The Nokian WR G3 is the top UHP winter tire, according to Consumer Report’s November UHP study.
The Nokian WR G3 proved to be an “exception to the usual trade offs,” according to consumer reports. While the tire didn’t offer the best scores in snow and ice traction, it offered better dry and wet grip then the other UHP tires. Consumer Reports recommends the tire for “areas where the roads are often plowed.”
Second in Consumer Reports’ UHP winter tire ratings was the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 and in third place was the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2.
The Pilot Alpin PA4 performed “almost as well” as the Nokian WR G3, according to Consumer Reports. While, the Hakkapeliitta R2 performed on opposite end of the spectrum, and would be best in “a place where you’ll be driving more on snow and ice than on pavement all winter.”
Consumer reports tested eight different winter UHP tires on wet, dry and ice braking, handling, hydroplaning, snow traction, ride comfort, noise, rolling resistance and tread life to determine an overall score.
The WR G3, Pilot Alpin PA4 and Hakkapeliitta R2 were all recommended buys by the magazine. The difference in points from last to first was ten.
The rest of the tires tested ranked in the following order from fourth to eighth: Hankook Winter I*cept Evo; Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D; Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero Serie II; Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme; and Cooper Weather-Master Snow.
The winter UHP tests were part of Consumer Report’s annual UHP tires testing. The magazine put 50 different UHP tires sized (P) 225/40R18 through a variety of testing.
The tests found that for UHP summer tires, Pirelli P Zero and Michelin Pilot Super Sport were the best among 21 other tires. In third was Yokohama’s Advan SportV105, fourth was Nokian zLine and fifth was Continental Extreme Contact DW. Also recommended by Consumer Reports were the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 in sixth and the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti in seventh.
For UHP all season Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 came in first with Goodyear’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric All-Season in second with slightly lower dry braking and handling. Also recommended by Consumer Reports were Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2 in fourth, Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season in sixth and Cooper Zeon RS3-A in seventh.
For the summer and all-season testing tires were rated on dry braking and handling, wet braking and handling, hydroplaning, ride, noise, rolling resistance and tread life. All season tires were also rated on snow traction and ice braking.
The full report, ratings and results are available online at www.consumerreports.org.
