Winter tire Winter High Performance tires Updated September 2026
Fulda Kristall Control HP2 review
The Fulda Kristall Control HP2 is a polarizing winter tire that offers strong value and comfort for budget-conscious drivers, particularly in dry and mild winter conditions. While many users praise its quiet ride and handling, significant concerns exist regarding its long-term performance, specifically regarding rapid rubber hardening and a notable decline in wet and snow traction as the tire ages.
Relative score
72/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
68/100
12 reviews
Road tests
68/100
24 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
68%
Would buy again
64%
Dry
Wet
Snow & ice
Comfort
Treadwear
Handling
By road tests
67.7%By discipline (% of best in test)
From owners
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 12 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Fulda Kristall Control HP2 is a polarizing winter tire that offers strong value and comfort for budget-conscious drivers, particularly in dry and mild winter conditions. While many users praise its quiet ride and handling, significant concerns exist regarding its long-term performance, specifically regarding rapid rubber hardening and a notable decline in wet and snow traction as the tire ages.
Pros
- High level of ride comfort and low noise levels
- Strong performance in dry road conditions
- Competitive price point relative to premium brands
- Good initial handling and road feedback
Cons
- Significant loss of grip in wet and snowy conditions after several seasons
- Rubber compound prone to hardening over time
- Reports of uneven tread wear, specifically cupping on rear axles
- Poor braking performance on ice
Worth knowing
- Users with the BMW i3 reported positive experiences, noting the tire is a viable alternative when premium winter options are unavailable.
- Drivers using 18-inch and 19-inch rim sizes noted that the tire maintains good comfort levels despite the larger wheel diameter.
Test results
24 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2025 Autobild Winter tire Test · 225/40 R18
18th of 20
Best: Subj. Comfort · 1st
Weakest: Wet Braking · 20th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 19th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 17th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 16th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 14th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 14th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 11th of 20 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 1st of 20 | |
| Noise | 16th of 20 | |
| Value | 9th of 20 | |
| Wear | 18th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 12th of 20 |
2025 Winter tire Braking Test - 52 Sets! · 225/40 R18
18th of 51
Best: Snow Braking · 5th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 23rd
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 23rd of 51 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 51 |
2025 ADAC Winter tire Test · 225/40 R18
13th of 31
Best: Wet Circle · 4th
Weakest: Dry Braking · 29th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 22nd of 31 | |
| Wet Circle | 4th of 31 | |
| Dry Braking | 29th of 31 | |
| Snow Braking | 17th of 31 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 31 | |
| Ice Braking | 20th of 31 | |
| Straight Aqua | 10th of 31 | |
| Noise | 29th of 31 | |
| Wear | 13th of 31 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 18th of 31 | |
| Abrasion | 18th of 31 | |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 15th of 31 |
2024 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
19th of 20
Best: Snow Handling · 3rd
Weakest: Wet Handling · 20th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 10th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 11th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 10th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 17th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 14th of 20 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 6th of 20 | |
| Noise | 20th of 20 | |
| Value | 10th of 20 | |
| Wear | 10th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 15th of 20 |
2024 Winter 55 tire Braking Test · 205/55 R16
20th of 55
Best: Snow Braking · 14th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 26th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 26th of 55 | |
| Snow Braking | 14th of 55 |
2023 ADAC 16 Inch tire Test · 205/60 R16
9th of 16
Best: Wear · 1st
Weakest: Noise · 16th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 15th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 10th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 10th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 6th of 16 | |
| Straight Aqua | 10th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 2nd of 16 | |
| Noise | 16th of 16 | |
| Wear | 1st of 16 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 2nd of 16 | |
| Abrasion | 5th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 14th of 16 |
2023 Winter tire Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18
23rd of 54
Best: Snow Braking · 17th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 27th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 27th of 54 | |
| Snow Braking | 17th of 54 |
2022 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 215/55 R17
19th of 20
Best: Value · 3rd
Weakest: Wet Handling · 20th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 17th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 18th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 13th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 13th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 18th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 15th of 20 | |
| Noise | 20th of 20 | |
| Value | 3rd of 20 | |
| Price | 6th of 20 | |
| Wear | 4th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 4th of 20 |
2022 Winter tire Market Overview · 215/55 R17
18th of 56
Best: Snow Braking · 12th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 18th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 18th of 56 | |
| Snow Braking | 12th of 56 |
2022 Auto Zeitung Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
6th of 8
Best: Snow Braking · 2nd
Weakest: Subj. Dry Handling · 8th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 7th of 8 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 8 | |
| Snow Braking | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 5th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 8th of 8 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 8th of 8 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Noise | 7th of 8 | |
| Price | 2nd of 8 |
2021 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
16th of 20
Best: Value · 2nd
Weakest: Wet Braking · 20th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 18th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 19th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 10th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 9th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 20th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 12th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 12th of 20 | |
| Noise | 19th of 20 | |
| Value | 2nd of 20 | |
| Price | 6th of 20 | |
| Wear | 3rd of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 6th of 20 |
2021 ADAC 17 Inch Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
11th of 18
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2021 Winter tire Market Overview · 205/55 R16
18th of 49
Best: Snow Braking · 15th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 24th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 24th of 49 | |
| Snow Braking | 15th of 49 |
2020 Auto Zeitung Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
10th of 14
Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st
Weakest: Dry Braking · 13th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 10th of 14 | |
| Dry Braking | 13th of 14 | |
| Snow Braking | 2nd of 14 | |
| Snow Traction | 10th of 14 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 14 | |
| Straight Aqua | 11th of 14 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 12th of 14 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 9th of 14 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 12th of 14 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 8th of 14 |
2020 ACE Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
6th of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter tire Test · 245/45 R18
11th of 20
Best: Straight Aqua · 1st
Weakest: Wet Braking · 20th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 19th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 20 | |
| Noise | 17th of 20 | |
| Value | 4th of 20 | |
| Wear | 8th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 1st of 20 |
2020 Winter tire Market Overview - 52 tire Braking Test · 245/45 R18
18th of 48
Best: Snow Braking · 3rd
Weakest: Wet Braking · 25th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 25th of 48 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 48 |
2019 Auto Center Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
6th of 10
Best: Snow Braking · 3rd
Weakest: Subj. Comfort · 10th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 10 | |
| Ice Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 10 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 8th of 10 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 10th of 10 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 8th of 10 | |
| Ice Traction | 3rd of 10 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 7th of 10 |
2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch tire Test · 225/45 R17
12th of 20
Best: Total Cost of Ownership · 3rd
Weakest: Snow Handling · 19th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 18th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 18th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 16th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 9th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 19th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 9th of 20 | |
| Noise | 16th of 20 | |
| Value | 7th of 20 | |
| Price | 6th of 20 | |
| Wear | 16th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 3rd of 20 |
2019 Winter tire Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17
18th of 45
Best: Snow Braking · 8th
Weakest: Wet Braking · 21st
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 21st of 45 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 45 |
2018 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 195/65 R15
4th of 20
Best: Wet Braking · 4th
Weakest: Value · 14th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 9th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 10th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 13th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 8th of 20 | |
| Noise | 4th of 20 | |
| Value | 14th of 20 | |
| Price | 12th of 20 | |
| Wear | 11th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 5th of 20 |
2018 ADAC Winter tire Test - 205/55 R16 · 205/55 R16
7th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 51 Winter tire Shootout · 195/65 R15
2nd of 51
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2017 ADAC SUV Winter tire Test - 215/65 R16
9th of 16
Best: Ice Braking · 2nd
Weakest: Snow Braking · 8th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Handling | 4th of 16 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 4th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 16 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 4th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 4th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking | 4th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 16 | |
| Side G-Force on Wet surface | 4th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 8th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 2nd of 16 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 2nd of 16 | |
| Inside Noise level | 2nd of 16 | |
| Wear | 2nd of 16 |