{"id":5433,"date":"2025-10-09T09:26:30","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T09:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetirelab.com\/mag\/?p=5433"},"modified":"2025-10-09T09:26:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T09:26:31","slug":"auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/","title":{"rendered":"Auto Bild\u2019s 2025 big winter test (225\/40 R18): which tyres for a hot-hatch?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If your daily is an S3, GTI, A 35 or i30 N and you swap to real winters, this is <em>your<\/em> size. Auto Bild just ran its big 225\/40 R18 winter test and, as usual, started with a massive field and a ruthless cut. Here\u2019s the story behind the scores\u2014methods, quirks, and the little details that actually change what you buy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">\u2630<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d47c256bde9\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d47c256bde9\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#The_format%E2%80%94why_only_20_make_the_show\" title=\"The format\u2014why only 20 make the show\">The format\u2014why only 20 make the show<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#Where_with_what_and_how_they_measured\" title=\"Where, with what, and how they measured\">Where, with what, and how they measured<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#The_weighting_that_drives_the_rankings\" title=\"The weighting that drives the rankings\">The weighting that drives the rankings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#Personalities_at_the_sharp_end_translated_from_test-speak\" title=\"Personalities at the sharp end (translated from test-speak)\">Personalities at the sharp end (translated from test-speak)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#Wet_vs_snow_the_classic_winter_trade-off\" title=\"Wet vs. snow: the classic winter trade-off\">Wet vs. snow: the classic winter trade-off<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#Noise_comfort_because_you_hear_your_tyres_every_day\" title=\"Noise &amp; comfort (because you hear your tyres every day)\">Noise &amp; comfort (because you hear your tyres every day)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#The_%E2%80%9Ccosts%E2%80%9D_chapter_where_cheap_gets_expensive\" title=\"The \u201ccosts\u201d chapter: where cheap gets expensive\">The \u201ccosts\u201d chapter: where cheap gets expensive<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#Who_this_size_is_really_for\" title=\"Who this size is really for\">Who this size is really for<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/auto-bilds-2025-big-winter-test-225-40-r18-which-tyres-for-a-hot-hatch\/#Method_box_for_fellow_tyre_nerds\" title=\"Method box (for fellow tyre nerds)\">Method box (for fellow tyre nerds)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_format%E2%80%94why_only_20_make_the_show\"><\/span><strong>The format\u2014why only 20 make the show<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Auto Bild bought 51 tyres off retail shelves, then let the braking distance decide who\u2019s even allowed into the \u201cmain test.\u201d The qualifier is <em>pure safety<\/em>: add wet-brake distance to snow-brake distance, throw out everyone who needs too many meters, and carry the top-20 into the finals. In 2025, <strong>Dunlop Winter<\/strong> led the brake-off by a hair, with Michelin\u2019s <strong>Pilot Alpin 5<\/strong> and Goodyear\u2019s <strong>UGP 3<\/strong> right there\u2014Falken was the last tyre to sneak in.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Method note: Auto Bild\u2019s qualifier measures wet braking (historically from 80 km\/h) and snow braking (from 50 km\/h); that speed protocol is documented in their recent test write-ups and hasn\u2019t changed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_with_what_and_how_they_measured\"><\/span><strong>Where, with what, and how they measured<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finals ran on snow in <strong>Arvidsjaur (Sweden)<\/strong> and on wet\/dry at <strong>Contidrom (Wietze, Germany)<\/strong>\u2014all on a <strong>BMW M135i xDrive (300 PS)<\/strong>. Multiple runs per discipline, satellite data logging, controlled tyre temps\/pressures, and standardized noise &amp; wear rigs for the cost chapter. This is as lab-clean as a car test gets without leaving the road.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_weighting_that_drives_the_rankings\"><\/span><strong>The weighting that drives the rankings<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Auto Bild keeps the lens on real winter safety: <strong>Snow 30% + Wet 30% + Dry 20% + Costs 20%<\/strong> (costs = wear, price\/-km, rolling resistance). That balance is why a rain ace can jump places even if it\u2019s only \u201cgood\u201d on snow\u2014and why a snow rocket with mediocre wet grip won\u2019t win.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Personalities_at_the_sharp_end_translated_from_test-speak\"><\/span><strong>Personalities at the sharp end (translated from test-speak)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 \u2014 overall winner (1.1)<\/strong> The classic \u201cdoes everything right\u201d all-rounder and notably quiet. If you hate compromises, this is the benchmark\u2014at a premium price.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dunlop Winter \u2014 runner-up (1.2)<\/strong> A snow machine with strong traction and lateral grip; terrific value, just a touch longer on dry braking than the very best.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bridgestone Blizzak 6 \u2014 very strong (1.3)<\/strong> Dry-road precision for people who drive; also at the very top of the mileage charts. Slightly less convincing in wet cornering.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kumho WinterCraft WP52+ \u2014 value surprise (1.3)<\/strong> The \u201chow is it this good at this price?\u201d tyre\u2014confident on snow and wet, only a bit calmer on dry handling. (W-rated to 270 km\/h in this size.)\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 \u2014 rain specialist (1.4)<\/strong> Consistently among the very best in wet disciplines, with top-tier wear performance; just not the crispest in the dry.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026and then the \u201cgood\u201d pack you\u2019ll see discounted: <strong>Hankook i*Cept evo 3<\/strong> (snow expert, great value, slightly longer wet stops), <strong>Continental TS 870 P<\/strong> (balanced, but not the shortest in the wet), <strong>Uniroyal WinterExpert<\/strong> (solid all-round, frugal), <strong>Barum Polaris 6<\/strong> (budget hero, strong on dry\/snow, weaker in the wet), <strong>Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2<\/strong> (grips brilliantly in rain, but too vague in dry handling for enthusiasts).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wet_vs_snow_the_classic_winter_trade-off\"><\/span><strong>Wet vs. snow: the classic winter trade-off<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Two takeaways repeat across sizes and years:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Snow kings aren\u2019t always rain kings.<\/strong> Strong snow brands\/2nd brands (Kleber, BFGoodrich) crushed the snowy stuff in the qualifier, yet Auto Bild\u2019s wet-track data tends to reward balanced compounds\/tread\u2014hence Goodyear\u2019s climb in the final mix.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Summer-tyre precision is not the goal, but\u2026<\/strong> a few models (Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental) get impressively close on dry handling for a winter pattern. If you care about steering feel on cold\/dry days, shortlist those.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Noise_comfort_because_you_hear_your_tyres_every_day\"><\/span><strong>Noise &amp; comfort (because you hear your tyres every day)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Auto Bild explicitly praises the <strong>Pilot Alpin 5<\/strong> for low pass-by noise; that matches what we typically see for Michelin\u2019s winter lines. If cabin hush matters to you, that\u2019s an easy win\u2014even before you look at the lap charts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_%E2%80%9Ccosts%E2%80%9D_chapter_where_cheap_gets_expensive\"><\/span><strong>The \u201ccosts\u201d chapter: where cheap gets expensive<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Auto Bild measures wear on a dedicated rig and combines it with purchase price and rolling resistance for a \u20ac\/km view. <strong>Ceat WinterDrive<\/strong> shines here on price-per-kilometre; <strong>Hankook<\/strong> also lands high on value; <strong>Bridgestone<\/strong> (and in parts <strong>Goodyear<\/strong>) post standout mileage; <strong>Falken<\/strong> wears quicker in this size, which punishes long-term cost. If you commute a lot, this chapter can shuffle your top-3.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_this_size_is_really_for\"><\/span><strong>Who this size is really for<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>225\/40 R18 is hot-hatch default. If you\u2019re in a GTI\/S3\/A35\/i30 N, the headline choice is simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>want the safest spread across all weather with minimal cabin noise \u2192 <strong>Michelin PA5<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ski-trip grip and price sensitivity \u2192 <strong>Dunlop<\/strong> or <strong>Kumho<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sporty steering and longevity on cold\/dry tarmac \u2192 <strong>Bridgestone<\/strong>, with <strong>Continental<\/strong> close behind;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>rain-obsessed or live in slush country \u2192 <strong>Goodyear<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_box_for_fellow_tyre_nerds\"><\/span><strong>Method box (for fellow tyre nerds)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vehicle:<\/strong> BMW M135i xDrive (300 PS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Venues:<\/strong> Snow in Arvidsjaur; wet\/dry at Contidrom Wietze<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scoring:<\/strong> Snow 30% \u00b7 Wet 30% \u00b7 Dry 20% \u00b7 Costs 20%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Qualifier:<\/strong> Sum of wet + snow stop distances; only top-20 advance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Speeds (typical AB protocol):<\/strong> wet from 80 km\/h, snow from 50 km\/h<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sources:<\/em> Auto Bild\u2019s 225\/40 R18 winter test (published <strong>9 Oct 2025<\/strong>) and the separate 2025 qualifying results; plus their standard weighting and braking-speed notes from recent editions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your daily is an S3, GTI, A 35 or i30 N and you swap to real winters, this is your size. Auto Bild just ran its big 225\/40 R18 winter test and, as usual, started with a massive field and a ruthless cut. Here\u2019s the story behind the scores\u2014methods, quirks, and the little details [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5433"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5435,"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5433\/revisions\/5435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.testneumaticos.es\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}