20 best winter tires for crossovers

These tires, with a cost that is quite affordable for the R17-R18 sizes, can also be seen on quite decent crossovers. Features of the tread pattern with a central rib allow a heavy car to maintain excellent directional stability on a winter road.The owners note the good tenacity of the tire in the road conditions of the city - the studded tread adequately copes with its tasks in moderate winter conditions. According to the test (traditionally the most running size R16) conducted by the Ukrainian edition Avtocentre, the Eco Stud SUV showed the second result on the wet road, losing only to the Cooper Weather-Master. However, in the end, the tires for the SUV ended up in last place, demonstrating poor grip on ice and, accordingly, handling. Also, one of the disadvantages of this winter tire is the difficulty of balancing - in order to balance the wheel, a decent weight shipment will be required.

Despite the spikes, this winter tire is reasonably quiet. Excellent directional stability and good grip, along with the reviews of the owners, are also confirmed by tests of various publications. A couple of years ago, "Behind the Wheel" defined these tires as well-balanced "middle tires" that perform well in the wet, but are not able to stop an SUV on ice as well as premium tires from Bridgestone (there are many similarities in the tread pattern of models) .Maybe it was wrong to test the Chinese budget tires with the premium segment, but GT Radial did not give up and showed quite acceptable capabilities, especially considering its cost in the amount of R18. The owners point out the quality fit of the studded rigs – there are many cases when the rollers entered the third season with a full set of steel tips.

Domestic studded tires were deservedly among our participants. Reinforced tires are supplied to the market in 37 sizes, which makes it easy to choose the best option R 16 for budget crossovers, and R17-R18 for more solid SUVs. Tests carried out at the Finnish test site Test World have shown the benefits of Snow Cross 2 SUV, which provided new technologies. Thus, the Ice-Cor studding system ensures grip stability when maneuvering on a winter road, and the voluminous Snow-Cor lamellas with sharp edges allow us to talk about excellent directional stability and good driving characteristics on a snowy track.At the same time, do not forget that Cordiant operates in strict accordance with European regulations, placing no more than 60 spikes per linear meter of tread. The test results are also confirmed by the owners, additionally noting the good acoustic properties of the rubber, its softness in severe frosts and excellent snow flotation due to the increased blocks along the tread edge. The tire's capabilities are noticeably inferior to the Finnish Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV, but the price difference more than compensates for this shortcoming.

On these tires, the owners more than once got into serious potholes without consequences - Korean rubber keeps blows of the roads surprisingly very worthy. At the same time, there is no need to talk about driving dynamics - the tires are not able to provide safe high-speed maneuvering. Already at a speed of under 80 km / h, rebuilding causes concern - a heavy SUV strives to go into a skid. Similar behavior was noted during overcoming areas with ice and on wet roads. Fans of fast driving in winter conditions should switch their attention to a more significant price tag - this offer will be of more interest to urban sluggards.The sidewalls are extremely soft, they hold light crossovers well, but larger cars, such as the Sorento, behave frankly unpredictably on the Roadstone WINGUARD - saving on shoes will cost more with cars of this class. But the behavior on clean asphalt, despite the studding, is quite decent - there is even quite decent comfort for an affordable price. Last winter, the experts of "Behind the wheel" during the test were able to verify the moderation of the driving characteristics of this tire (R16).

Despite the lack of acoustic comfort, the budget spike from the Serbian Tigar deservedly turned out to be among our participants. The key factor in choosing a budget model is not so much the price (although it is simply wonderful for the R18), but its durability. Owners can safely put a studded tire on the wheels of their SUVs at near-zero temperatures. You should not be afraid of losing spikes and lightning wear - rubber in this regard has shown itself just fine.In terms of driving performance, SUV Ice tests confirm excellent braking on winter roads, good directional stability and reliable traction in difficult areas with smooth ice or in melted slush. Many note the excessive hum of a new tire, but after a break-in (by the way, here it is an order of magnitude longer than the traditional 200-500 km), the noise decreases to a level that is quite acceptable for studded tires.

The Finnish nine can safely be considered the most advanced development for a winter road, capable of instilling confidence in any driver in full control over a heavy SUV or crossover, regardless of the condition of the roadway. Snow, ice or wet asphalt under the wheels for studded handling Hakkapeliitta 9 have no effect. The popular automotive publication Tuulilasi, which tested these tires in R16 sizes, recorded the best stopping distance and cornering stability on an icy track.The tire behaves a little worse on wet pavement and quite badly on dry pavement (friction Velcro tires of the same brand show much more attractive characteristics). Under these conditions, Hakka 9 immediately fell back to 6th place. The economy of rubber also leaves much to be desired, but in the harsh Russian winters this does not really matter.

This winter tire is a good average tire that looks confident among premium brands. "Behind the wheel" only last year carried out repeated tests with the participation of studded Nord Frost in R16, awarding the tire 7th place in the final rating. The tire does not give up on bare asphalt and rows perfectly in the snow. As for behavior on ice, with skillful control of the speed limit, SUVs on this rubber behave perfectly. Moreover, tenacity directly depends on the radius - R17-R18 tires (by the way, the most popular in the SUV line) give the driver an order of magnitude more confidence in their actions. Excellent traction performance was achieved thanks to the asymmetric tread with a large number of cutting edges and Eco Tri-Star steel tips.It is also impossible not to note the number of three-dimensional sipes - not all friction tires have such an abundance and multidirectional configurations.

In severe winter conditions, the studded Pirelli Ice Zero for an SUV turned out to be one of the best solutions. According to the Finnish Test World test conducted back in 2016, the tire showed excellent braking and acceleration results on ice, and boasts handling on wet pavement comparable to premium winter Velcro. This grip was achieved through the Dual Stud technology used in the design of the stud and directional tread. For better crossover stability, preference should be given to R17-R18 and higher. On all-wheel drive SUVs, the R16 will also provide good handling. At the same time, tires in any size demonstrate excellent acoustic properties, which allows us to consider studded Ice Zero the quietest winter tires. At the same time, its durability is beyond praise. Tires are like new for the third season.

Keeping a heavy SUV on an icy track is not difficult if the most innovative rubber is on the wheels of the car. A directional studded tire can contain up to 300 steel spikes on its tread (we are talking about sizes R17, R18 and above). Rubber for crossovers is distinguished by a double carcass and a special sealing layer that retains its elasticity in any frost. Despite the abundance of steel bars in the tread, X-Ice North 4 boasts acoustic comfort even while driving on clean asphalt. The use of technology used in rally tires (WRC) has reduced the risk of studs blowing out under any load conditions - these studded tires are considered by many experts to be the most durable. Tests of the most popular size R16, conducted last year by the publications "Behind the wheel", Test World, Vi Billagare, recognized them as the best in their class (in Vi Billagare, as in our rating, Michelin lost a little to Conti).

Asymmetric studding is distinguished not only by enviable durability (for some owners of crossovers, rollers in R17 or R18 last 5-6 seasons!). IceContact 2 SUV was specially developed for the conditions of the Scandinavian winters and is very popular in the northern regions of Russia. Additionally, it is worth noting the presence of stepped sipes, which, located inside the checkers of the pattern, significantly improved grip on snow and ice slush. Lightweight CristallDubb studs made it possible to increase their number on the tire tread, which immediately affected the stability of off-road vehicles on a smooth ice surface. At the same time, the innovative tip configuration resulted in a decent noise reduction. Features of the seat and the technology of soldering spikes into rubber allow you to operate tires at positive temperatures without fear of losing them and reducing grip.

One of the most wear-resistant tires in the budget segment, offered on the domestic market at the most affordable price for friction rubber in size R18. Due to the high elasticity of the working area of ​​the tread, Kormoran SUV Snow behaves perfectly in full-fledged winter conditions, showing the best grip on ice and when driving on snowy roads. The tire, designed for heavy SUVs and having an original configuration of tread blocks (connected to each other for rigidity by jumpers), also perfectly tolerates shock loads. This is a great merit of the reinforced double cord. Many owners consider the disadvantage to be too modest model range with radius R16 - only one option (215/70). At the same time, the R17 boasts 6 typical sizes, for which there is a real hunt between the owners of budget crossovers due to the low price tag.

A good winter friction due to the huge number of multidirectional sipes does well without spikes while driving on moderate snow and ice. An SUV with its mass makes them work to the fullest. At the same time, severe frosts are not her strong point. Already at -15 there is a loss of elasticity, and the driver should be careful. To compensate for this shortcoming, the non-studded Velcro tire performs well on brushed city pavement.In deep snow and icy slush, flotation can be difficult and active steering assistance will be required when driving through difficult sections in yards and away from major highways. However, a quite pleasant price tag for the R17-R18 allows owners to look past the nuances of control - the tires are definitely worth the money, quiet and will provide stability to the crossovers on a cleaned track.

This crossover winter Velcro has some serious acoustic comfort. Despite the size (even the R17-R18 rollers work quietly) and speed, the owners of this rubber are completely satisfied with this characteristic. As for driving performance, which is more important for winter operation, the Tigar SUV Winter is good here too. The sipes applied on the tread blocks literally every couple of millimeters provide the friction tire with excellent grip. Multidirectional "sticks" in the center have an acute-angled configuration, and closer to the edge of the tread, they are cut in waves. This gives the rubber excellent directional stability and obedience when maneuvering.Not without drawbacks - the tires wear out quickly, especially if the winter was not snowy.

This South Korean winter Velcro can be described as the most successful tire in the budget segment. A confident "middle peasant" demonstrates the solidarity of driving performance - the rubber has no obvious flaws. The self-cleaning tread with an abundance of double drainage grooves has a directional pattern that provides satisfactory obedience in driving a heavy off-road vehicle. At the same time, the drainage systems are made at a slight angle, thanks to which the friction tire shows excellent traction characteristics (the differences with other participants in the rating are especially pronounced on tires R18 and higher). The high density of lamellas, the cutting feature of which does not reduce the rigidity of the tread blocks, gives the crossover stability in corners and high-speed maneuvering. But there is also a reverse side of the coin - the high elasticity of rubber, being an advantage for a cold winter, at near-zero temperatures significantly accelerates the wear of a tire with an original pattern.

The quality of this budget rubber is beyond doubt - friction rollers have been tested by time and by many users. Back in 2016, they were duly appreciated by the testers of the Autoreview publication - the test results (tires in size R16) of independent experts allow us to speak of Nordman RS2 as one of the best offers in its segment. Velcro perfectly hold the winter road, easily endure shocks - the sidewalls and the tread are quite reliable for our roads. At the same time, the tires are completely unsuitable for moving in a rut and strive to jump out of it, regardless of the weight of the SUV. Many users are convinced that this is one of the best solutions for the city. Owners who have the main mileage in the winter on the highway frankly advise making a choice in favor of another participant.

For those who like to drive crossovers in winter at breathtaking speed, this rubber will not work. It is chosen by unhurried SUV owners who prefer to drive quietly and longer. By the way, about “quiet” it’s not an allegory at all - non-studded Velcro from the island of Taiwan really do not make noise when working. Many owners were able to appreciate the positive properties of these friction tires even at the stage of putting them on the car. Weighty rollers (and what else to call tires with a landing radius of R17-R18 and above) are easily balanced with a minimum shipment. If outside the window is not lower than 3-5 degrees of frost, be prepared for the roll of the crossover when changing lanes on a winter road. It goes well on snow, porridge, and behavior on ice depends on the skills of the driver - the moment of stall is very sensitive, and a decrease in speed quickly stops the skid that has begun. A couple of years ago, this statement was confirmed during tests (as usual - R16) conducted by specialists from the Avtocenter publication.

For premium 4WD SUVs winter friction tire Winter Sottozero 3 from Italian Pirelli is a real find. The testers found her excellent center balance. Thanks to this quality of the elite (and one of the most expensive in size R18) non-studded Velcro rubber, it showed high grip rates with winter dry asphalt and wet (melted) roads. The test is fresh, as are the tires themselves. It was held last year by the German magazine Auto Zeitung, whose experts are famous for their meticulous attention to detail. Many owners of crossovers do not advise climbing into deep snow on these skating rinks, and even more so, going to the winter primer outside the city.

Already according to the tread pattern of Japanese iceGUARD Velcro Yokohama becomes clear about the urban purpose of this rubber.Indeed, in the reviews (and more than a hundred of them were processed), the owners express surprise at the ability of the tires to brake perfectly on ice. Under the weight of the SUV and due to the presence of polymers in the rubber mixture, the lamellas create a “sticky” effect on any surface, not only drying the contact patch, but also holding tenaciously to the base. At the same time, the tire perfectly removes water and snow porridge from the zone of contact with the road, is characterized by high directional stability and precise control. Each of the running sizes from R16-R17 to R20 has a dozen profile variations, allowing you to choose your own version for almost any crossover. Owners note hum and increased noise levels, but not all. Most point to the driving advantages of behavior on a winter road and a price that is pleasant for a thoroughbred Japanese, taking this drawback for granted.

This friction tire for winter use is the best choice for those who are used to being in control. At the same time, owners of prestigious SUVs will not pay the highest price. Auto Bild conducted tests in 2016, a little later, in 2018 - Mosavtoshina. Both publications compared the capabilities of the DM-V2 in size R16.In the premium segment, tires in both cases were in the middle of the reporting table, showing balanced results in all tests without exception. The tire provides confident maneuvering on asphalt, on ice, and on a snowy track. The directional pattern and large side blocks provide excellent flotation through snowy obstacles and makes it easy to keep the course during high-speed traffic on country roads. Rubber also effectively slows down on a dry surface, but also wears out quickly in a snowy winter.

The confident behavior of an SUV on a snowy road - this is how many owners try to briefly characterize this winter Velcro. Friction rollers in sizes R17 and above generate noise levels comparable to summer tires in this class. In urban operation of a crossover, this is far from the last characteristic that determines the choice. But the Ultra Grip Ice SUV demonstrates that the tyre's performance is just as good. Judge for yourself: the tests of the Finnish Test World, conducted 4 years ago, showed good braking parameters on snow (traditionally tested R16).Due to weak acceleration on ice, skidding on dry pavement and average stability on wet roads, the tire got the second place among the tires in its price segment, only slightly allowing itself to get ahead of the models from the French Michelin.