Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    2026 test data · 18 independent tests

    → See full Firestone vs King-Meiler brand comparison

    Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81: the full picture

    This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 and King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 appear in 18 tests, though they have not yet met head-to-head in the same test. Head-to-head results carry the most weight here, because surface, weather and test car all change between events and make raw numbers from different tests hard to compare directly.

    How the Firestone Winterhawk 4 performs. It takes the win in wet, snow, ice, noise / comfort, mileage. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 89/100, based on 17 tests.

    How the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 performs. It takes the win in dry, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 81/100, based on 1 test.

    What this means for you. Category wins matter more than the overall score when your driving is weighted toward one condition — a wet-climate commuter should follow the wet braking column, while a high-mileage driver should follow wear and rolling resistance. Also check that both tires are actually offered in your size and load rating: performance can shift between sizes, and availability differs between the European and North American markets.

    Verdict

    The Firestone Winterhawk 4 is the stronger all-round choice, leading in wet and Tire Lab Score. The King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 still wins on dry, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise snow
    • You prioritise ice
    • You prioritise dry
    • You prioritise efficiency

    Test profile

    MetricFirestone Winterhawk 4King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81
    SegmentWinterWinter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used171
    Best rank#1#1
    Avg rank10.011.4
    Latest test20252020
    Tire Lab Score88.780.9

    Tire Lab Score

    88.7
    Very Good · Winter
    80.9
    Very Good · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryFirestone Winterhawk 4King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81Winner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 7.6
    138
    Avg rank 14.0
    Firestone Winterhawk 4
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 14.3
    1
    Avg rank 12.5
    King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 9.2
    224
    Avg rank 12.7
    Firestone Winterhawk 4
    🧊Ice
    Avg rank 6.7
    No data
    Firestone Winterhawk 4
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 9.2
    31
    Avg rank 14.0
    Firestone Winterhawk 4
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 10.8
    21
    No data
    Firestone Winterhawk 4
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 9.5
    1
    Avg rank 3.0
    1
    King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    💧 Wet: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 7.6, compared to 14.0 for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    ☀️ Dry: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    The King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 wins this category with an average rank of 12.5, compared to 14.3 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    ❄️ Snow: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 9.2, compared to 12.7 for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    🧊 Ice: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 6.7, compared to no data for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 9.2, compared to 14.0 for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    📏 Mileage: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 10.8, compared to no data for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    🔋 Efficiency: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81

    The King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 wins this category with an average rank of 3.0, compared to 9.5 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Firestone Winterhawk 4 or King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 ranks higher on average than the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Firestone Winterhawk 4 across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?

    On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 ranks better than the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 shows better mileage performance than the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Firestone Winterhawk 4 appears in 17 independent tests, King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 in 1.

    Also compare

    Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →