Auto Express winter tyre test — 2026
The winter tyre testing season officially kicks off, and among the first to publish their results are the British experts from Auto Express, who tested 11 models across all price segments in size 205/55 R16. One of the participants was the Continental WinterContact TS 870, which has already won twice in previous Auto Express tests in this size. Its main rival this time included the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3, launched last year, marking its debut in Auto Express testing. Additionally, a truly budget tyre was randomly selected for the test, and this year it was the Minerva Frostrack HP from the private label of the Belgian company Deldo.
Test participants:
Continental WinterContact TS 870
Dunlop Winter
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 (W462)
Linglong Sport Master Winter HP
For snow testing, experts travelled to the Hankook test track in Ivalo (Finland), above the Arctic Circle, where temperatures ranged from -9 to -11°C. Wet and dry surface tests were conducted at the Contidrom test facility operated by Continental in Germany at around 9°C.
On snow-covered surfaces, tyres faced a standard test programme. The best braking performance was achieved by Hankook, followed by Bridgestone and Dunlop. The Minerva tyres ranked last.
In the snow traction test, Hankook also achieved an excellent result, but Dunlop performed even better.
In handling tests, both longitudinal and lateral grip, as well as other factors, are important. Here, Goodyear tyres took the lead, while Hankook and Pirelli shared second place.
Continental did not rank among the best on snow, but on wet surfaces they won the most crucial discipline, stopping the car faster than any competitor.
In the handling test on a wet, sprayed track, Continental again ranked first, achieving the same result as Pirelli. Once again, Minerva tyres ranked last.
The same leaders performed well on the circular track, where resistance to lateral drift was evaluated, and Goodyear also achieved a very good result.
Pirelli and Hankook best resisted longitudinal aquaplaning among all participants. When driving through puddles in a corner, Goodyear and Pirelli were the last to lose grip. Linglong and Minerva trailed in both cases.
On dry asphalt, the rankings changed. Falken recorded the shortest braking distance, while Minerva performed better than Continental. Bridgestone dropped to last place.
Although Bridgestone ranked behind even budget tyres in braking performance, they took first place in the handling test—sharing it with Minerva, which overall showed excellent characteristics on dry asphalt.
While European tyre labels indicate external noise, British testers measured interior cabin noise. The quietest were Continental, Bridgestone, Linglong and Falken, while Hankook tyres were the noisiest.
Based on rolling resistance measurements, Michelin tyres were deemed the most fuel-efficient, while Linglong performed extremely poorly in this discipline.
Verdict
Continental WinterContact TS 870 has now won its fifth Auto Express test since 2021, including its third in the 205/55 R16 size category. Experts note that in line with the manufacturer's priorities, special emphasis is placed on wet-road performance—a key factor for British drivers, who encounter wet conditions more often than snow during winter. This approach fully demonstrated its effectiveness in testing. On wet surfaces, Continental performed brilliantly, outperforming all competitors in braking efficiency by such a margin that they "set a new benchmark." Snow performance was also very good, except for relatively low traction. Dry-asphalt handling was flawless, and the tyres were also quiet and fuel-efficient, making the overall result nearly perfect.
Second place goes to the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3, which confidently outperformed all rivals except Continental, achieving seven podium finishes including two first places. Pirelli performed well on snow; although other tyres showed higher overall grip, handling was unproblematic. On wet surfaces, results were even better, with Cinturato Winter 3 proving reliable both when entering corners and during braking at the limit of grip. On dry surfaces, Pirelli did not rank among the leaders, but the differences were minor. Overall, Cinturato is an excellent choice for drivers seeking European-style winter tyres.
Hankook Winter i'cept RS3 W462 stood out with excellent snow performance thanks to predictable behaviour and quick grip recovery after loss. Wet-surface results were also impressive—Hankook, for example, achieved a very short braking distance in rainy conditions and high resistance to aquaplaning. On dry surfaces, the tyres remained stable. Despite higher rolling resistance, third place is well deserved.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6 delivered inconsistent results. On snow, they had a short braking distance, but ranked only seventh in handling due to less confident grip at the start of cornering. A similar picture emerged on wet asphalt—although they effectively resisted aquaplaning. Bridgestone's biggest surprise came on dry surfaces, where they recorded the longest braking distance, despite excellent handling under similar conditions. Additionally, Blizzak tyres showed very low rolling resistance.
Michelin Alpin 7 shared fourth place with Bridgestone. They excelled on snow-covered tracks, confidently handling all tasks—such as ensuring excellent grip when exiting corners. On wet asphalt, Michelin also received good marks, particularly for predictable behaviour. Dry-surface results were average, especially in handling. Overall, Michelin did not top any single surface category, but still earned a win thanks to exceptional energy efficiency.
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 performed superbly in several disciplines but finished only sixth overall, partly due to a relatively long braking distance on wet surfaces. However, in other wet-track tests, the tyres showed no weaknesses, delivering excellent grip at low speeds and good controllability at high speeds. Additionally, they demonstrated very high resistance to aquaplaning. On snow, Goodyear achieved the fastest lap time but lagged behind some rivals in acceleration and braking efficiency. On dry surfaces, they ranked last in handling. According to experts, no obvious flaws were detected—tyres simply responded slightly sluggishly. Overall, this remains a very high-quality tyre.
Regarding Falken Eurowinter HS02, testers noted that developers seemingly sacrificed snow performance to improve wet and dry asphalt characteristics. In all three Ivalo tests, the tyres ranked 10th, ahead of only one budget tyre. The reason was weak grip and a tendency to lateral skidding during acceleration. On wet surfaces, performance improved significantly. Although Falken lacks the sharp responsiveness of some rivals, they earned praise for predictability and ease of handling. On dry surfaces, Falken outperformed competitors in braking efficiency and remained close in handling, showing excellent stability on the second lap—when many other tyres began losing stability. Thus, these tyres are well-suited for drivers who rarely encounter snow in winter.
Dunlop Winter tyres delivered mixed results. For example, excellent snow traction and short braking distance were offset by one of the worst handling performances under the same conditions, with relatively weak grip on both front and rear axles. On wet and dry surfaces, Dunlop recorded comparatively long braking distances. In dry conditions, unexpected instability was observed, complicating handling. Fuel efficiency, however, was good.
Linglong Sport Master Winter performed well in last year's Auto Express test, but this year the Chinese brand's tyres showed noticeably weaker results. Among the three surface types, they performed best on snow, demonstrating relatively good braking and acceleration efficiency, and impressively ranked sixth in handling due to stable grip on both axles. On dry and wet surfaces, results were generally acceptable, but Linglong showed very low resistance to aquaplaning, especially in corners. Their best result came in cabin noise testing, but they exhibited extremely high rolling resistance.
Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 also performed best on snow in the 2026 test, where grip wasn't the highest but behaviour was predictable. On wet surfaces, performance was noticeably worse, particularly in braking. Additionally, grip felt uncertain, requiring very careful steering to avoid sudden skidding. Aquaplaning resistance was only slightly better. On dry surfaces, braking efficiency was as low as on wet, and handling results were slightly better, but fuel efficiency leaves much to be desired.
Minerva Frostrack HP was included to show what to expect when buying a low-cost product from an unknown brand. No surprises occurred—Minerva ranked last in all snow and wet-surface tests, meaning they are simply unsuitable for demanding conditions where tyre performance is critical (on snow, Minerva performed better than summer tyres used for comparison, but that benchmark is not high). However, the tyres are well-suited for dry roads. Testers noted this indicates the manufacturer set incorrect priorities. The main concern is the extremely long braking distance on wet surfaces and poor aquaplaning resistance. For these reasons, despite their low price, Minerva tyres do not justify their cost.
Source, including photos: Auto Express