Continental VikingContact 7 tires have become leaders in their subgroup for the third year in a row in AvtoReview tests, thanks to their balanced operational properties on all winter surfaces. They grip the ice firmly, hold confidently on snow and perform well on wet roads. The only thing that may deter from them is the high price.
According to the experts of AvtoReview, Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice SUV are the best tires for use in large cities. Ice grip is not their strongest point, but they are good on wet asphalt and in aquaplaning resistance. There were no complaints about their behavior on snow.
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV showed contradictory results in the winter tire test from AvtoReview. On ice, the indicators are high, while on snow the grip is far from the best. On a wet road - the minimum braking distance and the worst stability when aquaplaning. The increased noise and obviously overpriced price tag, like the entire Nokian range in the test, do not add to the model's appeal.
The Toyo Observe GSi-6 does not like "deep water", but on asphalt, where it is allowed to accelerate up to 210 km/h, it shows generally good results. On ice, the tires provide reliable traction and smooth sliding on the handling track. In the snow, the grip properties are somewhat worse.
The Hankook W616 tires showed a imbalance of lateral and longitudinal traction properties. A similar situation is on snow. The braking efficiency on wet asphalt and resistance to aquaplaning are only at an average level. On the plus side, there is an affordable price and acoustic comfort.
Maintaining subordination, Nokian Nordman RS2 SUV tires in their coupling properties on ice are slightly weaker than Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV. On the handling track – completely non-problematic, skidding is predictable and soft. On snow, they also lose a little to Hakkapeliitta products. But in terms of resistance to aquaplaning, the advantage is on the side of Nordman RS2 SUV. A good option for winter operation at an affordable price.
The softest tires of the test - Gislaved Soft*Frost 200 - contrary to logic and expectations, performed worse than their competitors on ice. They handle poorly on loose snow. In braking and acceleration on packed snow, they performed quite well, but on turns, they hold the road poorly. On asphalt - a long braking distance and sluggish reactions to steering wheel turns. They are weakly resistant to aquaplaning. Well, the price corresponds to the level of characteristics.
