ADAC tire test: Continental and Michelin lead as Chinese Linglong surprises

The German automobile club ADAC conducted a comprehensive test of winter tires in the 185/65 R15 size, evaluating 15 different models. The results highlighted a significant performance gap between premium brands and budget options, though some budget models showed surprising resilience.

Continental and Michelin were the only two brands to receive a ‘good’ rating from experts. The Continental WinterContact TS 870 secured first place with a score of 2.2, followed by the Michelin Alpin 7 with a score of 2.5. The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 took third place with a score of 3.1.

A notable outcome of the study was the performance of the Chinese brand Linglong. Its Sport Master Winter model achieved a score of 3.1, placing it fourth and matching the score of the third-place finisher. This marks a significant achievement for a Chinese manufacturer in an ADAC test. Some established brands, including Goodyear and Bridgestone, saw lower rankings, which experts attributed to limited versatility or design cost-saving measures in smaller tire sizes.