Author Topic: Nokians or Gislaved? (Read 7698 times)

Guy · « **on:** August 28, 2007, 10:12:38 am »

Contemplating 2 choices for the XC70 this winter: Nokians Hakkapelita 5 or Gislaved Nordfrost 5. Both are new to the North American market. Anybody has an opinion?

I have experience with the Nordfrost 3 and they are fine. Is the Nordfrost 5 better?

Quebec City has lot's of snow, ice, slush, so I need good tires even with AWD.

Thanks!

ktm525 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2007, 10:42:08 am »

Why limit your Volvo to just Scandinavian choices? Check ouit studded Pirelli Winter Carvings.

Guy · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2007, 11:08:03 am »

I have'nt had much luck with Pirelli's lately. They're off my list.

ktm525 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2007, 11:12:21 pm »

Not a scorpion fan?

Guy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2007, 07:14:38 am »

Noooooo....

mrthompson · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2007, 08:41:18 am »

You don't like "Rock You Like A Hurricane"?

MX5 Miata Guy · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2007, 08:59:31 am »

Either will be fine...the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi (non-studded) or Hakkapeliitta 4 (studded) or the Gislaved Nordfrost 5.

Truly, only the Finns and Swedes know about winter, in comparison with the Italians, French, Japanese, Koreans, and Americans...think about it -- they have winter 5-7 months out of the year, produce the best Pro-Rally drivers, and accept no compromises in terms of winter traction.

ktm525 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2007, 10:47:02 am »

Quote from: MX5 Miata Guy on September 22, 2007, 08:59:31 am

Either will be fine...the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi (non-studded) or Hakkapeliitta 4 (studded) or the Gislaved Nordfrost 5.

Truly, only the Finns and Swedes know about winter, in comparison with the Italians, French, Japanese, Koreans, and Americans...think about it -- they have winter 5-7 months out of the year, produce the best Pro-Rally drivers, and accept no compromises in terms of winter traction.

Yes but Gislaveds have been German for 15 years.

MX5 Miata Guy · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2007, 02:24:47 pm »

Just owned under a parent umbrella...not engineered.

Craig · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2007, 05:33:30 pm »

Quote from: Guy on August 28, 2007, 10:12:38 am

Contemplating 2 choices for the XC70 this winter: Nokians Hakkapelita 5 or Gislaved Nordfrost 5. Both are new to the North American market. Anybody has an opinion?

I have experience with the Nordfrost 3 and they are fine. Is the Nordfrost 5 better?

Quebec City has lot's of snow, ice, slush, so I need good tires even with AWD.

Thanks!

I have the same decision ahead of me, and the same level of experience. For an XC70, I would gravitate to the 3 for the larger voids and deep snow performance if you're a skier like me. To me, it's more than "fine", but I guess I'm comparing it to other tires on FWD vehicles. You know when they close the roads because of too mcuh snow, and they tell people to stay inside? That's when I take my family on the back roads in the X-Trail and plow my way to the hill.

My TSX is used as a highway vehicle for work, so the slightly higher speed rating of the 5 is where I'm leaning.

My understanding is that Nokian pricing has gone up again, and that Gislaved is just priced much better for a very comparable tire. Otherwise, the RSi or Hakka 5 would be on my radar.

ktm525 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2007, 06:25:35 pm »

Quote from: MX5 Miata Guy on September 24, 2007, 02:24:47 pm

Just owned under a parent umbrella...not engineered.

Like Saab?

The Gislaveds are real good in the snow. When the pavement is dry it is like wearing Sorrels when going out to dinner, a little clunky. I just them pricey, maybe because I only see them at the Volvo dealer.

For real-world driving I find my Hankook W300's just fine. When it's dry their V rating lets me boogie to the mountains with good-handling confidence. When it's dicey going over the passes in the Rockies they claw along fine. I was pushing 35cm+ of fresh rockies powder last winter with the Volvo V70R on a forestry road on the way for some back country turns. Except for snow packing into the rad it was no problem. Now if you want to do throttle power slides in fresh snow with your X/C then a true winter tire like a Nokian Hakka would be the way to go.

arch · « **Reply #11 on:** September 25, 2007, 01:51:13 pm »

What type of winter conditions will you be driving in? Let me know and we can try to recommend the best tires to suit the conditions that they'll be enduring.

Thanks!
Arch

TheMAN · « **Reply #12 on:** September 26, 2007, 06:59:58 pm »

I would check out the Continental Viking Contact 3. These tires are always big winners in European winter tests.

Wetson · « **Reply #13 on:** September 30, 2007, 09:37:07 pm »

I bought a set of Gislaved 5's for my car last year and absolutely love them. Great on ice and exceptional at cutting through snow and banks..... I'd go with the G's.

huota · « **Reply #14 on:** December 01, 2007, 03:46:16 am »

This probably comes too late for the OP, but I'll add just for the record that both options make excellent choices.

I have several winters under my belt with Hakkapeliitta 2 & Q and Gislaved NF3. The main difference was most apparent in highway driving where the HP2 was far more squishy than the NF3, especially after driving 120-140 km/h for more than one and a half hours.

HP5 and NF5 are evolutions of the aforementioned tires and from what I've understood after years of reading the Swedish/Finnish car magazines tire tests is that Nokians are consistently the best in icy conditions, in snow both brands are about equal, and Gislaveds handle better in dry conditions. It's worth noting, though, that Continental, Pirelli and Michelin have caught up and make very good winter tires nowadays - the differences are not dramatic.

Personally, I would go for the Gislaveds since I loved the NF3s.

No H2O · « **Reply #15 on:** December 03, 2007, 02:31:31 pm »

I'm very happy with my Nokian Hakkapeliittas. I sold my Toyo Observes to go back to Hakkas.

The problem is all those other losers on our roads that don't have good tires and/or know how to drive. You just end up having to follow them.

ktm525 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 04, 2007, 01:32:23 pm »

Quote from: hcrv on December 03, 2007, 02:31:31 pm

I'm very happy with my Nokian Hakkapeliittas. I sold my Toyo Observes to go back to Hakkas.

The problem is all those other losers on our roads that don't have good tires and/or know how to drive. You just end up having to follow them.

Or having them pile into the back of you.

No H2O · « **Reply #17 on:** December 04, 2007, 01:42:17 pm »

Quote from: ktm525 on December 04, 2007, 01:32:23 pm

Quote from: hcrv on December 03, 2007, 02:31:31 pm
I'm very happy with my Nokian Hakkapeliittas. I sold my Toyo Observes to go back to Hakkas.

The problem is all those other losers on our roads that don't have good tires and/or know how to drive. You just end up having to follow them.

Or having them pile into the back of you.

So true. I missed mentioning that. The rear view mirror is the first thing I check when hitting the brakes...always ready to take evasive action...into a snowbank if I have to.

That also applies during the summer when having an upper end car with exceptional brakes. You may be able to stop on the dime...its the guy with 10 year old dried up near slicks I'm worried about.

safristi · « **Reply #18 on:** December 04, 2007, 01:51:30 pm »

..defensive driving..like preventitive anything (medicine,hygiene,sex!!!)

..is so rarely given mention in the PRESS,the Publics consciousness or indeed HERE in C/D.....

I remember growing up the RAC(Royal Automibile club i believe)had an advanced Driver Membership badge....my buddies and I (even tho we couldn't afford the membership or the test fee) followed their tenents when we met for out evening and weekend Kar Adventures....and with SEVERAL Notable exceptions we followed the Path to excellence in driving..those exceptions woulda got us THROWN OUTTA Evel KNIEVELS HOUSE........

Calbrez · « **Reply #19 on:** November 16, 2008, 09:56:31 pm »

Quote from: MX5 Miata Guy on September 22, 2007, 08:59:31 am

Either will be fine...the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi (non-studded) or Hakkapeliitta 4 (studded) or the Gislaved Nordfrost 5.

Truly, only the Finns and Swedes know about winter, in comparison with the Italians, French, Japanese, Koreans, and Americans...think about it -- they have winter 5-7 months out of the year, produce the best Pro-Rally drivers, and accept no compromises in terms of winter traction.

Italy is 70% mountainous! It gets heavy snowfalls for 6 months of the year in many locales...

Sorry, had to respond to this as I was searching for winter tire post/reviews!