The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV is a premium, studless winter tire that’s designed for use on high-performance SUVs and CUVs. The tire incorporates cutting-edge technologies from the Finland-based manufacturer and provides optimum comfort and stability whether you drive in the ski areas where winters are notoriously bad or on the highways moderately covered with ice and snow.

To assist you in making a well-informed decision, we have thoroughly assessed this tire and shared the features and benefits, pros and cons, vehicle compatibility, and our verdict. So, read this Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV tire review to find out if this tire aligns with your winter needs or not.

Features and Benefits

The Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV has all the key elements that you would expect in a studless winter tire. The tire has a superior level of flexibility to ensure optimum performance at freezing temperatures and prominently focuses on enhancing the driving feel alongside running with greater efficiency on snow and ice. There are patented technologies that provide optimum durability and performance in colder months as the tire largely caters to the needs of premium SUVs.

Here’s the comprehensive list of features and benefits of the Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV to give you a better understanding of the tire’s true potential:

• Excellent grip on ice and snow – This Three Peak Mountain Snowflake-certified tire features a flexible winter rubber compound and a directional tread pattern that work in conjunction to provide better footprint responsiveness and an increased number of biting edges to provide an excellent grip while driving on ice and snow. The rubber compound of the R3 SUV features biobased Cryo Crystal 3 grip particles that offer better grip on ice by firmly holding the driving surface.
• Optimum comfort and driving confidence – The tire is also engineered to improve driving comfort levels. Thanks to the flat footprint, the tire is always in consistent contact with the surface and remarkably absorbs the driving shocks while the tire is rolling. This reduces the road vibrations that are felt in the cabin, thus offering comfortable driving confidence. Moreover, the continuous center tread area of this tire improves stability and steering responsiveness to enhance driving confidence in winter weather conditions.
• Strong commercial-grade durability – This tire is not like any other winter tire you come across. Nokian has incorporated its patented Aramid Sidewall technology to give this tire commercial-grade durability. The tire features strong, synthetic Aramid fibers that reinforce the sidewall and provide better resistance against impacts and cuts, thus allowing your vehicle even pass through some of the roughest of conditions in winter weather conditions.
• Enhanced driving control and quieter rides – The detailed siping with maximized flexibility offers consistent grip, enhances driving control, and offers better cushioning to provide quieter drive while the tire rolls on pavement, snow, ice, or rough surfaces. Additionally, the advanced tread design channels airwaves through the footprint without letting them inside the tread elements, thus reducing the tread noise levels.
• Superior braking and acceleration – The advanced tread design of the Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV has multi-faceted Snow Claws present between the tread blocks and shoulder areas. These Snow Claws provide balanced ice and snow grip to boost the braking and accelerating capabilities of the tire.
• Improved slush and water dispersion – Angled lateral grooves on the tread ease water and slush evacuation from the footprint area and provide better wet grip during the winter season.
• Better fuel efficiency – The structure of the tire consistently releases driving pressure, and the advanced directional tread pattern additionally distributes the driving force across the tread area to ensure low rolling resistance, thus improving the fuel efficiency of the tire.

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV is available in 83 different sizes that vary between 16- to 22-inch rims, making this tire widely compatible with most CUVs and SUVs. Some of these sizes are listed below:

• 215/65R16
• 265/70R16
• 225/65R17
• 265/70R17
• 235/55R18
• 285/60R18
• 245/55R19
• 265/55R19
• 235/50R20
• 295/50R20
• 285/45R21
• 315/40R21
• 285/40R22
• 285/45R22

Like most winter tires, the Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV isn’t covered by any limited manufacturer tread life warranty. However, its impressive durability and sturdy tread compound are likely to offer a longer service life.

Pros and Cons

Now with all the features and benefits of the Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV discussed, let’s glance over the positives and negatives of this tire. Let’s check out the positives first:

• Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified
• Excellent grip and traction on ice and snow
• More comfortable than many of its counterparts
• Impressive durability in the winter tire category
• Better fuel efficiency than its rivals
• Admirable braking and acceleration in wintry conditions
• Superior stability at high speeds during colder months
• Wears very well and serves for a longer period of time

Nokian claims that this premium winter tire is exceptionally great on various fronts, but what are the areas where it might not be the best of the available options, let’s check them out:

• Not backed by any limited manufacturer tread life warranty
• Handling on snow and ice-covered roads isn’t the best in the category
• Wet weather performance isn’t as great as some of its peers.
• Noisier than some of its competing tires
• Expensive than many other available choices in the segment

SimpleTire’s view on Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV tires

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV is one of its kind. You may tag it as a typical winter tire but it comes with a lot more things than expected. It is made for those CUV and SUV owners who want to have the best winter driving experience. The tire does its core job very well and offers excellent grip and traction in snowy and icy conditions. Tagged as a ‘premium’ winter tire by Nokian, it doesn’t disappoint drivers with its comfort levels either.

The durability, braking, and acceleration capabilities of this tire are first-class in winter weather conditions. The wet grip of the tire isn’t as great as some of its counterparts, but it has many other things that will drive your attention. The tire wears well offering you a longer service life and this can bring relief to the buyers who might not like the fact that the tire isn’t backed by any limited manufacturer tread life warranty. There’s a bit of handling lag but otherwise, you will find its stability at higher speeds very good. That being said, the tire is a bit louder and even its price tag is very subjective. For premium tire seekers, the price might not be a concern, however, for budget winter tire purchasers, this one could be an expensive choice.

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV competes against the likes of Nexen Winguard Ice SUV, Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2, Hankook Winter i* Pike RS2 (W429), Goodyear Winter Command, Continental VikingContact 7, and Pirelli Scorpion Winter.

Vehicles the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV is a good replacement tire for

Suitable for use on crossovers and SUVs, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta can be used as a replacement tire on vehicles like Audi Q8, Bentley Bentayga, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Buick Enclave, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia, Land Rover Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC60, BMW X5, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Cherokee, Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Crosstrek, Dodge Charger, Nissan X-Trail, Toyota Sienna, and Chevrolet Traverse.