AutoBild Winter Tire Test 205/55 R16 2024
Your size: 205/60 R16 — below you can see availability in this size.
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 (71 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 205/60 R16 | from 42 373 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 205/60 R16 | from 41 468 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 205/60 R16 | from 34 719 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 205/60 R16 | from 39 907 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 205/60 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 205/60 R16 | from 33 760 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 ✕ Unavailable in size 205/60 R16 | — | 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 205/60 R16 | from 34 060 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 205/60 R16 | from 36 424 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 205/60 R16 | from 32 101 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 205/60 R16 | from 32 722 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 ✕ Unavailable in size 205/60 R16 | — | 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 205/60 R16 | from 44 855 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 205/60 R16 | from 35 076 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 ✕ Unavailable in size 205/60 R16 | — | 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 205/60 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 205/60 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 205/60 R16 | from 33 150 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 205/60 R16 | from 32 498 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 205/60 R16 | from 34 554 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.