Studs for the Vesta and Solaris: Testing Good Winter Tires Maxim Akhtyamov

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1 October 20, :01, Safety, Article Studs for the Vesta and Solaris: Testing Good Winter Tires Maxim Akhtyamov This year we are comparing premium and medium-segment tires of the most popular size, 185/65R15. Such tires perfectly suit, say, the Kia Rio, the Hyundai Solaris and the Lada Vesta. As I drive onto the test tunnel ice and begin to warm up the brakes, I hear the sound of the wheels locking. The Lada Vesta comes from the factory with ABS, ESP and anti-slip control. But the electronic assistants aren t working somehow! And when every minute counts at that! If we hadn t had a spare Vesta, you would have never learned what 185/65 R15 studded tires are worth buying. Commenting on last year s articles, readers asked us to compare Asian and European tires. So we added the Yokohama iceguard Stud IG55, the Hankook Winter I Pike RS and another new tire, the Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02, to the new seasonal offerings, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 and the Nokian Nordman 7. Tried and tested European models, the Michelin X-Ice North 3, the Pirelli Ice Zero and the Gislaved Nord Frost 200, kept them company. Get ready for loads of information that will help you make the right choice for winter. Here s a brief summary of the tests if you don t want to dive into tables, figures and scores. The best performers are the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9, the Pirelli Ice Zero and the Nokian Nordman 7. The Hakkapeliitta came first, leaving its competitors no chances on the slippery surface. That said, it costs almost 1.5 times as much (4,800 rubles). The Pirelli and the Nordman 7 have a more appealing price/performance ratio. The Ice Zero is safe and durable, though noisy. Whereas the Nordman s asphalt grip and weak sidewall upset us, the tire still provides sure traction and confident driving on ice.

2 Price in online stores, rubles Date of manufacture Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 3,200 Week 39, 2014 Week 27, 2015 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 3,200 Week 45, 2016 Hankook Winter i Pike RS 3,200 Week 14, 2016 Nokian Nordman 7 3,300 Week 5, ,400 Week 47, 2016 Pirelli Ice Zero Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 3,600 Week 20, ,600 Week 48, 2016 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 4,800 Week 3, 2017 Acceleration and Braking on Snow This time we had a longer straight track (800 m) than last year. It allowed us to get more data on each tire as the car accelerated to 45 km/h and broke sharply.

3 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Acceleration on snow, 5 to 45 km/h, s 6.4 s 6.5 s 6.6 s 6.7 s 6.8 s 6.9 s Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Pirelli Ice Zero Nokian Nordman 7 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Yokohama iceguard Stud IG m 20.6 m 20.8 m 21.0 m 21.2 m 21.4 m Braking on snow, 44 to 5 km/h, m Acceleration time on snow (s) and braking distance (m). Air temperature 0 С Result: Braking performance varied only slightly, with the Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 showing the worst result, and the Michelin X-Ice North 3 the best. Skid Resistance Test Decelerating on a Snowy Road

4 The second most crucial aspect after braking is the vehicle s skid resistance shall the driver make an error such as sharply release the gas pedal at 75 km/h when turning. It can happen if the driver sees a hazard ahead or gets intimidated at the sight of a tight curve. This is the most common case of losing control over the car in a turn. The higher the score, the more the tire resists spinning out. Pirelli Ice Zero Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Michelin X-lce North 3 Nokian Nordman 7 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Skid resistance test decelerating on a snowy road, score Result: The Pirelli Ice Zero and the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 are the most predictable. The driver has time to take actions to prevent skidding or spinning out. But you have to stay alert with the Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 and the Gislaved Nord Frost 200: release the gas pedal just slightly, and the car is skidding and spins out instantly and unexpectedly. Such tires need a stabilization system. Stability and Handling on Snow We recorded lap time as the overall grip indicator and evaluated the tires behavior on the snow track, looking if they tolerated errors such as excessive steering wheel rotation or too great a speed at the start of cornering.

5 Lap time on snow, min and s Pirelli Ice Zero Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Nokian Nordman 7 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Stability on snow, score Track time (s) on snow and stability on snow (score). Temperature 0 С Result: The Pirelli Ice Zero showed the best time. However, it makes the car understeer rather abruptly at limit speeds. The Hakkapeliitta 9 tolerates errors while the Nordman 7 causes slightly more oversteer than is appropriate for a regular driver. The Bridgestone Spike-02, the Hankook i Pike RS and the Gislaved 200 are quick to understeer and oversteer, requiring pinpoint and fast steering inputs. The Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 is hardly predictable: one second it skids and the second is stable in one and the same turn and at the same speed.

6 Traction This time we were lucky: it snowed heavily. The snow was 19 cm deep! You can encounter such deep snow in a lot of Russian cities at least once a year: piled, it makes it difficult to enter and exit yards. The Vesta s clearance allowed us to take measurements in such deep snow without getting stuck. Michelin X-Ice North 3 Nokian Nordman 7 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Pirelli Ice Zero Hankook Winter i Pike RS Virgin snow, acceleration from 5 to 15 km/h, s Result: The Michelin X-Ice and the Nordman 7 effortlessly plowed virgin snow. The Vesta got stuck a couple of times on the Bridgestone and the Hankook and had to reverse. With the lowest tread lugs (8.9 mm), the Hakkapeliitta 9 didn t row very confidently either.

7 Acceleration and Braking on Ice Thick snow on the test tunnel roof did not allow us to use the Racelogic satellite for measurements, so we had to switch to the Datron optical system instead. Indoor tests provide reproducible results unaffected by wind, sun and temperature variation.

8 Acceleration on ice from 5 to 25 km/h, s 4.5 s 5.0 s 5.5 s 6.0 s 6.5 s 7.0 s 7.5 s 8.0 s Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Nokian Nordman 7 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Pirelli Ice Zero Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 10 m 12 m 14 m 16 m 18 m 20 m 22 m Braking on ice from 25 to 5 km/h, m Braking distance (m) and acceleration time on ice (s). Air temperature 4.5 C Result: The Yokohama ig55 has the worst braking performance, trailing about 7 meters behind most tires braking from as slow as 25 km/h. The poor result of the Hankook Winter i Pike RS is also quite notable: they stop an average 3 meters farther than the others.

9 Lateral Grip on Ice We added the ice lap test to the usual ones we did last year. The car gradually accelerates along a 270-m lap with ESP on until it is active. The human factor in measurements is thus reduced, and the tires lateral grip on ice comes to the fore. Lap time on ice track, s Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Pirelli Ice Zero Nokian Nordman 7 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Lap time on ice track (s) Result: The new Hakkapeliitta 9 with two stud types (for longitudinal and lateral grip) is on an entirely new level. With the difference this great the Nokian will catch up with the Yokohama iceguard IG55 in five laps! The Pirelli and the Michelin were quite decent. The Bridgestone Spike-02 showed poor lateral grip on ice.

10 Stability on Ice The generously-curved track helped us assess overall grip on ice and how likely is the regular driver to predict it when the tires would start skidding. We recorded lap time and gave a score for stability: the higher it is, the better. Lap time on ice track, min and sec Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Pirelli Ice Zero Nokian Nordman 7 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Stability on ice, score

11 Track time (s) and stability on ice (score). Air temperature 0 C Result: After the Hakkapeliitta 9 it seems the other tires have no studs at all: that s how greatly they differ in ice grip. Notably, the Bridgestone is more predictable despite its lap time being worse than that of the Hankook, the Gislaved and the Yokohama. We lowered their scores because the car took too long to regain stability once it started skidding regardless of all the driver s actions. Braking on Wet Asphalt Wet asphalt is typical for winter cities. We did six takes on accelerating to 93 km/h and braking sharply on each tire set. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Pirelli Ice Zero Нankооk Winter i Pike RS Michelin X-Ice North 3 Nokian Nordman 7 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Braking on wet asphalt from 90 to 5 km/h, m Result: For the first time in many generations the Hakkapeliitta was among the top tires in terms of braking distance on wet asphalt. The Gislaved Nord Frost 200 also did well. The Yokohama s braking distance on wet asphalt is four meters longer the same as the car s length.

12 Stability on a Wet Road We tested the wet lateral grip on a specially watered track. Just like in winter tests, we paid special attention to the car s behavior in turns to see if there were any unexpected skids.

13 Lap time on wet asphalt, min and s Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Nokian Nordman 7 Pirelli Ice Zero Hankook Winter i Pike RS Michelin X-Ice North 3 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Yokohama ice Guard Stud ig55 Stability on wet asphalt, score Result: As in the braking test, the Hakkapeliitta 9 demonstrated the best time and safest handling. The Gislaved also performed well. We found the Yokohama ig55 and the Bridgestone Spike-02 to be prone to skidding on wet asphalt. Braking on Dry Asphalt

14 Dry asphalt in winter is becoming common in cities whose population is more than a million people. To test each tire set we start braking from 93 km/h and calculate the braking distance from 90 to 5 km/h to exclude the time taken to engage the brakes. Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Pirelli Ice Zero Michelin X-Ice North 3 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Nokian Nordman Braking on dry asphalt from 90 to 5 km/h, m Result: The Nordman 7 showed the worst result. The Hankook i Pike RS and the Bridgestone Spike-02 also performed poorly. Even though it failed all tests on snow, ice and wet asphalt, Yokohama ig55 showed the shortest braking distance. Acoustic Comfort Tire noise was evaluated by an expert (the higher the score, the quieter a tire). Indeed, low-decibel humming may seem unpleasant and obtrusive to the human ear. Measurements were taken on asphalt. Obviously, the higher the car class, the less stud noise will get into the interior. The Vesta, however, is always loud. Hankook Winter i Pike RS Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Acoustic comfort score: 8.5 Nokian Nordman 7 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Pirelli Ice Zero Acoustic comfort, score Result: The Gislaved and the Hankook were the quietest, while the Pirelli were the most disturbing. The Nokian and the Bridgestone also make loud noise, but it is slightly less annoying.

15 Ride Smoothness We evaluated ride smoothness on snowy and asphalt roads both on the driver s and rear passenger seats. Michelin X-Ice North 3 Nokian Nordman 7 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Pirelli Ice Zero Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Ride smoothness, score Result: The performance of the 185/65R15 Hankook Winter i Pike RS and the Gislaved Nord Frost 200 was not that easy to assess: they transmit all small road irregularities to the cabin, but gently absorb large ones. The Michelin X-Ice North 3 was the most pleasant to ride on thanks to its soft sidewall, while the Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 and the Yokohama ig55 were the most uncomfortable.

16 Sidewall Tear Resistance Sidewall punctures typically cannot be repaired, and the tire has to be replaced. And you will have to replace not only this damaged tire but all for safety reasons. We used a 92-mm-high bar as an obstacle, just like we did last year. The car began accelerating from the same place each time, and each time we rotated the tire so that it was hit in a new place. We recorded not only downright tire puncture, but also intermediate deterioration starting from 40 km/h with an increment of 5 km/h. Unfortunately, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class broke down and we couldn t finish the test. So we didn t include sidewall strength data in the final table, but give them for your reference. Pirelli Ice Zero Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Hankоok Winter i Pike RS Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Nokian Nordman 7 Michelin X-Ice North 3 Sidewall puncture, km/h Result: The Pirelli Ice Zero has the strongest sidewall, and the Bridgestone also stoically withstands punctures. The Nokian Nordman received budges at 45 and 50 km/h before giving up the ghost at 55 km/h. The Michelin kept it together until 55 km/h, after which it got a small tear without cord damage. The lower suspension arm broke down at 40 km/h of the first run on the Yokohama ig55, the most difficult tire is our test.

17 Stud Extraction Force A studded tire s efficiency directly depends on the number of studs. They fall out with time, affecting grip. The greater the stud extraction force is, the more securely it is fixed in the tire. We took a dynamometer and pincers to extract studs: on average, six studs from different places on the tire. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02 Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Pirelli Ice Zero Nokian Nordman 7 Hankook Winter i Pike RS Michelin X-Ice North 3 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Stud extraction force, N Result: Removing studs is an exhausting activity: we had to take a break after removing a couple of them from the Bridgestone. But studs in the Gislaved and the Nokian were easy to get out. Conclusion Overall, premium and medium-class tires had good results, we did not notice any lost studs. Each model has its own application by tread type, so read a brief summary for each tire below. Remember: if you notice a new character or letter in the tire name, it is a different model with its own advantages and disadvantages!

18 First place: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Indicator Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 03, 2017 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (92) 630 kg Tire weight, kg 7.72 Wheel weights, g (average) 40 Tread pattern depth, mm 8.9 Shore tread hardness, units 49 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 1.0 Number of studs 185 Country of manufacture Finland

19 Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 4,800 The Hakkapeliita 9 resembles the previous-generation Hakkapeliita 8 on snow, demonstrating mild transient slipping modes. On the ice, however, it is out of its rivals league. You don t feel excessive grip sitting behind the wheel, but as soon as you change to another tire, it becomes clear that the Hakkapeliita 9 is the absolute leader on slippery surfaces. The Hakkapeliita 9 got rid of the 8 s disadvantages such as poor grip on dry and wet asphalt. It is probably the first Hakkapeliitta to recommend for city driving. Its greatest issue is noise and low stud retention: they don t have an adhesive base like that in the Continental IceContact 2. Though an extended lifetime warranty for through punctures is a nice bonus. Strengths: high grip on all slippery roads, excellent grip on dry and wet asphalt, safe handling on all road surfaces. Weaknesses: poor stud retention, high price, noise.

20 Second place: Pirelli Ice Zero Indicator Pirelli Ice Zero Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 47, 2016 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (92) 630 kg Tire weight, kg 9.1 Wheel weights, g (average) 46 Tread pattern depth, mm 9.4 Shore tread hardness, units 54 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 0.9 Number of studs 110

21 Country of manufacture Russia Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 3,400 Judging by how well it behaves on snow, Pirelli could rightfully call its tire the Snow Zero: it has the best lap time on the snowy track, the best acceleration time, the best skid resistance in sharp deceleration in turns. Though the good grip on dry and wet asphalt comes with an obtrusive noise from studs. It is not comfortable to drive on asphalt in a low-cost car such as the Lada Vesta. Yet thanks to its very strong sidewall the Ice Zero is not afraid of Russian roads. Pirelli offers an extended year-long warranty for through punctures starting from the purchase date. A universal tire (if we exclude noise) for city and country roads. Strengths: safe handling on slippery and asphalt surfaces, strong sidewall, good stud retention. Weaknesses: noisy.

22 Third place: Nokian Nordman 7 Indicator Nokian Nordman 7 Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 05, 2017 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (92) 630 kg Tire weight, kg 8.1 Wheel weights, g (average) 86 Tread pattern depth, mm 9.3 Shore tread hardness, units 55 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 1.0 Number of studs 110

23 Country of manufacture Russia Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 3,300 Interestingly, the Nordman 7 has kept its drive unlike the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 and 9: equipped with the Nordman 7, the car finishes the turn when you release the gas pedal and behaves more playfully. However, it s more of a shortcoming for inexperienced drivers. The Nordman 7 has the same advantages as the Hakkapeliita 7: superior off-road performance and good behavior on snow and ice. You have to be careful on wet asphalt, though. The tire got punctured at as low a speed as 50 km/h. A discount of half the tire price under an extended warranty (a year from the purchase date) is a poor compensation for its puncture-prone sidewall. Strengths: good traction, confident grip on snow and ice. Weaknesses: poor grip on dry and wet asphalt, puncture-prone sidewall.

24 Fourth place: Michelin X-ice North 3 Indicator Michelin X-ice North 3 Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 48, 2016 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (92) 630 kg Tire weight, kg 8.7 Wheel weights, g (average) 86 Tread pattern depth, mm 9.3 Shore tread hardness, units 54 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 1.26

25 Number of studs 94 Country of manufacture Russia Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 3,600 How should we put it... this tire is suitable for a novice driver. A driver who often turns the steering wheel too much in winter because they don t understand the angle they should turn the wheels to. The regular driver would think they are taken for a simpleton: the car just doesn t respond to slight steering wheel turns on a straight course at all. In curves where the steering wheel has to be rotated by a quarter on most tires, the Michelin needs 180 degrees. You have to change your hold on the steering wheel multiple times. We advise learning some maneuvers to tackle possible oversteering. The tire s ice-performance figures are quite decent though it s a pity that it subjectively feels a bit lacking in grip. Despite the small number of studs (94), it was decent on ice due to high stud protrusion (1.26 mm when purchased and 1.65 mm after the tests). The extended warranty only applies to tires purchased in Tyreplus centers this year, provided you replace and repair your tires only there, too. Strengths: comfort driving over irregularities, good performance figures on all surfaces. Weaknesses: puncture-prone sidewall, poor stud retention, large steering wheel turning angles for maneuvers, the driver must rotate the steering wheel fast and far in the event of skidding.

26 Fifth place: Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Indicator Gislaved Nord Frost 200 Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 45, 2016 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (92) 630 kg Tire weight, kg 8.4 Wheel weights, g (average) 46 Tread pattern depth, mm 9.12 Shore tread hardness, units 54 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 1.0 Number of studs 110

27 Country of manufacture Russia Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 3,200 The Nord Frost 200 has the same asymmetric tread pattern as the Continental ContiIceContact HD (BD). The problems also remained the same: high sensitivity to ruts and sharp skidding start. The Lada Vesta turned the fastest on the Gislaved in the skid-resistance test. Relatively quiet among studded tires, the Nord Frost 200 offers good grip on wet asphalt. Suitable for asphalt driving in a million-plus city. The ESP is recommended on a car equipped with these tires. Strengths: quiet, good grip on wet asphalt. Weaknesses: sensitive to ruts, poor stud retention, prone to sharply getting into a skid on slippery roads.

28 Sixth place: Bridgestone Blizzak SP-02 Indicator Bridgestone Blizzak SP-02 Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 20, 2016 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (88) 560 kg Tire weight, kg 9.0 Wheel weights, g (average) 45 Tread pattern depth, mm 9.2 Shore tread hardness, units 54 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 1.1 Number of studs 110

29 Country of manufacture Japan Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 3,600 With its strong studs and interesting V-shaped tread pattern, the Bridgestone SP-02 appeared very promising before the test. In practice it turned out that the studs only work in acceleration and braking on ice: as soon as the steering wheel turns, the grip disappears. The worst time on the ice track, one of the worst times on the ice lap with the car s speed limited by the ESP. It is probably because of the sidewall overly stiff for a winter tire. However, it does not feel that bad: the car responds well to steering wheel turns. The main thing is to maneuver smoothly, for an additional swerve may easily send the car into a ditch, and releasing the gas pedal sharply in a turn causes instant spinning out. On the other hand, the Bridgestone Blizzak SP-02 features good stud retention and a strong sidewall resistant to punctures. The ESP is recommended on cars with these tires. Bridgestone offers an extended year-long warranty for through punctures starting from the purchase date, but only in authorized tire centers. Strengths: good stud retention, strong sidewall. Weaknesses: overall weak grip on slippery surfaces (ice and snow), requires good skills in driving maneuvers on all surfaces, noise.

30 Seventh place: Hankook Winter i Pike RS Indicator Hankook Winter i Pike RS Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 14, 2016 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (88) 560 kg Tire weight, kg 9.1 Wheel weights, g (average) 45 Tread pattern depth, mm 9.5 Shore tread hardness, units 58 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 0.9 Number of studs 110 Country of manufacture Korea

31 Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 3,200 Hankook offers the i Pike RS+ version with an increased number of studs in the two sizes most popular in tests, 205/55 R16 and 215/65 R16. All other versions, including our 185/65R16, have the standard 110 studs. The standard i Pike RS (without the plus) demonstrated average performance. Hankook s extended one-year warranty for through punctures applies only for tires from 16-inch rim diameter. The R15-tired Vesta is thus left without insurance. The i Pike RS can be quite intimidating with its long slides you have to fight long and hard on ice and snow. The tire brakes longer that most on slippery surfaces. Poor braking performance on slippery surfaces results from high tread stiffness among other things: 58 Shore units versus the competitors 50 to 54. The tire s behavior on asphalt is a little better: it rolls quietly and has average ride smoothness. The ESP is recommended for cars with this Korean tire. Strengths: quiet, moderate ride smoothness. Weaknesses: prolonged skidding on slippery surfaces, poor grip on ice, average grip on snow.

32 Eighth place: Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Indicator Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Tire size 185/65 R15 Date of manufacture Week 39, 2014 Week 27, 2015 Speed rating / Load index (T) 190 km/h / (88) 560 kg Tire weight, kg 9.3 Wheel weights, g (average) 45 Tread pattern depth, mm 9.1 Shore tread hardness, units 54 Stud protrusion before tests, mm 0.6

33 Number of studs 110 Country of manufacture Russia Average price in Russian online stores, rubles 3,200 It s as though the tire has no studs: they only protrude 0.6 mm on a new tire! By the way, the laws of the Customs Union require stud protrusion of 1.2 ± 0.3 mm. No wonder the tire came last in all ice tests and even lagged behind frictional tires, which we tested at the same time. It also lagged 3 to 4 meters behind when braking from 90 km/h on wet asphalt. It has comfort issues as well: all road irregularities can be felt in the cabin, and the tire makes a lot of noise. The heaviest tire turned out to be ruthless to the suspension of the old Mercedes-Benz C-Class we used for the sidewall test. Its lower suspension arm broke when hitting the bar at as slow as 40 km/h. We are waiting for the new iceguard ig65 next year, which will replace the old ig55. We don t recommend buying the current model. Strengths: braking on dry asphalt, good stud retention. Weaknesses: low ride smoothness, no grip on ice, poor grip on snow and wet asphalt, unpredictable handling that requires good maneuvering skills, noise. NH9: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9, PIZ: Pirelli Ice Zero, NN7: Nokian Nordman 7, MXIN3: Michelin X-Ice North 3, GNF200: Gislaved Nord Frost 200, BBS02: Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02, HWi PRS: Hankook Winter i Pike RS, YiG55: Yokohama iceguard Stud ig55 Weightin g factor NH9 PIZ NN7 MXIN3 GNF200 BBS02 HWi PRS YiG55 Ice Braking Acceleration Overall grip (lap time) Lateral grip Stability on ice Ice total Snow

34 Braking Acceleration Overall grip (lap time) Stability on snow Skid resistance Traction Snow total Wet asphalt Braking Overall grip (lap time) Stability on wet asphalt Wet asphalt total Dry asphalt Braking Dry asphalt total Stud extraction force Stud extraction force Ride smoothness Ride smoothness Acoustic comfort

35 Acoustic comfort Total Place Maxim Akhtyamov