83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
89/100
24 professional tests
User signal (40%)
84/100
43 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Riken Snowtime B2 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
78/100
6 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Riken Snowtime B2 if snow matters most to you.
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 81 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 78 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 14
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 67 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Snowtime B2 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 95 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Snowtime B2 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 88 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 87 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 24
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 55 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | Riken Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 78 |
| Dry | 82 | 78 |
| Wet | 81 | 67 |
| Snow | 84 | 95 |
| Comfort | 87 | 88 |
| Noise | 78 | – |
| Treadwear | 87 | 87 |
| Handling | 79 | 55 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
83
/ 100
Tire A
78
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction and confidence-inspiring performance in deep snow, ice, and slush. While it excels in cold-weather environments, some users note that its soft sidewall construction can lead to a 'mushy' steering feel and reduced stability on dry pavement when temperatures rise above 10°C.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and braking performance on snow and ice
- Excellent longevity and slow tread wear
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Strong resistance to hydroplaning in heavy rain and slush
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can cause unstable handling or 'squirming' in dry, warmer conditions
- Lack of effective rim protection despite marketing claims
- Steering response can feel lazy or imprecise on certain vehicle setups
- Performance noticeably degrades when ambient temperatures exceed 10-12°C
Observations
- Users with high-torque vehicles (e.g., Tesla Model 3, performance-oriented cars) reported that the tire can feel nervous or lack precision during hard acceleration.
- Drivers of heavier vehicles or those using wider tire formats noted that maintaining higher inflation pressures is often necessary to mitigate soft sidewall flex and improve steering feedback.
- The tire is highly regarded for AWD vehicles (e.g., Subaru Forester, Skoda Yeti), where it effectively complements the drivetrain's capability in deep snow.
The Riken Snowtime B2 is widely regarded as a competent budget-friendly winter tire that offers surprising value, particularly regarding noise levels and tread longevity. While it provides reliable traction in snow and standing water, users note that its handling limits in dry and wet conditions are lower than premium summer tires, requiring a more cautious driving style.
Pros
- Impressive noise suppression compared to both premium and budget competitors
- Strong snow and slush traction for the price point
- Excellent tread life and durability over multiple seasons
- Noticeable improvements in fuel economy for some users
Cons
- Lower handling limits in dry and wet conditions compared to summer tires
- Potential for sudden loss of grip if pushed too hard in corners
- Increased stopping distances compared to high-performance summer rubber
Observations
- Users noted that downsizing to 16-inch wheels contributed to a cumulative improvement in ride comfort and noise reduction.
- Handling characteristics were significantly influenced by vehicle suspension health, with one user noting that perceived tire instability was actually resolved by replacing rear shocks.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | B · Riken Snowtime B2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Dunlop
78
/ 100
Riken
Winner: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Riken Snowtime B2 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 79 vs 55 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 81 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Riken Snowtime B2 scores 95 vs 84 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 82 vs 78 on dry.
Tire A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Tire B · Riken Snowtime B2
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 also compared with
Riken Snowtime B2 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.