Goodyear ultragrip ice arctic tires tested. Comparative test of the winter novelties of the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice family. Excellent grip and handling on ice

Winter studded tire test size 205/55 R16 (2013)

Tested tires list:

• Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000
• Continental ContiIceContact
• Dunlop ice touch
• Gislaved Nord * Frost 100
• Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
• Hankook W409 I * Pike
• Kama EURO 519
• Michelin x ice north 2
• Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8
• Pirelli ice zero

"One hundred seventy, one hundred eighty, one hundred ninety ..." - this is Uncle Vanya counting the spikes in the next tire. Stop! What the hell is one hundred and ninety, if in northern European countries, where the use of studs is still allowed, the restriction came into force in July of this year: no more than 50 studs per running meter of tread? That is, a 16-inch tire (205/55 R16) should have no more than 96 studs! We recount again - and we are convinced that the tread of the new Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires still has 190 studs, almost twice as many!

Why did the Finns decide to bypass the new rules - and does such a number of thorns give any advantage over competitors? Let's figure it out in the course of our next comparative test, in which ten models of 205/55 R16 studded tires took part.

Talks about tightening the rules for using studs have been going on in the Scandinavian countries for a long time, and the reason is the increased wear of the roadway. The “greens” began to argue that asphalt dust is also carcinogenic, that is, it causes cancer. And in 2009, a new norm was promulgated - up to 50 studs per linear meter, and regardless of the tread width or the rim diameter of the tire. At the same time, the previous restrictions remained in force: the protrusion of the studs above the tread surface should not exceed 1.2 mm.

What about security? After all, the more spikes, the better, all other things being equal, will be better to "hook" on the ice ... Shinniks left a loophole! It turns out that you can install more studs, but then you have to prove that a denser stud will not increase the destructive effect on the road. As a result, on the basis of the Finnish testing center Test World, a method was developed for the full-scale assessment of the impact of studded tires on the road surface. In a nutshell, after a certain number of drives on a granite tile, the mass of this tile should not decrease more than after the same exposure to reference tires with a "legal" number of spikes.

However, the rush demand for such tests did not follow. For example, Michelin decided that this was not a completely fair way to get around the new restrictions - and threw all their efforts into improving tires with a reduced number of studs. The developers of the new Gislaved tires did the same. Nord frost 100. And the rest?

The rest fully loaded their production capacity to release as much as possible more tires studded according to the old rules (no more than 130 studs for 16-inch tires). After all, the ban that came into force on July 1 concerns the production, but not the sales of tires with the "wrong" studding!

And only Nokian Tires went its own way: the number of studs on the tires of the new Hakkapeliitta 8 not only did not decrease, but increased by one and a half times! Naturally, the aforementioned test was passed, and, as we learned, it was carried out not at the Test World test site, but in its own test center near the town of Nokia. It turns out that you can do that - under the supervision of an official observer from the Trafi transport security agency. Competitors, of course, raised a fuss - they say, with so many spikes, it is impossible to successfully pass the test!

Possibly, explains Mikko Lukkula, Head of Nokian Studded Tire Development. “For three years we have created fundamentally new lightweight studs, have carried out dozens of road surface wear tests and are confident that our tires perform well on ice.

So, the main intrigue of the test is indicated.

Uncle Vanya sits behind the wheel of an Audi A3, Andrey Mokhov, having checked the reliability of the optical sensor, is located on the right and opens the laptop. Now - a dozen of braking and acceleration, then - on the lift, changing tires, again accelerating and braking ...

Despite the fact that the acceleration is controlled by the traction control system, and the deceleration is from the ABS, the spikes crumble the smooth ice into snow powder.

The last, tenth set of studded tires was tested for "acceleration-deceleration" - and ... The first sensation! The smallest braking distance on account of the ContiIceContact tires. They also provided the car with better acceleration dynamics. Although the advantage over the "bristling" Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires is quite small, but it is! That is, 190 studs lined up in 18 rows perform no better on ice than 130 studs spread across 12 rows. In any case, in 14-degree frost. Why? Yes, because for the decline harmful effects On the roadway, the Finns really had to change the design of the studs: they are not only lighter, but also smaller - in height and diameter - than those used in Continental tires. And those that were previously used in the tires Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7. And the carbide insert in the "small" studs is not so powerful.

Two favorites are stepping on new heels Pirelli tires Winter ice Zero.

Gislaved Nord * Frost 100 tires promise to become another striking novelty of this season. There are already 96 “legal” studs - and they provide quite decent braking on ice, although during acceleration - only the eighth result. Ahead were also the familiar Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Dunlop Ice Touch and Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires from last year's tests. By the way, why is Michelin presented? with X-Ice tires North of the second, not the third generation? The company decided that it would be better not to give these tires to anyone for comparative tests until the official launch of a new model on the market.

New items for the winter season have been prepared and Bridgestone, but also refused to provide them before the official premiere. Therefore, in our standings - Bridgestone tires Ice Cruiser 7000, which in the coming winter will also be actively sold in our market.

The Korean school is represented by Hankook Winter i * Pike tires, and the Russian school is represented by Kama Euro-519 tires. On the ice, the results of both are very modest. But so far we are talking only about the grip properties in the longitudinal direction.

The controllability assessment began with driving on an ice circle at the maximum possible speed, and continued on a winding track, which took into account both the lap time and a subjective assessment of the convenience and reliability of control. In these exercises Nokian tires Hakkapeliitta 8 are already gaining a convincing victory. Excellent "grip" in corners, excellent control over the car on the track! By the way, I can safely recommend these tires to those who go to amateur ice races: "taking off" a couple of seconds from the circle is not a problem!

Continental tires are in second place, and right behind them - and this is the second, albeit small, but still sensation - the Gislaved tires. They allowed me to very confidently drive the car on a winding road.

Another surprise awaited me when the Audi A3 was fitted with Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires. The car slows down and accelerates well, but it does not hold well in corners. In the first laps I even jumped off the ice track a couple of times. Fortunately, there are not meter-long snowdrifts around, but safety strips with a ten-centimeter layer of fluffy snow.

But around the track "snow" handling - just that the snowdrifts ...

The next day, the frost subsided from fourteen degrees to minus seven. We have at our disposal a 600-meter track with perfectly packed snow. The work will be monotonous: acceleration to 50 km / h, braking, acceleration again, braking again ... But if earlier the driver was required to work with the pedals to exclude unnecessary wheel slip at the start and blocking during braking, now this is monitored by electronics - Traction Control and ABS. And soon it seems that it will be possible to do without a driver altogether.

At the same time, the Audi A4 robotic car was perfecting its skills on the next track! The operator is still driving, but only in order to set the necessary driving modes and check the correctness of their execution by the robot. The executive systems, at the command of the electronics, step on the gas themselves, on the brake - and even turn the steering wheel. At the end of the track, the car turns around on its own and continues to measure in the opposite direction.

I felt a slight surge of professional jealousy, but quickly consoled myself with the fact that on the handling track such a piece of iron would not replace me for a long time! By the way, I was allowed to ride as a passenger in a car with a robot "at the wheel" - and ... Shouldn't I snatch, echoing the English Luddites, this impudent "arm" or "leg"? Soon there will be no need for testers on handling tracks! For example, this self-driving car already knows how to make a "rearrangement" in the snow. The angular velocity sensors detect slippage, and the command is immediately given to correct the steering wheel ... Another five years - and such cars will drive along winding tracks, revealing the difference between the tires!

For now, we are looking at the results of manual tests on snow and we see that when braking they are very close: the difference between the best tires(Dunlop Ice Touch) and the worst (Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000) is less than three meters, which is ten percent. During acceleration, the spread is a little more, about 20 percent, and the favorites here are already different - the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires. That is, the Finns have conjured up not only with the spikes, but also with the tread - after all, on the snow, it is not so much the spikes that are important as the tread.

And on the handling track, twisting around the trees and snow-strewn boulders, I felt the most relaxed on Nokian tires: quick reactions and fully controlled sliding. Moreover, in sliding it is better not to slow down, otherwise the stabilization system disabled by the button will "wake up" and the pace will decrease. By the way, this is also an indicator: if on Nokian tires I "woke up" the stabilization system only once, then on other tires I bothered it much more often - due to errors caused by stretched slides (they especially upset the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 and Kama Euro-519 ).

At the beginning of spring, we supplemented the tests with a cycle of "asphalt" tests.

First, we looked at how the tires behave on sludge - a snow-water slurry that covered the asphalt with an even layer. This layer is only 3.5 cm deep, and the Hankook tires already float at a speed of 19.4 km / h. However, the best Bridgestone tires in this type of testing are not far behind - their limit is 21.2 km / h.

And on wet asphalt, already without admixture of snow, the shortest braking distances are on the account of the Gislaved tires, and the worst is on the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8.

Yes, yes, skeptics from other tire companies have already managed to whisper that with so many studs, Nokian tires will not perform well on asphalt. On the wet - it is, but on a dry surface, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires showed one of the better results... By the way, this is a reason to remind again that modern studded tires work on asphalt no worse, and sometimes even better than non-studded tires of the Scandinavian type - those that are popularly called Velcro. This is due to the stiffer rubber needed to secure the studs in place. There is still a popular myth that a studded tire rolls on asphalt, leaning more on the spikes than on the rubber. But in fact, the studs, in contact with the asphalt, are recessed into the body of the tread, practically not reducing the contact spots of the rubber with the road. However, it all depends on what goals the manufacturer sets when creating a specific tire model. By changing the tread pattern, hardness and chemical composition of rubber, you can shift the balance of qualities, giving preference to either behavior on slippery winter surfaces (ice, snow), or on asphalt.

With Dunlop Ice Touch tires, this balance is clearly shifted towards the asphalt: the Audi A3 brakes confidently and responds best to sharp turns of the steering wheel. But on ContiIceContact tires, the braking distance on both dry and wet asphalt is a couple of meters longer, that is, preference is given to "winter" qualities.

This is where spike tires always lose out to non-studded ones, because it is in acoustic comfort. There is clearly more noise from them, especially if the tread already has 190 studs, like the Nokian tires. However, with fewer studs, the Kama Euro, Pirelli, Continental and Bridgestone tires clatter in much the same way. And the quietest tires are Michelin X-Ice North 2. They are also the softest along with Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires.

How are such soft tires will behave, hitting a hole or bumping into an asphalt ledge? We already ran crash tests two years ago summer tires... And now, for the first time, winter tires have been subjected to such an experiment.

At a speed of 40 km / h, the car runs into a steel channel set at an angle of 30 degrees - a piece of a U-shaped beam. If the tire withstands, the attempt is repeated already at a speed of 45 km / h. And so on until the tire "expires." We didn't scoff at the suspension of the brand new Audi A3 - we found a battered Mercedes-Benz C 180.

Bridgestone tires withstood the most impacts: they managed to break through only at a speed of 70 km / h! And this is no coincidence: when developing their tires, the Japanese take into account the specifics of bad roads, reinforce the structure and check it themselves with crash tests.

They hold the blow with dignity and Continental tires- they surrendered at a speed of 60 km / h. The bulk of the tires was finished at a speed of 50 km / h, but the Michelin tires, which we liked so much for their softness, were punched in the very first race, at a speed of 40 km / h. We even decided to repeat the experiment - what if it was an accident? Bang bang! Shhhhhh… And the second Michelin X-Ice North 2 tire with a hole through it goes to the landfill. And again, everything is understandable: the French company pays more and more attention to reducing rolling resistance, for the sake of which the sidewall is getting thinner (while reducing the so-called hysteresis losses - energy consumption for heating due to deformation).

By the way, we also tested the tires for rolling resistance - using a treadmill drum. And it turned out that Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires roll easier than others, and not Michelin X-Ice North 2. But this is without studs, since studded tires would damage the calibrated drum surface. It is not a fact that this rating will not change with spikes. However, in terms of fuel consumption, the difference is still small - the bulk of the tires are separated by 0.2-0.3 l / 100 km. And the difference between the most "economical" and the most "voracious" tires (they were expected to be Bridgestone tires) is 0.6 l / 100 km. And yet, since the experiment was carried out without thorns, we did not take its results into account when deriving the final estimates.

Test results

Experts' opinions on each tire are presented below

A place	Tire	Expert opinion
1	Rating: 9.0 Nokian	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg9.2 Number of studs / studding lines 190/18 Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.2 Country of origin: Finland With so many pimples, a victory over competitors, especially in ice disciplines, should be simply devastating! But the matter was limited to simply victory, without defeat. On the handling track - the best time, it is a pleasure to drive a car. But the advantage over the ContiIceContact tires, which have 60 fewer studs, is negligible, and the Continental tires are even better in acceleration dynamics. Because there are many spikes in the tread of Finnish tires, but they are small: the diameter, the height of the spike, the width of the carbide insert - everything here is smaller than that of Continental tires. Perhaps, at a higher temperature, on “soft” ice, the effectiveness of “small” spikes would have been higher, but our tests took place in 14-degree frost. On snow, Nokian tires are traditionally good: precise and timely responses to the steering wheel and gas. But on asphalt, the behavior is unstable. While Nokian tires provide good deceleration on dry surfaces, they have the longest braking distances on wet surfaces. And the expected drawback was the "itchy" sound from the spikes, which did not leave the cabin in the entire speed range. Braking properties on dry asphalt Noisiness High price
1	Rating: 9.0 Continental	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg9.8 Shore hardness, unit 49 Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.3 Country of origin: Germany On ice, the ContiIceContact tires are great. Acceleration and braking are the best in the test, and the balance of drift and drift on the ice handling track is such as if you were driving not on the front, but on four-wheel drive car... I slightly threw off the gas at the entrance to the turn - and then you drive the car in an arc in controlled sliding with four wheels! On the snow, the tires are also good, and only the not always appropriate slight tendency to skid of the rear axle did not allow to give the highest point for "reliability of handling". On the asphalt, the grip is average, although the "Change" maneuver was done very well. The car reacts sluggishly to the first impulse, but then the tires are "squeezed" and hold lateral overloads well. It's a pity that the soundtrack during such maneuvers is already very intrusive - the Continental tires whine even on a straight line, and the rumble increases in corners. These tires have excellent impact resistance. And the thorns in them hold to the last: in order to pull out a thorn planted on glue, you need to apply an effort 2-2.5 times higher compared to other tires. I wonder if the ContiIceContact tires will continue to perform as well on ice after switching to a lighter stud? Such tires with the HD index, produced after July 1, 2013, have already appeared at Russian dealers. + Adhesion properties on ice and snow Handling on ice and snow Impact strength Adhesion properties on wet asphalt
3	Score: 8.8 Gislaved	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg8.8 Shore hardness, unit 48 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.3 Country of origin: Germany "Not by number, but by skill!" The tread of the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires has a total of 96 studs with standard departure but on ice these tires are better than many tires with 130 studs. On the handling track - the third time, but the lag behind the leader, who has almost twice as many studs, is less than a second! No wonder the German tire workers (Gislaved today is a 100 percent product of Continental) worked on a new tread and new "triangular" studs! Slides are small and easy to control. And on the snow, decent behavior, although on the track, handling is hampered by sharp breaks in sliding. But on wet asphalt - the minimum braking distance! At the same time, the tires do not make much noise and gently “swallow” irregularities. In general, well-balanced winter tires: they work confidently on country roads and are almost ideal for urban use. And the price looks reasonable. + Grip and handling on ice Snow grip Adhesion properties on asphalt Moderate handling on snow
4	Score: 8.7 Pirelli	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg9.1 Tread depth, mm: 9.5 Shore hardness of rubber, unit 50 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.2 Country of origin: Germany These tires came to our test a month and a half before the official premiere - we did not even know the real name of the model, since there was no marking on the smooth sidewall. But both the protector and the new design spikes were already "commercial" - now both the insert and the spike body have a complex trapezoidal shape. In terms of longitudinal dynamics on ice, the Pirelli tires are almost on par with the leaders in the test. But on the handling track, there were sharp breaks in side slip. However, Pirelli tires, whether winter or summer, have always endowed the car with sharper, sportier reactions. A similar behavior is observed on snow, but here the grip properties in the longitudinal direction were at an average level. Here on the asphalt - good deceleration, both dry and wet. The ride is good, but there is a lot of noise - the rumble is heard even when driving on packed snow. Albeit with reservations, but we also recommend these tires - primarily to those who drive in winter mainly on city streets cleared of snow. + Adhesion properties on ice Moderate handling on ice and snow Noisiness
5	Score: 8.5 Michelin	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg 9.3 Tread depth, mm: 9.4 Shore hardness, unit 52 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.0 Country of origin: Russia When we ran this test with Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires in early February, we received an invitation to the official premiere of the next-generation X-Ice North 3 tires. But all attempts to get new tires for the test failed! However, in Russia, the novelty will not appear in all dimensions and half of the sales of Michelin studded tires will come from model X-Ice North 2. Decent tires, and with a pronounced family feature of Michelin tires - this is high resistance to slippery road and soft, understandable transients. It's bad that the slides themselves last a little longer than we would like. This also manifested itself on the asphalt: the stretched sliding prevented the high speed “changeover”. But there are no problems with braking, and the level of comfort is beyond praise: these are the softest and quietest tires in our test! They would have a stronger sidewall, otherwise when hitting an "obstacle" thin rubber breaks at a speed of 40 km / h, although most tires hold up to 50 km / h, and some remain intact and at a higher speed. In general, very comfortable winter tires, which are best used on the streets of large cities. + Comfort Adhesion properties on wet and dry asphalt Insufficient resistance to slashplaning Low impact strength
6	Score: 8.4 Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg10.3 Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.9 Country of origin: Poland Introduced last year, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ace Arctic tires were immediately among the leaders in our tests, but this year they were not so impressive. The reason could be the changed weather conditions, the progress of competitors, but it seems that the matter is in the lower quality studding. The three-cornered spikes themselves have not changed, but most of them turned out to be excessively sunk into the tread - the overhang averages 0.9 mm versus 1.2-1.3 mm for competing tires. Here we need to look for the reason for lagging behind the leaders of the test both in acceleration and in braking on ice. And on the handling track, the lag is already beyond the bounds of decency: the Audi A3 on Goodyear tires covers the 800-meter track for ten seconds longer than on Nokian tires! We also noted last year that Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires perform better in the longitudinal direction than in the lateral direction, but now the imbalance has worsened - the car holds very badly on the arc! On snow, the handling situation is better, but there are problems with acceleration. On the asphalt - at the level of the average. It is curious that the clatter of the spikes is almost inaudible, but the tread itself howls in the entire speed range. What these tires definitely pleased with was their impact resistance: in this discipline - the third place. With normal studding quality, these tires would certainly be able to compete with the leaders, but according to the results of our test, we would not recommend using these tires on cars without electronic systems stabilization. + Braking properties on ice and snow Adhesion properties on wet and dry asphalt Impact strength Handling on ice Traction capability on snow
7	Score: 8.3 Dunlop	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg10.1 Tread depth, mm: 9.8 Shore hardness, unit 55 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.9 Country of origin: Poland According to the final assessment, Dunlop tires are only 0.1 points inferior to Goodyear tires. No surprise: the Dunlop brand today is three-quarters owned by Goodyear, and the Dunlop Ice Touch and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires were developed by the same engineering team. The tread patterns are different, but everything else - groove depth, rubber hardness and studs - is the same. Unfortunately, the quality of the studding is the same: the studs in the Dunlop tires also turned out to be deeper than necessary. By the way, the tires were made at the same plant in Poland. The problems with handling on ice are similar: in the lateral direction, the Dunlop tires hold much worse than in the longitudinal direction. It is difficult to drive on a winding track because of the sudden, unexpected slippage. But on the snow - the minimum braking distance! At the same time, acceleration and handling indicators are as "sluggish" as on ice. But on a dry surface - the minimum braking distance and maximum speed performing the "rearrangement". The car responds clearly and quickly to steering movements, which is a rarity for winter tires! True, there is also a side effect - increased rigidity when passing through small irregularities. + Grip and handling on asphalt Braking properties on snow Smooth running
8	Score: 7.5 Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000	Load / Speed ​​Index: 91T Weight, kg10.6 Tread depth, mm: 9.7 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.0 Country of origin: Japan Aggressive tread cut with a fine network of wavy lamellas - and spikes lined up in 14 lines. But the studs are ordinary - with cylindrical inserts, and the tread rubber is not as "tenacious" as the competitors', which is indirectly evidenced by its increased hardness - 20% more compared to Nokian tires. And as a result - very modest grip properties both on ice and on snow. The handling also leaves much to be desired (speed in corners is limited by unpleasant sliding of the front axle). Bridgestone tires float up later than others on a snow-water slurry. And on the asphalt they work excellently: on the "rearrangement" the reactions are so fast and accurate, as if the car is "shod" not in winter, but in all-season tires. And most of all we were pleased with the impenetrable sidewalls. But there is a trade-off here too: a stronger sidewall is also stiffer, so Bridgestone tires do not have the best effect on ride comfort. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires will surely find their poor buyer, especially in the hinterland - where tires are often changed not because of tread wear, but because of "holes" received in the pits. + High impact resistance High slash resistance Traction and handling on asphalt Handling on ice and snow Comfort
8	Score: 7.5 Hankook	Load / Speed ​​Index: 91T Weight, kg10.0 Tread depth, mm: 9.4 Shore hardness of rubber, unit 57 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.7 Country of origin: South Korea Even at the stage of "static" measurements, we assumed that the Hankook tires were superfluous in this test: most of the studs barely protrude above the tread level. There are those that rise only 0.3 mm! On ice, such studs, of course, do not work - the car slides menacingly both when braking and cornering. But at the same time it gets a decent rating for the reliability of control: yes, the car slides and therefore goes slowly, but the limit in adhesion properties is felt well, the breakdowns are soft, there is a good balance of drift and skid ... It also happens. However, the Hankook tires were unable to shine even in the snow, where the studs no longer play a big role. The tread copes poorly with drainage functions - on the sludge (snow-water mixture), Hankook tires float up earlier than others. They also work poorly on wet asphalt (the braking distance is too long) - and only on dry asphalt everything is more or less in order. But this is not enough to recommend the Hankook Winter i * Pike as a winter tire. True, there is an argument that for many sounds stronger than arguments about safety: Hankook tires are exactly half the price of Nokian tires. + Price Dry grip and handling Adhesion properties on ice and snow Low slashplaning resistance Adhesion properties on wet asphalt
10	Score: 7.1 Kama	Load / Speed ​​Index: 91T Weight, kg10.3 Tread depth, mm: 9.0 Shore hardness, unit 59 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.8 Country of origin: Russia Despite the tread pattern very much reminiscent of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4 tires, the Russian Kama Euro-519 tires cannot yet compete on equal terms with imported analogues. Longitudinal grip on snow is encouraging, but on the handling track, all hopes disappear. It is difficult to "fill" the car into a turn, and therefore before each of them you need to slow down more than in the case of other tires. The picture is also sad on the ice: the slides are also poorly predictable and poorly controlled. And there are problems with braking on ice. The reason seems to be the same as with the Hankook tires: insufficient stud protrusion above the tread surface. On average - 0.8 mm: such a departure is not enough for a good "grip" on the ice. On asphalt, the tires perform at an average level. When performing sharp maneuvers, the reactions to the steering wheel are "smeared". And let the thorns slightly annoy with a clatter, the protector hums fairly. And on bumps, these tires are one of the toughest. Yes, the Kama Euro-519 tires came in last in our test. But if you keep in mind the price and the stellar composition of the participants, then this is not just the last, but the honorable last place. And if the manufacturer establishes control over the quality of studding, then, you see, it will be possible to apply for higher and no less honorable places. + Price Braking properties on snow Adhesion properties on ice Handling on ice and snow Low comfort level

Actually, these winter tires are very often praised not only by tire changers, but also by ordinary drivers, whom I had to see when changing tires in the autumn. Many people put Ice Arctic from Goodyear. Why, how are these tires different from others?

First, the tread pattern, which is noticeably different from the treads of other brands. The rubber looks like this:

As you can see in the photo, the absence of a decent number of spikes is noticeable on the rubber. This is explained by the fact that the rubber is very soft, actually noticeably softer than others, and therefore the spikes will fall out a little more often. And most likely misuse, maybe in the summer we drove on asphalt. Judging by the reviews, thorns fall out very rarely, at least in winter for sure. But if you like to ride winter tires in the summer, then such a picture as in the photo above will "please" you more often.

Softness winter tires and determines its confident grip on the icy road, and thanks to the peculiar tread pattern on loose or soft, water-soaked snow, the tires rake just fine. It is also convenient to get out of the track thanks to the deep side tread pattern. For winter, it couldn't be better.

The general characteristics are as follows

• size range from 13 to 17 inches
• with a profile width from 155 to 225 mm
• With a profile height from 40 to 70

This tire has a high speed index - up to 190 km / h
The rubber, as you can see in the photo, is studded, and the shape of the studs is also unusual, they are triangular, due to which they cling to the ice much better than ordinary round studs.

These tires are produced in Poland and Germany (depending on the diameter of the tire), so there are no complaints about the quality. And the reviews that you can read on the market and sites are overwhelmingly positive. And if you consider that the price fluctuates in the middle price range (cheaper than Hakki, but more expensive than Amtel and Kordiant), then many of these tires are considered the best winter tires.

If you come across negative reviews, remember that it affects the quality of a new tire. For a winter studded one, it is considered that you need to leave at least 500 kilometers at a speed not exceeding 60 km / h, only then the studs will take the desired and correct position. And if you drive 100 km / h from the first day, then there is nothing to write negative reviews later. These tires are very good, no bulldozer.

According to the results of braking distance tests on ice, she took the honorable first place, ahead of more eminent and expensive brands. Most likely, the tire owes this to its spikes, which are located not only at the edges, but are also present in the center.

Approximate prices for different standard sizes

Quite inexpensive for such a high quality, from 2500 rubles for R13 to 4800 for R16 with a high load index. So if there are 12-20k rubles to buy winter tires, then we recommend paying attention to the Goodyear brand and specifically to this tire model.

Video review

and of course, where can we go without a video that clearly demonstrates all the innovative properties of this new tire. Looking at him, I want to immediately shoe my car into these cool tires))

Test results

And of course, where can we go without testing. We recommend to see how Ice Arctic tore up competitors))

Shorter braking distances on ice

The innovative cleat shape makes it even more stable, which maximizes braking power on ice.

Excellent grip and handling on ice

Benefit from improved handling on ice with Goodyear's MultiControl Ice technology. This revolutionary stud technology increases the contact area between the stud and the road surface for superior traction and handling on ice.

Improved handling on snow

Experience the benefits of better handling in all snow conditions on the road. Unique V-notches and notches in the grooves improve traction on snowy roads. When driving in deep snow, specially designed shoulder blocks cling to the snow on the side of the tire.

Good wet performance

UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires perform well on wet, melting snow or ice roads. Hydrodynamic grooves in the tread quickly drain water from the surface of the tire, reducing the risk of aquaplaning. A special silicon polymer improves traction and braking by wet road.

With the onset of the winter season, many car owners tend to choose the most quality tires among a wide range of winter tires. Manufacturers, when advertising their product, guarantee its optimal running characteristics, but, nevertheless, in practice, the situation is somewhat different.

Often, expensive models of new tires are unsuitable for use in winter season... This is primarily due to the climatic features of the area in which the tires are used. For the right choice it is necessary to know for sure the characteristics of the purchased product, its in different conditions.

In this article, we will cover the following aspects:

Description and characteristics of winter tires Ultragrip Ice Arctic.

Ice Arctic tires - consumer reviews.

Tire testing.

Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic SUV.

The history of the Goodyear company.

Ultragrip Ice Arctic: catalog, prices.

The Goodyear company today

The Goodyear company produces tires for many types of transport, including for various classes of cars. In addition, the factories produce high-speed tires used in motorsport and differing excellent characteristics... The company gained wide popularity due to the high quality of its products, as well as an affordable price category.

Today the company continues to lead the global tire industry. The head office of the company is located, as before, in the city of Akron. The company owns two of the largest research centers located in Akron and Luxembourg.

The firm enters into numerous contracts for basic configuration tires for almost all leading car manufacturers. Tire factories owned by Goodyear are located in many cities in America and Europe - there are 18 of them in Europe alone.

Production facilities of the modern company "Goodyear"

There are 56 production centers in 22 countries of the world, several test sites (located in France and America) and research centers (Japan, USA, Luxembourg). Tire design is carried out taking into account the peculiarities of certain natural and climatic conditions in which new tire models will be used. Therefore, Goodyear products meet all the requirements for them, and the company guarantees high quality goods.

It takes a company as long to develop and design one new tire model as it does to develop a new car. The design uses the many years of experience of previous generations, and also takes into account all the shortcomings of previous models. Before a new product goes on sale, it undergoes comprehensive testing for compliance with the declared characteristics. Chemical, physical, engineering, acoustic, design and mathematical tests are performed. After successfully passing the laboratory test, tires are additionally tested in real road conditions... Only after conducting comprehensive research, the tires of the Goodyear company go on sale, which is a guarantee of the quality of the tires of this company.

Model Description

Winter is a challenging time of the year for all motorists. With the onset of cold weather, many drivers think about which winter tires to choose and how not to spend extra money. Experts advise a new high-performance model of Ultragrip Ice Arctic winter tires.

Goodyear's winter tires, the Ultragrip Ice Arctic model in particular, are marketed for use on passenger cars... In the manufacture of this model, new production developments have been applied, contributing to the improvement of all characteristics of the tire. The company's engineers have gone to great lengths to create an inexpensive but high-tech tire designed to provide excellent handling, maneuverability and other handling characteristics.

The novelty of the 2012-2013 season from the American company Goodyear - UltraGrip Ice Arctic - was developed by professional engineers of the Luxembourg branch of the company. This model is optimal for many buyers both in terms of quality and price. Reviews for Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic tires confirm their leadership among similar products.

Thorns

Demonstrate best performance vehicle handling on snowy roads. On rubber with high-quality studding, even an inexperienced driver is able to cope with the unpredictable behavior of the car in snow conditions. During the history of their existence, the development of thorn species has undergone many stages. Modern high performance cleats consist of a lightweight body and a steel tip made from carbide materials.

Not the least important are the shape of the studs and their location on the tread. The latest technology MultiControl fabrication with an increased contact area contributes to the achievement of maximum vehicle handling on an icy surface. Ultragrip Ice Arctic cleats have a wide rear tip surface to help reduce stopping distances on ice. The tip also has sharp edges. They guarantee vehicle stability during difficult maneuvers, cornering and improve the overall traction characteristics of the Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic. Consumer feedback also confirms these characteristics.

Sturdier studs provide shorter braking distances on both snowy roads and ice. The technology of their fastening guarantees a reliable fixation in the tire tread. According to the declared characteristics, the new shape of the studs greatly improves the vehicle's cross-country ability on snowy roads.

Tread structure

The main purpose of any tire is to maximally cushion shocks and impacts resulting from the impact of uneven road surfaces. But the most important thing is the structure of the tread, which is responsible for the direct functions of the tires. The tread is also designed to protect the tire carcass from various mechanical damage. Therefore, the developers of Goodyear have made every effort to create a highly efficient tread for the new model.

Shoulder blocks

To improve movement in a slush, engineers have increased the shoulder tread blocks, contributing to better wheel traction. Thanks to this, the lateral stiffness of the tire has increased, the risk of side damage and unnecessary stress has been reduced.

Thanks to the wide and deep grooves embedded in the tread pattern, optimal drainage and reliable self-cleaning of the Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic are achieved. Consumer reviews about the grip properties of the tread are always positive.

Tire design

The behavior of a tire on the road is largely dependent on the tread pattern. The running characteristics of rubber, its adhesion capabilities, depend on the correctly selected type of it. The unusual design of the Goodyear tread with numerous V-shaped sipes demonstrates excellent traction and grip characteristics. The walls of the blocks have a stepped structure, which affects the stability of the car when driving on snowy roads.

According to tests carried out on the Ultragrip Ice Arctic tire, thanks to the special pattern and tread structure, the rubber reliably holds the car in case of side skids. Many models with similar characteristics let their owners down when making difficult cornering maneuvers. Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic delivers consistent lateral stability and maximum reliability on challenging winter roads. Consumer reviews are positive driving performance such rubber.

3D-BIS

3D-BIS technology is a unique invention of the developers of the Goodyear company. It is aimed at increasing the number of sipes located on the tread of the tire, since it is this factor that contributes to the improvement of grip characteristics. Densely spaced sipes during vehicle operation act together, improving braking and acceleration during active road traffic.

In addition, this technology has been used to prevent premature deformation of the tread blocks. The bulges and grooves embedded in the structure of each lamella when the wheel is moving tightly adhere to each other, which helps to increase the adhesion of the tread blocks to the road, as well as to maintain the shape of the tread. The two-layer cord construction of the tire guarantees stable handling and maximum contact between the tread and the road.

Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic Testing

Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic winter tires have been repeatedly tested for their functionality and suitability for the Russian winter. The reviews of professional drivers regarding these tires are as follows:

• The car accelerates well and demonstrates reliable braking both on ice and in snowdrifts.
• Stable cornering, without skidding and slipping.
• Goodyear tires make driving more predictable. These tires give the driver more confidence in all conditions on the winter road.
• When tested on a mixed road surface (ice covered with snow), the tires also performed excellently.
• The tread exhibits good longitudinal and lateral grip. Prevents wheel slippage - it keeps the car both on a straight road and in bends.
• Thanks to durable studs of complex geometry, the tires demonstrate confidence during acceleration and braking in all winter conditions.

Indicators and test results

Are there negative qualities Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic? Reviews of professional drivers also point to some of the critical aspects of the model. When tested on urban roads, they showed high noise and unreliable grip on wet asphalt.

For example, a publication such as Test World left the following reviews about Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic tires:

• when driving on bare ice with was 42.2 m (testing was carried out in high-speed mode 80 km / h).
• Acceleration time on an icy surface during vehicle operation was 3.3 s.
• The braking distance when driving was on a snow road at a speed of 53 m.
• Acceleration time when driving on snow during vehicle operation was 5.5 s.
• The braking distance when driving on a wet asphalt surface with anti-lock braking system amounted to 33.4 m.
• The braking distance when driving on dry asphalt with anti-lock braking system was 28.3 m.

Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic: reviews

Many car enthusiasts have special requirements for tires when the cold season comes, as the safety of all participants depends on their quality. road traffic... What are the characteristics of (winter) Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic rubber? Tire reviews boil down to the following parameters:

• Excellent performance in snowdrifts and on ice.
• Lateral stability.
• Resistance to drifts.
• Maneuvering support.
• Efficiency (lower fuel consumption is noted).
• Unsuitability of the tire in city mode.

Buying Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic tires, prices

Prices for tires of this model directly depend on the size of the diameter wheel rim... Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic SUVs cost 4000-11000 rubles per tire. Smaller tires start at RUB 2,100. Tires belong to the middle budget segment.

On the forums, you can often see active discussion of the Goodyear Ultra grip Ice Arctic D-Stud tire. Most often, the owners speak positively about this model, noting the above advantages of rubber. Catalog car tires Goodyear contains sizes from R13 to R18. In addition, tires are also classified by type, speed index and load index. The price category also depends on all these factors. Lifting and high-speed models have a higher cost.

You can buy Goodyear tires in all shops in the country that specialize in the sale of tire products.

Conclusion

Arctic winter tires are optimal for use on snowy and icy road surfaces. It is undesirable to use them in large cities, where loose snow and ice are rarely found on the roads. Customer reviews of Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic almost always give the highest rating to the quality of a tire, recommending it to others.

The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is a premium winter studded tire with directional tread pattern for passenger cars.

Also the model has for crossovers and SUVs.

Country of origin: Germany, Luxembourg, Poland.

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic Test by Swedish Auto Motor & Sport in 2015

In 2015, experts from the Swedish edition of Auto Motor & Sport conducted a test winter tires Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic in size 205/55 R16 and compared it with fifteen budget, medium and premium tires. For clarity of the results, not only similar spike tires, but also friction models of the Nordic type took part in the test.

Test results

According to the results of the test, Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic took the fifth place in the overall standings and, in general, showed balanced results in each of the disciplines (although there were some drawbacks).

The tire brakes very well on ice, snow, wet and dry asphalt (on each of the surfaces it was in the top three among similar studs), however, there are problems regarding acceleration and handling, which did not allow it to take a higher position in the overall rating.

Discipline		A place	A comment
	Braking on wet asphalt	3	a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 0.59 meters longer; b) with the best friction tire - shorter by 0.74 meters.
	Handling on wet asphalt	3	a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 1.13 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - less by 0.27 sec.
	Dry braking	9	Difference in stopping distance: a) with the best friction tire(the leader of the test) - 2.13 meters longer; b) with the best studded tire - 0.9 meters longer.
	Braking on ice	3	Difference in stopping distance: a) with the best studded tire - 1.05 meters longer; b) with the best friction tire - shorter by 0.04 meters.
	Lateral stability on ice	15	Lap time difference: a) with a better studded tire - 0.11 min longer. b) with the best friction tire (leader of the test) - longer by 0.08 min.
	Acceleration on ice	6	Difference in acceleration time to 25 km / h: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 1.44 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - less by 0.12 sec.
	Snow braking	2	Difference in stopping distance: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - longer by 0.05 meters; b) with the best friction tire - 0.31 meters longer.
	Acceleration in the snow	3	Difference in acceleration time to 30 km / h: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 0.16 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - less by 0.1 sec.
	Lateral stability in snow	5	Lap time difference: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 0.79 sec longer; b) with a better friction tire - 0.97 sec longer.
	Profitability	13-15	Fuel consumption difference: a) with the best studded tire - more by 0.07 l / 10 km; b) with the best friction tire - more by 0.02 l / 10 km;

Review of the experts who conducted the test:

They behave very well on dry asphalt and well on wet ones. On ice and snow, handling is not effective enough.