Reviewed by Sammy Chua, Canadian Auto Review – Winter conditions vary around the world, with consumers having many different requirements. There are several GT Radial winter tires available for sale in Canada, including the Champiro WT, IcePro, WinterPro and the top of the line WinterPro HP.

The new GT Radial Champiro WinterPro HP can handle the icy conditions even when the roads are covered in ice and snow. It is notable that with the WinterPro HP, slippage on ice is kept to a minimum. During testing, the tire’s performance in snowy and icy conditions gave me a feeling of confidence and safety. I felt the WinterPro HP tires could handle even more demanding conditions.

The WinterPro HP is suited, not only for sedans, but also for high performance cars that are driven in severe winter climates. The line accommodates different vehicles with a size range from 16 – 20 inch diameters, from a 195/55R16 87H to 275/45R20 110V XL.

Do you know how cold it is in Canada? In February, it was a record cold month with an average temperature of -12 degrees Centigrade. The weather seems to be getting colder and snow accumulates even more. The use of winter tires for severe conditions is even more important for driver safety.

As an example, after snow falls, roads may become icy on top of the snow, which may lead to very slippery conditions. These conditions make drivers susceptible to losing control of their vehicle. The most common accidents in winter occur while drivers are in the process of turning. In order to avoid this kind of occurrence, drivers should pay close attention to the road conditions, and they should recognize that the best performing winter tires provide one of the most important tools in avoiding the loss of control in winter driving.

Taking a look at the WinterPro HP’s specifications and design, the tire has an asymmetric tread design that interacts with road conditions based on an inside/outside design and compounding to improve the contact patch. The purpose is to adapt to different road surface conditions while maintaining precision and control when turning. Three wide circumferential grooves assist in snow and water displacement while driving, and precise cross siping in the tread’s middle section also assists in snow displacement while increasing stability in severe winter conditions. Interestingly, the use of sunflower oil in the tread compound helps maintain flexibility in extremely low temperatures and improves braking and handling at higher speeds.

We tested the WinterPro HP on a new model Mercedes C250 4Matic with OE replacement tires sized 225/45R17. This winter tire certainly exceeded expectations. Pushing forward in the snowy conditions, the stability of the tire’s traction was evident with no oversteer or understeer; the vehicle felt just about right and exhibited stable braking performance. During the test drive, we were also pleased not to experience excessive tire noise, even at high speeds.

In summary, the Champiro WinterPro HP produced excellent results in each test criteria and compares equivalently or maybe better than the Michelin X-Ice Xi3.

Headquartered in Singapore, and one of the leading tire manufacturers in China, Giti Tire is ranked among the 10 largest tire manufacturers in the world. With 7 factories in China and one in Indonesia, the company recently broke ground on a manufacturing facility in Chester County, South Carolina.

Giti Tire markets throughout the world in over 130 countries. Besides Giti, other brands sold are GT Radial, Primewell, Dextero and Runway. The GT Radial brand has been sold for more than 20 years in North America.