Winter Tire Stopping Distance Matrix
Winter tires stop shorter than all-season tires on snow and ice. In Tire Rack's 2026 test, the best winter tire stopped from 25 mph on snow in 56.1 feet versus 81.1 feet for the best conventional all-season tire, a gap of 25 feet.
- 10 tires, 3 categories, one test car and tire size
- Snow, ice, wet and acceleration results side by side
- Data from Tire Rack's All-Weather vs. Winter Tires test (May 2026)
How much shorter do winter tires stop than all-season tires?
In Tire Rack's 2026 test, the best winter tire stopped 25.0 feet shorter on snow from 25 mph and 16.3 feet shorter on ice from 12 mph than the best conventional all-season tire. All-weather tires landed in between: close to winter tires on snow, but well behind them on ice.
Are snow tires worth it in Minnesota?
For drivers who regularly face snow and ice, the data says yes. The gap is widest exactly where a Minnesota commute gets dangerous: braking on packed snow and glazed intersections.
Twenty-five feet sounds abstract until you picture it. Tire Rack describes that 25 mph snow-braking gap as roughly the length of a full-size pickup truck. Tire Rack also notes that if the same snow stop were extrapolated to 50 mph, the difference between the first and last tires in the test would grow to more than 100 feet.
The tradeoff is real, too. Winter tires gave up some wet-braking performance, and they are meant to come off when spring temperatures return. That is a choice worth making with the numbers in front of you, which is the point of this page.
The full stopping distance matrix
All results come from one test: a 2025 Toyota Camry on 215/55R17 tires, with data collected in near-freezing temperatures. Lower numbers are better in every column.
| Tire | Category | Snow stop, 25-0 mph | Ice stop, 12-0 mph | Snow accel, 0-12 mph | Wet stop, 50-0 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin X-Ice Snow | Winter (studless) | 56.1 | 39.4 | 25.61 | 129.0 |
| Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | Winter (studless) | 57.3 | 38.7 | 23.97 | 117.6 |
| Continental VikingContact 8 | Winter (studless) | 59.3 | 43.3 | 24.53 | 117.8 |
| General Altimax Arctic 12 | Winter (studdable, tested without studs) | 61.1 | 45.9 | 25.59 | 122.4 |
| Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ | Performance winter | 63.1 | Not stated | 23.60 | 100.2 |
| Bridgestone WeatherPeak | All-weather | 58.6 | Not stated | 25.91 | 110.7 |
| Michelin CrossClimate2 | All-weather | 72.4 | 53.0 | 30.00 | 99.6 |
| Vredestein Quatrac | All-weather | 73.0 | 50.6 | 28.43 | 93.0 |
| Michelin Primacy Tour A/S | All-season | 81.1 | 57.7 | Not stated | 99.3 |
| Michelin Defender2 | All-season | 84.5 | 55.0 | 36.44 | 111.0 |
Bold marks the best result in each column. "Not stated" means Tire Rack's written test report does not give that figure; see Tire Rack's interactive charts for it. All-weather tires carry the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol; the two all-season tires do not. Source: Tire Rack test report.
What the matrix shows, category by category
The cleanest way to read the data is to compare the best tire in each category, since that is the best case for each type of tire you could buy.
| Category | Best snow stop (25-0 mph) | Best ice stop (12-0 mph) | Best wet stop (50-0 mph) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 56.1 ft | 38.7 ft | 100.2 ft |
| All-weather | 58.6 ft (2.5 ft longer than winter) | 50.6 ft (11.9 ft longer than winter) | 93.0 ft (7.2 ft shorter than winter) |
| All-season | 81.1 ft (25.0 ft longer than winter) | 55.0 ft (16.3 ft longer than winter) | 99.3 ft (0.9 ft shorter than winter) |
Best on snow and ice
Shortest snow and ice stops in the test, with some give-back in wet braking.
Close on snow, behind on ice
The best all-weather tire nearly matched winter tires on snow, but stopped 30.7% longer on ice.
Weakest in winter
Strong in the wet, but the longest snow and ice stops in the test.
What about braking at 20 degrees F?
Tire Rack ran this test in near-freezing temperatures, not at 20 degrees F, so we do not publish 20-degree stopping figures we cannot verify.
What the testing does establish is why the gap exists. Winter tires use tread compounds and designs engineered to keep working as temperatures fall, while all-season compounds are built to cover a much wider temperature range. Tire Rack recommends planning a swap once temperatures consistently settle around 45 degrees F, well before a typical January morning in Rogers.
Want the rest of the cold-weather picture, including batteries and tire pressure? Read our Minnesota winter car prep and maintenance guide.
Do I need winter tires on my Equinox?
If you drive your Equinox regularly on snow or ice, winter tires are the single biggest upgrade for stopping and steering. AWD helps the Equinox get moving, but it does not shorten braking distances.
The same logic applies to a Traverse, Tahoe or Silverado. Tire Rack's buyer's guide points out that getting moving is only part of winter driving, because stopping and turning still depend on the tires. It also recommends installing winter tires on all four wheels, since mixing them with all-season tires creates a front-to-rear traction imbalance.
What about studs?
Studded tires are not an option for most Minnesota drivers. Minnesota Statute 169.72 prohibits them on highways, with limited exceptions. The studdable General tire in this test was run without studs.
Find the right size
Your tire size is on the tire sidewall and on the Tire Information Label on the driver's door frame. Enter it in our Tire Finder, or ask our team to look it up for you.
Open the Tire FinderHow this data was collected
Every number on this page comes from one independent test, so the tires are compared on equal terms.
- Tester: Tire Rack, through its independent tire testing program
- Published: May 4, 2026
- Vehicle and size: 2025 Toyota Camry, 215/55R17
- Conditions: Road rides and data collection in near-freezing temperatures
- Tests used here: Snow braking from 25 mph, ice braking from 12 mph, snow acceleration to 12 mph, wet braking from 50 mph
Two honest limits: a Camry is lighter than most SUVs and trucks, so your vehicle's exact distances will differ, and controlled test conditions are more consistent than real roads. The relative order of tire categories is the useful takeaway. Our tire and service team can help you translate it to your vehicle.
Winter Tire Stopping Distance FAQ
Do winter tires really stop shorter on ice?
Are all-weather tires as good as winter tires?
Do winter tires have any downsides?
When should I put winter tires on in Minnesota?
Can I put winter tires on just the front wheels?
Put the data to work before the next storm
Find winter tires sized for your Chevrolet, then schedule installation with our Certified Service team in Rogers.
Test data is reproduced from Tire Rack's All-Weather vs. Winter Tires: The Definitive Test (2026) for comparison purposes. Results reflect one vehicle, tire size and set of conditions; actual stopping distances vary with vehicle, load, tire wear, road surface and temperature. Miller Chevrolet did not conduct this test.