Best winter tires 2026: our 5 favorites!

The snow is coming, the only question is when. We've compared all 24 winter tires we sell in the 205/55R16 size and looked for the ones that really stand out.

One of them is the quietest in the entire comparison. Another is the cheapest per winter, although it is not the cheapest at the checkout.

Summary

• Choose Nokian Hakkapeliitta 01 if you want the best grip on ice. Studded tire and test winner in four Nordic winter tests in 2026, according to Nokian.
• Choose Nexen WG Ice 3 if you want the most tires for your money. Friction tires for 1,604 SEK per season, lowest of all 24.
• Choose Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 if you drive an electric car or want it quiet. Quietest in the comparison with 67 dB.
• Choose Nexen Winspike 3 if you want studs without the premium price. Cheapest per season among studded tires.
• Choose Mazzini Snow Leopard 2 if you drive a little or are changing cars soon. Lowest price at checkout: SEK 6,348 for four tires.

So we have compared

We have reviewed all 24 winter tires we sell in 205/55R16, 12 studded tires and 12 friction tires. We have compared price, estimated lifespan and tire labeling. for noise, rolling resistance and wet grip.

The most important measure is price per season. That is the price for four tires with mounting, balancing and wheel change, divided by how many winters the tires are expected to last.

For example: Hakkapeliitta 01 costs SEK 11,980 and is estimated to last six winters, or SEK 1,997 per winter. Snow Leopard 2 costs only SEK 6,348 but lasts about three winters. Then the cheaper tire becomes more expensive per winter: SEK 2,116.

The number of seasons is our store's estimate at approximately 1,500 kilometers per year. If you drive more, the tires will wear out faster.

If you buy the tires from us, installation, balancing and wheel replacement are included in the price. Environmental fees and shipping are also included, so what you see is what you pay.

Best winter tires: five price tags

The prices apply to four tires in 205/55R16, including mounting, balancing and wheel change. Price per season shows what the tires will cost you each winter.

Deck	Type	Per season	4 tires
Hakkapeliitta 01	Stud	1,997 SEK	11,980 SEK
WG Ice 3	Friction	1,604 SEK	8,020 SEK
Hakkapeliitta R5	Friction	1,799 SEK	10,796 SEK
Winspike 3	Stud	1,674 SEK	8,372 SEK
Snow Leopard 2	Friction	2,116 SEK	6,348 SEK

Nexen Winspike 3: affordable stud

Do you want studs but don't want to pay for a top brand? Winspike 3 is the cheapest studded tire per winter.

The store estimates it will last about five seasons, which would come to SEK 1,674 per season.

Who is Winspike 3 suitable for?

You who drive on icy roads but have a tighter budget. You get the grip of studs at a lower price tag.

Advantages of Winspike 3

• Lowest price per season among studded tires
• SEK 3,608 cheaper at checkout than Hakkapeliitta 01
• Expected to last about 5 seasons

Disadvantages of Winspike 3

• Estimated to last one season shorter than Hakkapeliitta 01
• Same rules as other studded tires: date limits and bans on certain streets

Buy Nexen Winspike 3 for your car, assembled and ready. Choose a workshop and dimension in our tire store.

Nexen WG Ice 3: the most friction tire for the money

Nexen is fitted as standard from the factory on new cars from over 20 car brands around the world. And calculated per season, the WG Ice 3 is the cheapest of all 24 tires.

It is a stable friction tire, i.e. a winter tire without studs. We expect it to last about five winters with normal use.

Who is WG Ice 3 suitable for?

For those who want to keep their annual costs down and mostly drive in the city or on salted roads. And you who drive where studded tires are prohibited.

Advantages of WG Ice 3

• Lowest price per season in the entire comparison: SEK 1,604
• No studs, so you can drive freely even where studded tires are prohibited
• Expected to last about 5 seasons

Disadvantages of WG Ice 3

• Grips worse than studded tires on white ice, like all friction tires
• Will be cheapest per season only if it lasts all five winters

Buy Nexen WG Ice 3 for your car, assembled and ready. Choose a workshop and dimension in our tire store.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5: quietest

At 67 dB, the Hakkapeliitta R5 is the quietest tire in the entire comparison.

Low rolling resistance also gives a little extra range. Crystals in the rubber act as micro studs on the ice, without being classified as studded tires.

Who is the Hakkapeliitta R5 suitable for?

You who drive an electric car. In an electric car, the tires are heard more because the engine sound is missing. And you who mostly drive in the city or on salted roads.

Advantages of Hakkapeliitta R5

• Quietest of all 24 tires
• Rolling resistance in class B, good for the electric car's range
• Expected to last about 6 seasons

Disadvantages of Hakkapeliitta R5

• Grips worse than studded tires on white ice
• Second most expensive at the box office of the five: SEK 10,796

Buy Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 for your car, fitted and ready. Choose a workshop and dimension in our tire store.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 01: best grip

Hakkapeliitta 01 is the most talked about studded tire of the year. The studs adapt to the surface.

On ice, the studs sit out and bite. On dry asphalt, they are pressed into the pattern, so the tire is quieter the rest of the time.

According to Nokian, the tire won four Nordic winter tests in 2026. The store expects it to last about six seasons.

Who is Hakkapeliitta 01 suitable for?

For those who drive a lot on country roads in the north, where ice and packed snow are everyday life from November to April. And for those who want the best possible grip.

Advantages of Hakkapeliitta 01

• Test winner in four Nordic winter tests in 2026 according to Nokian
• Quieter and gentler on bare ground
• Expected to last about 6 seasons

Disadvantages of Hakkapeliitta 01

• Most expensive at the checkout of the five: SEK 11,980 for four tires
• Studded tires are banned on some streets in major cities
• May only be used from October 1 to April 15, unless there are winter road conditions

Buy Nokian Hakkapeliitta 01 for your car, fitted and ready. Choose a workshop and dimension in our tire store.

Mazzini Snow Leopard 2: lowest price

Snow Leopard 2 is the cheapest at the checkout of all 24 tires: SEK 6,348 for four tires, mounted and ready.

As a bonus, it has the best wet grip class of all 24 tires, class B. This is noticeable in slushy November road conditions.

Who is Snow Leopard 2 suitable for?

For those who drive a little or are going to change cars within a few years. Then you don't have to pay for tires that last longer than you have the car.

Benefits of Snow Leopard 2

• Lowest price at checkout of all 24 tires
• Best wet grip class in the comparison (B)
• No studs and no stud bans to worry about

Disadvantages of Snow Leopard 2

• Only expected to last about 3 seasons
• Most expensive per season of the five: SEK 2,116

Buy Mazzini Snow Leopard 2 for your car, assembled and ready. Choose a workshop and dimension in our tire store.

Studded tires or friction tires? Three questions

Not sure which of the five is right for you? Start here.

1. Do you often drive on icy roads or highways in the north?
   Yes: choose studded tires, i.e. Hakkapeliitta 01 or Winspike 3. No: go to question 2.
2. Do you drive an electric car or mostly in the city?
   Yes: choose Hakkapeliitta R5. No: proceed to question 3.
3. How long will you have the car?
   Several years: choose WG Ice 3, cheapest per season. Just a few more winters: choose Snow Leopard 2, cheapest at checkout.

Find your winter tires

Our five favorites are Nokian Hakkapeliitta 01, Nexen WG Ice 3, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5, Nexen Winspike 3 and Mazzini Snow Leopard 2.

Mounting, balancing and wheel replacement are included in the price. If you buy four winter tires, you are also included in The chance of a cover.

Which tire is right for your car? Enter your dimension on tires.niemibil.se or see winter tires in Luleå, Skelleftea, Umea and Uppsala.

Prices for 205/55R16 from dack.niemibil.se, Niemi Bil Umeå, October 13, 2026, incl. VAT. Number of seasons is the store's estimate at approximately 1,500 km per year. Test results according to nokiantyres.se. Photo: Nokian Tyres.