Review of the new winter tire season 2024/2025

We present an overview of new winter tires that have entered the market for the 2024/2025 season. The list includes novelties from brands such as Continental (although the German company, like several other manufacturers, has officially left the Russian market, products are supplied through parallel imports), Doublestar, Gislaved, Hankook, Michelin, Nexen, and Viatti.

Continental VikingContact 8. A friction tire of the Scandinavian type, which in its debut season won three out of four independent tests (taking second place in one), and can now be considered a new leader in its segment. The tread pattern concept remains the same as that of the VikingContact 7, and the directional design is designed for quick water and slush removal from the contact patch, while the block edges enhance grip and accelerate acceleration and braking on snow and ice. Three types of lamellas are used: straight, zigzag, and wavy, which improves handling in various weather conditions, and the rubber compound in combination with the new tread pattern reduces block deformation, resulting in reduced energy loss and rolling resistance.

In Continental, they also say that compared to the previous generation of tires, noise has been significantly reduced, and in this parameter, the novelty in all sizes received the highest rating "A" in the Euro marking system. In addition, there is an EV✔ marking on the sidewalls, which indicates that the tires have been adapted for use on electric cars. Size range: from 185/65 R15 to 285/45 R22.

Doublestar Winterking DW16. Tires with an asymmetric tread pattern designed to improve handling and safety in turns, as well as prevent uneven wear. The block edges have a zigzag shape, which destroys the water film on the ice surface and improves traction, while the 3D lamellas reduce block deformation and remain open when in contact with the road, stabilizing the grip level.

It is also reported that the used composition retains softness even at -70°C, but according to the EPREL database, the tires did not receive the Ice Grip marking, which means that on the European market, they cannot be officially considered "Scandinavian" tires, although the tread pattern clearly indicates that the tires are designed for the northern winter. Size range: from 175/70 R14 to 265/40 R22.

Gislaved ArcticControl. While Continental has left the Russian market, their Gislaved brand remains, and now tires under this brand are produced by Cordiant, which also acquired the former German plant in the Kaluga region.

The non-studded tire ArcticControl has a design with recognizable rhombuses from Continental VikingContact 7, which was first introduced in 2018 and also repeatedly won tests. The tread pattern with a network of deep channels is designed for quick water and snow slush removal, while the bridges between the blocks do not allow the channels to close, which helps maintain drainage speed. In addition, numerous 3D lamellas enhance traction on ice, and lamellas with increased width are also provided, which capture snow and increase traction.

Gislaved IceControl. Tires for those who prefer studded tires, "inheriting" the tread pattern from the Continental IceContact 2 model, which entered the market in 2015. The stud placement scheme is designed so that they each time contact "fresh" ice, not its surface already broken by the studs in front. In addition, special "pockets" are located around the studs, and ice crumbs first fall into them and then are thrown out. All these solutions are designed to provide maximum safety on ice, and IceContact 2 also led in tests at one time.

The tires have an asymmetric tread pattern, and the design of the inner side with stepped lamellas is designed to increase the efficiency of acceleration and braking, while the outer side is designed to improve lateral stability.

Hankook Winter i*cept iZ3 (W636). A friction tire for harsh winters (has not yet been "lit up" in tests), which surpasses the previous generation model, Winter i*cept iZ2, in a number of important parameters, and, in particular, braking and traction properties on icy surfaces were improved by 9 and 11%, respectively, which was achieved, among other things, due to a modified rubber compound with a "highly purified composite and flexible polymer chain".

Like its predecessor, the novelty has a V-shaped tread pattern, and the width of the main grooves has been increased by 24%, which has improved water drainage efficiency and reduced the likelihood of aquaplaning. In addition to wavy 3D lamellas, the blocks also have additional slanted cuts that enhance traction on ice, while wide shoulder blocks increase stability, and a new vulcanization technology has reduced rolling resistance. Size range: from 185/65 R15 to 255/40 R19. A version for crossovers and SUVs is also available — Hankook Winter i*cept iZ3 X (W636A), which is offered in sizes from 215/65 R17 to 275/50 R20.

Michelin Alpin 7. A tire for warm winters, which, compared to the Alpin 6, has acquired a significantly larger number of lamellas, which, according to the manufacturer, simultaneously increased the effectiveness of braking on wet asphalt (by 6%) and improved maneuverability on snowy roads.

The directional tread pattern reduces the risk of aquaplaning and slushplaning, and new 3D technologies now allow Michelin to manufacture molds with a more complex design, thanks to which the lamellas in the Alpin 7 tread open up as they wear, resulting in the grip level remaining high throughout the entire service life. Size range: 15-20 inches.

Nexen Winguard ice 3. A friction tire of the Nordic type with a V-shaped tread pattern, which includes micro-lamellas that improve traction on slippery surfaces (the manufacturer claims that throughout the entire service life), and blocks with saw-toothed walls that also improve traction properties in complex winter conditions.

Compared to the previous generation of tires (Nexen Winguard ice Plus), the support area and profile width have been increased, which has positively affected safety when driving on ice, and Nexen says that braking efficiency in such conditions has increased by 12%. In addition, silica in the rubber compound has improved traction on wet roads, and the multi-component tread construction has also reduced rolling resistance, which affects fuel consumption. Size range: from 185/65 R15 to 255/40 R19.

Viatti Nordico 2 (V-528). A studded novelty from the Nizhnekamsk tire complex Kama Tyres, which replaces the Viatti Brina Nordico model, released in 2013. The asymmetric tread pattern has been replaced with a V-shaped one, and an even more important innovation is that the number of studs has been almost doubled — from 50 to 90 pieces per meter of tread, which will undoubtedly improve performance on ice.

The studs have smaller dimensions and weight, which means that the increase in their number did not increase the weight of the tire itself, and Kama Tyres said that due to the reduction in the cross-sectional area of the carbide insert, the piercing ability of the studs has been improved, i.e., they "bite into the ice surface more effectively". According to the manufacturer, the braking qualities of the novelty on ice have become 20% better than those of the previous generation tires. Size range: from 175/70 R14 to 225/45 R17.

In conclusion, we add that this season, the Ikon Character line has been released to the market, but the tires in it are not new, and Ikon (operating on the former Nokian Tyres facilities) is simply rebranding the Ikon Nordman mid-range winter tires (a review of the Ikon Character winter line can be read here). In addition, it is not yet known when winter tires under the new Kazakh brand Attar from the recently renamed company Tengri Tyres (along with Ikon, part of the Tatneft tire block) will appear in Russia. Currently, Attar's winter line includes three tires: the passenger Attar W01, as well as the Attar W02 for crossovers/SUVs and the light truck Attar W03, all of which have received tread patterns from "Kama" models, namely from Viatti Brina Nordico, Viatti Bosco Nordico, and Viatti Vettore Inverno, respectively.