Snow Tires: Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentConsumerReports.org rates more than 40 non-studded winter tires, including regular winter tires, performance winter tires and those for pickups and SUVs. Each tire is rated for snow traction, braking on icy, dry and wet roads, handling, hydroplaning, ride comfort, noise and rolling resistance, culminating in an overall score. Editors rank the tires from best to worst and recommend their top picks.

Our AssessmentThis website of the Swedish Automobile Association conducts its comprehensive winter-tire tests in cooperation with Teknikens Värld, a Swedish publication (whose name translates as World of Technology). Eighteen winter tires are tested on dry, wet, snowy and icy pavement; on test tracks in northern Finland and Sweden; and on ordinary Swedish roads. Experts rate tires on each surface for braking, hydroplaning, road-holding and the moose test -- how well the tires handle a sudden swerve, as if to avoid a moose standing in the middle of an icy road. Editors then rank the tires from best to worst. None of the top picks are available in the U.S. The article is available online, but only in Swedish.

Our AssessmentThe Norwegian Automobile Federation participates in the same exhaustive test as Aftonbladet, but editors come to some very different conclusions. Notably, reviewers prefer the studless Nokian Hakkapeliitta R to the Michelin X-Ice Xi3 and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70. Among studless tires, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 is a favorite.

Our AssessmentThis Swedish auto magazine tests 10 winter tires -- nine studless and one studded -- on wet, dry, icy, snowy and slushy test tracks in Finland, using Volvo C30 and V50 test cars. As usual, the studded tire (a European-only model) grips best on ice, but it lags on wet and dry pavement. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R wins the studless test for the third straight year, with balanced performance on all road conditions.

Our AssessmentThis Canadian nonprofit association is funded by membership fees, with no subsidies from the automobile, oil or insurance industries. The APA picks the top winter tires, based on both its own tests and ratings from tire experts and retailers. It has rated more than 50 winter tires for passenger and performance cars and for SUVs. However, it hasn't updated the ratings for this year, so some of the latest models are missing.

Our AssessmentEven an inexpensive winter tire will keep you safer than all-season tires, experts say. Gary Stanley recommends three affordable winter tires: the Continental ExtremeWinterContact, the Dunlop Graspic DS-3 and the General Altimax Arctic.

Our AssessmentReviewer Steve Huffman sums up his top winter-tire picks in various categories -- including truck/SUV picks Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 and Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2. Fellow staffer Gary Stanley recommends these truck tires based on his own personal experiences in another blog post.

Our AssessmentThis Canadian online auto magazine (formerly CanadianDriver.com) doesn't rank the winter tires it tests, but the reviews provide a wealth of information to help readers pick the best winter tire for specific driving needs. Testers relate their experiences driving some of the tires on their personal vehicles during Canadian winters, including the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R, Continental ExtremeWinterContact, Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 and Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60.