7Rank 07 of 8 · Best Winter Tyres 205/55 R16
Falken Falken Eurowinter HS02
The best dry-road tyre in the ADAC field at 72% TCS dry, the quietest at 69 dB class A, and the cheapest recommended option. Its snow score was the weakest of the recommended group.
7.7BPR score
- €76Price
- 2.8 befriedigend (ADAC/ÖAMTC/TCS 2024)Independent test grade, 205/55 R16
- 7 of 8in Best Winter Tyres 205/55 R16
- 7.7BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
This is the winter tyre for people who rarely see snow, and it is honest to describe it that way rather than as a compromise.
In the ADAC / ÖAMTC / TCS 2024 test in this size it recorded 72% dry at TCS — the best dry figure of the entire field, ahead of every premium tyre here. It is also the quietest, at 69 dB with noise class A, and the cheapest recommended option at around €76. Falken adds a five-year manufacturing defect guarantee.
The counterpart is snow: 52% at TCS, the weakest of the recommended group, and an overall grade of 2.8 "befriedigend". This is a tyre that behaves well on cold, dry and wet asphalt and less well when the road is actually covered.
For a large share of European drivers that is the right trade. In Germany, the Benelux countries, northern France and much of Poland, a typical winter delivers cold wet roads for months and genuine snow cover for days. If that describes your driving, paying a premium for snow performance you will use three times a year is a poor allocation of money.
Note the newer version. Auto Express 2026 ranked the HS02 PRO sixth in 205/55 R16 and the standard HS02 eighth. If both are available, the PRO is the better tyre — though we could not verify its EU label values in this size.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Size and common indices
- 205/55 R16 91H
- EU label - rolling resistance
- C
- EU label - wet grip
- B
- EU label - external noise
- 69 dB, class A
- Markings
- 3PMSF and M+S
- ADAC/OeAMTC/TCS 2024 overall
- 2.8 befriedigend
- TCS score
- 54% - dry 72, wet 60, snow 52
- Auto Express 2026
- 8th (HS02) / 6th (HS02 PRO) in 205/55 R16
- Guarantee
- 5 years against manufacturing defects
- European price per tyre
- EUR 76-79
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- Best dry-road performance in the ADAC field (TCS 72%)
- Quietest here at 69 dB with noise class A
- Cheapest recommended option at around €76
- Five-year manufacturing defect guarantee
- 3PMSF and M+S — legal across Europe
Worth knowing
- Weakest snow performance of the recommended group (TCS 52%)
- Overall grade only 2.8 befriedigend
- The newer HS02 PRO outranked it at Auto Express 2026 (6th vs 8th)
- Not a sensible choice for mountain or Alpine driving
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Winter Tyres 205/55 R16.
| Product | Score | Independent test grade, 205/55 R16 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental WinterContact TS 870Top score | 8.9 | 2.0 gut — winner (ADAC/ÖAMTC/TCS 2024) | €103 |
| Falken Eurowinter HS02This product | 7.7 | 2.8 befriedigend (ADAC/ÖAMTC/TCS 2024) | €76 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 8.3 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is a winter tyre that is bad on snow still worth buying?
Yes, if it matches your conditions. A winter tyre's compound stays flexible below 7 °C, which is why it outbrakes a summer tyre on cold wet asphalt regardless of snow. This one does that job well and is quiet and cheap while doing it. What it does not do is deep snow. If you live in a city with mild winters and drive mainly on cleared roads, that is the right set of priorities. If you drive to the mountains, it is the wrong tyre.
Should I buy the HS02 PRO instead?
If it is available at a similar price, yes — Auto Express placed it two positions higher in this exact size, sixth versus eighth. We could not verify its EU label values in 205/55 R16, so check those at the point of sale.
From the same ranking
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The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
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