Thanks, AstroTurf, for posting a link to that ConsumerSearch site. I was a bit skeptical at first because you never can be sure of the commercial interests behind a website … but I like to think I have an open mind so I read with interest. They seemed to do a pretty good job summarizing a number of different tire tests they have found on the web … not an easy thing to do as different tests omit different tires.
Their summation seems to be that the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 is the best all around tire … but that’s still debatable as they say it is the best on ice … but the Nokian Hakkapeliita R is better in deep snow. So, a buyer has to decide which condition is more important. Also, the Continental Extreme Winter Contact was close to the Micheline X-Ice (even favored in some areas like deep snow) but it was a Tire Rack test which did not include the Hakka R. Very hard to get an apples-to-apples-to-apples comparison.
This year, I am junking my worn out, studded, Nokian Hakkapeliita 2s and am going with a set of the studless Hakka Rs. While I enjoyed the studded Hakka 2s, especially in icy conditions, we don’t see enough ice here to justify the noise and vibration associated with studded tires. The Hakka 2s I used featured Nokian’s “eco-stud” system which had a softer rubber compound in the seat of the stud hole that was supposed to be less damaging to road surfaces. Their new “Air Claw” stud system uses an air chamber to (supposedly) make the stud noise/vibration less noticeable. Thanks, maybe next time. I drive from NY to Connecticut every Christmas and am still suffering a bit of post-stud PTSD from the long-ish trip.
The low rolling resistance of the Hakka Rs are just gravy as I do take at least one long-ish trip each holiday season.
The difference in price between Nokians and the others is easy for me to justify as I will have these tires at least 6-7 years (making the $ per year insignificant) and the shop that sells Nokians is my favorite local mechanic and I feel like I don’t give him enough business.
