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265/40 R21 - Best winter tyres 2026 - market overview, tests, reviews

Winter
29
Tyres

We recommend

Premium
GoodYear UltraGrip Performance+
GoodYear

UltraGrip Performance+

8.8
£259
mytyres.co.uk
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Best deals

Best tyres in tests (2026)

Default order: highest overall test rating first. Ratings combine tests in different tyre sizes.

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1
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
ContinentalPremium
WinterContact TS 870 P
AUTOBILD'26#2SPORTSCARS'26#4REIFENTESTER'25#1
9.4
Price from£301
Expert summary
Continental winter tires have been winning tire tests for many years, and the 870P is no exception. The “P” stands for performance, but don’t be mistaken, its rolling resistance is also praised, making it ideal for EVs. A well-balanced tire.
Recommended
#5
2026
theTire Lab.comRecommended#5 Winter tires 2026
Performance
Rolling resistance
93%
Dry handling - objective
92%
Mud traction
91%
+26
Gravel traction
46%
Sand traction
46%
Price/value
4%
View full review
Price variants (1)
265/40 R21 105 T
B B 71dB
£301
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£301
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
2
GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
GoodYearPremium
UltraGrip Performance 3
ADAC'26#3AVD'26#3SPORTSCARS'26#3
9.2
Price from£278
Expert summary
The UltraGrip Performance 3 is one of the best tyres we have seen in the tests and on top of that it's top discipline is snow performance while maintaining great properties on wet, which makes it a great candidate for snowy climates.
Recommended
#8
2026
theTire Lab.comRecommended#8 Winter tires 2026
Performance
Dry driving behavior
100%
Wet side guide
100%
Wear
95%
+27
Interior noise
62%
Rolling resistance
60%
Price/value
53%
View full review
Price variants (2)
265/40 R21 105 V
B C 72dB
£331
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
£331
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
265/40 R21 108 V XL
B C 71dB
£278
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£278
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
£327
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
3
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
BridgestonePremium
Blizzak 6
SPORTSCARS'26#2AUTOEXPRESS'26#4AUTOBILD'26#5
9.1
Price from£246
Expert summary
Blizzak has always been a winter tire focused on wet conditions, but with its sixth model, Bridgestone has promised improved snow performance and reduced rolling resistance. Early tests suggest they have delivered on these promises—Blizzak 6 is unmatched in wet conditions and excels on snow, making it ideal not just for city climates.
Recommended
#9
2026
theTire Lab.comRecommended#9 Winter tires 2026
Performance
Snow safety
100%
Lateral guidance on snow
96%
Gravel traction
91%
+26
Interior noise
49%
Exterior noise
42%
Price/value
34%
View full review
Price variants (1)
265/40 R21 105 W
B C 72dB
£246
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£246
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
£300
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
4
GoodYear UltraGrip Performance+
GoodYearPremium
UltraGrip Performance+
AUTOMOTORSPORT'25#2ADAC'23#3ADAC'23#3
8.8
Price from£258
Expert summary
A typical premium tyre - very well balanced, great on all surfaces with low rolling resistance. Proven by many tests.
Recommended
#10
2026
theTire Lab.comRecommended#10 Winter tires 2026
Performance
Fuel efficiency
100%
Snow handling - objective
95%
Aquaplaning - cross
91%
+22
Price/value
53%
Dry handling
52%
Dry lane changing
51%
View full review
Price variants (5)
265/40 R21 105 H MO
B B 73dB
£259
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£259
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
265/40 R21 105 H
B B 73dB
£285
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£285
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
265/40 R21 105 H MO
B B 73dB
£258
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£258
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
265/40 R21 105 V
B C 73dB
£320
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£320
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
5
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
BridgestonePremium
Blizzak LM-005
ADAC'26#8AUTOZEITUNG'24#1AUTOBILD'24#5
8.7
Price from£213
Expert summary
A great winter tyre with balanced handling characteristics. Great in the wet, but slightly less durable than newer models.
Recommended
#11
2026
theTire Lab.comRecommended#11 Winter tires 2026
Performance
Wet side guide
100%
Wet braking
97%
Wet circle cornering
92%
+26
Mileage
40%
Snow safety
33%
Price/value
20%
View full review
Price variants (2)
265/40 R21 105 H runflat MOE-S
B B 70dB
£213
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£213
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
6
Hankook Winter i*cept evo3 X W330A
HankookUpper-middle
Winter i*cept evo3 X W330A
AUTOBILD'25#7STRAßENVERKEHR'24#5ARBO'23#2
8.5
Price from£225
Performance
Dry lane changing
100%
Price/value
100%
Snow braking
89%
+19
Exterior noise
24%
Interior noise
13%
Wet safety
0%
View full review
Price variants (1)
265/40 R21 105 V
B C 73dB
£225
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£225
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
7
Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2
PirelliPremium
Scorpion Winter 2
AUTOBILD'25#4STRAßENVERKEHR'24#4AUTOBILD'23#3
8.4
Price from£332
Expert summary
Winter-focused tyre that is enjoyable to drive on snow, while being safe on wet and dry.
Performance
Lateral guidance on snow
100%
Dry lane changing
100%
Interior noise
100%
+17
Aquaplaning - cross
47%
Price/value
33%
Rolling resistance
28%
View full review
Price variants (1)
265/40 R21 105 V MO1
A C 71dB
£332
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
£332
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£334
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
8
Continental WinterContact 8 S
ContinentalPremium
WinterContact 8 S
SPORTAUTO'25#5
7.6
Price from£280
Performance
Dry handling
100%
Rolling resistance
100%
Snow cornering
80%
+13
Aquaplaning - cross
20%
Wet handling - objective
0%
Wet handling
0%
View full review
Price variants (1)
265/40 R21 105 V XL EVc
B B 73dB
£280
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
tyres-pneus-online.co.uk
£280
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£289
In stock · Free shipping
Buy
9
Nexen Winguard Sport 3
NexenBudget
Winguard Sport 3
AVD'26#8SPORTSCARS'26#9
7.5
Price from£189
Expert summary
The Nexen Winguard Sport 3 is an ultra-high-performance winter tyre manufactured in the Czech Republic. Launched initially in 79 sizes ranging from 16 to 22 inches, the model has an additional 66 sizes planned for future release. It is recognized for its design, innovation, functionality, and durability, having earned a Red Dot Design Award 2025.
Performance
Exterior noise
100%
Comfort
86%
Snow braking
61%
+12
Aquaplaning - longitudal
22%
Snow handling
21%
Aquaplaning - cross
18%
View full review
Price variants (1)
265/40 R21 105 V £189
mytyres.co.uk
mytyres.co.uk
£189
In stock · Free shipping
Buy

265/40 R21 tyre test

Personalize →

Best tyres in your size

Dry

1. Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
79%
2. Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
77%
3. GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
71%
4. Bridgestone Blizzak 6
66%
5. Vredestein Wintrac Pro
65%
6. Nexen Winguard Sport 3
54%

Wet

1. Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
87%
2. GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
77%
3. Bridgestone Blizzak 6
71%
4. Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
70%
5. Vredestein Wintrac Pro
67%

Snow

1. Bridgestone Blizzak 6
73%
2. GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3
71%
3. Continental Wintercontact Ts 870 P
67%
4. Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005
66%
5. Nexen Winguard Sport 3
59%
6. Vredestein Wintrac Pro
55%

This is a preview of our comprehensive tyre test. The full test includes:

Detailed breakdowns
Interactive sorting
Side-by-side comparisons
View Full Test Results

Price vs Quality

See how tyre price relates to test performance at a glance

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I'm looking for ...

Best snow tyres
Best tyres for EVs
Best ice tyres
Best dry-handling tyres
Best rain tyres
Quietest tyres
Most economical tyres
Best anti-aquaplaning tyres

Customer reviews

225 customer reviews for tyres in this size
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4 3.5/5 (91) Continental WinterContact TS 870 P 4/5 (26) Pirelli Scorpion Winter 3.5/5 (20) Nokian WR SUV 3 3.7/5 (20) GoodYear UltraGrip Performance+ 3.8/5 (15) GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3 3.9/5 (14) Yokohama BluEarth winter V905 3.8/5 (14) Michelin PILOT ALPIN 5 SUV 3.8/5 (12) Nokian WR SUV 4 3.5/5 (8) Kumho WinterCraft WS71 2.2/5 (5)

Other popular sizes

215/65 R16158 Tyres205/55 R16141 Tyres225/55 R17128 Tyres215/60 R17126 Tyres225/45 R17123 Tyres0/0 R0118 Tyres225/50 R17115 Tyres215/60 R16113 Tyres

265/40 R21 — Also available in

Summer(66)All season(6)

Top brands in 265/40 R21

Bridgestone(2)Continental(2)GoodYear(2)Pirelli(2)Hankook(1)Michelin(1)Nexen(1)

Did you know ...?

265/40 R21 doesn't belong to the most popular dimensions for winter tyres - there are 12 tyre models available, which can be compared to 165/60 R15, 185/55 R14, 170/60 R17. Let's break down the sizing - 40 is height of the tyre, which is calculated as 40% of the tyre width (265mm), which means the sidewall height has 106 mm. The wheel diameter is R21, which means it fits to a 21 inch/533.4mm diameter wheel. The total circumference of the tyre is 2341.74 mm, which is very similar to 265/35 R22(2338.29 mm), 265/45 R20(2345.2 mm), 295/40 R20(2337.34 mm), 225/75 R16(2337.03 mm), 265/50 R19(2348.65 mm), 315/30 R22(2349.28 mm), 245/70 R16(2354.31 mm). There are multiple speed indexes available for winter tyres in 265/40 R21: H(210km/h), T(190km/h), V(240km/h), W(270km/h), Y(300km/h). The same goes for weight indexes: 105, 108, 110.

There are 1 runflat variants available.

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