SUV tyres – Auto Bild Allrad highly recommends 4 products

In the preamble to its 2023 winter tyre test, SUV and 4×4 specialist publication Auto Bild Allrad argues that tyres play an even more important role than all-wheel drive when piloting a vehicle in wintry conditions. While employing four driving wheels instead of two undoubtedly improves traction, this only represents one aspect of vehicle safety – when it comes to braking and negotiating curves, tyres are decisive.

With such thoughts of winter safety in mind, Auto Bild Allrad has examined ten brands of tyre in size 225/60 R18. The test team mounted these on a BMW X3 and evaluated performance in dry, wet and snowy conditions, with results in each weather category contributing towards a third of the total score.

The Auto Bild Allrad testers graded four tyres highly enough for the coveted ‘exemplary’ rating, and two of these share the honour of winning this year’s winter test. They considered a further two tyres to be ‘good’ and one ‘satisfactory’. Further down the results table, the test team declined to give one tyre anything higher than a ‘conditionally recommendable’ rating and they withheld their recommendation altogether when evaluating two tyres.

Rated exemplary

Test winner – Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
+ Stable driving characteristics in all weather conditions, good snow performance, dynamic dry handling, low rolling resistance
– High purchase price

Test winner – Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
+ Snow specialist with excellent handling qualities in all weather conditions, precise turn-in behaviour with good feedback, good ride comfort
– High rolling resistance

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ SUV
+ All-rounder with exemplary wet handling qualities, good aquaplaning safety reserves, short snow & dry braking distances
– High purchase price

Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2
+ Winter specialist with balanced high levels of performance, precise handling, short snow & wet braking distances, good ride comfort
– Moderate aquaplaning safety reserves when cornering

Rated good

Vredestein Wintrac Pro
+ Good performance in all weather conditions, short snow braking distances, stable lateral control in the wet, moderately priced
– Slight tendency towards understeering on ice & snow

Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 X
+ Balanced performer with convincing winter properties, very good aquaplaning qualities, good price-performance ratio
– Slightly elevated drive-by noise

Rated satisfactory

Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro
+ Dynamic handling on dry roads, short snow & dry braking distances, good ride comfort
– Understeer in snowy conditions, limited aquaplaning safety

Conditionally recommendable

Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
+ Stable wet & dry handling, short wet braking distances, excellent aquaplaning qualities
– Only satisfactory winter qualities, moderate traction, understeer on snow

Not recommendable

Firestone Winterhawk 4
+ Winter specialist with good aquaplaning qualities, low price level
– Strong understeer on dry roads, delayed steering response, extended wet & dry braking distances

Superia Bluewin SUV 2
+ Short dry braking distances, favourable purchase price
– Only limited suitability for wet conditions, dangerously extended braking distances & spongy handling in the wet, poor aquaplaning properties