Comparison: Barum Polaris 5 vs. Firestone Winterhawk 4 (2026)

In this comparison, we are comparing a tyre from a manufacturer from Czech Republic (Barum) against a tyre from a manufacturer from USA (Firestone). Barum is a brand that belongs to the Continental group. Generally, Barum winter tyres are slightly better rated (78%) than Firestone (63%). In this particular case, the Barum Polaris 5 has a better rating of 72% compared to 63% of the Firestone Winterhawk 4. The first tyre test of Barum Polaris 5 was done in 2019, compared to 2020 when was the Firestone Winterhawk 4 first tested. Important for this comparison is also the AUTOBILD 2024 205/55 R16 test, where both the Polaris 5 and the Winterhawk 4 were tested. See more mutual tests below. When it comes to comparison, eu labels can be also interesting - 100% of Barum Polaris 5 has C wet grip rating, whereas 100% of Firestone Winterhawk 4 has B rating. If you wonder where the tyres in question are made, the Polaris 5 is made in Czech Republic and Winterhawk 4 is made in Italy.