Winter tire Winter Touring tires Updated September 2026
Barum Polaris 5 review
The Barum Polaris 5 is widely regarded as a budget-friendly winter tire that excels in snow and ice traction, offering a strong value proposition for everyday driving. While many users praise its cold-weather performance, experiences are polarized, with some reporting significant issues regarding wet-weather grip, cabin noise, and tread longevity.
Relative score
70/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
66/100
15 reviews
Road tests
71/100
14 published tests
Scores
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
66%
Would buy again
47%
Dry
Wet
Snow & ice
Comfort
Treadwear
Handling
By road tests
71.1%By discipline (% of best in test)
From owners
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 15 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Barum Polaris 5 is widely regarded as a budget-friendly winter tire that excels in snow and ice traction, offering a strong value proposition for everyday driving. While many users praise its cold-weather performance, experiences are polarized, with some reporting significant issues regarding wet-weather grip, cabin noise, and tread longevity.
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on snow and ice
- Strong value for money compared to premium alternatives
- Reliable performance in sub-7°C temperatures
- Generally comfortable ride quality
Cons
- Inconsistent performance in wet conditions
- Reports of high cabin noise and road rumble
- Concerns regarding rapid or uneven tread wear
- Reduced handling precision at higher temperatures
Worth knowing
- Users noted that the tire's comfort levels may be influenced by smaller wheel sizes compared to larger summer setups.
- Some drivers of AWD vehicles reported mixed results, suggesting the tire's performance may not always match the capabilities of the drivetrain in deep snow.
Test results
14 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2024 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
16th of 20
Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st
Weakest: Straight Aqua · 18th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 17th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 17th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 14th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 9th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 18th of 20 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 18th of 20 | |
| Noise | 15th of 20 | |
| Value | 7th of 20 | |
| Wear | 15th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 1st of 20 |
2024 Winter 55 tire Braking Test · 205/55 R16
18th of 55
Best: Snow Braking · 16th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 20th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 20th of 55 | |
| Snow Braking | 16th of 55 |
2023 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 225/45 R18
9th of 20
Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st
Weakest: Wet Handling · 17th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 12th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 17th of 20 | |
| Wet Circle | 7th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 11th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 3rd of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 16th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 16th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 7th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 12th of 20 | |
| Noise | 13th of 20 | |
| Value | 1st of 20 | |
| Wear | 4th of 20 | |
| Snow Slalom | 12th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 1st of 20 |
2023 ADAC 16 Inch tire Test · 205/60 R16
12th of 16
Best: Fuel Consumption · 1st
Weakest: Straight Aqua · 15th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 10th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 11th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 10th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 14th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 10th of 16 | |
| Straight Aqua | 15th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 12th of 16 | |
| Noise | 15th of 16 | |
| Wear | 4th of 16 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 1st of 16 | |
| Abrasion | 9th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 13th of 16 |
2023 Winter tire Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18
14th of 54
Best: Wet Braking · 12th
Weakest: Snow Braking · 21st
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 12th of 54 | |
| Snow Braking | 21st of 54 |
2022 Winter tire Market Overview · 215/55 R17
26th of 56
Best: Snow Braking · 23rd
Weakest: Wet Braking · 27th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 27th of 56 | |
| Snow Braking | 23rd of 56 |
2022 ADAC Winter tire Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
14th of 15
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2021 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
15th of 20
Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st
Weakest: Dry Braking · 17th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 15th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 13th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 17th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 13th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 14th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 13th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 7th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 17th of 20 | |
| Noise | 16th of 20 | |
| Value | 1st of 20 | |
| Price | 2nd of 20 | |
| Wear | 5th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 1st of 20 |
2021 ADAC 15 Inch Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
12th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2021 Winter tire Market Overview · 205/55 R16
15th of 49
Best: Wet Braking · 17th
Weakest: Snow Braking · 18th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 17th of 49 | |
| Snow Braking | 18th of 49 |
2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter tire Test · 245/45 R18
15th of 20
Best: Value · 6th
Weakest: Wear · 18th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 15th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 16th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 14th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 12th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 16th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 16th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 13th of 20 | |
| Noise | 7th of 20 | |
| Value | 6th of 20 | |
| Wear | 18th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 12th of 20 |
2020 Winter tire Market Overview - 52 tire Braking Test · 245/45 R18
11th of 48
Best: Snow Braking · 9th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 17th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 17th of 48 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 48 |
2019 Auto Center Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
4th of 10
Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st
Weakest: Subj. Dry Handling · 9th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 10 | |
| Ice Braking | 7th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 8th of 10 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 6th of 10 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Ice Traction | 7th of 10 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 9th of 10 |
2019 Winter tire Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17
21st of 45
Best: Snow Braking · 18th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 23rd
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 23rd of 45 | |
| Snow Braking | 18th of 45 |