Nokian WR G2(35k review)

I wanted to give an update on my two year old Nokian WR G2's for anyone interested in a one tire does all with real winter capability.

 

I purchased the WR G2 as a one size fits all solution for winter capability. They have exceeded my expectations over the first 35k miles. They are incredible tires in the wet and especially slush(ever deeper). In slush I think better than ANY pure winter tire I have been on. On dry roads I would rate them decent in the cold and fine for a performance all-season in the summer(hotter temps). My wife drives them mostly and does not push them hard with two kids in the back seat.

 

Winter traction is very good in the snow especially the wetter kind. Ice traction I would say very average since new.

 

The wear is excellent at 35k miles. The snowflakes are still visible(means still winter capable) with a bit left and will hopefully carry us through the winter conditions fine. Noise initially was on par with RE92's. However now noisier but I blame our lax rotation(10-15k) which the installer stressed not to let go.

 

My plan is another 15k and replace before the following winter. So it seems 50k is possible out of V rated tires.

 

I will update this winter again to see how much winter traction has dropped off at the cusp of wear.

Thanks for the update.

Great review...

Update. Snow flakes wear indicator are partially worn off at 40k year round miles.

 

The tires still work very well in the snow (less capable than last winter). They are incredible in the slush/wet snow from the recent 10"+ storm. Many cars slipping and sliding around including 4wd's. No issues.

Decided to betray Nokian and went with Dunlop 3Ds, getting them installed today.

I'm very happy with my Nokian WR G2's as well. They seem to be perfect for an all weather year round tire. Re: the rotation are these done the usual diagonal method, or just front to back/back to front? I have to do this soon.

Decided to betray Nokian and went with Dunlop 3Ds, getting them installed today.

 

What size are you getting?

 

Krzys

What size are you getting?

 

Krzys

 

225/45/17. I know, narrower is better for snow traction, but I chose performance winter tire mostly for good dry traction, hence the size choice. I don't want 215/45/17 - too short sidewall. If I were getting true snow tire, I'd get 205/50/17 or even 215/50/17.

Per guy from tire rack I got 225/45R17 Conti TS810 instead of 205/50R17 and they are quite good even in snow. Narrower would have been better but I am not complaining.

 

Krzys

225/45/17. I know, narrower is better for snow traction, but I chose performance winter tire mostly for good dry traction, hence the size choice.

 

^ That's me, too.

 

I think you'll be more than happy with these tires' clear-road traction. It's really pretty much just like a set of good all-seasons. I can break all four loose in the wet, but it's the fun kind of breaking loose. If I had only one thing to complain about, it's aquaplane resistance, but that's being nit-picky.

 

It's good in powder as long as you keep your speeds down and let the sips open. And on the other side of this consideration, it also translates to a tremendous amount of fun if you do put on a bit of speed.

 

Slush evacuation isn't shabby, but then again, I do not have extensive experience on either the WR or the G2 variant, so I cannot make a valid cross-comparison. Steering correction is definitely required through center-of-lane slush-piles, but it's definitely nothing that'll cause you to white-knuckle. I'd really love to spend a season or two, full-time, with the WR or G2, to truly establish a benchmark for this.

 

And, of course, brother, be careful on ice. Although the 3Ds are relatively highly rated, compared to its typical competitors, when it comes to ice traction, it's still definitely something that this tire just isn't formulated for.

Just like any other high performance winter tire.

Amen.

 

Krzys

^ Yep.

 

We had a bit of freezing rain here last night, and I had to go out to pick up some medicine at the 24-hour drug-store that's about 7 miles from my home. I was glad I took the wife's Forester, which is equipped with Xi2s.

 

I'm likely getting one more season's worth out of my 3Ds (in terms of safety, not treadwear, of which there's plenty of meat yet left). I'm really debating what to do next.

 

I think I may drop the 3Ds, which will then be 2012, to use between September-November and again in March-May, depending on the forecast, and rotating in a set of much more aggressive winters (either studless, or even studded - Ohio is November 1st through April 15th, IIRC) from December through February, to further increase my safety-envelope in the worst possible. Although a set of good winter-biased all-seasons would do well in that interim role, I think that given my precious cargo, having a little extra safety factor can't hurt. Just have to watch for dry rot.

 

I've always wanted to try the latest and greatest studded Hakkas....

Exactly my thoughts! I have this insane desire to get one more set of snows... and go all out for Hakka 7 studded which should be available in the U.S. next season. I guess I need to drive north more often to justify that

 

I'd get them in 205/50/17 or maybe even 215/50/17.

^ The thing that I *don't* like about such "ultimate" tires is that it's virtually impossible to have any fun with them, outside of a deserted parking lot or an ice-racing track.

 

Even something as mild as the Xi2s can, in a deserted parking lot, get up to (in my view, undoubtedly helped by my lack of winter-driving training ) rather scary-fast speeds, before I can really toss it around.

 

With the 3Ds, a prod on the happy pedal, and I'm playing drift-hero, albeit at really low (and easily recoverable) speeds.

 

That's really why I'm so addicted to "Performance Winter" tires. Drive slowly and sanely enough they greatly expand the winter capabilities of our AWD Subarus and makes for a very, very wide safety envelope in all but the absolute worst of conditions. Yet, in the clear, they're every bit as enjoyable as a good all-season, with a minimum of the mushiness and imprecise feeling of even today's best "Studless Ice & Snows" - and what's more, snowy fun is only a happy prod of the gas pedal away.

Yeah, my plan is to go for ice racing next season. I almost wanted to get hard core studded tires this season, but I don't like spending big bucks on tire that's gonna be phased out soon, i.e. Hakka 5. I guess this will be my justification for these tires

Decided to betray Nokian and went with Dunlop 3Ds, getting them installed today.

 

Performance must be wonderful in the dry. Also price much more palatable than Nokian.

 

Interesting timing nearing the end of season.

Performance must be wonderful in the dry. Also price much more palatable than Nokian.

 

Interesting timing nearing the end of season.

 

I lost two tires (out of six) on a nasty sharp expansion joint (f**k you MA). I won't drive far from home without full size spare...

 

Price difference is small actually... which made the choice between WRG2s and 3D bit agonizing. I bought the 3Ds from tirerack, ending up at ~$152/tire shipped before mounting/balancing (and after ebates.com's 3% rebate). After mounting I am looking at ~$175/corner. I could get Nokians WRG2 installed for $200/corner and that would include road hazard warranty... so I am only saving $25 per corner and don't get the road hazard. Almost a wash. And the $200 price is for V-rated WRG2s, H-rated would be $180/corner. I also got V-rated 3Ds, but there the difference in price is $2 only per tire.

 

Btw, did not get 3D installed as planned today, rescheduled for Sat.

Putting Nokian WRG2 on our 2008 Outback (225/55R17V XL) this week for year-round use. Stock RE92A is *so* bad in its 3rd winter. My wife finally decided enough was enough after a low-speed spin going down our street. I tried to convince her long ago.

 

BTW, $175ea mounted locally in town (Tire Barn in Acton, MA). Local price actually surprised me as lower than mail-order I could find. My usual source, John & Son in Manchester, NH, was out of stock for 3-4 weeks.

 

I've been running WRG2 on my LGT (205/50R17) for a bit more than a year now, October through April. I'm at about 8.5/32nds tread, and they are driven hard.

 

I REALLY like these tires. Was running the RSi before. These are WAY better on dry and wet roads, with good on-center feel, turn-in, etc. Don't feel squirmy at all, and pretty quiet. Way better than stock RE92 in all conditions.

 

In last Tuesday night's snow storm, I drove up to Stowe VT during the peak of the snowfall. They did great.

Putting Nokian WRG2 on our 2008 Outback (225/55R17V XL) this week for year-round use. Stock RE92A is *so* bad in its 3rd winter. My wife finally decided enough was enough after a low-speed spin going down our street. I tried to convince her long ago.

 

That was when I pulled the RE92s from my wife's then-WRX as well. They'd worn down to the point where most of ther "siping" just was no longer there - I'd switched her over to a set of half-depth Falken ZIEX ZE-512s, and the little sucker actually surprised me at how well it did in the snow. 3/4 of the way into the season (winter of 2008-9), she blew one tire running through a large pothole which she could not have avoided, and I'd taken that opportunity to go the route of the Xi2s

i love my Nokians WRG2 (215/45R17). I put 15k this past winter in upstate north NY. they were amazing in all conditions (not sure if i road on ice) but were insane on slush. i was driving firmly 50mph on Route 81 when others were slip slidding away at 20-30mph.

Great review....I run WR G2's on my LGT as winter tires...215/45/17 on OEM rims and on my wife's Impreza...full time....205/55/16 on OEM rims....without a doubt the best "True" all weather tire out there:) Both sets have 2 years driving on them (Well...a bit less on the LGT as I only use them from Nov to Feb)......Best money I have ever spent on tires....and believe me I have spent lots over the years!!!

The Nokian WR G2 now has more competition in the "All Weather" category:

 

Yokohama W.Drive

Hankook Optimo 4S

Vredestein Quatrac3

^ I know you're looking at this, probably even "right now" - so I'll write the summary.

 

Is the W.Drive the same V902A H-rated variant tested in this year's ADAC? Apparently, there's also a V903 variant, T-rated. Regardless, in neither case did they fare better than a mid-pack finish.

 

The Quatrac3 was a midfield runner in the 2010 Auto Zeitung, which said it was tier-matched to the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II it tested. A T-rated variant was tested in ADAC as well, and was a bottom-rung tire.

 

In both of these, the mentioned tires did not score as well, overall, as the WRG2.

 

Interestingly, though, in the 2010 Auto Bilde, where the WRG2 was dead last of the 5 tires tested, the Sottozero Serie IIs slotted in at mid-pack.

 

2010 AMS interestingly slots the Pirelli, Vredestein, and Nokian tires into virtually the same tier, along with the Dunlop 3D.

 

Anything more on the Optimos?

Has anyone seen much about the Nokain enTYRE tire? It is supposed to be good. Kind of reminds me of a Michelin Primacy MXM4 tire.. They have a 75,000 mile warrenty and they are Nokains so they are drawing me in... Has anyone heard anything about them?

..............Anything more on the Optimos?

 

The Optimo 4S is not yet available in the USA, but available in Canada in very limited quantities.

 

Was tested in 2008 and 2009 by Auto Bild magazine, and received favorable comments.

 

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/ganzjahresreifen-175-65-r-14-im-test-978053.html

 

http://www.hankooktire-eu.com/about/news/single-news-view/article/new-hankook-all-season-tire-optimo-4s-convinces-testers-at-auto-bild.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=191&cHash=de1b68a1b5

 

http://www.hankooktire-eu.com/about/news/single-news-view/archive/2009/september/article/optimo-4s-champion-in-tyre-test-by-auto-bild.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=191&cHash=4feb686010

 

 

Joseph Park, assistant manager of Hankook Tires Canada, summed it up best when he said: “This is what all-season tires should have been all along.”

Quoted from: http://www.wheels.ca/Winter/article/792277