Falken expands size options of Auto Bild top-ten rated winter tyre, Eurowinter HS01

Falken has expanded the size range of the Eurowinter HS01 winter tyre in both passenger car and SUV versions. From a previous range of 66 sizes, 99 sizes are now available in the Eurowinter HS01 tyre, spanning the most popular applications. The SUV model, the Eurowinter HS01 SUV, is now available in 39 different sizes. The expansion to the range coincides with Auto Bild’s top-ten verdict and overall rating of ‘Good’ for the tyre in its 2018 winter tyre test.

Launched in April 2016, the tyre’s performance is characterised by high grip on snow, ice and slush, aquaplaning resistance and directional stability. Most recently, Auto Bild put the Eurowinter HS01 tyre in size 195/65R15 through its paces on a VW Golf, with the testers concluding that it’s a “well-balanced winter tyre with safe, secure handling in snowy and dry conditions, superb safety reserves in aquaplaning and low price.”

The Falken Eurowinter HS01 delivered particularly outstanding results in wet tests, getting top marks in both aquaplaning and corner aquaplaning. The tyre maintained contact with the track for the longest time, at a float speed of 88.3km/h in nine millimetres of water – almost two metres (1.9m) ahead of the second-placed candidate. The Eurowinter HS01 also scooped first place in corner aquaplaning, with lateral acceleration of 4.09m/s2 – precisely 0.2m/s2 behind the reference summer tyre, and 0.2m/s2 ahead of the second-placed tyre.

The independent testers awarded a rating of ‘Good’ to the Eurowinter HS01 for its performance in wet and snowy conditions and in dry braking. At a distance of 36.2m from a speed of 100km/h, the Falken tyre was two metres behind the wet braking test winner and just one metre behind the winner in braking on snow from 50km/h. Dry braking results were also impressive, with a braking distance of 45.3m on the dry track from 100km/h – a mere 1.5m more than the winner.

In the drive-by noise category, the Eurowinter HS01 delivered 66.3 dB at 50km/h and 73.0 dB at 80km/h; these results were in the top third of the table, with drive-by noise measured at 0.6 dB and 0.8 dB higher respectively than the reference all-weather tyres.

The Eurowinter HS01 has also been praised in other well-respected tyre tests, including that by German automobile club Allgemeiner Deutschen Automobilclub (ADAC) and its Austrian counterpart, Automobil-, Motorrad- und Touringclub (ÖAMTC). The tyre was tested in size 195/65R15 91T, winning approval in snowy as well as dry conditions, where the test vehicles distinguished themselves with relatively short braking distance in both cases. Overall, the Eurowinter HS01 received a ranking of ‘recommended’ from both the ÖAMTC and the Swiss Touring Club.

“We’re delighted with the test results,” comments Markus Bögner, managing director and COO at Falken Tyre Europe. “We delivered good results in all the Auto Bild test categories. The list of our strengths presents clear proof that our engineers have developed a tyre that is strongly able to cope with the challenges of European roads.”

The expanded Eurowinter HS01 range now covers 13–20 inches and a range of 99 sizes in H, V and W speed ratings. Falken’s SUV version of the popular winter tyre retains the same tread design as the car model but distinguishes itself with a casing that has been optimised for the requirements of heavy SUVs that are typically more powerful and have a high centre of gravity.