Size matters: Sportauto winter tyre test

The practice of pairing wide rear tyres with a narrower size on the front axle is a common one for modern performance cars as this configuration provides good traction and cornering on dry roads, more even levels of wear – and it looks good. But is a mixed fitment advantageous in the colder months? Do the wider rear tyres really deliver more traction on icy and snowy roads and reduce the risk of oversteer? German publication Sportauto has sought to answer such questions by comparing mixed fitment winter tyres with a non-mixed setup.

For its 2021 winter tyre test, Sportauto selected the combination of 235/35 R19 on the front axle and 275/35 R19 at the rear, a pairing found on cars such as the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4. The conventional winter size it looked at was 255/40 R18 on both the front and rear axles.

During its evaluation of the six test candidates in wet, dry and snowy conditions, Sportauto found that the conventional 18-inch winter tyres delivered greater objective driving safety, but the 19-inch mixed fitments were more fun to drive on and offered more precise dynamics.

All-position 18” fitment

Rated Very Good

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
+ Very easy to control on snow thanks to outstanding levels of grip, a balance of neutral to safe understeer in the wet & very short stopping distances on dry asphalt.
– Weak protection against aquaplaning, which could potentially be an issue on slush as well.

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
+ Balanced & harmonious with short stopping distances on snow, neutral & easy to manage in the wet, outstanding safety in heavy rain. Comfortable ride.
– Slightly weak in the wet & dry braking tests, loud external tyre noise.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
+ Best grip when braking & cornering in the wet. No major weaknesses & safe, active handling on dry roads.
– An elevated risk of oversteer on wet & dry asphalt compared with the 19” Bridgestone tyres, less than optimal aquaplaning protection.

Rated Adequate

Falken Eurowinter HS 01
+ Very short stopping distances & ample traction on snow, sluggish but safe & neutral to understeering self-steering behaviour in the wet, good ride comfort.
– Difficult to control on snow due to slippages caused by sudden lapses in lateral guidance. Sluggish steering as well as a tendency towards oversteer & load change sensitivity when cornering on dry roads. Weak lane keeping during heavy acceleration, high rolling resistance. Two points deducted from total score due to weak rear stability on snow.

Mixed 19” fitment

Rated Good

Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
+ Somewhat better cornering grip & easier controllability, as well as slightly better performance on snow, than the Continental tyre. Good safety in the wet with precisely controllable handling. Precision & driving stability lower in the dry than the Continental tyre.
– Slightly weak in the aquaplaning discipline.

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
+ Sporty, precise & direct steering response that’s close to summer tyre levels as well as very stable cornering on dry roads. Grip is good when cornering in the wet as well.
– Traction & lateral guidance only moderate on snow, high aquaplaning risk.