Snow Tires Reviews

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Snow Tires Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Snow Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Teknikens Värld >> Details/Subscribe	Winter tire test 2007 Editors of Teknikens Värld Oct. 16, 2007		This Swedish publication, whose name translates as World of Technology, tests 26 studded and studless winter tires on its test track, rating each on its braking, hydroplaning, road performance, comfort and "the moose test" -- how well the tires handle a sudden swerve, as if to miss a moose standing in the middle of an icy road. Teknikens Värld also picks overall winners in both the studded and studless categories, and it lists several winter tires consumers should avoid. Continental and Nokian snow tires are top rated.
2. Motorföraren	Winter tire test 2007 Hasse Britth May 2007		Seventy percent of Swedish drivers buy studded tires, this Swedish review points out. Yet for the first time this year, some studless tires actually did better than most studded tires on Motorföraren's snowy, icy test track. This review rates seven studded and six studless tires according to their performance on icy curves, regular wet and dry pavement, and in driving as fast as possible up a snow-packed hill. This article is available online, but only in Swedish. Nokian, Michelin and Gislaved snow tires are rated best here.
3. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Winter Tires Editors of Consumer Reports Jan. 2008		This is the most recent, most extensive winter-tire test we found in a North American publication. Editors include ratings of 22 winter tires and performance winter tires, based on the same testing methodology used for other types of tires. Editors also test studded tires vs. non-studded snow tires. While studs help on ice, they don't make much of a difference in snow, say editors.
4. Auto Motor & Sport >> Details/Subscribe	2007 Winter tire test Martin Ström Issue 21, 2007		Twenty-two winter tires -- eleven studded and eleven studless -- are driven through a battery of tests (including the "moose test" swerve maneuver) in snowy northern Finland. This trial is conducted jointly by this Swedish magazine and four other Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Russian publications. Auto Motor & Sport chooses one winner in both the studded and studless categories. Five of the winter tires are "Not Recommended," with three of those earning a "Do Not Buy!" warning. Top-rated snow tires include tires from Michelin, Nokian and Continental.
5. Auto Motor & Sport >> Details/Subscribe	2007 Winter performance tire test Martin Ström Issue 22, 2007		Performance winter tires are the focus of this Swedish magazine's test. The test is done differently from the magazine's test of traditional winter tires, concentrating on higher speeds on wet and dry roads, with handling on snow counting for just one-third of the points (instead of 80 percent in the traditional winter tire test). Fourteen tires are tested. Top-rated are the Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip 7 and the Continental ContiWinterContact.
6. Automobile Protection Association	Winter tire recommendations for 2007-2008 Editors of Automobile Protection Association Not dated		This Canadian nonprofit association is dedicated to protecting consumer interests in the marketplace. It is funded by individual consumers' membership fees, with no subsidies from the automobile, oil or insurance industries. APA consults a tire expert to test tires on four types of road surfaces: snow-covered, icy, dry and wet. APA puts more weight on the tires' snow and ice capability, with less concern given to dry road performance than some other reviewers. APA rates 22 winter tires for cars, SUVs and minivans, providing pros and cons for each -- from the "Top Picks" down to the "Less Worthy."

Snow Tires Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Snow Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews

7. Auto Zeitung	Winter tires Editors of Auto Zeitung Not dated		This review by a German auto publication, Auto Zeitung, tests 14 winter tire models. Although the article is not available in English, Google's translation function works well enough to let readers understand which snow tires do well -- and which flunk -- on each portion of the road test. At the end of the article is a clear chart, with recommended models in bold type. (To find this review from the home page, look under Service Issues/Accessories/Winter Tire Test.)
8. The Tire Rack	Tire Test Results: Technological or Traditional Traction for Ice and Packed Snow? Editors of The Tire Rack Oct. 25, 2007		The Tire Rack is a retail site that both sells and review tires. Its staff members drive winter tires on a local hockey rink to test ice braking, and they also test them on their 5.5-acre test track in the middle of winter. This review compares four snow tires -- three studless (the Bridgestone Blizzak WS60, Dunlop Graspic DS-2 and Michelin X-Ice) and one studdable (the Winterforce M+S). The Tire Rack ranks the tires, provides pros and cons, and follows with a thorough report of how they performed on the ice and snow. This site also includes consumer reviews posted for some tires.

Snow Tires Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Snow Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews

9. Canadian Driver >> Details/Subscribe	Winter Tires Editors of Canadian Driver Not dated		This Canadian online auto magazine doesn't rank the 13 winter tires it tests, but the in-depth road test write-ups provide a wealth of information to help readers pick the best winter tire for specific driving needs. Canadian Driver covers tires from Marangoni, Pirelli, Michelin, Gislaved, Goodyear, Cooper, Yokohama, Bridgestone and Nokian.
10. Auto Zeitung	Winter tires 2008 -- The driving forces Editors of Auto Zeitung Not dated		This review of snow tires for SUVs is not as easy to read in its Google-translated form as Auto Zeitung's review of snow tires for cars. However, it is valuable because few reviews concentrate on SUV snow tires. This German publication tests ten tires, including several popular U.S. models.

Snow Tires Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Snow Tires Ratings Comments on Reviews

11. Epinions	Winter Tires Contributors to Epinions As of Feb. 2008		Twenty-seven winter tire models have accumulated reviews from consumers who post at Epinions. Several tires have just a handful of reviews, and some reviews are outdated. However, some reviews are recent, thorough and offer helpful snapshots of the tires' real-life performance. A few snow tires have amassed from ten to more than 30 reviews. Of these, the Bridgestone Blizzak and Nokian Hakkapeliitta WR get the highest possible rating. Reviewers also indicate how much they paid for their tires.
12. Snow Tire FAQ	Real World Snow Tire Tests -- 2006 John Werner Dec. 19, 2006		John Werner, a software engineer from upstate New York, is also a snow tire enthusiast who has been conducting amateur snow tire tests and publishing the results online since 2001. His most recent test available, from 2006, compares four tire models: Vredestein SnowTrac 2, Green Diamond Icelander, Nokian RSi and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4. Werner doesn't rank the tires, but he does provide the pros and cons of each in this 30-page report, complete with charts and photographs. Werner's site also has a message board where users discuss their experiences with different models of snow tires.
13. Toronto Star	Winter tires for the snow season John Mahler Nov. 11, 2006		Regular contributor John Mahler provides good information to help consumers choose winter tires, such as what speed ratings mean, the purpose of siping and more. Mahler discusses the different types of rubber that winter tires use to grip the road. Although not a comparative rating, Mahler singles out the Bridgestone Blizzak series and Yokohama Ice Guard tires as "excellent choices."