AutoBild Winter Tire Test 245/45 R18 2024
In the current Auto Bild AllRad 2024 test, 12 winter tires for SUVs in the size 245/45 R18 were compared in various disciplines - dry and wet roads, snow, aquaplaning, noise and rolling resistance. The test also included a reference summer tire that served as a benchmark.
Top 3 from the test
You'll find the complete ranking in the "All tyres" tab below.
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
C
B
B (71 dB)
Test winner 
Michelin PILOT ALPIN 5
CBB (68 dB)
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
CCB (71 dB)Build a comparison from this test
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Braking distance in the wet m · ↓ lower is better 
Braking distance in the dry m · ↓ lower is better 
Noise dB · ↓ lower is better 
Estimated mileage km · ↑ higher is better Informácie o teste
Dry braking / handling characteristics
In the dry braking test, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 performed best among winter tires, stopping in 40.7 meters. The Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 performed worst with a braking distance of 43.3 meters – a difference of 2.6 meters, which can be decisive in a critical situation.
The benchmark summer tire outperformed all winter models and stopped after just 35.5 meters, confirming the excellent performance of summer compounds on dry roads.
In the dry handling test, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was also the fastest with an average speed of 106.4 km/h. At the opposite end, the Giti GitiWinterW2 finished with a speed of 104 km/h. The summer tire was again the best with a speed of 107 km/h .
The results confirm that the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 is a balanced winter tire with very good dry performance.
Wet conditions: Continental and Goodyear show strength
Wet braking: Safety in the rain:
The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P won the wet braking test, stopping in just 31 meters. In contrast, the Imperial ICE Plus S210 needed 42.9 meters – a difference of an alarming 11.9 meters .
The summer tire achieved an even better result – just 27.4 meters, which shows the advantage of summer tires in rainy weather at temperatures above zero.
Wet handling: Goodyear wins:
The highest average speed in the wet handling test was achieved by the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 – 85.7 km/h. The weakest performance was again achieved by the Imperial ICE Plus S210 with a speed of 76.7 km/h.
The summer tire was also the fastest here – 89 km/h, confirming its advantages in warm and wet conditions.
Snow performance: Who handles winter conditions best?
Braking on snow: The differences are huge:
The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 stopped in the snow after 20.5 meters, while the Imperial ICE Plus S210 needed up to 26.7 meters – a difference of 6.2 meters can be crucial on a snowy road.
The summer tire failed – it stopped after 54.4 meters, clearly demonstrating the necessity of winter tires in the snow.
Traction and speed on snow:
The Michelin achieved a traction force of up to 2880 N, while the Imperial only 2136 N. The summer tire achieved only 365 N, confirming its unsuitability for winter conditions.
The Michelin's average speed on snow was 65 km/h, the Imperial reached only 58 km/h, and the summer tire only 32 km/h.
Conclusion: Which winter tire is best?
If you're looking for the best winter tire, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 offers balanced performance on dry, wet and snow. On the other hand, the Imperial ICE Plus S210 falls significantly short in most of the categories tested.
When choosing winter tires, it's crucial to consider not only price, but also safety parameters such as braking distance, handling and traction. And don't forget - summer tires are not the answer in winter.
AutoBild Winter Tire Test 245/45 R18 2024
12 products · click a column to sort| # | Tyre | Price from | Dry braking [m] ↕ | Dry manoeuvring [km/h] ↕ | Wet braking [m] ↕ | Wet manoeuvring [km/h] ↕ | Aquaplaning straight [km/h] ↕ | Aquaplaning cornering [m/s²] ↕ | Snow braking [m] ↕ | Snow manoeuvring [km/h] ↕ | Snow traction [N] ↕ | Volume [dB] ↕ | Rolling resistance [kg/t] ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Michelin PILOT ALPIN 5 ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 183 € | 40.7 | 106.4 | 32.5 | 84 | 78.3 | 2.84 | 20.5 | 65 | 2880 | 72.8 | 7.66 |
| 2. | Continental WinterContact TS 870 P ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 176 € | 41.2 | 105.4 | 31 | 83.9 | 78.5 | 2.98 | 22 | 64 | 2723 | 74.1 | 7.27 |
| 3. | Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 176 € | 40.8 | 106.3 | 32 | 85.7 | 76.9 | 2.88 | 21.4 | 63.7 | 2855 | 73.8 | 7.21 |
| 4. | Bridgestone Blizzak 6 ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 168 € | 42.5 | 105 | 32.4 | 84.7 | 75.2 | 2.74 | 21.3 | 63.5 | 2819 | 74.3 | 7.49 |
| 5. | Hankook Winter i cept evo3 ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 130 € | 41.6 | 105.1 | 32.3 | 83.1 | 77.9 | 3.1 | 21.5 | 63.2 | 2745 | 63.2 | 7.68 |
| 6. | Vredestein Wintrac Pro ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 124 € | 42.7 | 104.9 | 34.8 | 82.5 | 73.4 | 2.56 | 21.6 | 64.7 | 2715 | 73.2 | 7.84 |
| 7. | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 112 € | 41.9 | 105.2 | 32.6 | 82.7 | 75.3 | 2.35 | 22.4 | 63.2 | 2701 | 72.9 | 7.95 |
| 8. | Giti GitiWinter W2 ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 124 € | 42.6 | 104 | 33.5 | 82 | 81 | 2.71 | 21.6 | 62.5 | 2693 | 73 | 8.49 |
| 9. | Pirelli P Zero Winter ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 173 € | 43 | 104.8 | 34.1 | 83.9 | 71.7 | 2.63 | 23.3 | 62.8 | 2619 | 73.6 | 7.97 |
| 10. | Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 131 € | 41.8 | 105.6 | 34.4 | 83 | 69.8 | 2.6 | 23.1 | 62 | 2674 | 73.9 | 8.47 |
| 11. | Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 ✓ Available in size 245/45 R18 | from 107 € | 43.3 | 104.7 | 35.6 | 81.3 | 81.2 | 3.08 | 21.8 | 61.9 | 2657 | 73.8 | 8.25 |
| 12. | Imperial Ice+S210 ✕ Unavailable in size 245/45 R18 | — | 41.3 | 105 | 42.9 | 76.7 | 68.9 | 2.47 | 26.7 | 58 | 2136 | 73.2 | 8.54 |
Dry braking [m]
Dry manoeuvring [km/h]
Wet braking [m]
Wet manoeuvring [km/h]
Aquaplaning straight [km/h]
Aquaplaning cornering [m/s²]
Snow braking [m]
Snow manoeuvring [km/h]
Snow traction [N]
Volume [dB]
Rolling resistance [kg/t]
In the current Auto Bild AllRad 2024 test, 12 winter tires for SUVs in the size 245/45 R18 were compared in various disciplines - dry and wet roads, snow, aquaplaning, noise and rolling resistance. The test also included a reference summer tire that served as a benchmark.