Tyrereviews Winter Tire Test 225/45 R17 2022
Winter tire test.
Size
225/45 R17
Season
Winter
Segment
Passenger car
tyre tests.
9
Published
2022
Winners' podium
Top 3 from the test
You'll find the complete ranking in the "All tyres" tab below.
2
Continental Premium
WINTERCONTACT TS 870
9.3
12 tests ✓ Very reliable
C
B
B (70 dB) from 139 € ✓ In stock
Test winner 
Bridgestone Premium
LM005
9.1
35 tests ✓ Very reliable
CAB (71 dB) from 113 € ✓ In stock
3
Hankook Upper mid-range
W462 WINTER I*CEPT RS3
9.0
10 tests ✓ Very reliable
DBB (72 dB) from 94 € ✓ In stock
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Braking distance in the wet m · ↓ lower is better ✓ LM005 has lowest — by 0,3 m before WINTERCONTACT TS 870.
Braking distance in the dry m · ↓ lower is better ✓ W462 WINTER I*CEPT RS3 has lowest — by 1,4 m before WINTERCONTACT TS 870.
Noise dB · ↓ lower is better ✓ LM005 has lowest — by 0,6 dB before WINTERCONTACT TS 870.
Estimated mileage km · ↑ higher is better ✓ WINTERCONTACT TS 870 has highest — by 9 904 km before W462 WINTER I*CEPT RS3.
test
Informácie o teste
King on water and a dangerous trap from the budget segment
Are you getting ready for the winter season and wondering whether to go with a trusted premium option or save some money? A test of nine popular winter tires (including five hot newcomers) revealed shocking contrasts. Budget tires can indeed surprise on deep snow, but as soon as the first rain falls, changing conditions turn into a driver's nightmare.
The overall champion of safety on wet roads turned out to be the indestructible Bridgestone Blizzak LM005, while the biggest scandal of the test was caused by the cheapest tire, Petlas.
Snow: A shocking victory for a budget tire and Kleber's dominance
- Leader on snow: The fastest time and excellent handling on snow were surprisingly delivered by the cheapest tire, Petlas. This is a classic example of a budget tire sacrificing everything else in favor of a single trait – in this case, grip in freezing conditions.
- Proven veterans: Close behind came the Kleber Krisalp HP3 (a Michelin sub-brand), which has long kept pace with the best on snow, along with the newcomers Hankook Winter i*Cept RS3 and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2.
- Premium middle ground: Michelin Alpin 6, Continental, and Bridgestone showed stable performance, although the Michelin was slightly affected by mild understeer. At the back of the pack in snow handling was the Vredestein Wintrac Pro, although driving on it was smooth and predictable.
Wet roads: The year's biggest flop and the absolute king of braking distance
- Safety hazard: The Petlas tire, which excelled on snow, completely failed on water. The car was uncontrollable, unpredictable, and lagged behind by a dangerous 15 seconds in lap time.
- Champion on water: Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 once again confirmed its dominance. On wet surfaces, it offered brutal braking grip, perfect steering response, and absolute confidence in corners.
- Sporty character and safety: Continental finished in close pursuit, followed by the exceptionally grippy Hankook. Great fun, good feedback, and a fast time were also delivered by Pirelli and Vredestein.
Dry roads, comfort, and consumption
- Dry asphalt: On dry surfaces, all winter tires were stable, but the best sporty feel and steering precision were offered by the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2.
- Noise and comfort: The quietest and most comfortable ride was delivered by Pirelli and Bridgestone. On the other hand, the noisiest in the cabin was once again Petlas.
- Rolling resistance: The lowest fuel consumption was recorded by Petlas thanks to its specific compound, while among the premium tires, Bridgestone was the most economical.
Verdict: Which winter tires should you choose?
- Best choice for wet conditions and urban winter: Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
- Top all-rounder and balance: Hankook Winter i*Cept RS3 and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
- Best price-to-performance ratio for snow: Kleber Krisalp HP3
- Warning before buying: The Petlas tire showed that a one-sidedly focused budget tire poses a huge risk on wet roads.
Tyrereviews Winter Tire Test 225/45 R17 2022
9 products · click a column to sort| # | Tyre | Price from | Dry braking [m] ↕ | Dry manoeuvring [s] ↕ | Wet braking [m] ↕ | Wet manoeuvring [s] ↕ | Aquaplaning straight [km/h] ↕ | Aquaplaning cornering [m/s²] ↕ | Snow braking [m] ↕ | Snow manoeuvring [s] ↕ | Snow traction [s] ↕ | Volume [dB] ↕ | Rolling resistance [kg/t] ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bridgestone LM005 ✓ Available in size 225/45 R17 | from 113 € | 39.4 | 79.8 | 27.3 | 97 | 80 | 7.3 | 27.2 | 116.2 | 5.1 | 68.9 | 8 |
| 2. | Continental WINTERCONTACT TS 870 ✓ Available in size 225/45 R17 | from 139 € | 39.2 | 80.2 | 27.6 | 97.7 | 82.4 | 8.1 | 27.8 | 116.5 | 5.1 | 69.5 | 8.4 |
| 3. | Hankook W462 WINTER I*CEPT RS3 ✓ Available in size 225/45 R17 | from 94 € | 37.8 | 80.3 | 28.2 | 98.8 | 81.8 | 7.1 | 29.4 | 113.6 | 4.9 | 69.6 | 8.8 |
| 4. | Pirelli CINTURATO WINTER 2 ✓ Available in size 225/45 R17 | from 96 € | 37.6 | 80.4 | 30.4 | 99 | 78.9 | 6.8 | 29.3 | 114.9 | 5.1 | 68.5 | 8.9 |
| 5. | Semperit SPEED-GRIP 5 ✓ Available in size 225/45 R17 | from 108 € | 37.5 | 79.9 | 32.3 | 102.2 | 81.3 | 8 | 28.9 | 116.5 | 5.4 | 69.3 | 8.2 |
| 6. | Vredestein WINTRAC PRO ✕ Unavailable in size 225/45 R17 | — | 36.9 | 79.9 | 29.5 | 99 | 76.9 | 6.5 | 29.1 | 118.5 | 5.4 | 69.2 | 9.2 |
| 7. | Michelin ALPIN 6 ✕ Unavailable in size 225/45 R17 | — | 36.6 | 80.7 | 31.8 | 100.6 | 79.9 | 7.6 | 29.6 | 115.6 | 5.1 | 69.8 | 9.1 |
| 8. | Kleber KRISALP HP3 ✓ Available in size 225/45 R17 | from 90 € | 38.4 | 80.7 | 34.8 | 102.8 | 83.5 | 7.1 | 27.2 | 113.3 | 4.7 | 69.1 | 8.8 |
| 9. | Petlas Snow Master W651 | — | 39.4 | 81.9 | 39.5 | 111.8 | 71.2 | 4.8 | 27.8 | 112.2 | 4.7 | 69.8 | 6.7 |
Dry braking [m]
Dry manoeuvring [s]
Wet braking [m]
Wet manoeuvring [s]
Aquaplaning straight [km/h]
Aquaplaning cornering [m/s²]
Snow braking [m]
Snow manoeuvring [s]
Snow traction [s]
Volume [dB]
Rolling resistance [kg/t]
Winter tire test.