Tyrereviews Winter Tire Test 235/35 R19 2024

Snow performance is key for winter tires, and this test had a surprise winner. The Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 outperformed the traditionally dominant Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 in all snow disciplines – including braking, traction and handling. Both tires offered exceptional snow performance, with the Pirelli having a slight advantage in grip and overall handling.

The Hankook Winter I*Cept Evo3 performed well in snow handling and braking, but fell slightly short in snow traction.

The summer tire had problems, understandably, and the unusually strong performance of the all-season tire in the snow test is thanks to the Michelin CrossClimate 2, which is best in its class.

On ice, Michelin, Pirelli and Hankook performed strongly in both braking and traction tests, but Goodyear and Continental showed some weaknesses in these demanding conditions, highlighting the diverse demands placed on winter tires.

The all-season tire that came out on top of the results in this test was a low-budget all-season tire that almost certainly featured a soft winter compound – unsuitable for year-round use.

Wet braking tests, conducted in both warm and cold conditions, showed that the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 excelled – achieving the shortest braking distance. Michelin and Pirelli also performed strongly, while Hankook and Continental were slightly behind. The budget Goodride tire fell significantly short in this key safety test.

In the wet handling test, the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 came out on top, narrowly beating the competition. Michelin and Goodyear followed closely behind – all three tires offered excellent grip and predictable behavior.

Hankook and Continental still performed well, but did not reach the level of sporty dynamics demonstrated by the best representatives in wet conditions.

Aquaplaning resistance tests revealed the strength of the Hankook tire, which excelled in straight-line aquaplaning. Conversely, the Pirelli achieved the best overall performance when both straight-line and curved aquaplaning results were taken into account.

These results highlight how important tread design is in evacuating water from the tire's contact patch in deep water layers.

In the dry braking test, all winter tires performed well – the differences between them were only within 3%. The Hankook Winter i*Cept Evo3 came out on top, confirming that modern winter tires can deliver very solid performance on dry surfaces.

However, it should be noted that even the best winter tires could not match the average performance of all-season tires in this test – and fell significantly short of the summer tire.

The dry handling test yielded interesting findings. The budget Goodride tire surprisingly achieved a better result than expected, but the premium brands once again confirmed their quality. The Pirelli P Zero Winter 2, Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 and Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 tires achieved almost identical lap times and offered excellent driving dynamics.

However, all winter tires fell behind the reference summer tire, which was approximately 6 seconds faster per lap and subjectively felt much sportier.

This test showed that modern, high-performance winter tires can offer balanced driving characteristics across all conditions – from snow and ice to wet and dry roads.

• The biggest surprise was the performance of the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2, which dominated in snow handling and achieved very balanced results in all categories, including wet and dry surfaces.
• The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 and Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 also confirmed their qualities as premium winter tires with very good results in traction, braking and handling.
• The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P did not disappoint, but it felt a little less dynamic compared to the competition, especially in challenging conditions.
• The Goodride ZuperSnow Z507, as a representative of the low-cost class, showed weaknesses, especially in wet and dry tests, confirming that saving money on tires may not be worth it.