Auto Bild’s Tests Reveal the 5 Best Performance Winter Tires in 2023
Auto Bild is a respective automotive publication operating out of Germany that is globally renowned for its comprehensive and rigorous testing methods. Over the years, it has built a solid reputation for providing unbiased and comprehensive tire reviews.
Their annual tire tests involve comprehensive evaluations, covering various aspects of a tire’s performance, including how it fares in different weather conditions (dry, wet, snow, ice), braking distances, wear, fuel efficiency, noise, and handling.
This all-encompassing approach makes sure that only those tires stand out that perform well in multiple areas at the same time. At the same time, the comparative nature allows you to see for yourself how different tires stack up against one another.
In 2023, Auto Bild’s winter tire tests pitted 54 premium snow tires against one another. The tires tested were of the popular 225/45 R18 size. All of them were fitted on the BMW 3 series. Based on the results, here are the best winter tires on the market.
Auto Bild’s Best Winter Tires in 2023
Here are the best winter tires currently on the market per Auto Bild:
#1. Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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According to Auto Bild, the Pilot Alpin 5 is currently the market’s leading performance winter tire.
This premium tire earned this honor after finishing first in several tests, including dry braking, wet circle, snow braking, noise, and snow handling.
Additionally, it finished runner up in snow slalom and wet handling tests, while its wear rate was the 5th best of the 54 tires tested, unsurprising given it’s one of the few tires that come with a treadwear warranty.
Pros
- Offers superior snow traction
- Best-in-class dry braking distances
- Makes the lowest noise of any winter tire
Cons
- High rolling resistance could hit your car’s mileage
#2. Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
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Although not quite as good on the snow as the Alpin 5, the UltraGrip Performance 3 isn’t far behind.
For instance, this premium winter tire finished 2nd or 3rd best on several counts, including wet braking, noise, wet handling, and dry braking.
Also, while it doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty, Auto Bild’s tests show that this tire wears more evenly than the Pilot Alpin 5.
Pros
- Great tire in the wet
- Shows remarkable wear characteristics
- Closest to the leading tire on snow
Cons
- Below-average dry handling
#3. Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
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The fact that the WinterContact TS 870P finished among the top three didn’t surprise us one bit.
This premium winter tire has taken over Europe, finishing first in tests conducted by the leading automobile magazines in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The TS870 P has also won ‘Exemplary’ rating in the Auto Bild Allrad and Auto Bild Sportscars winter tire tests in 2022. As such, we weren’t surprised to see its name popping up in this year’s tests as well.
Pros
- Superb traction on snow and ice
- Rides quietly and comfortably
- Compatible with EVs and hybrids
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty
#4. BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
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Although not as famous as the flagship winter tires of Michelin or Continental, the gForce Winter 2 is equally capable.
In all 4 tests that Auto Bild carries out to examine a tire’s snow driving credentials, this tire finished 2nd on the list. Its curved aquaplaning resistance was found to be the 3rd highest, meaning you can attack bends at speed.
Another area where this tire does quite well is ride comfort, while its rolling resistance is pretty low (88.82%) compared to the Pilot Alpin 5 (88.3%), though its dry braking distances are slightly longer.
Pros
- Superb aquaplaning properties
- Safe driving characteristics on wet roads
- Low noise levels for a winter tire
Cons
- Extended dry braking distances
#5. Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
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Designed to fit cars and CUVs, the Cinturato Winter 2 checks several boxes for the average driver.
Unlike many of its peers, this model offers consistent grip and traction throughout its tread life, while its dry braking and wear rate are also pretty impressive for a dedicated snow tire.
To further sweeten the deal, this model’s straight aquaplaning resistance is pretty high, meaning you won’t encounter much slippage driving down a waterlogged highway.
Pros
- Offers decent mileage
- Dynamic performance on wet tracks
- Convincing winter properties
Cons
- May become noisy as it wears down
How did Auto Bild select the Best Winter Tires for 2023?
Auto Bild conducts several tests to determine which set of premium winter tires can keep you safe in harsh weather conditions. These tests examine a tire on several indicators, including:
Dry Performance
- Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
- Runner Up: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
- Last Place Finish: Uniroyal WinterExpert
Results from the test show that the Pilot Alpin 5 had the shortest dry braking distances of the 54 tires that took part. This premium winter tire stopped almost 1 meter short on dry tarmac (42.3 meters) than the 2nd placed WinterContact (43.1) from Continental Tires.
However, decent dry performance is more than just short stopping distances. A tire’s responsiveness, agility, and stability – factors often grouped under the umbrella term of ‘dry handling’ – are equally reliable indicators of adequate/poor dry performance.
In dry handling tests, the Pilot Alpin 5 switched places with the WinterContact. Yet the difference wasn’t big enough to raise eyebrows. Only 0.3 kilometers/hour separated the two tires.
This indicates that, on the whole, Michelin’s flagship winter tire is your best bet for enjoying a secure driving experience on dry tracks.
Wet Performance
- Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
- Runner Up: Pilot Alpin 5
- Last Place Finish: Debica Figo HP2
Given the fact that the tests were conducted on the BMW 3 Series (a car that demands dynamic performance from its tires), it shouldn’t be surprising to note that the 1st place in wet braking tests went to Bridgestone’s Blizzak LM005, a performance-oriented winter tire.
This premium winter tire took only 49.1 meters to come to a full halt from 100 to 0 kilometers/hour. In comparison, the tires that finished 2nd and 3rd took 53 meters and 53. 6 meters, respectively.
The same story repeated in wet handling tests, though the gap between the LM005 and Pilot Alpin 5 narrowed to 1.3. Another test conducted to measure wet performance – which gauged wet circle lap time in seconds – crowned the Pilot Alpin 5 as the winner.
What do the above tests indicate?
They show that the Blizzak LM005 is currently the market’s leading winter tire for driving on slippery surfaces, with the Pilot Alpin 5 its closest competitor.
Snow Performance
- Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
- Runner Up: Pilot Alpin 5
- Last Place Finish: Debica Figo HP2
To fully understand how comprehensive Auto Bild’s tests are, consider this: the German magazine carries out four different tests to investigate a tire’s reliability on snow. These include:
Snow Braking
To investigate how reliably a tire stops in harsh wintry conditions, Auto Bild prepares a closed-off test track covered in a consistent layer of packed snow. Once the tire is installed on the car, it is accelerated to a speed of around 50 km/hour.
After covering a few hundred meters on the road, the driver slams the brakes, initiating both camera recording and data collection. The primary metric assessed is the distance the car (in this case, the BMW 3 series) travels before coming to a total halt.
In Auto Bild’s 2023 tests, the Pilot Alpin 5 had the shortest braking distances on snow (29.2 meters) among the 54 tires tested. However, the difference between the two tires that finished 2nd – BFG’s gForce Winter and Kleber Krisalp HP3 – was a mere 0.01 meters.
Snow Traction
As you might guess, the tracks are the same for snow braking and snow traction tests. Yet that is where the similarities end.
This test kicks off with drivers timing their cars for a predetermined distance on the snowy track. Right from the off, the tire’s acceleration (from a standstill to a previously decided speed) is measured, while different equipment measures the car’s responsiveness to steering inputs.
In this test, the Pilot Alpin 5 once again emerged as the winner. Unsurprisingly, the 2nd place was once again shared by BFG’s gForce Winter and the Krisalp HP3.
Snow Handling
Unfortunately, there isn’t much information about how Auto Bild conducts its snow-handling tests. What we only have is a list explaining where each tire finished.
Guess what? The Pilot Alpin 5 was once again the winner here. In fact, while the above two tests saw it nervously looking over its shoulder, in snow handling tests, there was clear daylight between the Alpin 5 and the tires that finished 2nd and 3rd.
Overall, the results from the three tests should leave no doubt in your mind that the Pilot Alpin 5 is one of the most reliable tires out there for driving on snow.
Comfort
- Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
- Runner Up: Kleber Krisalp HP3
- Last Place Finish: Debica Figo HP2
Many believe that softer tread compounds, aggressive tread patterns, and innumerable sipes give winter tires the excuse to be noisy.
However, that isn’t necessarily the case, as technologies like sound-absorbing materials have made the modern-day snow tires quieter than their counterparts from yesteryear.
Need proof? Then you must check out the Pilot Alpin 5, the market’s quietest winter tire (per Auto Bild’s tests). This tire’s external noise (70. 6 decibels) is so low you feel like driving an all-season tire, something you won’t hear me saying about 9 out of 10 winter tires.
What’s more, this tire’s external noise is 2 decibels lower than the average budget winter tire. Even more surprising is that the Bridgestone LM005 – which, as you may remember, finished 1st in terms of dry performance – is 3 decibels louder than this tire.
Conclusion
According to tests conducted by Auto Bild, Michelin’s Piot Alpin 5 is currently the market’s leading performance winter tire. This model finished first in several tests, justifying the hype that surrounded its release.