Winter tyres
Soft compound and dense siping for snow, ice and near-zero cold.
Below about 7 °C, summer compounds harden and lose grip; winter compounds stay pliable, and their siped blocks bite into snow. Where roads freeze, a winter set is the single biggest safety upgrade you can make, including on a supercar.
- Suits
- Any car, in snow country
- Treadwear
- Not graded
- Typical life
- 3–5 winters
- Speed ratings
- H, V, W
Good for
- Snow and ice
- Alpine trips
- Sustained sub-zero temperatures
Think twice if
- Summer use: they wear fast and brake longer when warm
Do I need winter tyres for a snow trip in Australia?
For an occasional trip, carrying snow chains (required in some alpine areas) is usually enough. If you drive in snow and ice regularly, winter tyres are the biggest safety upgrade available: they stop and steer on ice far better than any summer or all-season tyre.
Character
- Dry grip
- 2 out of 5
- Wet grip
- 3 out of 5
- Below 7 °C
- 5 out of 5
- Snow & ice
- 5 out of 5
- Quiet & comfort
- 3 out of 5
- Tread life
- 3 out of 5
- Efficiency
- 2 out of 5
Leading winter tyres
- Premium
Michelin Pilot Alpin 53PMSF
Performance winter tyre for fast cars.
- Premium
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R53PMSF
Nordic studless benchmark for ice.
- Premium
Bridgestone Blizzak LM0053PMSF
Excellent wet and snow braking.
- Premium
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P3PMSF
Precise handling for alpine winters.
- Mid-rangeTyroola
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 33PMSF
Performance winter, common OE on sports cars.