Best Winter Tires

Motor1 Reviews Team Take:

• The best winter tire in 2024 is the Michelin X-Ice Snow. The X-Ice Snow from Michelin offered exceptional grip and handling on snow and ice, as well as solid grip across multiple other terrains, making it a great choice to tackle inclement weather.
• We found the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 is hands down the best-handling winter tire on icy roads, and the Continental VikingContact 7 has some of the best water evacuation in the industry if you want winter tires designed for performance on both wet and snowy roads.
• Most winter tires will run between $70 to approximately $130 per tire, although your vehicle and driving environment will dictate which tires are your best option.

If you live in a region that regularly receives moderate to heavy snowfall each year, a high-quality winter tire can be the difference between an uneventful trip to the grocery store and calling a tow truck to drag you out of a snow bank.

You’ve likely heard auto enthusiasts refer to getting “new shoes” on their vehicles. The tires you choose determine the terrain you can safely tackle—and the same goes for the shoes on your feet. You wouldn’t go to the beach in combat boots or hike in flip-flops, and that same principle applies to your car for winter driving.

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What Are The Best Winter Tires?

The best winter tires are the Michelin X-Ice Snow, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5, Continental VikingContact 7, Pirelli Ice Zero FR, and the Yokohama iceGUARD iG53 according to our in-person testing with tire expert Jonathan Benson.

Top Rated Winter Tires

Each winter tire in this review was thoroughly tested and evaluated based on several categories, including snow handling, ice handling, wet handling, dry handling, and overall comfort. You can find more specifics regarding our rating system here.

The scores in each category are compiled into a single overall rating that ranges from 1.0 to 10.0 stars. Each winter tire’s ratings, including their overall ratings and awards from our team, are highlighted below:

Brand/Model	Overall Rating	Award	Cost
Michelin X-Ice Snow	9.8	Best Winter Tire	$140
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5	9.7	Best Winter Tires for Ice	$115
Continental VikingContact 7	9.6	Best Winter Tires for Rain	$110
Pirelli Ice Zero FR	9.5	Best Winter Snow Tires	$130
Yokohama iceGUARD iG53	8.8	Best Budget Winter Tires	$90

*Because cost data fluctuates, the prices in the table above are approximate values that our team regularly updates.

For those interested in learning more, we’ve provided a detailed review of each of the best winter tires in the sections below:

1. Michelin X-Ice Snow: Best Winter Tire

2. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5: Best Winter Tires For Ice

3. Continental VikingContact 7: Best Winter Tires For Rain

4. Pirelli Ice Zero FR: Best Winter Snow Tires

5. Yokohama iceGUARD iG53: Best Budget Winter Tires

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Winter Tires Buying Guide

There are a ton of winter tires available online, and it can be difficult to determine which snow tire is right for you. With this in mind, we aim to answer a few common questions about winter tires and refer you to our expert’s advice.

What Are Winter Tires?

Winter tires, otherwise known as snow tires, are tires specifically designed for driving on snow and ice. Winter tires are made from a tread compound that remains flexible during frigid temperatures. Additionally, winter tires typically have a deeper tread pattern and more aggressive siping than most other types of tires.

Are Winter Tires Worth It?

We asked our tire expert, Jonathan Benson of TyreReviews.com, what level of annual snowfall or ice warrants the need for a set of winter tires. Here’s what he had to say: 

“I live in Salt Lake City. It’s a very snowy region. But the roads are plowed very, very well—very effectively. And I live in the city. If I’m going up the canyons, I can work around the weather. So maybe an all-season set of tires for my driving is fine. Whereas for someone who lives slightly out of the city—who doesn’t get plowed as much—someone that lives up a canyon that sees a lot more snow because they’re at higher altitudes, then, a winter tire is almost essential. [To] answer your original question, there’s no hard and fast rule.”

When To Put On Winter Tires

We asked Benson if there’s a specific number of inches of snow on the ground where your all-season tires become ineffective, and unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

“I wish I had the answer. There [are] also different types of snow. Because you could have an inch of hard-pack, compacted snow that’s quite icy where an all-season tire would be fairly ineffective. Or you could have four inches of slushy snow where the weight of the vehicle gets through to the surface below and offers grip. Generally, if there’s any standing snow, the majority of all-season tires are a lot less effective than a dedicated winter tire.”

Snow Tires: What You Need To Know

Regardless of which tire manufacturer or brand you purchase your tires from, there are a few things you should keep in mind. It’s important to understand a tire’s Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) and how to read a tire’s sidewall. Lastly, knowing how to maintain your tires is of utmost importance.

UTQG Winter Tires

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the governing body that enforces federal safety standards for all tires sold in the United States. The NHTSA created the UTQG standards to allow customers to make more informed purchasing decisions. Specific categories of UTQG ratings include:

• Treadwear: This compares a tire’s tread against that of a control tire’s tread. A score of 100 indicates that the tested tire’s treads last as long as the control tire’s, 200 indicates that the tire lasts twice as long, and so on.
• Traction: Graded on a scale of AA, A, B, and C, this rating is based on a tire’s braking g-force.
• Temperature: Graded on a scale of A, B, or C, this tests a tire’s ability to withstand running at high speeds.

How To Read Winter Tires

The many markings and numbers on a tire’s sidewall can make it difficult to find information by simply looking at a tire. Below is an explanation of the types of information you can find from your tire’s sidewall:

• Tire size: Otherwise known as the width of the tire, this is the first set of numbers on the sidewall. Tire size is expressed in millimeters.
• Type of tire: You can tell which type of tire you have by the letters included before the size of the tire. A tire without letters or with a “P” before the tire size is a passenger tire with a standard load (a four-ply rating).
• Weight capacity: Tires with the letters “XL” after the tire size have a higher weight capacity than a standard load, but not higher than an “LT” tire. Tires with “LT” or “ST” before the tire size have a higher weight capacity, as “LT” stands for light truck and “ST” stands for special trailer.
• Aspect ratio: The second set of numbers on a tire’s sidewall indicates the aspect ratio. This is expressed in a percentage, which is ultimately calculated by dividing the tire’s height measured from the rim to the tread by the tire’s width.
• Type of construction: The type of construction is indicated directly after the aspect ratio on a tire’s sidewall. “R” stands for radial, which is the most common type of tire, “B” stands for bias, and “D” stands for diagonal. Plies run perpendicular to the tread in radial tires, while in bias and diagonal tires, plies overlap diagonally.
• Rim diameter: Following the type of construction is where the diameter of the rim is typically indicated. Rim diameter is expressed in inches.

Winter Tire Care

Regardless of your tire’s brand or price, if you don’t take care of your tires then you’ll end up spending a lot more than you need to. Below are three simple steps you can take to get the best out of your tires:

1. Wheel alignment: Wheels that are improperly aligned will cause your tires to wear unevenly. A proper wheel alignment can drastically improve the lifespan of your car’s tires.
2. Tire rotation: Regularly rotating your tires, either by the recommendation made by your vehicle manufacturer or every 5,000.0 miles, will reduce the likelihood of uneven treadwear.
3. Balance: Outside of unevenly worn tires, wheels that aren’t properly balanced can cause vibrations that make it unsafe to drive. Checking your wheels’ balance can ensure your tire lasts for its full life cycle.

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Best Winter Tires For Cars: Bottom Line

In this article, along with sharing helpful purchasing tips for those interested in purchasing winter tires, we reviewed the top winter tires in 2024:

1. Best Winter Tire: Michelin X-Ice Snow
2. Best Winter Tires for Ice: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
3. Best Winter Tires for Rain: Continental VikingContact 7
4. Best Winter Snow Tires: Pirelli Ice Zero FR
5. Best Budget Winter Tires: Yokohama iceGUARD iG53

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Tires For Winter: FAQ

Below are some common frequently asked questions about tires for winter conditions:

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Full Winter Tire Testing Methodology

Because our testing expertise is centered around aftermarket car products and accessories, we decided to leave tire testing in the hands of a true tire expert. That’s why we reached out to Jonathan Benson who has more than 15 years of experience. His insight and hands-on testing combined with our extensive knowledge of aftermarket car products have been a perfect match.

Our tire testing, as always, consisted of a number of timed laps averaged out. Throughout testing, Benson utilizes control tires to benchmark the track’s surface evolution and ultimately calculate each winter tire’s rating in every single individual testing category. He took note of the tire’s snow handling, ice handling, wet handling, dry handling, and overall comfort.

Each tire was given a rating out of 10.0 based on these criteria.

Snow Handling

Snow handling is one of the most important factors to consider if you’re looking for a high-quality winter tire. Benson went about testing each winter tire’s snow handling by averaging out the times of three laps around one of Nokian’s “White Hell” Ivalo Testing Center tracks. Standardized conditions are ensured by carefully preparing the track and grading the snow at the start of testing.

Ice Handling

By nature, ice handling is a difficult test to do right. For each three-lap run, Benson raced across a frozen lake, putting each winter tire’s ice handling to the test. As the lake was fully frozen, the level of ice our independent tire tester was dealing with was immense.

Wet Handling

On the road, the wet grip of a tire will likely determine your fate in an emergency. Hence the placing of wet handling near the top of our list of winter tire tests. This test involved three timed laps around one of Nokian’s Spain Test Center tracks in seriously wet conditions.

Dry Handling

Regardless of where you live, winter tires are mainly going to be used on the road. This test involved three timed laps around one of Nokian’s Spain Test Center tracks in bone-dry conditions to simulate average road conditions.

Comfort

The “comfort” of each winter tire is a subjective mixture of the tire’s overall comfort on the road as well as its general road noise level. This was tested throughout all other categories of testing and notes were taken throughout.

How We Score Products

Every air freshener we test is given a score between 1.0 and 5.0 stars in each category. Here’s what those star ratings mean in concrete terms:

• 10.0 Stars: A 10.0-star rating indicates that this tire is pushing the boundaries of what we know is possible for a specific type of tire. These tires offer more grip across various surface types and in different weather conditions than any other tire on the market.
• 9.0 Stars: A 9.0-star rating means that a tire significantly outperforms the industry standard for any given testing category, most notably grip and traction.
• 8.0 Stars: An 8.0-star rating shows that a tire performs above average when compared to other tires within the context of our testing. These tires perform as expected across all categories while standing out in certain categories.
• 7.0 Stars: A 7.0-star rating indicates that a tire is right at the average in any given testing category. These tires meet expectations but do not stand out.
• 6.0 Stars: A 6.0-star rating indicates that a tire is slightly below the average expected performance for this kind of tire. These ratings indicate a serious lack of quality in any given category.
• 5.0 or Below Stars: These ratings are usually not seen in our team’s review articles. A rating this low means a tire is so far from proficient that we do not recommend it at all.

Why Trust Motor1.com

Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.

We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.

*Data accurate at time of publication. Products subject to availability.

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