Tests 73 · 9 tests Owners 71 · 61 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 vs Riken Snow — 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 9 + 4 road tests and 61 + 9 owner reviews. How we score
WinGuard Sport 2 leads, 71–68 Narrow edge
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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70
Dry
WinGuard Sport 2 +466Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 71 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 69 65 WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 69.4 = 70
Snow: 60% × 66.9 (est.) + 40% × 65.4 = 66
No road tests of dry for Snow. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
-
75
Wet
WinGuard Sport 2 +867Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 4 tests 73 64 Reviews found online 77 71 Wet Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 83% 81% WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 73.5 + 40% × 77.4 = 75
Snow: 60% × 64.4 + 40% × 70.6 = 67
-
70
Snow
Snow +171Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests 70 ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 70 71 WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 69.6 = 70
Snow: 60% × 70.5 (est.) + 40% × 70.5 = 71
No road tests of snow for Snow. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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68
Comfort
WinGuard Sport 2 +464Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 64 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 71 63 WinGuard Sport 2: 40% × 64.4 + 60% × 70.6 = 68
Snow: 40% × 67.4 (est.) + 60% × 62.5 = 64
No road tests of comfort for Snow. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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81
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 94 – Reviews found online 61 – WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 61.3 = 81
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73
Treadwear
WinGuard Sport 2 +568Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 75 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 71 69 WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 74.8 + 40% × 71.3 = 73
Snow: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 68.7 = 68
No road tests of treadwear for Snow. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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70
Handling (owners)
WinGuard Sport 2 +466Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Reviews found online 70 66 -
34
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source WinGuard Sport 2 Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 34 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 | Riken Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 68 |
| Dry | 70 | 66 |
| Wet | 75 | 67 |
| Snow | 70 | 71 |
| Comfort | 68 | 64 |
| Noise | 81 | – |
| Treadwear | 73 | 68 |
| Handling (owners) | 70 | 66 |
| Efficiency | 34 | – |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
WinGuard Sport 2
68
/ 100
Snow
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 2 tests that ran both, Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 finished ahead 2 times and Riken Snow 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | WinGuard Sport 2 | Snow | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | Wet | 83% | 81% | +1.9 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #27/54 | #40/54 | – | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
Tire B Snow
Pros
- Exceptional snow, ice, and winter traction
- High value for the money in the budget tire category
- Low road noise compared to standard winter tires
Cons
- Reduced wet-weather braking performance during spirited driving
- Lower-tier classification compared to premium flagship winter tires
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 | B · Riken Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 80 | 41 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 20″ | 15″ – 18″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 24 | 24 |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
68
/ 100
Riken Snow
Narrow edge: Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 — better wet, treadwear and dry. Where the Riken Snow is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 75 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 73 vs 68 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 70 vs 66 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 68 vs 64 on comfort.
Tire A · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Tire B · Riken Snow
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WinGuard Sport 2 or Snow?
Which is better in the wet, WinGuard Sport 2 or Snow?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 75 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, WinGuard Sport 2 or Snow?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 70 vs 66 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, WinGuard Sport 2 or Snow?
Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 71 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, WinGuard Sport 2 or Snow?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 68 vs 64 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, WinGuard Sport 2 or Snow?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 73 vs 68 on our treadwear 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