In the early morning of the first day of the test drive, a noisy and bright column of Audi started from the center of Reykjavik deep into this magical land. The air warmed up to + 3 °, it was cloudy, the asphalt was wet. But as soon as we leave the city limits in some 10 minutes, the weather pattern changes dramatically: a rapid wind and a roadbed covered with a quite noticeable layer of snow - these are the first tests for our wheels. Well, let's go further!

Iceland turned out to be the perfect place to test the performance of winter tires: intricate serpentines, narrow bridges, unexpected rut with collected water, snow-covered steep shoulders and dry cold asphalt.

In a few days we drove about 1,000 kilometers at different speeds and roads, we can say that the ride was quite comfortable, there were frankly dangerous moments even when driving at a speed of 180 km / h from the snow into a puddle. The tires behaved decently and did not make you nervous while driving.

Tires are noisy moderately. I did not observe any unpleasant acoustic sensations from the spikes and tread. But, of course, you feel more comfortable in urban areas and on a road with moderate snow coverage. In deep snow and in wet snow "porridge" the car takes away, and handling falls - the rubber does its job worse.

The climate in Iceland is as varied and unpredictable as Iceland itself is beautiful and unusual. The bright, warm spring-like sun is instantly replaced by a stormy wind hurling handfuls of fine snow onto the windshield. And then we are covered with torrential rain, but it is worth moving down the next winding hill - dry asphalt and not a hint of bad weather. We can say with full responsibility - in a couple of days the Cordiant Snow Cross tires have been in almost all possible weather conditions and have shown themselves worthy!

The main technologies of the new tires Cordiant Snow Cross:

- spikes on the tire are installed in 16 rows. This improves braking and acceleration dynamics on icy and snowy winter roads;

- two-layer tread design. This ensures the operational reliability, safety and economy of the tire;

- tire breaker of combined design. This gives the tire strength and reliability, puncture resistance, improved handling, and shape stabilization;

- studding with spikes in the shape of an "asterisk". This shape of the studs provides increased safety on icy and snowy roads;

- "Z-shaped" lamellas. High grip of the tire with the winter road surface is provided by additional edges and increased siping of the tread pattern.

And here is a short video about the tests of the Cordiant Snow Cross tires in Iceland:

The path of development of Russian statehood is long and winding, it is full of great achievements, and we can be proud of our ancestors. But this pathos every autumn (and even more often) breaks down on the thought: could it have been possible to create this very statehood a little further south? Where are cold, snow and ice - the main winter opponents of the driver, are there only on mountain peaks? But since history does not know the subjunctive mood, residents of the middle and northern latitudes have to live in a climate where cold weather prevails for most of the year. One parameter will be of interest to us - the average daily temperature. If it is below +7 0 С, then during this period it is recommended to use winter types of tires. At the same time, in the same Moscow, according to the observation data of 2011-2012, already in October the average temperature of all days was only +6 0 C, and only in April it again reached +6.8 0 C. In other words, since October in for more than six months we have been driving in unfavorable (and often simply dangerous) road conditions. For the northern regions, this period can extend to 9–11 months.

Despite significant progress in the development of winter tires, studded tires are still very popular in countries with a Scandinavian type of climate, which includes most of the territory of the Russian Federation. The first such model was developed by Michelin back in 1933. In the USSR, the creation of winter tires was approached only in the early 1970s, it was the legendary NIISHP-Rally, which was produced in small batches of several thousand pieces a year and immediately became a huge deficit - it was allocated only to athletes and “the right people”.

In our time, there is no shortage of offers on the market, but since good tires are far from cheap, many drivers desire a symbiosis of good performance and a reasonable price. One of the manufacturers of this type of tire is the domestic brand Cordiant, which is launching a new spike model on the market this winter, the Snow Cross.

Verification by Iceland

With their obvious winter orientation, modern (even studded) tires must have decent performance both on snow and on wet asphalt - this is the inevitable specifics of operation in megacities, and prolonged thaws are not uncommon in our country. Iceland in this sense has become an ideal natural testing ground for rapid tire tests in all modes.

Located at the Arctic Circle, washed from the south by the warm Gulf Stream, and heated from the inside by the heat from the earth's crust, Iceland is a volcanic island. Active geysers and the famous volcano with the unpronounceable name Eyjafjallajokull remind of this. As a result, warm Atlantic and cold polar air masses constantly collide over Iceland. The proverb “If you don’t like the weather in Iceland, wait 5 minutes” very accurately reveals the peculiarities of the local climate. In a couple of hours and 100 km of path, you can find yourself several times in different seasons - from early autumn to late spring, with several transitions from dry asphalt to snow-covered trails. And when there is no snow or rain, in some places the road heats up as if we were rolling in sunny California. It was in such and such conditions that we tested the work of the new winter tire Cordiant Snow Cross.

Mathematical calculation

When designing new items, designers widely used mathematical modeling. Such development methods have long been a surprise, not only in the tire industry, but also in many other industries. Their main advantage lies in the fact that practically finished products are brought to the test sites for final tests, requiring minimal modifications "in fact". The rest of the problems have already been solved in the silence and comfort of the laboratories, and have not been obtained as a result of long and expensive field tests.

All this makes it possible to reduce the cost of development, reduce the price for the buyer, and use the released funds to develop even more advanced models. For example, it was computer optimization of the tire carcass that made it possible to reduce the tire weight by ~ 0.5 kg, which, in combination with the new tread compound, led to a decrease in rolling resistance by ~ 15%. The use of the new profile parameterization system has led to the preservation of the properties and behavior of tires, regardless of standard sizes. That is, changing the car model or simply putting beautiful 16-inch alloy wheels instead of the standard 15-inch wheels, the driver will not feel much difference in the car's behavior (with the right size choice, of course). It turns out about the same as moving into a new apartment, but keeping your favorite slippers.

The main parameter, which by 80% determines the characteristics of tires, is the uniformity of pressure distribution in the tire contact patch. It is he who is the basis for good traction and coupling properties. While road summer tires can be roughly divided into three operating modes - dry asphalt, wet and "a little mud", then winter tires add snow, ice and the most unpleasant - wet snow porridge, when already slippery ice is additionally "smeared" by melted snow or chemicals. Because of this, the pattern of any winter tire is very different from its summer counterpart.

The main features of the Cordiant Snow Cross tires are:

• Strong V-shaped tread design (to effectively drain slurry and reduce the tendency to aquaplaning).
• Large central rib (holds the trajectory better on uneven surfaces).
• The developed zigzag shape of the sipes contributes to "sticking" to the winter road.
• The increased number of sipes improves grip due to more engagement edges.
• Studding is made with a double-flanged anchor-type stud with a height of 11 mm. The number of studs per tire is 110-130 pieces, depending on the standard size, this provides the maximum number of studs in the contact patch from the point of view of road surface wear. At the same time, an anchor double-flange spike in the form of a snowflake with a core made of carbide material breaks the upper ice edge and eliminates tire slippage during acceleration and deceleration. The asymmetrically spaced 16 rows of studs alternately come into contact with the road. Thus, at least 10 thorns are constantly present in the contact patch.
• Studding - distributing studs to the left and right of the tire centerline - reduces noise.

The current crisis forces us to save on everything, including tires. After all, a set of even budget tires costs a pretty penny. Therefore, when choosing tires, many motorists first look at the price, and only then study their characteristics and get acquainted with the test results. We also decided to talk about the rating of the winter tires we tested, starting primarily from their price. The most expensive in our list is the “spike” “Nokian-Hakkapelita 8” with an average price in online stores of 3,700 rubles apiece. Not cheap, of course, but in our rating it is ahead of the rest - 944 points. "Hakki" has the first places in almost every exercise. Moreover, as we managed to notice, the high performance remains the same after a rather long run.

Slightly cheaper - at a price of 3500 rubles per piece - you can buy Continental-ContiIsContact tires. For a couple of years now, the manufacturer has hinted at replacing this model with the next one, but is in no hurry to move from words to deeds. Is it really necessary? The second place, 915 points and very good results speaks unequivocally: the potential of "ContiIsContact" is still great, it is too early to write off this model.

Much cheaper German "Gislaved-Nord Frost 100" and Japanese "Bridgestone-Blizzak Spike-01" - 2700 rubles per tire. Which one should you choose? To answer, you will have to study the table with the results. According to the results of measurements, these tires are comparable, the difference is only in the subjective assessment of experts. However, Gislaved received 884 points and fourth place, and Bridgestone - 859 points and only the sixth line of the rating.

For 2,400 rubles, you can buy the fifth "Nordman" (younger brother of "Nokian"). The characteristics are no worse than those of the more expensive Bridgestone and Gislaved. The offer is tempting because this tire scored 886 points in our table of ranks, which allowed it to take the honorable third place and climb the podium.

Japanese "Toyo-Observ G3-Ice" is cheaper than "Nordman" by only 100 rubles. In the protocol "Toyo" has 853 points and the eighth final place. If cross-country ability is not so important, if you are ready to put up with insufficient comfort and mediocre handling, then the choice of "G3-Ice" is justified.

You can save even more if you prefer Formula Ice tires (this is a new brand of Pirelli). About 2,000 rubles apiece, 863 points and the fifth place in the ranking is a good combination. The cost of saving is slightly "weakened" characteristics on snow and insufficient directional stability on asphalt. Cordiant-Snow Cross competes with Pirelli-Formula Ice - 1950 rubles per tire. The result is 856 points and the seventh place. Translated from the language of numbers, this means that on asphalt at a speed of 60–80 km / h, you will have to keep the distance increased by a body and a half due to low braking properties by modern standards. The Snow Cross is not the best in handling, directional stability and comfort. But the car on these tires quite confidently keeps on ice and snow.

Finally, Amtel-Nordmaster ST is sold for 1700 pe. More than two times cheaper than the leaders! And - a modest 829 points and the ninth place on our list. If you are an ardent pilot, then before choosing Amtel, we advise you to carefully study the test results and only then go to the store. Errors in driving on these tires can be fraught with danger. "Nordmaster" is suitable for leisurely and experienced drivers.

TEST RESULTS

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(Score / Points)

Experts' opinions on each tire are presented below

Owners of crossovers, especially four-wheel drive ones, often relate to the seasonal change of regular summer tires to winter ones without enthusiasm. After all, almost all native tires are marked with the M + S index, which de jure allows them to ride in winter. The main thing is that the residual tread depth is at least 4 mm (otherwise - a fine of 500 rubles). But you need to understand that the M + S marking does not oblige the manufacturer to anything! Marking does not require any tests or certificates confirming the suitability of tires for winter, and therefore more and more often it can be seen on frankly summer, and "asphalt" tires, which incidentally speaks of the devaluation of not only the letter S (snow, "snow"), but also M (mud). So we look not at the letters, but at the tread, and if we do not see many small slits, we conclude that it is dangerous to ride on such ones in winter. And even better, when on the sidewall there is a “Snowflake” mark in the form of three mountain peaks with a snowflake - these models really passed the exam on a snow track. The participants in our test are all marked with the following markings: these are 14 kits with spikes and nine without.

The test program is standard, all the tracks of the White Hell test site near the Finnish town of Ivalo are well known to us - and most importantly, to be lucky with the weather. Almost lucky: there was no snowfall, although the temperature danced from 5 to 23 degrees of frost, so its influence had to be taken into account when conducting additional races on "reference" tires. But the measurements of the longitudinal dynamics took place in a closed hangar with a more stable temperature.

This is where the embarrassment happened with Nokian tires, and with a model that has been produced for several years. Both in acceleration and in braking, the non-studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV yielded not only to principal competitors, but even to the tires of their own "second line" - the Nordman RS2 SUV tires! Nokian testers working in the neighborhood were alarmed, they themselves repeated the measurements ... An official investigation showed that the failed tires were produced at a plant near St. Petersburg at the end of 2016, more precisely in the 48th week. Then there was a failure in the technological cycle. They did not share the details with us (apparently, there were deviations either in the duration or in the temperature of vulcanization), but we were assured that the defective batch did not go on sale. Although outwardly everything is in order, and even the hardness of the tread rubber is the same as on tires produced in the 41st week of 2016 (their results were taken into account), but the difference in grip on ice reaches eight percent.

After measurements in the hangar, we get out into the growing frost - and once again we notice that as the temperature drops, the friction tires begin to catch up and even overtake the “spikes”. At minus twenty, the ice becomes so hard that the spikes cannot scratch it, and the tread rubber of most studded tires is harder - in the cold the friction tires are more elastic, they have a larger overall length of the sipes.

We, I repeat, take into account the changing conditions and adjust the results, but if all tests were carried out in a light frost, the friction tires would roll back to the bottom lines of the protocols.

Handling tests were carried out on the ice of the polar lake Tammijärvi

And in the snow, frost plays into the hands of friction models: while maintaining the elasticity of the tread, they better cling to the snow shagreen.

This time, the estimates of the cross-country ability were supported by instrumental measurements - the acceleration time in deep snow with the traction control system turned off. It is curious that Russian tires topped and closed the rating: the best - Cordiant, and the most helpless on the virgin soil - Viatti tires produced by the Nizhnekamsk tire plant.

The asphalt part of the tests is especially relevant for residents of large cities, in which the streets are cleared of snow and ice for most of the winter.

The final part of the tests is already in April, on "summer" surfaces. And along the way, we note that this time there were no tires littering with spikes.

At the top of the final ranking are the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 SUV tires. Expected result: if the model of the previous generation regularly won in our tests, then the new one, and even with two types of studs, easily outperformed the competitors.

Expensive? Then we carefully look at the points, the main advantages and disadvantages of other tires - and choose the best option for your pocket. And yet, we avoid buying outsider tires - such savings are fraught with incomparably high costs.

Studded tire rating

Hakkapeliitta with index 9 is a novelty of the season: here for the first time two types of cleats were used. Those in the middle part of the tread have transversely oriented carbide inserts: they are responsible for longitudinal grip, and at the edges above the tread there are such trefoils that work effectively in turns. And this is not a marketing gimmick: an unequivocal superiority over competitors both on the handling track and in braking on ice. And in other types of winter tests, the tires are at a height. On asphalt, the grip is moderate, and the main problem is noise at speeds from 70 to 90 km / h.

The best tires for tough winter conditions!

This year, Hankook officially opened its polar test site in Ivalo, Finland: the tracks and testing approaches are very similar to those used by Nokian Tires. This also applies to the peculiarities of the tires themselves: the number of spikes-stars was increased, which ensured decent test results on ice. But in deep snow, the tires do not shine, as well as on the asphalt, and besides, they make a lot of noise. But it is easy for them to forgive: the Hankook Winter i * Pike RS + tires are one and a half times cheaper than the Finnish novelty.

The tires produced in Voronezh are laced with powerful brace spikes - and they work gorgeous on ice during acceleration and braking. But in corners there are sharp breaks in sliding, so without a stabilization system you have to be on the lookout. On the other hand, there is a good balance of grip properties on slippery roads and on asphalt, and therefore they can be safely recommended for winter operation in large cities. If you do not make high demands on acoustic comfort.

The tires are manufactured at the Russian Continental plant near Kaluga. The Gislaved brand is owned by Continental - and the Nord * Frost 200 replicates the asymmetrical tread pattern of the first generation ContiIceContact tires, but with simpler studs and no thermochemical retention. However, they also work well - especially in the lateral direction.

In general, these are well-balanced tires for use in large cities and beyond.

The tires were produced at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant and the tread pattern suspiciously resembles the Finnish Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 tires, which even became a reason for litigation. But the Cordiant company managed to justify itself - and to increase production volumes, including by expanding the range of dimensions. Decent tires for their money, but they do not like asphalt roads: they do not hold very well, and rolling is accompanied by a loud and unpleasant rumble of the tread. Tires are not for the city.

Nordman tires are Nokian Tires' second line, and the production uses molds from outdated Nokian tires. New for the Nordman 7 SUV season is the reincarnation of the Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV, produced from 2010 to 2017. Good grip on ice and snow, and on asphalt even better than the current "parent" model. Including in terms of acoustic comfort: there are fewer spikes.

The model was introduced in 2012 and has not yet received a replacement. On ice, the tires work well in the longitudinal direction, but in turns they suddenly break into sliding. Everything is much better on the snow, including on virgin soil. But on the pavement, the aggressive pattern generates an obsessive low-frequency rumble already from 30 km / h.

Michelin with the X-Ice North 3 tire continues to bend the line to comply with European studding rules: no more than 50 studs per running meter of tread. And the spikes themselves are simple, round in cross section. This led to an unimportant hold on the ice. The picture is better on rolled snow, but getting out of the snow is a problem: the tread is to blame.

BFGoodrich tires are Michelin's "second line", they are produced at the same plant in Davydovo near Moscow as Michelin X-Ice North 3 tires. But the tread is its own, original. It's a pity that there are also few pimples, they are round, overly recessed - and as a result, mediocre behavior on the ice.

The situation is better on snow, including virgin soil. And even better - on asphalt, although you need to remember that the permissible speed is 160 km / h, although studded competitors have 190.

Formula is Pirelli's second line. In last year's tests on Lada Vesta, the tires took fifth place, but now the indicators are more modest. Especially on ice. Even after running-in, the protrusion of the studs above the tread surface is less than a millimeter (last year we recorded 1.1 mm on new tires). On rolled snow, the results are better, although we do not recommend climbing into snowdrifts. On the asphalt they are excellent.

Not a bad budget tire option for urban use.

For many, the Made in Japan brand is a quality mark. But something went wrong with Toyo winter tires. It seems that the studs are not simple either - with cruciform inserts, and the studding is of high quality, but on ice the grip properties are moderate, as well as on snow. However, the car's response to driving is well balanced.

On asphalt, comfort and grip are far from being the best.

The joy is the low price, which is quite consistent with the quality of the tires.

Under the "Italian" name - tires produced in Nizhnekamsk using off-take technology. The design and production technology is the product of an engineering firm managed by one of the former top managers of Continental. However, the grip on ice and on snow is mediocre, and most of all upset that winter tires, "developed by European specialists specifically for Russian roads," were helpless in deep snow. They are also noisy and tough. Not an option - even given the low price.

One could immediately assume that the ice tests of the Yokohama Ice Guard 55 tires will fail. Instead of the prescribed 1.2 mm, the spikes protrude by an average of 0.57 mm - and do not work. And the buyer is counting on Japanese quality, even though the tires are produced in Lipetsk.

There are also complaints about the tread: on packed snow - the maximum braking distance, and on virgin soil - the worst traction ability. For Russian conditions, other tires are needed, and they already exist: this season, sales of the new Yokohama IG65 model with an increased number of "curly" studs begin. More details about new tires - in one of the upcoming issues of Autoreview.

Interestingly, duplicated in the name win - is it from the word "win" or from the word "winter"? For example, wintry ("cold", "unwelcoming") or winch ("winch") are better suited. What kind of winter or victory can we talk about when studded tires are inferior to most friction tires on ice, and on the Nexen handling track they are the slowest in the overall standings? The tread rubber is clearly not designed to work at low temperatures, as evidenced by its increased hardness.

Of the positive emotions, only a relatively quiet (for tires with spikes) rolling remains.

Non-studded tire rating

The SUV-indexed off-road tires have sidewalls reinforced with aramid fiber, which is reminiscent of the Aramid Sidewalls brand. So there shouldn't be any problems with impact resistance, in contrast to the "passenger" tires of the same name.

In severe frost, Nokian friction tires provide excellent grip on ice, behave well on snow, and small claims appear only on asphalt.

Excellent winter tires for use both in the city and outside.

Leapfrog. The year before last, we liked the ContiVikingContact 6 tires on asphalt, but they did not work well on ice, last year the situation changed to the opposite, this year it is better again on asphalt ... The dimensions, of course, are different, but the reason must be sought in the composition of the rubber compound : The tread rubber on the ContiVikingContact 6 was noticeably softer last year.

We are now taking into account the latest version of these tires from late 2016 production. Not ideal on ice and snow (especially deep), but great on asphalt.

Good winter tires for urban use. And the most comfortable ones!

Since studs are illegal in Japan, local manufacturers focus on friction winter tires. So we will consider it natural that

Lightweight tires with soft, quiet rolling. But at the same time - an imbalance of "winter" grip properties in the longitudinal and transverse directions, and abrupt breakdowns in sliding, it seems, are provoked by the sidewalls that are soft for a heavy crossover. Indeed, in the Goodyear range of winter tires there is a model specifically for crossovers and SUVs - UltraGrip Ice SUV, but in the size 215/65 R16 these tires are not available. However, if the car is equipped with a stabilization system, then Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 tires are a good choice.

The tread pattern is exactly the same as that of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R tires, but the materials are simpler. Another option for extending the life cycle of molds. And - considering the price - a very good option. Moreover, in some disciplines, the Nordman RS2 SUV tires are even preferable: the braking distance on ice is shorter!

Quality tires for a reasonable price. On ice, they are almost as good as the leaders among tires without studs, and on snow they have even better grip in the longitudinal direction. Although on the track the handling is rather harsh and in deep snow they row mediocre.

The grip properties on asphalt are above average, there are no problems with comfort either, which means that these tires are relevant for large cities.

The Gislaved brand continues to lose its authenticity. So the "new" Gislaved Soft * Frost 200 is nothing more than the ContiVikingContact tires of the previous, third generation. Fortunately, these are balanced tires - safe, comfortable, not very expensive - and therefore we safely recommend them for urban use, although an accidental arrival in a snowdrift can postpone the planned trip.

The Marshal brand belongs to the Korean company Kumho Tire, but these tires copy the Finnish Nokian Hakkapeliitta R tires in terms of the tread pattern and even the rare R speed index - and some sellers play on this similarity. By the way, on snow and on asphalt friction tires Marshal and Nokian are close, but on ice the loss of the copy is already obvious. They are also some of the noisiest and toughest friction tires around.

Winter tires Nitto (brand owned by Toyo Tires) appeared in Russia recently. The Therma Spike managed to please us with grip on ice, but lost the studs on asphalt the most. And friction tires Nitto Winter SN2 immediately signed their helplessness on the ice and in the snow. And all the more surprising is the failure of these tires even on asphalt.

Something is wrong with these Nitto ...

But first, it makes sense to recall those solutions that were originally incorporated into the design of the Snow Cross winter tire. The very name of one of the technologies (Snow Cor) used in this model indicates that the developers paid special attention to the tire's performance on a snowy road. The directional tread design features a closed center rib. The essence of the solution is that the rib cuts through the snow cover, effectively removing the upper, usually wet layer of snow from the contact patch through angled grooves. And this greatly reduces the possibility of "aquaplaning in the snow". Good drainage in the contact patch is also facilitated by the Z-shaped sipes, which penetrate the tread blocks. Opening and closing during the movement of the tire, the sipes not only remove the water suspension from the contact patch, but also create additional zones of engagement of the tire on the snow cover. But why did the developers of Cordiant choose exactly this shape of the lamellas? For example, the frequently used 3D sipes can cope with the above functions and ensure the rigidity of the tread blocks, which has a good effect on handling. It is worth remembering here that any tire is a child of compromise. And it is important for developers to achieve a balance of all characteristics. Cordiant engineers experimented a lot with lamellas (and not only in 3D form) and, as a result, came to the conclusion that the lamellas of their chosen shape, firstly, perform well the functions assigned to them, and secondly, they are less expensive in production.

Innovative cleat shape ensures secure grip in the tire

The proprietary Ice Cor technology is used in the studding of the Cordiant Snow tire. These are asymmetrically located studs, the number of rows of which is 16. Thus, there are at least 10 studs in the contact patch of the tire with the road at the same time.

What new solutions have been used in this season's Snow Cross winter tires? First of all, this is a new spike developed by the renowned company Scason. The body of the spike is aluminum and the insert is made of tungsten carbide. Many tests have been carried out with the spikes, as with the sipes. Five options were pre-selected, from which the final choice was made. The shape of the carbide insert is two squares shifted relative to each other, that is, the insert has eight sharp edges, allowing you to confidently grip the ice. The shape of the spike leg was selected in such a way as to ensure its reliable fastening in the tread layer of the tire under shock loads. In comparative tests of tires equipped with old and new studs, only due to the use of the novelty, the brake was reduced by 8%, and the lap time on the ice improved by 7%. Acceleration on ice has also improved.

16 rows of studs (factory studded only) asymmetrically arranged

A separate "engineering" topic is a new rubber compound, which took three years to develop, and the work was carried out in partnership with colleagues from German institutes. But the time was not wasted: only due to the new compound, the braking distance was reduced by 12% (at a speed of 20 km / h, this is the body of a passenger car), and acceleration on ice improved by 9%. The new rubber compound not only became more elastic, but also expanded the temperature range of its use. An argument that is very important in determining the market for which the tire is intended: the rubber compound of the Snow Cross model of winter tires remains stable up to a temperature of -53 ° C. Structurally, the tire has a two-layer tread: directly under the tread with a soft rubber compound there is a hard, so-called base layer , which, first of all, provides a reliable fastening of the spike. In addition, this layer provides a reliable support for the cleat, thereby exerting additional pressure on the cleat during contact with the ice surface.

For the winter season 2016–2017, the Cordiant Snow Cross range of tires has been expanded by 25 standard sizes. New popular sizes with 17 and 18 inch rims have appeared. Moreover, a whole line for the production of these tires was launched at the Cordiant-Vostok plant. There are also 13 standard sizes of tires for SUV cars: the design of tires for cars of this segment is distinguished by a reinforced sidewall.