255/45 R18 - Best winter tyres 2025 - market overview, tests, reviews
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Best winter tyres in tests (2025)
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Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
This is currently the best rated tyre we have and there is a reason for it - it combines sportiness on snow and dry and very good safety margins on the wet. It’s designed to maintain the joy of driving, even on winter tyres, but still manages to be safe at all times. 100% recommended.
- Exceptional traction on snow
- Great handling on snow
- Low drive-by noise levels
- Exceptional handling on the wet
- Great handling on dry roads
- -
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 245/45 R18 | Exemplary |
1 | 2024 | TYRE REVIEWS | 235/35 R19 | Test winner |
1 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 235/35 R19 | Exemplary |
2 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
1 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 225/45 R18 | Test winner |
1 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Test winner |
3 | 2023 | Sportauto | 225/40 R18 | Very good |
1 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Test winner |
1 | 2022 | AutoMotorSport | 245/45 R19 | Very good |
4 | 2022 | Autobild | 245/40 R19 | Good |
2 | 2021 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Test winner |
2 | 2021 | Tyre Reviews | 225/40 R18 | Test winner |
2 | 2020 | Autobild | 245/45 R18 | - |
1 | 2020 | Autobild | 245/45 R18 | Exemplary |
1 | 2020 | ADAC | 235/55 R17 | Good |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
The UltraGrip Performance 3 is one of the best tyres we have seen in the tests and on top of that it's top discipline is snow performance while maintaining great properties on wet, which makes it a great candidate for snowy climates.
- Exceptional handling on the wet
- Very good aquaplaning resistance
- Great handling on dry roads
- Exceptional traction on snow
- Short braking distance on dry roads
- -
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 245/45 R18 | Exemplary |
3 | 2024 | TYRE REVIEWS | 235/35 R19 | Highly recommended |
2 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 235/35 R19 | Exemplary |
3 | 2024 | Autozeitung | 215/55 R17 | Recommended |
1 | 2024 | ADAC | 215/55 R17 | Good |
9 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 205/55 R16 | - |
2 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 205/55 R16 | Exemplary |
2 | 2024 | ADAC | 205/55 R16 | Good |
2 | 2023 | Automotorsport | 255/45 R20 | Very good |
5 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 225/45 R18 | Highly recommended |
3 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
2 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Exemplary |
3 | 2023 | Autoexpress | 225/45 R17 | Recommended |
2 | 2023 | Sportauto | 225/40 R18 | Very good |
1 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Test winner |
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Continental winter tires have been winning tire tests for many years, and the 870P is no exception. The “P” stands for performance, but don’t be mistaken, its rolling resistance is also praised, making it ideal for EVs. A well-balanced tire.
- Low rolling resistance/low fuel consumption
- Very good aquaplaning resistance
- Exceptional handling on the wet
- Great handling on dry roads
- Low drive-by noise levels
- Low mileage
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | 2024 | ADAC | 215/55 R17 | Satisfactory |
2 | 2024 | Autozeitung | 215/55 R17 | Highly recommended |
2 | 2024 | STRAßENVERKEHR | 235/55 R18 | Very good |
4 | 2024 | TYRE REVIEWS | 235/35 R19 | Recommended |
2 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 245/45 R18 | Exemplary |
3 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 235/35 R19 | Exemplary |
4 | 2023 | Automotorsport | 255/45 R20 | Very good |
1 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 235/60 R18 | Test winner |
4 | 2023 | ARBÖ | 235/55 R18 | Recommended |
1 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/60 R18 | Test winner |
7 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
3 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 225/45 R18 | Highly recommended |
4 | 2023 | Sportauto | 225/40 R18 | Very good |
3 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Exemplary |
4 | 2023 | ADAC | 205/60 R16 | Good |
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
A great winter tyre with balanced handling characteristics. Great in the wet, but slightly less durable than newer models.
- Very good aquaplaning resistance
- Short braking distance on wet roads
- Exceptional handling on the wet
- Exceptional traction on snow
- Low rolling resistance/low fuel consumption
- Low mileage
- Bad value for the money
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2024 | Autozeitung | 215/55 R17 | Test winner |
5 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 235/35 R19 | Good |
1 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 225/45 R18 | Test winner |
8 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/60 R18 | Conditionally recommended |
1 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
10 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Satisfactory |
2 | 2023 | Autoexpress | 225/45 R17 | Recommended |
5 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Good |
1 | 2023 | Automotorsport | 255/45 R20 | Outstanding |
1 | 2023 | Sportauto | 225/40 R18 | Very good |
15 | 2023 | ADAC | 225/45 R17 | Satisfactory |
1 | 2023 | ARBÖ | 235/55 R18 | Highly recommended |
6 | 2023 | ADAC | 205/60 R16 | Good |
3 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 235/60 R18 | Highly recommended |
1 | 2022 | Autobild | 215/55 R17 | - |
Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 W330
Hankook sneaked in between the traditional premium tyres again with its Icept Evo3. It excels in aquaplaning resistance, which is crucial for european winters.
- Very good aquaplaning resistance
- Exceptional handling on the wet
- Short braking distance on wet roads
- Short braking distance on snow
- Great handling on dry roads
- High drive-by noise levels
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 245/45 R18 | Exemplary |
6 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 235/35 R19 | Good |
4 | 2024 | TYRE REVIEWS | 235/35 R19 | Recommended |
8 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
6 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Good |
4 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 225/45 R18 | Highly recommended |
6 | 2023 | Sportauto | 225/40 R18 | Good |
4 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Exemplary |
2 | 2022 | Autobild | 245/40 R19 | Exemplary |
1 | 2021 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Test winner |
3 | 2021 | Tyre Reviews | 225/40 R18 | - |
6 | 2020 | Autobild | 245/45 R18 | Exemplary |
5 | 2020 | Autobild | 245/45 R18 | - |
2 | 2020 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Exemplary |
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
While being somehow dated as it was introduced back in 2015, it received some midlife updates and still holds up with the current models, at least in smaller dimensions. At the right price, it could be a great choice.
- Short braking distance on snow
- Exceptional handling on the wet
- Exceptional traction on snow
- Very good aquaplaning resistance
- Great handling on snow
- High drive-by noise levels
- Bad value for the money
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | 2024 | ADAC | 205/55 R16 | Satisfactory |
2 | 2024 | ADAC | 215/55 R17 | Good |
4 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 235/35 R19 | Exemplary |
11 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 205/55 R16 | - |
7 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 205/55 R16 | Good |
7 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Good |
4 | 2023 | ADAC | 225/45 R17 | Good |
1 | 2023 | ADAC | 205/60 R16 | Good |
15 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
2 | 2022 | ADAC | 215/60 R16 | Good |
8 | 2022 | Autobild | 215/55 R17 | - |
4 | 2022 | Autobild | 215/55 R17 | Exemplary |
8 | 2021 | Autobild | 205/55 R16 | Good |
2 | 2021 | Autobild | 205/55 R16 | - |
5 | 2021 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Good |
Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro
EuroWinter HS02 is very good and quite sporty on dry and wet, but lacks some performance on the snow which is the reason for the not so good test results. Weaknesses in aquaplaning and rolling resistance doesn't help either.
- Short braking distance on dry roads
- Below average aquaplaning resistance
- High rolling resistance/high fuel consumption
- Worse traction on snow
- Longer braking distance on snow
- Inferior handling on snow
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 2024 | STRAßENVERKEHR | 235/55 R18 | Good |
10 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 245/45 R18 | Satisfactory |
9 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Satisfactory |
9 | 2023 | Sportauto | 225/40 R18 | Satisfactory |
10 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 225/45 R18 | - |
17 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Conditionally recommended |
20 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
7 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/60 R18 | Satisfactory |
7 | 2023 | Automotorsport | 255/45 R20 | Satisfactory |
Falken EuroWinter HS02 Pro
EuroWinter HS02 is very good and quite sporty on dry and wet, but lacks some performance on the snow which is the reason for the not so good test results. Weaknesses in aquaplaning and rolling resistance doesn't help either.
- Short braking distance on dry roads
- Below average aquaplaning resistance
- High rolling resistance/high fuel consumption
- Worse traction on snow
- Longer braking distance on snow
- Inferior handling on snow
| Rank | Year | Organization | Size | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 2024 | STRAßENVERKEHR | 235/55 R18 | Good |
10 | 2024 | AUTOBILD | 245/45 R18 | Satisfactory |
9 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/40 R18 | Satisfactory |
9 | 2023 | Sportauto | 225/40 R18 | Satisfactory |
10 | 2023 | Tyre Reviews | 225/45 R18 | - |
17 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | Conditionally recommended |
20 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/45 R18 | - |
7 | 2023 | Autobild | 225/60 R18 | Satisfactory |
7 | 2023 | Automotorsport | 255/45 R20 | Satisfactory |
Cars with 255/45 R18 tyres
255/45 R18 tyre test Personalize
Best tyres in your size
Dry
1.
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
93%
2.
GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
81%
3.
Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
79%
4.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
77%
5.
Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 W330
72%
6.
Falken EuroWinter HS02 Pro
70%
7.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
62%
8.
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
52%
Wet
1.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
87%
2.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
81%
3.
GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
81%
4.
Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 W330
79%
5.
Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
72%
6.
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
70%
7.
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
66%
8.
Falken EuroWinter HS02 Pro
50%
Snow
1.
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
87%
2.
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
79%
3.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
74%
4.
GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
72%
5.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
66%
6.
Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 W330
65%
7.
Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
63%
8.
Falken EuroWinter HS02 Pro
28%
Comfort
1.
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
89%
2.
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
76%
3.
Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
73%
4.
Falken EuroWinter HS02 Pro
61%
5.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
61%
6.
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
43%
7.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
32%
8.
Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 W330
31%
Economy
1.
Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
94%
2.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
85%
3.
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
79%
4.
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
71%
5.
GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
69%
6.
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
63%
7.
Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 W330
56%
8.
Falken EuroWinter HS02 Pro
33%
This is a preview of our comprehensive tyre test. The full test includes:
Detailed property breakdowns
Interactive sorting and filtering
Side-by-side comparisons
Did you know ...?
255/45 R18 doesn't belong to the most popular dimensions for winter tyres - there are 21 tyre models available, which can be compared to 175/70 R13, 155/65 R13, 155/80 R13. Let's break down the sizing - 45 is height of the tyre, which is calculated as 45% of the tyre width (255mm), which means the sidewall height has 114.75 mm. The wheel diameter is R18, which means it fits to a 18 inch/457.2mm diameter wheel. The total circumference of the tyre is 2157.33 mm, which is very similar to 255/40 R19(2157.02 mm), 255/35 R20(2156.7 mm), 215/65 R16(2154.82 mm), 225/45 R19(2152.31 mm), 295/30 R20(2151.99 mm), 235/60 R16(2162.67 mm), 295/35 R19(2164.87 mm). There are multiple speed indexes available for winter tyres in 255/45 R18: T(190km/h), V(240km/h), W(270km/h). The same goes for weight indexes: 99, 103, 110. You can find 255/45 R18 on 9 car models - mainly Audi, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin, Cadillac.
