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Many car owners who spend most of the winter driving around the city or cleared highways opt for non-studded tires. It provides high driving safety and the necessary level of comfort in such conditions. In friction tires, good grip with the roadway is ensured by the elasticity of the rubber compound and a large number of sipes. The Russian automotive market offers the consumer a wide selection of non-studded tires from different manufacturers.

Best Inexpensive Velcro

Cordiant Winter Drive

Cordiant Winter Drive

Friction tire designed specifically for the conditions of the Russian winter. Excellent road holding on a snow-covered canvas up to a speed of 180-190 kilometers per hour, after which the intensity of the withdrawal of water and snow porridge from under the wheels decreases sharply. However, for some fans of fast driving, this fact does not play a big role.

According to users, Velcro from Cordiant has one single serious drawback — it provides not very good car handling on ice (especially melted) and wet asphalt. Perhaps the reason for this is the asymmetrical tread pattern, which cannot cope with the task of evenly breaking the water film and removing water from the contact zone of the wheel with the surface. Nevertheless, this disadvantage is more than covered by obvious advantages, including low noise level, and a high degree of wear resistance (subject to uniform operation), and reliability, and the price parameter that is vital for many.

Nexen Winguard Ice

Nexen Winguard Ice

Winguard Ice outperformed many competitors in terms of price-quality ratio. This is an inexpensive tire model, characterized by low noise and smooth running. According to customer reviews, the tires comfortably overcome all the bumps on the roads, are almost silent and have a good operational resource.

The secret of outstanding performance lies in the symmetrical tread pattern, which effectively absorbs noise and vibrations. Stability on the road is the merit of the sipes in the central part of the tires, developed using a unique innovative technology. And during sharp braking and when passing sharp turns, shoulder symmetrical blocks come into play. The qualitative composition of the rubber compound endowed the tires with an extended service life, car owners note low wear even when operating in the «taxi» mode.

Toyo Observe Garit GIZ

Toyo Observe Garit GIZ

High-quality rubber from a Japanese manufacturer, the main advantage of which is the wear resistance indicator. It lasts an average of five to six seasons, even with a very tough operating mode and aggressive driving style.

Quite unexpectedly, the Toyo Observe Garit GIZ’s weakest point was its behavior on various types of roadway. Even in the presence of sections of dry asphalt, acceleration to hundreds and rebuilding at speeds close to this value carries small drifts and “floating” of the car. With this behavior, it is better to avoid sharp maneuvers altogether, especially on snowy or wet surfaces. But the patency of icy and snow-covered areas is very good — the tread with wide stripes in the central part of the tire well removes snow porridge from the grip zone, thereby giving the necessary grip. In general, this is a good budget option for equipping a car, available to all consumers.

Pirelli Ice Zero FR

Pirelli Ice Zero FR

Rubber of the Italian brand is the best alternative to studded tires for cold northern winters. The model is good for movement in the city at a temperature of -50º to +7ºС and has an acceptable maximum speed index. Among car owners, Ice Zero FR has proven itself well. Due to the excellent grip with the road surface, the tires behave confidently, both on dry pavement and in deep snow.

A standout feature is the rubber compound, which includes silicon dioxide, and 3D sipes on the tread blocks that form additional edges. Therefore, the tires boast increased snow grip and efficient tread ice clearance. The Ice Zero FR is a safe and comfortable tire with low noise levels, excellent handling and quick steering response. Users attributed only a slight hum to the weaknesses, which manifests itself at high speed.

The best flypapers of the middle price segment

Bridgestone Blizzak Revo GZ

Bridgestone Blizzak Revo GZ

A Japanese development that gained immense popularity immediately after entering a large market. The revolutionary idea of ​​creating a tire based on porous rubber, behaving like a sponge, has made it possible to achieve tremendous results in the field of hydroplaning and breaking the water film. Among other things, the developers have provided for the possibility of using rubber during thaws. Each block has a so-called support, which prevents the next sector from collapsing, thereby reducing tread wear.

According to the consumers themselves, the Revo GZ has relative noiselessness, excellent handling on dry and wet pavement, as well as good cross-country ability on ice and snowy roads. As a pleasant bonus to such parameters, there is an attractive price, affordable for almost all users.

Yokohama Geolandar I/TS G073

Yokohama Geolandar I/TS G073

Designed for SUV owners, the Yokohama Geolandar I/TS G073 Velcro winter tire will also provide comfort and safety on the road to passenger sedans (size ranges from R 15 to R 22 are on sale). This non-studded tire demonstrates quite decent behavior on wet roads and in snow. New developments and modernization of the tread pattern made it possible to improve traction on ice by 30%.

Built with I/TS technology, the center rib ensures even load distribution and consistently excellent contact with the winter road. The presence of additional hooks on the shoulder block and zigzag grooves made it possible to achieve a better edge effect in the snow. The multidirectionality of the three-dimensional sipes ensures fast and high-quality evacuation of moisture from the contact patch, thereby guaranteeing confident control and a shortened braking distance. In addition to high technical performance, the Yokohama Geolandar I/TS G073 studless tire has excellent external performance thanks to a good design find in the form of a reflective sidewall.

Nokian Tires Hakkapeliitta R3

Nokian Tires Hakkapeliitta R3

Tires Hakkapeliitta R3 studless winter tire has excellent performance for harsh conditions. In terms of responsiveness and predictability of behavior, many users put it on a par with studded counterparts. When driving within acceptable speed limits, the rubber does not present unpleasant surprises and instantly responds to steering turns. If you move in an aggressive manner, then the drifts during sharp maneuvers will be smooth, and the skills of a race car driver will not be needed to return the car to a given trajectory.

The situation does not change when it hits the ice, here the tires also please with stability and do not require frequent intervention by ABS and other electronic assistants. Durability leaves much to be desired, soft sidewalls are easily damaged by the sharp edges of potholes, but given the low price and extended manufacturer’s warranty, this is not a critical drawback.

The best Velcro premium segment

Continental ContiVikingContact 6

Continental ContiVikingContact 6

An excellent non-studded tire of German origin, which in a short time has earned worldwide recognition from professionals and great love from ordinary motorists. Engineering thought was embodied in a very real concept of rubber, equally good for basic types of coverage. Powerful shoulder area provides reliable adhesion to the asphalt surface. It consists of several blocks that protect each other in case of lateral overloads. The central zone of the tire is responsible for handling, hydroplaning protection and braking performance on ice, which is provided by a high number of sipes.

The main contribution to the movement on snow is made by the inner shoulder zone, consisting of paired blocks with rigid lamellas and lintels in the form of sides that prevent the “streams” from sticking together to remove snow. As a result, we get an excellent Velcro that fully justifies its cost.

Michelin Latitude X Ice 2

Michelin Latitude X Ice 2

Despite the fact that the Latitude X-Ice 2 has a directional pattern, it is not at all afraid of the rut. At the same time, the behavior on ice is considered the strength of this rubber. The braking distance of the tire is almost 2 meters shorter than that of its direct competitors. As for wet pavement, the Latitude X-Ice 2 does not behave as confidently on it and does not fully demonstrate the effectiveness of volumetric sipes.

The use of Comfort Control Technology significantly reduces vibration and noise level during the operation of the wheel — you can safely call this rubber the quietest in the category of winter Velcro. In general, this is one of the best tires for urban winters, which will allow you to go where others can pass — for a non-studded tire, the car overcomes climbs on an icy road of 15-20 ° with unexpected confidence.

GOODYEAR Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

GOODYEAR Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

Tested in Germany by Auto Bild Allrad a couple of years ago, this Velcro tire showed excellent handling on winter roads covered with ice or snow. The only value that stood out from the rest of the results was the stopping distance on snow. But the handling on ice or behavior on bare pavement in winter was recognized as one of the best.

In addition to excellent responsiveness to steering movements, the tire has a low noise level and economy. After a couple of hundred runs on this Velcro, the owners generally begin to forget that they are driving on a winter road — on the track, even at high speed, the car shows excellent grip. Sections with an icy surface of the tire pass quite confidently, if at the same time you do not actively maneuver. When there is ice under the wheels and it is necessary to turn, the owner should choose the speed mode more carefully, and if there is no time left for braking, just slowly release the gas and go “pull”. GOODYEAR Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 will cope with any situation in which the driver has not exceeded the acceptable threshold of reasonable behavior on a winter road.

Best Velcro for SUVs

Michelin Latitude Alpin 2

Michelin Latitude Alpin 2

These tires are just perfect for crossovers and SUVs. The model is famous for its high elasticity, thanks to which the tires do not tan in the cold and retain their properties during sudden temperature changes. Tires are designed for mild winters in the southern regions, so they hold the road perfectly on dry pavement, wet surfaces and snow slush. The adaptability to a variety of weather conditions is due to the introduction of technologies, both new and time-tested. For example, the special Full Active Tread tread in combination with the V-shaped groove direction evenly distributes the load on the contact patch and provides better grip. In addition, the tires are very quiet and comfortable — these are the advantages that buyers note in almost all reviews. And the only downside was the high cost.

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2

The third member of Bridgestone’s Blizzak series, showing what the reference all-terrain SUV tire should be. The Japanese took into account the experience of creating the first version of VM Velcro and brought several new (at that time) technological solutions to the project. In particular, the central tread line was significantly redesigned, which acquired not only a more aesthetic appearance, but also improved the performance of snow removal from the contact patch by about 20-30 percent.

The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is the rare case when a non-studded tire combines good flotation performance on snow and open ice (mainly due to the reinforced side part), as well as results close to summer tires on dry and wet pavement. As a result, a good purchase, fully justifying the high price tag and driving performance, and reliability parameters.

Hankook DynaPro i*cept RW08

Hankook DynaPro i*cept RW08

One of the most confident Velcro tires in terms of behavior on a winter road. They row perfectly in the snow, confidently hold the road on dry and wet asphalt, and are predictable on ice — such characteristics of this non-studded rubber can be heard from its owners. For those who are accustomed to trusting more serious sources, it is enough to know that in an independent test conducted by Auto Bild, the Hankook DynaPro i * cept RW08 tires showed the second result in braking and accelerating on ice. At the same time, they lost (and even then, quite slightly) only Nokian Hakkapelitta R2 SUV.

The handling test showed a fast wintry lap time of just 1.7 seconds faster than the Continental ContiVikingContact 6, a very high result. In normal operation, the owners boldly drive out of town on this rubber, confident in the excellent performance of the i * cept RW08. Many note too rapid wear, but for Velcro this is a common occurrence.

Nokian Tires Nordman RS2 SUV

Nokian Tires Nordman RS2 SUV

Nokian tires have earned popularity not only for their reasonable price, but also for their good combination of comfort and handling. According to car owners, these are very high-quality Velcro tires for SUVs, reliable and safe. Climatic operating conditions are northern cold winters, however, even in warm weather, tires retain their properties, which has been tested in practice by buyers.

In wet weather, with ice, snowdrifts or porridge, the car drives confidently, quickly responds to steering commands and brakes clearly, without involving ABS. I was also pleased with the high strength, the rubber is not afraid of pits and bumpy roads. However, when buying, you need to take into account the low speed index.

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