Nokian: winter as the core business, not one line among many
A northern specialisation, not an extra line
For most manufacturers a winter tyre is one line among many. For Nokian it is the foundation of the company. The Finnish manufacturer, founded in 1932, invented the first winter tyre in 1934 and the first studded tyre in 1936; the company's history page confirms those dates.
In practice you can see it in our catalogue. In our offering Nokian has more winter models than summer ones - the opposite of nearly every other premium brand - and there are more studded tyres here than from any other brand. That is not marketing, it is the shape of the range.
There is a second consequence: not one Nokian tyre in our range carries a car manufacturer's OE marking. The brand's strength has historically not been factory supply to German premium marques, so if your car's tyres carried a star or MO, you are unlikely to find an equivalent Nokian version with us.
Three winter directions, not one
The Nokian winter range splits into three parts, and they are not interchangeable. Hakkapeliitta with a number is the studded line. Hakkapeliitta R is the Nordic studless line for the same conditions. Snowproof and WR are the Central European direction, built for wet asphalt rather than ice.
| Model | Season | Studs | Diameters | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonproof 1 | all-season | - | R14-R19 | All-season |
| Seasonproof 2 | all-season | - | R15-R20 | All-season, newer |
| WR Snowproof 1 | winter | studless | R15-R20 | Central European winter |
| Snowproof 2 SUV | winter | studless | R16-R21 | SUV winter |
| Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV | winter | studless | R16-R22 | Nordic studless, SUV |
| Hakkapeliitta 01 | winter | studded | R14-R22 | Studded, latest generation |
| Powerproof 2 | summer | - | R16-R21 | UHP summer |
| Hakkapeliitta 10 SUV | winter | studded | R16-R22 | Studded, SUV |
| Hakkapeliitta R5 | winter | studless | R14-R21 | Nordic studless |
| Hakkapeliitta 10 | winter | studded | R14-R22 | Studded |
The choice between Hakkapeliitta with a number and Hakkapeliitta R is the same one as between studs and friction in general; a comparison with figures is in the studded tyre section. Snowproof is a different tyre: for Latvian rural roads in winter it is a weaker choice than a Hakkapeliitta, even though it is a winter tyre from the same brand.
What the independent tests show
In the 2025 Tekniikan Maailma and UTAC test the Hakkapeliitta 10 won the studded group. On ice its braking distance from 50 km/h was 33.9 metres, only 1.6 metres behind the best tyre in the test, and the testers highlighted predictable behaviour in all situations.
The studless Hakkapeliitta R5 in the same test recorded the shortest dry braking distance of all the friction tyres - 30.8 metres from 100 km/h - and the best subjective noise rating. On ice it was weaker, with a braking distance of 47.9 metres, which is the typical difference between a Nordic friction tyre and a studded one.
In summary: both Nokian winter lines are among the best in their own category, and the difference between them is exactly what the studs-versus-friction comparison shows in general.
Who Nokian suits best
Nokian suits a Latvian winter in almost any scenario, and it is the most logical choice for those who drive on ungritted rural or coastal roads. It also suits those who need C-marked winter tyres for a van - the Nokian range is broad in that segment.
If you are looking for a wide choice of summer tyres, our Nokian summer offering is considerably narrower than the winter one - the broader range is in the Michelin, Continental and Bridgestone sections. If you want to keep a car manufacturer's OE marking, no tyre in our Nokian range has one.
Winter tyres are compulsory in Latvia from 1 December to 1 March with a minimum tread depth of 4 mm - set by the Road Traffic Law and explained by CSDD. When exactly to change is in When to fit winter tyres.