Autoexpress i back with it’s test for this season – this time in size 225/45 R17 — the rubber most Golfs, Octavias and A3s actually run. Snow might be rare in many towns, but when winter turns ugly these tyres are night-and-day better than summers in cold, wet conditions. After back-to-back wins in this size, Continental’s WinterContact TS 870 returned hunting a hat-trick. Facing it: Bridgestone’s new Blizzak 6, Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3, Michelin Alpin 7, Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ (★67), Falken Eurowinter HS02PRO, debutant LingLong Sport Master Winter, and a randomly chosen budget set, Triangle WinterX TW401.
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How they tested
Snow work ran at Goodyear’s Arctic Center in Saariselkä, Finland (track temps around −7 to −4 °C). The team used a tight 0.8 km loop to probe balance and traction, plus repeated runs for 50→5 km/h braking and 8→30 km/h acceleration.
Wet and dry testing moved to the Contidrom near Hannover at ~4 °C — prime winter-compound territory. Wet braking (50 mph → 0) was rail-guided so every tyre hit the same asphalt. There was a 57.5 m circle for lateral grip, a 1.1-mile wet handling lap, and both straight (9 mm water, 15% slip threshold) and curved aquaplaning (5 mm flood, 37–56 mph, residual g). Dry testing covered 100→0 km/h braking and a one-mile handling loop.
Scoring is weighted to reality: 50% wet, 20% snow, 20% dry, with the final 10% shared between cabin noise and rolling resistance.
What happened this year
Hat-trick achieved. Continental’s TS 870 takes the crown again, with a mix of wet mastery, snow control and calm, precise steering — plus the quietest cabin here. Goodyear UGP3 pushes it to the wire (topping five individual disciplines), while Bridgestone Blizzak 6 (★91) lands third as a cold-wet/cold-dry specialist and the test’s efficiency leader.
New Michelin Alpin 7 shows a gentle snow bias without feeling nervous in the wet and posts second-best rolling resistance. LingLong grabs headlines with the fastest dry-handling lap, but gives that time back at the pump. Vredestein sits mid-pack with few peaks but no disasters. Falken is refined and confidence-inspiring. The budget Triangle proves the perennial lesson: acceptable in snow and okay in the dry, but convincingly outclassed in the wet.
Tyre-by-tyre in a paragraph
Continental WinterContact TS 870 (★99) — Winner
Dominant mix of security and drivability: best in wet handling and wet cornering, best in dry braking, best for cabin quiet, and still superb on snow (it wins snow handling). The steering feels tidy and progressive, so fast laps come easily without drama.
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 — 2nd
Snow ace and wet-braking king. It tops straight and curved aquaplaning and leads both snow braking and snow traction, which makes it a phenomenal safety play when temps drop and roads flood. Loses the tiniest sliver to Continental on overall balance.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6 (★91) — 3rd
A new tyre that already looks fully sorted. Confident in the wet and dry, near the front in most disciplines, and best rolling resistance of the test. If you’re chasing long motorway miles and low fuel use (or range in an EV), this one’s a standout.
Michelin Alpin 7 — 4th
Reassuring on snow, tidy in the wet, and second only to Bridgestone for efficiency. Braking performance is strong in both dry and wet, and the tyre feels calm when you lean on it — more “quietly fast” than showy.
LingLong Sport Master Winter — 5th
That dry-handling P1 lap time is the twist everyone will talk about. Steering is eager, front-end bite is real. But the trade-off shows in rolling resistance and wet performance that’s merely mid-pack. Great price/performance if your winter is mostly cold-dry.
Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ (★67) — 6th
No single superpower, but a lot of “fine.” Respectable wet-handling pace, decent noise comfort, average-plus efficiency. If you value predictability and price stability, it’s an easy recommendation.
Falken Eurowinter HS02PRO — 7th
Refined ride and low cabin noise with friendly breakaway in the wet and dry. It won’t top the charts, yet it rarely puts a foot wrong. A sensible option when you want comfort with credible winter manners.
Triangle WinterX TW401 — 8th
Solid in snow and acceptable in the dry, but the wet is where it falls behind: longer wet-braking distances and weaker aquaplaning resistance. If you regularly drive in heavy rain or standing water, look higher up the results.
Three takeaways for real-world buyers
- Wet>everything. With 50% of the score in the wet and the overall podium mirroring wet strength, this test underlines what winter actually looks like for most of us: cold, dark and rainy.
- Dry pace can mislead. LingLong’s dry-lap win is cool — but winter safety is decided by braking and aquaplaning when temperatures drop and roads flood.
- Efficiency spread matters. Rolling resistance ranged widely; if you do big mileage (or care about EV range), Bridgestone and Michelin give you a measurable advantage over thirstier options.
What to buy (match to your winter)
- Cold rain, standing water, mixed conditions: Continental TS 870 or Goodyear UGP3 — class-leading wet-braking and aquaplaning security.
- Regular snow trips / mountain passes: Continental (snow handling winner) or Michelin Alpin 7 (snow-leaning balance without wet nervousness).
- Motorway miles & economy first: Bridgestone Blizzak 6.
- Value play with some sparkle: LingLong if your winter is mostly cold and dry — but be mindful in heavy rain.