There are plenty of tire options in Russia, including winter tires, which means a wide choice awaits consumers and there is no need to settle for the first option that comes up. The tests published by Za Rulem, Russia’s oldest and most respected automotive magazine, help cut through the noise and guide buyers toward solid conclusions.
For the 2022–2023 winter season, the magazine’s test team assessed eight sets of studded winter tires across price bands from 4,000 to 8,500 rubles per unit, providing a clear picture of value and performance in real driving conditions.
The participants in the test were:
- Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 (Finland);
- Bridgestone Blizzak IceRussia;
- Continental Viking Contact 7 (Russia);
- Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 (Poland);
- Pirelli IceZero FRRussia;
- Nordman RS2 (Russia);
- Nankang Ice Assets Ice-1 (China);
- Cordiant Winter Drive 2 (Russia).
Among the lineup, Nankang Ice Assets Ice-1 emerged as one of the most affordable options, priced around 4,300 rubles at the time of testing. Only Cordiant was cheaper at about 4,100 rubles.
The Chinese entrant, Nankang Ice Assets Ice-1, showed an unusual profile in the results. Dubbed Ice, the test notes acknowledge that this was the company’s first effort in this segment, with room to improve in future iterations. The question on many readers’ minds was why this tire lagged behind the others—especially on ice.
Why did it underperform relative to the competition? That question led to a closer look at how each tire behaved on ice and snow with standardized tests and structured observations.
on ice
Acceleration and braking
The test began with a focus on longitudinal grip. In practical terms, how quickly a car could reach 20 km/h and how short the stopping distance would be from 20 to 5 km/h were measured. Continental tires led in this category, while Nankang trailed by about 11 percent, marking the most modest performance in this round.
cornering and handling
The circular test, covering a 27-meter diameter, assessed how well the tire maintained control through a tight turn. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 and the other top performers showed strong stability, while Nankang again presented less confident steering response, with the car feeling less obedient to the wheel and more prone to sliding.
on snow
Acceleration and braking
In acceleration up to 40 km/h and subsequent braking to 5 km/h, the leaders were Continental, Nokian, and Pirelli. Nankang again occupied the lower end of the results, though the gap versus the best performers was a modest few percentage points rather than a wide margin.
cornering
A snow-lap test revealed the tire’s tendency to respond sluggishly to steering inputs, with the driver feeling a lack of immediacy and confidence when negotiating turns on untouched snow. This contrasted with the more decisive handling shown by the front-runners.
Expert assessment:
—China’s Nankang Ice Asset Ice-1 lands in the average category in these trials. Despite the playful branding in the name, the tire offers limited advantages in ice or snow. The snow and ice behave like freshly laid surfaces, making grip variable and inconsistent. It is among the noisiest and heaviest tires in the test and is not ideal for slippery surfaces. On well-cleared roads it may perform adequately, but the price cannot compensate for the compromised performance on challenging surfaces, especially when ABS and ESP are in active use. Those navigating winter roads should drive cautiously and anticipate longer turning radii when using this tire option.