ADAC has tested 31 winter tyres in size 225/40 R18, covering budget, mid-price and premium brands. The programme included braking and handling on wet, dry, snow and ice, plus an environmental block (predicted wear, abrasion, efficiency, exterior noise, and a sustainability check). The overall score weights safety at 70% (dry 30%, wet 40%, winter 30%) and the environmental balance at 30%. Test sets were bought in retail channels and evaluated on independent proving grounds (incl. winter testing in Ivalo, Finland).
Results show a clear spread. Six premium models achieved a “good” overall rating: Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 (overall 2.0), Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 (2.1), Bridgestone Blizzak 6 (★91) (2.2), Dunlop Winter Sport 5 (★86) (2.4), Hankook Winter i*cept evo³ W330 (2.4) and Continental WinterContact TS 870 P (★93) (2.5). Goodyear’s win is supported by strong wet performance and a high predicted mileage (approx. 76,000 km) with low abrasion. Michelin performs particularly well on wintry surfaces.
The mid-price “quality” group mostly lands on “satisfactory”. Several models are usable choices if their specific strengths align with the driver’s usage pattern; a few are marked down for imbalances (e.g., stability on dry roads or weaker wet results).
The weakest results are concentrated in the budget segment. Fifteen tyres are not recommended overall, including eleven with a “poor” rating. Typical issues are limited grip on snow/ice and long wet-braking distances. ADAC notes a >15 m spread in wet braking from 80 km/h between the best and worst; at the point the best-equipped car has stopped, the worst still carries meaningful residual speed. There are exceptions: Matador MP93 Nordicca and Momo W-20 North Pole (★66) reached “satisfactory” and can be considered by low-mileage users who accept compromises elsewhere.
Among the best performers, Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 is the clear highlight: shortest wet braking and top wet handling/aquaplaning results, combined with very high projected mileage, very low abrasion, and low weight/consumption (only a mild tendency to oversteer in a dry emergency). Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 is equally rounded—best dry braking, strong and precise on snow/ice and wet (minor dip in cross-aquaplaning). Bridgestone Blizzak 6 (★91) steers precisely and brakes well on dry/wet with solid winter traction (slight weakness in cross-aquaplaning/snow-handling). Dunlop Winter Sport 5 (★86) is good across dry, wet and winter with dependable braking and handling (aquaplaning margins just shy, and louder). Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 W330 (★86) delivers good dry/wet safety and class-leading longevity/low abrasion (only mid on cross-aquaplaning and winter). Continental WinterContact TS 870 P (★93) is secure and precise on dry/wet with good efficiency and wear (cross-aquaplaning and ice braking are the softer spots).
At the bottom, most failures are driven by wet-safety deficits—long braking, early under/oversteer, and low grip—sometimes compounded by weak winter behavior. Syron Everest 2 is the most extreme split: excellent on snow (best in test there) but poor on dry/wet with very low limits. Goodride SW608 and Star Performer Stratos UHP both fall down on wet handling (low grip/low reserve), while Evergreen EW66 is downgraded on dry/wet/ice despite good snow. Nankang Winter Activa 4 adds the lowest projected mileage and higher abrasion/weight to weak dry/winter results. Petlas SnowMaster 2 Sport and Imperial Snowdragon UHP are imprecise with early under/oversteer (wet handling again the culprit). Landsail Winter Lander brakes well in the wet but is only adequate on dry and poor on snow. Radar Dimax Winter lasts long and is frugal, yet its heavy construction and weak wet handling keep overall safety down.