Tests 78 · 3 tests Owners 73 · 2 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop Winter vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter leads, 75–72 Narrow edge
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Tests 73 · 9 tests Owners 70 · 61 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (noise)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
72
Dry
Winter +270Why this score
Source Winter WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 71 Reviews found online 71 68 Dry Braking (% of best) 97% 94% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 98% -
77
Wet
Winter +374Why this score
Source Winter WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 73 Reviews found online 76 75 Wet Braking (% of best) 92% 83% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 97% -
77
Snow
Winter +770Why this score
Source Winter WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 71 Reviews found online 73 69 Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 96% Snow Handling (% of best) 98% 98% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 87% -
77
Comfort
Winter +1067Why this score
Source Winter WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 65 Reviews found online 72 71 -
74
Noise
WinGuard Sport 2 +983Why this score
Source Winter WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 97 Reviews found online – 62 -
76
Treadwear
Winter +472Why this score
Source Winter WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 74 Reviews found online – 69 -
72
Handling
Winter +468Why this score
Source Winter WinGuard Sport 2 Reviews found online 72 68
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Winter | Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 72 |
| Dry | 72 | 70 |
| Wet | 77 | 74 |
| Snow | 77 | 70 |
| Comfort | 77 | 67 |
| Noise | 74 | 83 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 72 |
| Handling | 72 | 68 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
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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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
75
/ 100
Winter
72
/ 100
WinGuard Sport 2
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Winter | WinGuard Sport 2 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #8/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 94% #12/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | +3.2 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #10/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | +0.8 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% #7/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 89% #8/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | +1.1 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #7/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 100% #1/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | −2.0 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 76% #6/15 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 97% #3/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | −21.0 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 96% #5/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −4.0 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 13% #8/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 7% #15/45 · 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview | +5.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #3/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 96% #7/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | +2.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #9/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 98% #7/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | −0.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 87% #10/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | +13.5 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 96% #15/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #8/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | −1.3 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 100% #2/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 93% #6/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | +7.1 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #7/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #17/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #9/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 83% #26/48 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | +8.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #9/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | −0.7 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Tire B WinGuard Sport 2
Pros
- Excellent value and affordable price point compared to premium winter tires
- Low noise levels and high comfort, often rivaling all-season or summer tires
- Strong grip and stability on cold dry and wet pavement
Cons
- Subpar performance on hard-packed ice and deep snow compared to dedicated heavy-duty winter tires
- Soft sidewalls can lead to slightly vague handling or a 'rolly' feeling in hard cornering
- Reports of higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor drop in fuel economy
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Winter | B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 62 | 80 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 21″ | 15″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10.5/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
75
/ 100
Dunlop Winter
72
/ 100
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Winner: Dunlop Winter — better comfort, snow and treadwear. Pick the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Winter scores 77 vs 67 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 83 vs 74 on noise.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Dunlop Winter scores 77 vs 70 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop Winter scores 76 vs 72 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop Winter
Tire B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
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How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.