Skip to content
Winter tire Winter Premium Touring tires Updated September 2026

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 review

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, offering exceptional traction and confidence on ice and packed snow. While users consistently praise its ability to handle extreme winter conditions, some note a decline in performance after several seasons and acknowledge the inherent road noise associated with studded tires.

Relative score
76/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
87/100
25 reviews
Road tests
55/100
8 published tests

Owners rate it 32.1 points higher than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
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

87.4%
Would buy again 69%
Dry
Overall dry
85.8%
Wet
Overall wet
88%
Snow & ice
Overall snow & ice
96.8%
Ice
100%
Comfort
Overall comfort
83.5%
Noise
Overall noise
78.8%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
87.8%
Handling
Overall handling
79%

By road tests

55.3%
Dry
29.8%
Wet
81.8%
Snow
86.3%
Comfort
11.8%
Noise
90.3%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 25 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, offering exceptional traction and confidence on ice and packed snow. While users consistently praise its ability to handle extreme winter conditions, some note a decline in performance after several seasons and acknowledge the inherent road noise associated with studded tires.

Pros

  • Superior grip and braking performance on ice and hard-packed snow
  • High level of driver confidence in severe winter weather conditions
  • Excellent reliability for steep grades and mountainous terrain
  • Effective performance even on rear-wheel-drive vehicles

Cons

  • Noticeable road noise due to the studded design
  • Potential for significant performance degradation after 2-3 seasons or approximately 20,000 miles
  • Less feedback and lower grip levels on dry or wet pavement compared to premium studless alternatives
  • High price point

Worth knowing

  • Owners of RWD performance vehicles reported being able to navigate snowy conditions that would otherwise be impassable.
  • Users with low-clearance FWD sedans noted that the tires provide excellent traction as long as the vehicle does not bottom out in deep, unplowed snow.
Test results

8 published test appearances

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter tire Test · 235/45 R18

14th of 20
DisciplinePlacementField position

2025 Friction and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

8th of 14
Best: Ice Braking · 10th Weakest: Dry Braking · 13th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking12th of 14
Wet Handling12th of 14
Dry Braking13th of 14
Snow Braking12th of 14
Snow Traction12th of 14
Ice Braking10th of 14
Subj. Dry Handling11th of 14
Subj. Wet Handling11th of 14
Ice Traction10th of 14
Subj. Noise10th of 14

2024 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17

1st of 8
Best: Ice Handling · 1st Weakest: Straight Aqua · 7th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Handling5th of 8
Snow Traction5th of 8
Snow Handling2nd of 8
Ice Handling1st of 8
Straight Aqua7th of 8
Subj. Dry Handling4th of 8
Noise6th of 8
Ice Traction2nd of 8
Fuel Consumption4th of 8

The Best Studded / Friction Winter tires for 2024 · 225/50 R17

4th of 17
DisciplinePlacementField position

2023 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17

1st of 8
Best: Snow Handling · 1st Weakest: Straight Aqua · 8th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Handling3rd of 8
Snow Traction5th of 8
Snow Handling1st of 8
Ice Handling1st of 8
Rolling Resistance4th of 8
Straight Aqua8th of 8
Subj. Dry Handling5th of 8
Subj. Comfort5th of 8
Noise6th of 8
Ice Traction2nd of 8

2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

9th of 9
Best: Snow Handling · 1st Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 6th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Snow Traction4th of 9
Snow Handling1st of 9
Ice Handling5th of 9
Rolling Resistance6th of 9
Ice Traction1st of 9
Snow Circle1st of 9

2021 Nordic Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

1st of 8
Best: Snow Traction · 1st Weakest: Wet Handling · 5th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Handling5th of 8
Snow Traction1st of 8
Snow Handling1st of 8
Ice Handling1st of 8
Noise5th of 8
Ice Traction1st of 8

2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

1st of 16
Best: Ice Braking · 1st Weakest: Price · 16th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking12th of 16
Wet Handling5th of 16
Dry Braking5th of 16
Snow Braking9th of 16
Snow Traction12th of 16
Snow Handling7th of 16
Ice Braking1st of 16
Ice Handling1st of 16
Ice Traction1st of 16
Subj. Noise10th of 16
Price16th of 16
Where to buy

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 specs & sizes

Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.