The ADAC winter tyre tests 2013/2014: size 185/60 R15 T

Find out which models of tyres scored best in one of the first tests of winter tyres in this season. This information will help you quickly choose the right tyres to serve you right through the winter.

Choosing the right model of winter tyre is not a simple task, but there is a quick way of making it easier. How? First, compare the results that different models attained in tyre tests, as well as the opinions of drivers and experts. The first of these sources of information about tyres, the results of tests, is the most objective, and can therefore be fully relied on. Tests take place at two times of year: once before the summer season, and again ahead of the winter season. Such tests are conducted by motoring organizations and magazines. One of the most important series of tests is carried out by ADAC, the German automobile association. Read below which models of tyres came out best in this year’s edition of these prestigious tests.

The small, B-segment cars of recent years often carry tyres of size 185/60 R15 with speed rating T (up to 190 km/h). Examples of models to which such tyres are fitted include the Citroen C3, Fiat Punto, Renault Clio and Volkswagen Polo.

Results of the ADAC winter tyre tests 2013/2014 in size 185/60 R15 T

Note: the lower the point score, the better the result.

The best tyre in the test – the Continental ContiWinterContact TS850.

Summary of the 2013/2014 ADAC tyres tests in the size 185/60R15

Out of the 17 tested tyre models, seven were rated as “good” (especially recommended) and the same number as “satisfactory” (recommended), one model was conditionally recommended, and only two received a rating of “unsatisfactory” (not recommended). The seven best-rated products were: the Continental ContiWinterContact TS850; the designed-from-scratch Dunlop Winter Response-2, which is best in the wet, on snow and for fuel consumption; the Semperit Speed-Grip 2, equally economical; the Goodyear Ultragrip 8; the Michelin Alpin A4, with decidedly the lowest fuel consumption; the Nokian WR D3, the best on a dry surface; and the Firestone Winterhawk 3. The seven assessed as satisfactory were the Vredestein Snowtrac 3, Barum Polaris 3, Pirelli Winter 190 Snowcontrol 3, GT Radial ChampiroWinterPro, Hankook Winter I*cept RS (W442), Falken Eurowinter HS-449 and Kleber Krisalp HP2. The two products assessed as unsatisfactory were the Marangoni 4 Winter E+ and the Kormoran Snowpro b2, while the Nexen Eurowin 600 received a final rating of “poor”.

Winners and losers by category

The best tyre model on dry roads proved to be the Nokian WR D3, followed by the Nexen Eurowin 600 and Firestone Winterhawk 3. By far the worst-performing tyre in this category was the Kormoran Snowpro b2. On a wet surface the leaders were the Continental WinterContact TS 850 and Dunlop Winterresponse-2, followed close behind by the Firestone Winterhawk 3. Very poor results were attained by the Marangoni 4 Winter E+ and Kormoran Snowpro b2, which were both assessed as unsatisfactory, their final rating being reduced as a result. Both of these products were clearly behind the competition in terms of driving parameters. On the snow, the highest rated tyres were again the Continental WinterContact TS 850 and the Dunlop Winterresponse-2. The Vredestein Snowtrac 3 performed equally well in such conditions, and good scores were also recorded by other tyres, including the Kormoran. The weakest in this category were the Marangoni 4 Winter E+ and Nexen Eurowin 600. On ice, the leader was again the Continental WinterContact TS 850, followed by most of the remainder of the tested tyres, scoring at a similar level. The models with the poorest results were again the Nexen Eurowin 600 and Marangoni 4 Winter E+. Only “satisfactory” and “poor” ratings were awarded for noise levels; the leaders in this category were the Continental WinterContact TS 850 once again, and the equally quiet Firestone Winterhawk 3. The noisiest tyres were the Marangoni 4 Winter E+ and Pirelli Winter 190 Snowcontrol 3. In terms of fuel consumption the winners were the Dunlop Winterresponse-2 and Semperit Speed-Grip 2, which were by far the most economical of the tested models. The lowest rating awarded in this category was “satisfactory”. As regards tread wear, the Michelin Alpin A4 stands out. Several other products also gained very good scores in that category, but the Alpin A4 was the only one to earn a maximum. Ratings of “very good” were also awarded to the Continental WinterContact TS 850, Firestone Winterhawk 3, Kleber Krisalp HP2 and Marangoni 4 Winter E+.

The ADAC tests of tyres in size 185/60 R15 T indicate many tyre models that are worthy of attention.

Evaluation principles

The most significant component of the test results is performance in the wet (weighting 30%), which includes braking on concrete and asphalt, longitudinal and lateral aquaplaning, handling (steerability), driving in a circle, and lateral handling. According to ADAC, good results on wet surfaces translate into good performance on slush-covered roads. Also significant (20%) is performance on snow, which includes braking and pulling off. Performance on a dry surface (stability, handling, braking on asphalt) has a weighting of 15%. Weightings of 10% are assigned to performance on ice (braking, lateral handling), fuel consumption and tread wear. Noise levels (inside and outside the vehicle) carry a weighting of 5%. ADAC reduces a tyre’s final rating if its score in any of the safety-related categories (performance on the four types of surface) was lower than the threshold value for that category, and in that case the order of tyres based on the computed overall rating may differ from their order in the table. In this way good all-round tyres – those which perform well in a variety of road conditions – are promoted at the expense of “specialist” tyres that are strong in one area, but weak in others.

How to choose an optimum model

The ADAC tests favour all-round tyres with consistent parameters – those that perform well in all conditions. For a buyer who spends almost the whole of the winter driving on snow or on wet or icy roads, the criteria may be different. It is therefore a good idea to take account of the conditions in which the tyres are expected to be used. In the mountains and on high ground it is performance on snow that generally matters the most, since this will decide whether you are able to drive uphill and downhill in winter conditions. In cities and in low-lying regions the most important feature is often performance in the wet, on ice, and so on. Tread wear and fuel consumption are of great significance in the case of company cars, which may travel tens of thousands of miles a year. For private buyers, tyres usually simply wear out more often than the tread depth falls to 4 mm. It should always be remembered that the cost of paintwork and bodywork repairs is greater than the difference in the purchase price of complete tyre sets. It is therefore well worth choosing a tyre that offers better performance in the conditions in which it is excepted to be used.

Huge price differences

The differences in prices on the German market can exceed 50% of the lowest price. It should be noted that the best products can often be bought for less than you would pay somewhere else for models from the middle of the list. It is worth comparing offers, so as not to pay more than you need.

Other sizes

The results of the tests can be carried over to tyres of similar (neighbouring) sizes. It should be borne in mind, however, that the greater the difference in sizes, the less reliably the results can be carried over – a tyre that is one of the best in size A may prove to be only average in size B. Differences also arise as a result of different speed ratings. It is also a good idea to look at test results from previous years.