The content of the article:
- Features of winter tires
- Best Studded Tires
- Best Velcro 2020
- The best tires of European class
For drivers, winter never comes unexpectedly. Preparation for the season begins in the middle of autumn, when with the onset of the first cold snap the car is changed into winter tires.
In 2019, manufacturers presented more than forty new types of winter tires, many of which have already been recognized as the best winter tires for the 2020 season. We offer the top 10 most productive winter tires that are suitable for arctic cold and European winters with large temperature fluctuations.
Features of winter tires
All car tires that are recommended to be used on cars from October to April are conventionally divided into three categories:
- studded tires;
- winter arctic tires;
- European class.
Studded tires are recommended to be used for frequent trips on unclean roads, ice, when the air temperature is not higher than minus five. A high-strength rubber compound is used for the tread; a large number of studs are provided in the tire pattern, each of which has metal inclusions.
Studded tires will provide maximum grip of a car with an ice surface, on a road with rolled snow, in a snowfall.
Studded rubber also has a drawback - on clean asphalt, the wheels create significant noise due to their weight and protruding studded blocks. A heavy tire increases the unsprung mass, which is always additional fuel consumption.
Arctic tires live up to their name. The rubber is intended for use on roads with significant snow cover, when the strip is icy. Unlike studded tires, the tread structure of Arctic tires does not have studs, the surface of the wheel is smooth and soft with a characteristic pattern.
Optimum grip of the tire with the road is provided due to the loose pattern and a large number of small, sufficiently deep sipes. Unlike studding, Arctic tires create less noise on the asphalt and fully live up to their "freelance" name - Velcro. Velcro is chosen if you often have to move around the city along unclean streets, where snow and ice chips are often mixed at turns, and there are pieces of clean asphalt.
European tires are the most common class of winter tires. The wheels are designed for the climatic conditions of Western Europe: mild winters with frequent warming, sudden temperature changes, frequent ice and average rainfall.
The emphasis in the production of European rubber is made on the quality of the material and the characteristics of the tire's grip on wet asphalt and ice. Silicone components are often added to the rubber mixture of European wheels, the tread has no symmetry, the sipes contain a slight bulge with a low depth of the slots.
Best Studded Tires
1. Gislaved Nord Frost 200
Gislaved studded tires remain the best in the mid-price segment. The range includes all sizes of tires for a radius of 13-19. After a series of tests on ice, the tire provided the classic crossover with optimal traction.
The car confidently accelerated to 100 km / h on a rolled snow road, maneuvered well, the braking distance increased by 21% compared to summer performance.
In addition, studded rubber from Gislav is also suitable for asphalt, the tire creates a minimum noise figure, excessive fuel consumption - only up to 100 grams. for 100 km.
Features of the tire from the Gislaved brand:
- The tread pattern follows the pattern of Continental rubber.
- Sharp-toothed zigzag slats and block spikes provide maximum grip in loose snow and ice.
- Minimal tread wear per season.
2. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9
The undisputed leader of studded winter tires, Nokian, in 2019 provided a new series of Hakkapeliitta 9 studded shoes. The only drawback is the high price, the cost of one wheel from the Finnish brand is 7000-8000 rubles.
The tire provides the car with good acceleration, the braking distance at a speed of 100 km / h increases by 12-15%. When cornering, due to the embossed spikes and sharp sipes, the rubber provides maximum grip with the road, without slipping and skidding.
The disadvantages of Nokian studded tires are poor wheel braking on dry asphalt.
Among the features of the model is a good drainage of water in slush due to narrow slots. Non-slip tread pattern - studs are installed perpendicularly. Longitudinal studs provide good acceleration and braking, transverse ones do not allow slipping when cornering and provide a short braking distance.
Each spike has an EcoStad design cushion, the beveled edge provides a low noise parameter and no vibration.
Best Velcro 2020
1. VikingContact 7 Continental
The Continental brand is the leading manufacturer of Arctic tires. The Viking 7 model became the best in the premium class. The only drawback is the high price of the wheel, but the cost is fully justified, the service life of the tire is at least 5 seasons.
Soft tread provides short braking distances and stability when cornering on ice. The advantages include fast acceleration of the car. Due to the low weight of the wheel, there is no fuel consumption, the absence of studs provides comfort from a quiet ride and smooth braking.
VikingContact 7 Arctic tires provide maximum performance in sub-zero temperatures. The tread has a staggered arrangement of blocks in a standard V-shaped pattern. This arrangement of lamellas allows you to quickly drain water from the surface and prevent drifts on the ice.
Features of the Viking 7 model:
- Increased protection against aquatic drift compared to model 6.
- The braking distance is reduced by 6%.
- Increased rolling resistance.
2. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
Goodyear tires belong to the universal class. In winter Velcro UltraGrip Ice 2, you can change your car shoes even before the onset of frost and the first snow. The tread provides traction equally well on dry asphalt and during snowfall.
The tires provide the most comfortable driving mode on asphalt, the wheels do not generate additional noise and provide optimal traction. Good handling in slush conditions, the directional tread pattern with deep sipes and serrated blocks on the edge quickly evacuates melted snow and water.
The tread was made according to the ActiveGrip technology using heat-resistant materials, the rubber compound remains elastic at temperatures below 15 degrees, providing good controllability and maneuverability.
The main advantage of the UltraGrip Ice 2 model is its versatility. The tires are suitable for wet snow, ice and dry asphalt.
3. Winter i Cept iZ 2 W616 from Hankook
Winter Velcro from the Hankook brand have the main advantage - low price, and remain the best in the middle price segment. According to the characteristics of movement on a straight section, the tires are the best among the models of 2019. On such wheels, you can quickly accelerate without skidding on a slippery track and brake just as quickly.
Somewhat spoils the picture of the need to reduce the speed as much as possible when cornering on a slippery road. The tread pattern gives an average lateral grip.
The model is suitable for winter trips on dry asphalt, there is no increase in fuel consumption, there is no noise at all. The Arctic tread has a classic herringbone pattern, which allows water and ice chips to quickly drain off the wheel. The multi-volume edge pattern provides reliable handling on an icy track.
Features of the model:
- The wheel has a reinforced frame, there is no risk of damaging the tire on winter off-road.
- A silicon-containing material is added to the rubber compound, due to which the tread provides good grip on loose and wet snow.
4. Toyo Observe Gsi-6
New for 2019, Toyo's Scandinavian friction tire is the Observe GSi-6. The model replaces the outdated GSi5 brand tires.
The tire has improved grip performance due to the optimized pattern and depth of sipes. The tire provides high grip performance of a passenger car on wet snow, ice and during snowfall.
The Observe GSi-6 is available in a standard, versatile design for a variety of wheel sizes and for specific wheel ranges. For off-road vehicles, the GSi-6 LS model has been developed - the sidewalls are reinforced in the tire, and the GSi-6 HP model for passenger cars with four-wheel drive.
The tire is manufactured according to the patented Balance Nano technology, the tire provides maximum safety on wet asphalt during a thaw.
The best tires of European class
1. Winter Contact TS 860
Continental is the European market leader in the light winter tire segment. The Winter Contact TS 860 model is suitable for dry and wet asphalt, on an ice road the car is guaranteed stable handling, precise braking and fast acceleration. Due to the cogged tread, the tire behaves well in loose snow.
High quality tires ensured new technologieswhich the Continental brand introduced in 2019 for its winter designs:
- The use of a rubber compound made with Cool Chili technology. A polymer base is added to the material, due to which the tire does not lose elasticity and prevents slipping on an icy road.
- The protector has a mesh pattern, the slots are connected to a mesh of drainage channels. Thanks to this, water and melted snow are quickly removed from the surface of the tire. The braking distance is shortened.
- The tread mesh enhances the wheel grip on a slippery road, when cornering, the car remains stable, there are no skids and slippage.
2. Goodyear UltraGrip 9
The winter European tire UltraGrip 9 from Goodyear has high lateral and longitudinal stability on slippery roads due to its unique tread pattern and reinforced sidewall.
Wheels provide short braking distances and stable cornering stability. The tire was designed to move around the city in icy and wet snow conditions. On loose or dry snow, anti-slip is provided by lateral reinforcement and a swept pattern.
3. Michelin Alpin 6
New for 2019 - winter tires from Michelin Alpine 6. The tire behaves predictably on icy roads and in snow. Profile tires do not increase fuel consumption and have a minimum noise figure.
A feature of the tire is considered a high service life - the manufacturer guarantees the preservation of quality parameters for at least 5 seasons.
Michelin Alpin 6 Features:
- V-shaped tread pattern, deep grooves up to 7 mm remove melted snow from under the wheel well.
- Saw-shaped slats provide optimal traction during snowfall.
- The tread has two layers, when the first is worn, new drainage grooves open, providing the tire with high performance throughout its service life.
4. Dunlop Winter Sport 5
The rating of the best European tires is completed by the ZimaSport 5 model of the Dunlop brand. Wheels belong to the middle price segment, have a short braking distance, and were developed for city traffic. On dry and wet asphalt, the car remains as controllable as possible, it enters corners well, there is no slippage.
Rubber has average characteristics when driving in deep and loose snow, and you need to be extremely careful so that the car does not go skidding.
A tire was developed for sports cars, which often move on wet asphalt. Features of the model:
- The rubber compound contains silica, the tire is elastic at a temperature of minus 15 degrees.
- The standard tread pattern quickly removes melted snow and water from the contact patch.
- Saw blades provide short braking distances and stable handling.
Conclusion
These were the best tires of 2020 according to drivers and experts. When choosing winter tires, first of all, it is necessary to take into account not the air temperature, but the condition of the roadway.
