Nokian WR D4 review
The Nokian WR D4 is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in deep snow and cold-weather traction, offering a quiet and comfortable ride. While many users praise its value and snow-handling capabilities, a significant portion of the user base reports concerns regarding premature tread wear and the structural integrity of the tire's edges over time.
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
79%By road tests
73%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 72 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Nokian WR D4 is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in deep snow and cold-weather traction, offering a quiet and comfortable ride. While many users praise its value and snow-handling capabilities, a significant portion of the user base reports concerns regarding premature tread wear and the structural integrity of the tire's edges over time.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and confidence in deep snow and slush
- Very low road noise and high levels of ride comfort
- Strong fuel efficiency and low rolling resistance
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Rapid and uneven tread wear, including reports of chunks falling off
- Inconsistent performance in wet conditions, with some users reporting poor grip
- Soft compound is prone to damage if used in temperatures above 10-15°C
- Occasional reports of lateral instability and vague steering feedback
Worth knowing
- Users with high-torque FWD vehicles frequently noted wheel spin and difficulty putting power down on wet or dry surfaces.
- Drivers using the tire in mild climates or during warmer shoulder seasons reported significantly faster degradation and 'chunking' of the tread blocks.
- Some users observed that adjusting tire pressure slightly higher than factory recommendations helped mitigate vague steering feel and improved responsiveness.
10 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter tire Test · 185/65 R15
10th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 AMS Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
3rd of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 8th of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 9th of 11 | |
| Snow Braking | 2nd of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 11 | |
| Straight Aqua | 6th of 11 | |
| Noise | 8th of 11 | |
| Price | 6th of 11 |
2018 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
7th of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 ACE All Season and Winter tire Test · 185/65 R15
3rd of 12
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 195/65 R15
9th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 18th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 16th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 14th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 16th of 20 | |
| Noise | 11th of 20 | |
| Value | 9th of 20 | |
| Price | 14th of 20 | |
| Wear | 5th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 1st of 20 |
2018 ADAC Winter tire Test - 175/65 R14 · 175/65 R14
4th of 12
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 ADAC Winter tire Test - 205/55 R16 · 205/55 R16
10th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 51 Winter tire Shootout · 195/65 R15
14th of 51
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2017 ADAC SUV Winter tire Test - 215/65 R16
4th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Handling | 5th of 16 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 5th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 5th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 5th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 16 | |
| Side G-Force on Wet surface | 5th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 2nd of 16 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 6th of 16 | |
| Inside Noise level | 3rd of 16 | |
| Wear | 4th of 16 |
2017 ADAC Winter tire Test - 195/65 R15
11th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Handling | 5th of 16 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 5th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 9th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 9th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking | 9th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 16 | |
| Side G-Force on Wet surface | 9th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 2nd of 16 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 3rd of 16 | |
| Inside Noise level | 7th of 16 | |
| Wear | 4th of 16 |