. After Ice Arctic I already bought two sets of Ice 2, now I will order the summer EfficientGrip Compact. Since our winter in the South is not at all harsh, I took studded tires for the first and last time; it’s a pity to shuffle with studs on bare asphalt. But nevertheless, nature gave us a couple of periods of winter, I took advantage of the opportunity to test these tires both up and down and was pleasantly surprised. Despite the fact that the VAZ 2107 is rear-wheel drive and does not have any assistants such as ABS and traction control, the car behaved very confidently on the road. I overtook from rut to rut, and boldly, there was not even a hint of any slipping, loss of control, as if all-wheel drive somehow felt. I tried to spin on the platform, there was not enough engine power for the tires to lose grip, I tried to make drifts, it also didn’t work, no matter how hard I tried, the rear axle did not overtake the front. I also tried this: I accelerate in a straight line and then sharply give the gas to the floor, I feel the tires slipping literally for half a second, the rear axle is about to slip a little, it almost seems to want to go to the side and then in an instant bam and again it catches and the car catches the rear axle back. In general, I mocked these tires, I calmly drove up hills where other cars skidded and couldn’t get on, the tires are just a blast. I drove into deep snow, because of the tractor tread it rowed like a tractor, you won’t get stuck, even on the Internet there is a video of a VAZ 21099 rowing in deep snow on such tires. This tire had to travel on dry asphalt for 2/3 of the winter, the loss of studs left 1-2 studs on each wheel, I think this is an excellent result for use mainly on asphalt. Then I sold the car along with the tires, so unfortunately I can’t say how many seasons it lasted. Its only downside is that it is very noisy, the hum at speed was as if I was flying on a Boeing, although this is on a VAZ seven, and on a foreign car with good noise it might not be so noticeable. If you live somewhere in the north with real winter and unswept roads, take a closer look at these tires, they will not let you down. Now it’s quiet, it releases spikes when braking, you can hear it right away.Excellent cross-country ability in slushy snow, getting out of a rut is no problem.
Fresh deep snow, icy conditions, very comfortable. I recommend.
(I used this on Logan, the same driving sensations.)
Flaws:
In some stores they began to “break” the price, at the hacky 8 level.
Reducing braking distance on ice
The innovative shape of the stud makes it even more stable, which maximizes braking power on ice.
Superior grip and handling on ice
Benefit from improved handling on ice with Goodyear's MultiControl Ice technology. This revolutionary stud technology increases the contact area of the stud with the road surface, which provides highly effective traction and vehicle control when driving on ice.
Improved handling on snow
Experience the benefits of better handling in all snow conditions. Unique V-shaped sipes and serrations on the grooves improve traction on snowy roads. When driving in deep snow, specially designed shoulder blocks grip the snow on the side of the tire.
Good performance on wet roads
UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires demonstrate high performance on wet roads and roads covered with melting snow or ice. Hydrodynamic grooves on the tread quickly remove water from the tire surface, reducing the risk of aquaplaning. A special silicon polymer improves grip and braking on wet roads.
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires are designed to come to the aid of everyone who often encounters driving in deep snow and ice on the roads of their city. Innovative design, improved stud design and a unique rubber compound make Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires a reliable basis for comfortable movement in your car.
The unique rubber compound used to produce tires includes a specially developed silicon polymer. This allows you to significantly extend the life of the tire and improve reliability during emergency braking on snow and ice.
Separately about Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic studs
Just the presence of studs, which already increase the vehicle's maneuverability in extreme winter road conditions, was not enough for the developers from Goodyear. They set out to increase the contact area of the stud with the road and achieved their goal with the latest technology, which was called Multi Control Ice. Now the area of interaction between the stud and the road has been maximized, and accordingly the grip of the wheel on the surface and the comfort of driving when cornering and jerking have increased.
Innovations also affected the shape of the spike structure. Forget about the standard round studs that you may have seen on other tires for a long time. It now has an overall triangular shape with a hexagonal tip. Now emergency braking, maneuvers and overall stability of the car are close to ideal. Forget about slipping for good!
Tread pattern and its advantages
You can also see V-shaped grooves in the tread pattern of the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tire. Together with frequent lamellas with a pointed shape and transverse blocks, they provide excellent drainage of water and snow, which eliminates the effect of aquaplaning. The pattern and general arrangement of all tread blocks is adjusted in such a way that when the wheel presses on a snowy or wet surface, liquid and snow are literally squeezed out in the direction from the center of the wheel to the shoulder areas, where water and snow exit through special outlet grooves at the edges of the tread .
3D BIS Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic technology
The world-renowned tire company has used patented 3D-BIS siping technology in the new tire. It lies in the fact that the sipes inside are designed in such a way that when there is excessive pressure, they can close tightly, increasing the rigidity of the tread when necessary. The inner part of such lamellas is a system of corresponding bulges and depressions, which close tightly when the lamellas are closed. Through the use of this technology, the manufacturer managed to increase the number of sipes required for comfortable driving on snow and ice, without reducing the necessary rigidity and reliability of the tire.
