Are Budget Winter Tyres Actually Any Good?

It might be tempting to go for a cheaper option when buying winter tyres, but how much grip and traction are you losing in the process?
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We get it - you’ve already spent quite a bit of money on some nice summer tyres for your car, so when it comes to winters, there might be a temptation to cheap out. But if you do, how much grip and traction will you lose?

To find out, Tyre Reviews headed north of The Wall with a VW Golf and a Volvo S90 to compare Nokian’s Snowproof winter boots to the catchily-named ‘Tristar Ice Plus S210 Snow’, a product sold under several different brands.

Are Budget Winter Tyres Actually Any Good?

The answer is, as you might expect, you get what you pay for. But how far off the budget option was from the premium tyre varied from test to test, and the extra weight of the Volvo generally made the gap even bigger whenever it was used.

Watch the video at the top of the page to see exactly how the budget option fared.

Source: YouTube/TyreReviews.com

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Comments

Alessio

Didn’t know Nokian was considered as premium tyre…

11/13/2019 - 19:47 |
4 | 2
The TallDutchmen

In reply to by Alessio

If they are a sponsor they are.

11/13/2019 - 22:13 |
8 | 6

Nokian Tyres Oyj, headquartered in Nokia, Finland, produces tyres for cars, trucks, buses, and heavy-duty equipment. Known for its winter tyres, Nokian operates the only permanent winter tyre testing facility in the world. The company’s Hakkapeliitta brand name is recognised in Finland as a reputable trademark. Wikipedia

11/14/2019 - 02:12 |
16 | 0
TheCuttingboard

In reply to by Alessio

If they pay Carthrottle enough, anything is premium.

11/14/2019 - 04:12 |
4 | 8

Tyre Reviews (fantastic site) does a good summary of what makes a premium tyre manufacturer a premium tyre manufacturer - check out the article on the 1st August.
Although Nokian are not considered a premium tyre manufacturer because “their turnover is way off the big 7”, they do have OE winter fitment in a number of regions, with one of those OE fitments being Porsche. As such, you could argue that they are a premium winter tyre, but not a premium tyre manufacturer.

Beside that, their independent test results speak for themselves.

11/18/2019 - 17:22 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

Even the most budget winter tyres will still be much better on snow and ice than the best summer tyres.

11/14/2019 - 02:11 |
8 | 0
Alessio

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

For sure

11/14/2019 - 05:48 |
2 | 0
PlanZ_B2

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Amen.

12/10/2019 - 11:32 |
0 | 0