Brocktoon

I'll let you know how this little $340 per wheel experiment goes... Plan on running them Nov-April.

Although they are marketed as a severe all-weather, all season in North America, they are sold as a winter tire in Europe. However, I get a 100,000km all-season warranty on a "snowflake-mountain" snow tire. How neat is that?

Out of the gate on dry roads, stopping and starting has none of the squishy snow tire feeling, but you can notice a difference in noise and buzzing. Maybe they will settle in like other snows when they scrub up a bit. In turns and quick transitions they feel way more "snow tire", than "all season", for sure. Not really sure why they are attempting to sell them as such over here...

I'm looking forward to seeing how these tires work in the ice and snow. I have been somewhat disapointed with all-out snows in our winters as we have an even split of "snow and arctic", "wet and cool", and "warm and dry" days. They can all happen in one week... I found that pure winter tire products were just too snow oriented for the less than 10% per annum I'm on snow.

On various vehicles I hve tried Pilot Alipn, X-ice, Hakka Q, Pirelli ICE and Blizzak over the past eight years or so. Of those,I would say that the ICE and Hakkas were the best, were ok on dry roads, but could become downright scary on wet roads with any loose surface. I'm hoping to cure this with the WR2G slant (as advertised in Europe) as a snow tire with slush and dry-road strengths.

No snow in the forecast, but it will be here soon enough... I'll keep you posted.

malahhaor

That's Nokian, Nokia is a phone
I've had these on my last 3 cars all year round. All cars were RWD.
Do not expect miracles, when you lose control, it does not matter what tire you have, you will slide.
All i can tell you is that they are way better in the snow traction than any other tire i ever had. Back when i had a C320 i used to take of a stop light faster than SUVs next to me. just have to feather the gas pedal properly. Had them on a Lexus GS, worked great in the winter. Just fine in the summer as well since GS wasn't the best handling car in the world anyway, the tires were just fine. Now i have them on a CLK500. Still even with a 5L engine i am better in the snow then 80% of the cars out there. I get people staring at me when i'm able to move of the line in a foot of snow. They do not perform up to the needs of the CLK, but I for the most part I don’t drive that crazy. Still, only snow tire I know that I would be ok doing 120 with on the highway.
With all that said, if you push it around the corner or off the line, do not expect it to hold traction, it won't. No tire in the world would when it's Ice or snow on the ground. It will, however, be easier to handle those conditions. The friend that got me hooked on Nokians had them all year round on his 740IL (Now he is a crazy driver)

P.S, I’ve always used WRs. WRG2 should be 20% better. As per statistics.
Since you got tall tires, you probablly feel allot of sway, but give it a chance, in bad weather you will be glad you got these.

Brocktoon

Well, they started out as the same company and they used to be called Nokia up here, so I stick with tradition.

Good to hear you have had good luck with them. I have driven through 25 Canadian winters, so I know the limitations of tires, and generally run two sets. All tires are a compromise. It's good to hear the WR line does not give up too much snow performance for wet/dry handling.

Powerguy

Put the Hakka 5's on my GL450 last winter. They worked great.

ksdprasad

any pics?

MKW

Bridgestone owns about 20% of Nokian, which like prev posted, split off from the Finnish Nokia conglomerate decades ago.

My WR AWP tires are amazing on my Audi - I can do donuts in deep snow and stop on a dime with them . They are " all season " but with snowflake symbol as winter tire due to tread compound being supple in sub zero weather and all the siping.
This model tire is also one of the Porsche OEM -approved snow tires for their 997 Turbo in Germany.

OTOH, they develop a low frequency moaning sound at neighborhood speeds on dry roads with tire wear .

Brocktoon

Here's a video from Nokia:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiKOJ0tuGMI

It's is the suv version of the second tire they test...

Benzo 003

can you specify what wheel and tire you have/purchased......thanks

Brocktoon

I did not buy wheels. I bought the tires depicted in the post above yours.

Do you want the size or something?

Benzo 003

I am sorry for the confusion....what size tires did you purchase?

Do you have 18, 19, or 20 inch wheels currently on the vehicle with the Nokian tires mounted on them?

Brocktoon

265 60 18 114H xl

on factory wheels.

Brocktoon

Ok, had a chance to try them out on a snow covered stretch of mountain highway today...

Overall, the performance seemed pretty good, but it was a fairly limited test. I was able to lock in 120km/h+ on mountain twisties on the cruise control without it disengaging, so that means there was no intevention from the traction computer. (It turns off, if the computer detects any slip...) My trip started in a dry town and ended in one, so I can't comment on braking or ice performance yet.

They are pretty noisy on damp roads, and under deceleration at highway speeds, though.

Brocktoon

Ok, had a real try this morning. -29 degrees, drove on everything from one foot of loose powder, hard packed snow, sanded roads, and clean ice.

Seem to be the best all round snow tires I have ever tried...

ps: I have been writing the model name wrong, it is WRG2 SUV.

2thdr

Brocktoon,

Are you referring to -29C or -29F?

How was the grip on the ice? I run WRG2's on my wife's old Honda civic and have had great experiences.

Please keep us updated on your experience with the tires.

Brocktoon

-29 C or -21 F...

I thought the grip on ice was very good, and I also understand that the SUV tread pattern with the single centre rib is better for ice grip than the pattern on the auto size tires...

lkchris

They look like a good tire choice.

They've a bit higher load rating than Mercedes spec (XL) but that's not much disadvantage save for perhaps they weigh a little more. They're not an MO (Mercedes approved) tire but there are only two in this size last I checked (Conti and Dunlop) and neither are available in N. America in any event.

http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=1...okian+WRG2+SUV

Benzo 003

hey brocktoon.....

how's the road noise on dry pavement compared to the stock tires...?

Brocktoon

Worse, but not too bad at all. It is a noticeable difference from my Latitudes, though. I do intend to run these in winter only.


I was wondering how long it would be before Ikchris brought up the MO thing...five weeks, that not bad!

Brocktoon

Update:

About -15C right now with fine dry snow falling on hardpacked icy roads. Some loss of braking performance, as to be expected, but limited loss in forward traction, and no apparent loss in lateral movements (I was attempting to skidpad around the community centre parking lot) takes way more than you would expect to break loose. Nothing you would even do under emergency driving. Very happy.

2thdr

Brocktoon,

What size wheels do you normally run in the summer? 19's/20's? In comparison to those summer tires/wheels, do you find the ride to be any less stiff with the 18" tires/wheels? If not, I am wondering if the increased load factor plays into any perceived similarity or increase in stiffness.

Thanks.

Brocktoon

I run 18s in the summer. Not really sure the 114 sidewalls make any difference in ride or precision, they are just as cushy as the Latitudes, but neither are sloppy.