Tests 70 · 14 tests Owners 82 · 35 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)
Head-to-head
Updated
Falken Eurowinter HS01 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 14 + 9 road tests and 35 + 61 owner reviews. How we score
Eurowinter HS01 leads, 75–72 Narrow edge
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Tests 73 · 9 tests Owners 71 · 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.
Key facts
- In 4 tests that measured wet braking for both, Eurowinter HS01 won 2 and WinGuard Sport 2 won 2 (average 89% vs 87% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured snow braking for both, Eurowinter HS01 won 1 and WinGuard Sport 2 won 3 (average 93% vs 95% of the best).
-
77
Dry
Eurowinter HS01 +770Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 6 tests 74 71 Reviews found online 82 70 Dry Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 97% 96% Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 98% 99% Eurowinter HS01: 60% × 73.6 + 40% × 82.4 = 77
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 70 = 70
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86
Wet
Eurowinter HS01 +1175Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 14 / 9 tests 85 74 Reviews found online 87 78 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 98% 95% Wet Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 2–2 89% 87% Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 95% 96% Eurowinter HS01: 60% × 84.6 + 40% × 87.1 = 86
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 73.6 + 40% × 77.6 = 75
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68
Snow
WinGuard Sport 2 +270Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 14 / 9 tests 61 70 Reviews found online 79 70 Snow Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 1–3 93% 95% Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 97% 95% Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 87% Eurowinter HS01: 60% × 60.6 + 40% × 78.8 = 68
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 70.1 = 70
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75
Comfort
Eurowinter HS01 +669Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 69 65 Reviews found online 78 71 Eurowinter HS01: 40% × 68.7 + 60% × 78.4 = 75
WinGuard Sport 2: 40% × 64.9 + 60% × 71.1 = 69
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55
Noise
WinGuard Sport 2 +2782Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 6 tests 41 96 Reviews found online 77 62 Noise (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 96% 100% Eurowinter HS01: 60% × 40.7 + 40% × 76.9 = 55
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 96 + 40% × 61.6 = 82
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76
Treadwear
Eurowinter HS01 +373Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 2 tests 71 75 Reviews found online 82 71 Eurowinter HS01: 60% × 71.3 + 40% × 82.2 = 76
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 74.7 + 40% × 71.2 = 73
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77
Handling (owners)
Eurowinter HS01 +671Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Reviews found online 77 71 -
12
Efficiency
WinGuard Sport 2 +2335Why this score
Source Eurowinter HS01 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 6 tests 12 35 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 79% 85%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Falken Eurowinter HS01 | Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 72 |
| Dry | 77 | 70 |
| Wet | 86 | 75 |
| Snow | 68 | 70 |
| Comfort | 75 | 69 |
| Noise | 55 | 82 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 73 |
| Handling (owners) | 77 | 71 |
| Efficiency | 12 | 35 |
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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Recomputed
Headline score
75
/ 100
Eurowinter HS01
72
/ 100
WinGuard Sport 2
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
In the overall rankings of 6 tests that ran both, Falken Eurowinter HS01 finished ahead 3 times and Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 3 times.
| Discipline | Category | Eurowinter HS01 | WinGuard Sport 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% | 96% | +0.8 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% | 99% | −1.0 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 80% #4/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 80% #6/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% | 95% | +2.8 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 89% | 87% | +2.5 | 2–2 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% | 96% | −0.7 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% | 95% | −2.3 | 1–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% | 95% | +1.3 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 90% | 87% | +3.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 60% #10/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 93% #6/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 96% | 100% | −4.4 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 91% #7/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 79% #10/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 79% | 85% | −6.0 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 82% | 91% | −8.9 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #20/20 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | #17/20 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 68% #10/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #3/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #9/10 | #10/10 | – | 3–3 in 6 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test R18 · 245/40R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Eurowinter HS01
Pros
- Exceptional wet-weather grip and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong traction and handling in deep snow and ice
- High value-to-price ratio compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Higher rolling resistance noted by some users
- Inconsistent braking confidence on wet or slick asphalt for a small subset of drivers
- Increased road noise at higher speeds or when over-inflated
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 · Falken Eurowinter HS01 | B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 99 | 80 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 21″ | 15″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | 10.5/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | 51 psi |
| Sizes in common | 41 | 41 |
Which one should you actually buy?
75
/ 100
Falken Eurowinter HS01
72
/ 100
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Narrow edge: Falken Eurowinter HS01 — better wet, dry and comfort. Pick the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 if noise and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 82 vs 55 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 35 vs 12 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Falken Eurowinter HS01 scores 86 vs 75 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Falken Eurowinter HS01 scores 77 vs 70 on dry.
Tire A · Falken Eurowinter HS01
Tire B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
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Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Which is better in the wet, Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Falken Eurowinter HS01, 86 vs 75 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Falken Eurowinter HS01, 77 vs 70 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 70 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 82 vs 55 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Falken Eurowinter HS01, 75 vs 69 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Falken Eurowinter HS01, 76 vs 73 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Eurowinter HS01 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 35 vs 12 on our efficiency score.
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.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology