AutoBild Winter Tire Test 205/55 R16 2024
We bring you the complete results of the prestigious Auto Bild winter tire test for the 2024/2025 season in the popular 205/55 R16 size. From the original selection of 53 models, only the top 20 made it to the finals - all of these tires are high-quality, but each excels in different areas.
Top 3 from the test
You'll find the complete ranking in the "All tyres" tab below.
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
C
B
B (70 dB)
Test winner 
Continental WinterContact TS 870
CBB (70 dB)
Semperit Speed Grip 5
CBB (72 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
Test overview: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test
The Auto Bild Winter 2024 test compared 20 winter tires in size 205/55 R16, evaluating their performance on dry, wet and snowy roads along with other criteria such as aquaplaning, traction, comfort and wear.
Main findings
- The overall winner was the Continental WinterContact TS 870, which offered balanced performance across all disciplines – short braking distances, strong traction and high driving safety in winter conditions.
- In dry braking tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 model performed best, although all winter tires lagged behind the summer reference.
- In wet braking, the Bridgestone Blizzak 6 and Kumho Winter Craft WP52 dominated, while the cheaper reference winter tire lagged significantly behind.
- Snow tests have confirmed that high-quality winter tires (e.g. Hankook Winter I cept RS3 or Semperit Speed Grip 5 ) significantly outperform summer tires in braking, traction, and handling.
- Comfort and noise : the Giti GitiWinterW2 was the quietest, while the Fulda Kristall Control HP2 was the noisiest.
Summary
The test confirms that, although modern winter tires are improving in dry and wet conditions, they are still among the most important safety features in the cold season. Premium models such as the Continental WinterContact TS 870 or Bridgestone Blizzak 6 combine high levels of grip, driving safety and comfort, while cheaper alternatives often lag significantly, especially on wet roads and in aquaplaning.
AutoBild Winter Tire Test 205/55 R16 2024
20 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. | Continental WinterContact TS 870 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 40 382 Ft | 43.9 | 110.6 | 57.9 | 75.14 | 84.3 | 3.82 | 29.1 | 60 | 2520 | 71 | 7.83 |
| 2. | Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 39 781 Ft | 43.9 | 109.6 | 57.7 | 74.81 | 82.2 | 3.61 | 29.4 | 59.9 | 2512 | 70.8 | 8.2 |
| 3. | Semperit Speed Grip 5 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 33 080 Ft | 43.7 | 109.8 | 57.5 | 73.53 | 82 | 3.42 | 29.1 | 59.5 | 2457 | 71.6 | 7.91 |
| 4. | Bridgestone Blizzak 6 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 37 374 Ft | 44.1 | 110.2 | 54 | 76.01 | 81 | 3.2 | 29.6 | 59.2 | 2512 | 72.3 | 8.77 |
| 5. | Michelin Alpin 6 ✕ Unavailable in size 205/55 R16 | — | 44 | 109.2 | 56.6 | 75.02 | 78.5 | 3.16 | 29.7 | 58.7 | 2483 | 71.4 | 8.1 |
| 6. | Hankook Winter I Cept RS3 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 31 869 Ft | 45.2 | 109.8 | 59.1 | 74.3 | 84.5 | 3.93 | 29.1 | 59.6 | 2509 | 71.6 | 7.72 |
| 7. | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 36 066 Ft | 46 | 108.9 | 58.5 | 74.13 | 77.5 | 3.71 | 29.2 | 59.6 | 2570 | 72.5 | 7.82 |
| 8. | Kleber Krisalp HP3 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 32 430 Ft | 44.7 | 109 | 59.1 | 73.49 | 83.4 | 3.58 | 29.3 | 59 | 2429 | 72.2 | 8.61 |
| 9. | Uniroyal WinterExpert ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 34 075 Ft | 44.1 | 109.2 | 57.1 | 74.12 | 81 | 3.4 | 29.5 | 58 | 2450 | 71.8 | 7.64 |
| 10. | Bf goodrich G-FORCE WINTER2 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 28 827 Ft | 45 | 109 | 58.6 | 73.49 | 83.4 | 3.46 | 29.4 | 59.1 | 2513 | 71.7 | 8.48 |
| 11. | Vredestein Wintrac ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 33 700 Ft | 43.5 | 109.4 | 58.3 | 74.08 | 80.7 | 3.12 | 30.2 | 58.5 | 2449 | 71.2 | 8.01 |
| 12. | Apollo Alnac 4G Winter ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 29 559 Ft | 44.4 | 109.1 | 56.9 | 74.23 | 78.8 | 2.93 | 30.6 | 58.6 | 2452 | 70.9 | 8.44 |
| 13. | Pirelli CINTURATO WINTER 2 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 37 118 Ft | 44.5 | 108.8 | 55.6 | 74.89 | 80.9 | 3.16 | 30.2 | 60 | 2491 | 71.4 | 8.83 |
| 14. | Giti GitiWinterW2 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 32 174 Ft | 45.1 | 108.8 | 58.5 | 72.94 | 82.5 | 3.64 | 29.2 | 60.9 | 2477 | 70.3 | 10.15 |
| 15. | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 35 990 Ft | 43 | 109.9 | 54 | 74.94 | 73 | 1.98 | 30.3 | 59.4 | 2446 | 72.1 | 9.05 |
| 16. | Barum Polaris 5 ✕ Unavailable in size 205/55 R16 | — | 45.5 | 109.9 | 58.9 | 73.07 | 75.4 | 2.88 | 30 | 59.6 | 2526 | 72.1 | 7.28 |
| 17. | GT Radial WinterPro2 Evo ✕ Unavailable in size 205/55 R16 | — | 45.2 | 108.3 | 56.2 | 72.77 | 75.3 | 2.68 | 29.3 | 60.4 | 2486 | 70.8 | 8.79 |
| 18. | Firestone Winterhawk 4 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 29 752 Ft | 46.3 | 108.2 | 55.4 | 73.24 | 83.9 | 3.48 | 30.9 | 59 | 2427 | 71.2 | 8.02 |
| 19. | Fulda Kritall Control HP2 ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 30 722 Ft | 46.4 | 109.3 | 60.3 | 71.49 | 79.5 | 3.58 | 29.6 | 60.2 | 2483 | 72.9 | 8.92 |
| 20. | Yokohama BluEarth V906 plus ✓ Available in size 205/55 R16 | from 31 672 Ft | 43.9 | 109.3 | 57.9 | 73.75 | 81.1 | 3.28 | 30.8 | 57.5 | 2271 | 71.7 | 9.75 |
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]
We bring you the complete results of the prestigious Auto Bild winter tire test for the 2024/2025 season in the popular 205/55 R16 size. From the original selection of 53 models, only the top 20 made it to the finals - all of these tires are high-quality, but each excels in different areas.