We present a test comparing all season and winter tires conducted by experts from automotive magazine "Driving".
This test was conducted specifically for owners of SUVs who think that winter is possible and at the regular-season tires, saying "take out four-wheel drive."
Test car was chosen Toyota RAV4.
The reasons for choosing this car experts taxied named:
- this car is considered a favorite women's car, and many believe that women mostly do not have the driving skills in difficult conditions;
- RAV4 - quite a modern four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with electronics that not only helps to brake (ABS and EBD) and rotate (VSC and TRC), but also accelerated (when the front wheels slipping torque is applied to the rear axle, turning the car into four-wheel drive)
- And the most an important point - as a rule, this car comes with all-season tires. In most cases they are Bridgestone Dueler H / T 687.
A little about the place of testing and the test car
Tests were held at the site, built in the southern part of New Zealand. This range has grown to over 15 years.
Polygon - Twelve isolated icy and snowy roads and squares of different configurations with the boxes for the equipment - is located in New Zealand's Southern Alps at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level.
Here spend all winter tests in the northern hemisphere summer period - from June to August than the active use of tire manufacturers, automobile and auto components.
The unique construction of the landfill - indoor ice track tunnel with a length of 200 and 20 m wide, which provides high stability of coverage regardless of weather conditions and time of day.
Vsedorozhnik, even the parquet, the test car Toyota RAV4 can be called with some exaggeration. Connecting and disconnecting the drive to the rear axle is responsible for electronics. It also monitors the trajectory in response to the slippage of one of the wheels. For novice drivers it is convenient: No need to worry when to switch to all-wheel drive, and when enough only the front.
To force activation-wheel drive is a dedicated button, but when reaching speeds of 40-45 km / h rear wheels are automatically turned off - a hard link between the axes affects handling. However, in certain circumstances, such a decision makes the car's behavior unpredictable. For example, in a test on virgin snow vehicle on regular tires "villages", not even choosing the clearance.
It was like this: when you try to move in the loose snow, the front wheels slightly cranked. Rear, as intended, immediately connected, but it was too late - by the front wheels formed crater. Neither forward nor backward! A gently shake it vnatyag impossible. Even spetsknopka with symbols of "4x4" does not help out.
On slippery roads electronics helps correcting the trajectory, but only if the speed is more than the permissible maximum of 1-2 km / h. If this limit is exceeded, the electronics only way. It squeaks, whistles, chirps, alternately pulling different wheels of the car, tearing it slip, but can not return to the desired trajectory.
A trip electronics are not provided. Because of this, on a slippery road vehicle if she knows what she wants. Of course, in these winter tires and a moderate off-road its character becomes more flexible, but should go to the limit - escape from the vagaries of no!
For testing we selected five models of tire dimension 225/65R17: three all-season, one friction and one studded:
- Bridgestone Dueler H / T 687
- Goodyear Wrangler HP
- Yokohama Geolandar A / TS
- Nokian Hakkapeliitta R SUV
- Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 SUV
Of course, before the tests winter tires have been run: frictional passed 300km, and the spike, as recommended by the manufacturer, 500 km.
The purpose of this test was no comparison between an all-season tires in winter conditions. The main purpose of the test was to understand how losing season tires this winter. Estimated coupling and braking properties on snow and ice (acceleration and braking) and transverse couplings (complex) - the time of passage of a closed highway complex configuration in the snow and ice slalom. Estimation of exchange rate stability, comfort (ride and noise in the cabin) and the brake was held on asphalt roads.
The outcomes of testing
On a snow tire friction results were better than the season at 31-82%. On the ice detachment modestly - from 34 to 60%. The greatest difference in results was observed in the braking. Slalom on the icy detachment was only 10-18% due to the fact that because of the small size of the site cones were close to each other, which is not possible to develop a high speed.
If the ice road was faster, the difference likely would have exceeded 50%. At selected sites, snowy maximum speed reached 100 km / h, but the icy slalom - no more than 20 km / h.
Monotyres results showed an even more impressive. Difference in the snow reached 37-85%, and the ice lasted up to 90%, although in overclocking. Inhibition, oddly enough, better than "just" at 66-76%.
In the ice Slalom studded HKPL 5 looked more tenacious, surpassing Velcro almost doubled, and the overall advantage over the M + S has reached 18-25 percent. In addition, these winter tires provide better handling on any surface, flotation in deep snow, and even smoothness.
But if the choice of winter tires is not so simple. What is the need to sacrifice when switching to winter tires?
Brake properties of winter tires on the pavement below: 2-8% in the friction and 8-14% in spikes. Worse exchange rate stability on the pavement above the noise level, for obvious reasons, especially prominent in studded tires.
What can be concluded from the test results? And the fact that traditionally winter tires outright outperform all season in winter conditions. Nevertheless, the decision to replace all-season tires for winter is always behind cars. To do this he must decide what to him is more important: the difference in grip on snow and ice in about half to two times or one-seventh on the asphalt.
Those who dare pereobutsya in winter tires, once again will be faced with a choice: frictional or spike? The unequivocal answer to this question has never been and never will. Everything depends on conditions: if the trip are coming in the vast majority of asphalt highways, the choice is better to stop on stickers, but if if the movement is planned mainly on the ice, it must choose tires. At its security is not worth saving!
Test results and expert opinion taxied below the pictures in the table below:
| bus | Get Info |
| Bridgestone Dueler H / T 687 all season |
Place of manufacture - Japan Speed ??Index-H (210 km / h) Risusunok protector - a symmetrical tread depth - 6,9 -7.3 mm Tyre weight - 11,7 kg |
| From the first meters of the movement there is a feeling of low coupling properties - tires start to slip even during overclocking. At the same time on a slippery road reaction to the steering wheel is quite adequate. But the abuse rate of any ice or in snow is not: despite the help of electronics, the car slips out the front axle, straightening the trajectory. Go to glide smoothly, restoring manageability, too, although slipping loose. If you increase the speed of the arc of rotation, can drift. Not particularly fond of groomed snow on him behave worse than on the ice. In the deep snow is better not to call in: the car moves off poorly, turning reluctantly - tires seemed to rest against. Oh if had advance include four-wheel drive. Touch gently, avoiding slippage, and other four-wheel drive does not help. On the pavement with a well-kept course and clearly respond to the rudder. In terms of comfort tires are not so hot: in some detail in the body transmit any irregularities and a loud buzz. |
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| Goodyear Wrangler HP all season |
Place of manufacture - Germany Speed ??Index-H (210 km / h) Risusunok protector - a symmetrical tread depth - 8,3-8,5 mm Tyre weight - 12,9 kg |
| This rubber is ambitious and treacherous! On it, especially on a snowy road is very difficult to control the limit of the coupling properties. At first it seems that the tires are very good hold on the road, but a little added speed - lose grip, it is unpleasant sharp transition in the slip, which can not operate the machine. Restore manageability is just as suddenly, as frustrating and unpleasant, too sharply - tires pulled a car without letting him stand on the planned trajectory. In the deep snow behave a little more confident Bridgestone, but there are often insidious. Like and clinging snow, and it is easy to go forward, but it is to crank the wheel as the machine digs, unaided already can not get. According to the asphalt goes pretty smoothly, but the rudder respond with a delay. With the assessment of comfort difficult: on the one hand, the smoothness of concern, a sense of overinflated tires (the car on any irregularities jumps, as the ball), on the other - very low noise level. |
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| Yokohama Geolandar A / TS (G012) all season |
Place of manufacture - Germany Speed ??Index-H (210 km / h) Risusunok protector - a symmetrical tread depth - 9,4-9,6 mm Tyre weight - 13,2 kg |
| Well clinging to crumbly snow, but on the rocky, as well as on the ice, rapidly lose their grip. Because of this behavior of the car on a snowy road is unstable: the car breaks down then demolished, then the skid. And when overclocking prowl, if tires are looking for that catch. For pure ice, you can still go, but if that little priporoshen snow or fine crushed ice from the spikes in the past vehicles, the driver loses control of the car, which starts to behave in incomprehensible: roam, breaking a slide that front, the rear axle . Sliding at this very long - up until the rate falls. Avoid it only one way: in advance to pick up, that is, to guess the safe speed. Snowdrifts overcome confident, is particularly well are underway. But at the start of accuracy needed, since tires do not like the strong slippage. Keep a straight asphalt worse than others, the delay in the rudder increases with speed. Shake the car on any irregularities. Clearly audible noise of a rough pattern. |
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| Nokian Hakkapeliitta R SUV Friction |
Place of manufacture - Russia index of the rate-R (170 km / h) Risusunok protector - the tread depth - 8,8-9,1 mm Tyre weight - 12,4 kg |
| On a snowy road car's behavior is much nicer and clearer than on the all-season tires. The machine promptly responds to the steering wheel, clearly prescribes the turns, effectively inhibits. The speed of rotation is limited by gradual demolition of the front axle, sliding a little longer than we would like, but the machine is well managed. On the ice, if not to slip, the wheel is very clear and informative, both on pavement. The transition to the informative slide on the handlebar drops. In small slides machine is operated by the steering wheel and gas pedal. Deep snow car tires overcomes these playfully: moving speed, touch, turns no problem. All actions can be performed as vnatyag, and with any degree of slippage. The asphalt line like "Goodyear" - have a car exactly, but the rudder late. Hard undergo minor irregularities, create a background hum. |
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| Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV 5 shipovannaya |
Place of manufacture - Russia Speed ??Index-T (190 km / h) Risusunok protector - the tread depth - 10,8-11,0 mm Tyre weight - 12,9 kg |
| The behavior of the snow like a "erku, but there differences in nuance. These tires are more thoughtful when you start, but after a set of low speed acceleration lasts more confident. On the steering wheel respond well, especially if the input in turn prigruzit front-wheel braking. By the way, the brakes are more reliable than the tires with the index R. On the ice is very clear the wheel, the car is securely managed, even in the slides. In the deep snow repeats its features: starts to move sluggishly, but the progress is going well - better than anyone. Secure and confident moves and maneuvers in all modes, is not afraid of slipping, even at the start. On the asphalt directly interfere with large angle and rudder perceptible delay in the response - apparently affects the mobility of a deep tread. Felt slight shaking on the uneven, hear the crunch of a clear spike, especially if the speed is low. |
The results of all tests performed
To see a larger table of the results of tests, click on the picture
Table of peer reviews
Table of comparative results
To see a larger table of comparative results click on the picture
