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Head-to-head Updated

Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2 vs Tristar Snowpower HP — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Snowpower HP leads, 63–59 Narrow edge

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Tire AMaxxis

VanSmart AS AL2

All Season

Tests 69 · 2 tests Owners 50 · 3 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 8 in 2020 Auto Bild Reisemobil Commercial All-Season tire test R16 (overall ranking)

Tire BTristar

Snowpower HP

Winter

Tests 49 · 1 test Owners 65 · 1 review

Best test result: #38 of 51 in 2018 51 Winter Tyre Shootout (overall ranking)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 59

    Dry

    Snowpower HP +6
    65
    Why this score
    SourceVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HP
    Professional tests (TWG score)65–
    Reviews found online5163
  2. 64

    Wet

    VanSmart AS AL2 +7
    57
    Why this score
    SourceVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HP
    Professional tests (TWG score)7149
    Reviews found online5469
    Wet Braking (% of best)94%74%
  3. 62

    Snow

    Snowpower HP +8
    70
    Why this score
    SourceVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HP
    Professional tests (TWG score)72–
    Reviews found online4770
  4. 60

    Comfort

    Snowpower HP +5
    65
    Why this score
    SourceVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HP
    Reviews found online5262
  5. 68

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HP
    Professional tests (TWG score)69–
  6. 55

    Treadwear

    Snowpower HP +8
    63
    Why this score
    SourceVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HP
    Reviews found online4761
  7. 53

    Handling

    Snowpower HP +8
    61
    Why this score
    SourceVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HP
    Reviews found online5361
Scores at a glance
CategoryMaxxis VanSmart AS AL2Tristar Snowpower HP
Relative Score 59 63
Dry 59 65
Wet 64 57
Snow 62 70
Comfort 60 65
Noise 68 –
Treadwear 55 63
Handling 53 61

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.

Important
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Important
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Neutral
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Less important
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Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

VanSmart AS AL2

Snowpower HP

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryVanSmart AS AL2Snowpower HPΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 57% #4/8 · 2020 Auto Bild Reisemobil Commercial All-Season tire test R16 3% #38/51 · 2018 51 Winter Tyre Shootout +54.5 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 94% #4/8 · 2020 AutoBild Van All Season Commercial Tyre Test 74% #45/49 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview +19.2 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A VanSmart AS AL2

Pros

  • Satisfactory grip levels on dry, clean road surfaces
  • Comfortable ride quality when tire pressures are strictly maintained
  • Reasonable tread longevity depending on driving style and braking habits

Cons

  • Significant manufacturing inconsistencies leading to difficult balancing and high vibration
  • Poor traction and handling performance in snow and ice conditions
  • Inconsistent grip levels on wet, non-adhesive asphalt surfaces
All owner themes in the VanSmart AS AL2 review

Tire B Snowpower HP

Pros

  • Strong value-for-money proposition
  • Reliable traction in snow
  • Competent performance in wet and dry conditions

Cons

  • Lack of precise steering feedback
  • General handling characteristics could be more communicative
All owner themes in the Snowpower HP review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2 B · Tristar Snowpower HP
CategoryAll SeasonWinter
Vehicle typeVanPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2852
Rim diameters12″ – 17″12″ – 20″

Which one should you actually buy?

Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2

Tristar Snowpower HP

Winner: Tristar Snowpower HP — better snow, treadwear and handling. Pick the Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2 if wet matters most to you.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Tristar Snowpower HP scores 70 vs 62 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Tristar Snowpower HP scores 63 vs 55 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Tristar Snowpower HP scores 61 vs 53 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2 scores 64 vs 57 on wet.

Tire A · Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Tristar Snowpower HP
Check price on Amazon

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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.

63

Narrow edge

Snowpower HP

Amazon