Nokian WR D3

Effective in all conditions, as well as at the filling station pumps.

Winter tyres are at the heart of Nokian’s business, and we saw that expertise in our snow tests. There was precious little to separate the WR D3 from the Continental TS 850, with only the slushplaning result showing a significant gap. Good turn-in meant the WR D3 was quick around the snow circuit, with just enough rear sliding to help cornering without concerning the driver. The wet tests were Conti territory, especially the deeper water of our aquaplaning assessments. Not that the Nokian was far behind – it coped well with hard acceleration through turns on the wet handling track. A little rear movement helps the car turn, but it was progressive and encouraged you to push. The WR D3 felt less confident in the dry, with the nose pushing wide on the longer turns, but it changed direction well – so even though it was only fourth, it was close to the front-runners. Nokian’s braking test win shifted the balance away from Continental, and it moved even more after the WR D3 came top for fuel economy, with a clear advantage over its premium rivals. Add a price to match a summer tyre, and you have a worthy winner.