83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
77/100
7 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
59 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 vs Riken Snow — 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
76
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
77/100
7 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 — better comfort, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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)
WinGuard Sport 2 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 87 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 79 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
WinGuard Sport 2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 71 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 74 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Snow leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 83 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
WinGuard Sport 2 leads by 21
Why this score
| Source | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 67 |
| SimpleTire owners | 92 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 13 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 84 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
WinGuard Sport 2 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 83 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinGuard Sport 2 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 69 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 | Riken Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 76 |
| Dry | 88 | 79 |
| Wet | 78 | 74 |
| Snow | 81 | 83 |
| Comfort | 88 | 67 |
| Noise | 42 | – |
| Treadwear | 86 | 83 |
| Handling | 78 | 69 |
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
76
/ 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 Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 is widely regarded as a high-value, performance-oriented winter tire that excels in cold, wet, and light-to-moderate snow conditions. While it offers impressive comfort and low noise levels that rival premium brands, some users report concerns regarding long-term structural integrity and inconsistent performance on pure ice.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium winter tire brands
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Strong performance on cold, wet, and slushy pavement
- Reliable traction in light-to-moderate snow conditions
Cons
- Reports of structural 'egging' or wobbling after extended use
- Inconsistent performance on hard-packed ice or deep snow
- Potential for increased rolling resistance and minor fuel economy loss
- Vague handling feedback under aggressive driving conditions
Observations
- Users with high-performance AWD vehicles (e.g., BMW xDrive, Subaru WRX) report excellent snow mobility, though some note a 'rolly' feel in corners.
- Owners of high-torque or heavy vehicles noted that the sidewalls can feel soft, leading to less precise handling compared to dedicated summer tires.
- Some users reported that the actual tread width on specific sizes (e.g., 235/55/19) appeared narrower than the advertised specification.
The Riken Snow is widely regarded as a high-value winter tire that punches above its weight class, offering impressive traction in snow and ice. While it is a budget-friendly option, users consistently praise its reliability and performance, noting that it remains a competent choice for both city driving and challenging winter conditions.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and reliability in deep snow, ice, and mud.
- Excellent value for money compared to premium-tier competitors.
- Surprisingly quiet road noise levels for a winter-specific tread pattern.
- Solid dry road handling and grip characteristics.
Cons
- Noticeable reduction in wet braking performance during spirited driving.
- Tendency for ABS intervention under harder braking conditions on wet surfaces.
- Positioned as a budget-tier product, which may lack the ultimate refinement of top-tier brands.
Observations
- Users report strong performance on lighter passenger vehicles like the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Fiat Grande Punto.
- The tire is noted for its durability and effective tread wear on utility-focused vehicles like the Corsa van.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 | B · Riken Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Touring tires | Winter High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 61 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 20″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10.5/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Nexen
76
/ 100
Riken
Winner: Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 — better comfort, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 88 vs 67 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 88 vs 79 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 78 vs 69 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 78 vs 74 on wet.
Tire A · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Tire B · Riken Snow
More comparisons
Also compared with
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 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.