Winter tyre reviews 2020: results by category
Which winter tyre performed well in which area? Our tables reveal all
Verdict
There's little to choose between the Nokian and Dunlop at the bottom of the table. The performance balance is still not what we expect of Nokian, while the Winter Sport 5 is beginning to show its age.
If it was tight between the bottom two, the next four were also close - covered by less than half a per cent. Your choice depends on your priorities: Falken is the one for dry grip, and Michelin for wet. Goodyear and Pirelli combine wet and snow performance well, with the former having the edge on the white stuff, and the latter in the wet.
Hankook best combines wet and snow grip, while Bridgestone takes its first win with the Blizzak LM005 rain master.
Winner
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
Placed first in four of our 11 test categories – and second in three others – the Bridgestone is a worthy overall winner in this year’s competition.
Results
Wet braking
| 1 | Bridgestone | 100% |
| 2 | Hankook | 97.7% |
| 3 | Michelin | 97.4% |
| 4 | Goodyear | 90.2% |
| 5 | Pirelli | 89% |
| 6 | Nokian | 87.2% |
| 7 | Dunlop | 86.9% |
| 8 | Falken | 85.2% |
| N/R | Continental | 98.4% |
Wet handling
| 1 | Bridgestone | 100% |
| 2 | Hankook | 99.9% |
| 3 | Michelin | 99.2% |
| 4 | Pirelli | 97.9% |
| 5 | Goodyear | 96.7% |
| 6 | Dunlop | 96.2% |
| 7 | Falken | 95.9% |
| 8 | Nokian | 95.6% |
| N/R | Continental | 101% |
Wet Circle
| 1 | Hankook | 100% |
| 2 | Bridgestone | 99.8% |
| 3 | Michelin | 98.8% |
| 4 | Falken | 98.6% |
| 5 | Nokian | 98.1% |
| 6 | Dunlop | 97.2% |
| 7 | Goodyear | 96.8% |
| 8 | Pirelli | 95.5% |
| N/R | Continental | 100.5% |
Straight Aqua
| 1 | Bridgestone | 100% |
| 2 | Hankook | 98.3% |
| 3 | Pirelli | 98% |
| 4 | Falken | 95.9% |
| 5 | Goodyear | 95.8% |
| 6 | Michelin | 92.9% |
| 7 | Dunlop | 92.7% |
| 8 | Nokian | 88.2% |
| N/R | Continental | 97.8% |
Curved Aqua
| 1 | Goodyear | 100% |
| 2 | Bridgestone | 99.6% |
| 3 | Hankook | 99.1% |
| 4 | Falken | 96.1% |
| 5 | Pirelli | 93.2% |
| 6 | Dunlop | 92.9% |
| 7 | Michelin | 83.9% |
| 8 | Nokian | 81.1% |
| N/R | Continental | 92.3% |
Dry braking
| 1 | Bridgestone | 100% |
| 2 | Falken | 98.9% |
| 3 | Nokian | 96.4% |
| =4 | Hankook | 96.2% |
| =4 | Michelin | 96.2% |
| 6 | Pirelli | 94.9% |
| 7 | Goodyear | 93.7% |
| 8 | Dunlop | 92.6% |
| N/R | Continental | 93.8% |
Snow braking
| 1 | Dunlop | 100% |
| 2 | Goodyear | 99.6% |
| 3 | Pirelli | 99.2% |
| 4 | Hankook | 96.4% |
| 5 | Falken | 95.6% |
| 6 | Michelin | 95.2% |
| 7 | Nokian | 94.3% |
| 8 | Bridgestone | 93.3% |
| N/R | Continental | 98.7% |
Snow traction
| 1 | Goodyear | 100% |
| 2 | Pirelli | 99.9% |
| 3 | Nokian | 99.1% |
| 4 | Hankook | 98.4% |
| 5 | Michelin | 98.1% |
| 6 | Dunlop | 97.5% |
| 7 | Bridgestone | 96.6% |
| 8 | Falken | 94.7% |
| N/R | Continental | 98.9% |
Snow handling
| 1 | Pirelli | 100% |
| 2 | Dunlop | 99.7% |
| 3 | Hankook | 99.6% |
| 4 | Goodyear | 98.9% |
| 5 | Michelin | 98.6% |
| 6 | Nokian | 97.4% |
| 7 | Falken | 96.1% |
| 8 | Bridgestone | 95.9% |
| N/R | Continental | 102.3% |
Rolling resistance
| 1 | Nokian | 100% |
| 2 | Dunlop | 88% |
| =3 | Bridgestone | 87.6% |
| =3 | Michelin | 87.6% |
| 5 | Goodyear | 87.5% |
| 6 | Falken | 82.6% |
| 7 | Hankook | 79.6% |
| 8 | Pirelli | 78% |
| N/R | Continental | 101.1% |
Cabin noise
| 1 | Dunlop | 100% |
| 2 | Bridgestone | 99.8% |
| =3 | Falken | 99.7% |
| =3 | Goodyear | 99.7% |
| =3 | Pirelli | 99.7% |
| 6 | Michelin | 98.9% |
| 7 | Hankook | 98.1% |
| 8 | Nokian | 97.6% |
| N/R | Continental | 100.7% |
Prices
| 1 | Bridgestone | £80.74 |
| 2 | Hankook | £74.70 |
| 3 | Michelin | £97.76 |
| 4 | Pirelli | £79.95 |
| 5 | Goodyear | £118.22 |
| 6 | Falken | £77.34 |
| 7 | Dunlop | £115.20 |
| 8 | Nokian | £80.50 |
| N/R | Continental | N/A |
Overall
| 1 | Bridgestone | 100% |
| 2 | Hankook | 99.3% |
| 3 | Michelin | 98.4% |
| 4 | Pirelli | 98.2% |
| 5 | Goodyear | 98.1% |
| 6 | Falken | 98% |
| 7 | Dunlop | 97.4% |
| 8 | Nokian | 97.2% |
| N/R | Continental | 100.5% |
