Tire Buying Guides
What’s a “Hakkapeliitta,” you might be wondering? “Hakkapeliitta” is the Finnish term for that country’s 17th century mounted cavalry, elite troops that were trained to fight in hard winter conditions. Nokian named their Hakkapeliitta family of tires well; Nokian (yes, the same parent company as Nokia phones) is a Finnish-based tire manufacturer that specializes in the kind of tire designs that can take on the harsh Scandinavian winters. As the northernmost tire manufacturer in the entire world, Nokian has been first to market with a number of innovations, including the first-ever winter tire for trucks in the 1930s. Today, Nokian has a plant in Dayton, OH and worldwide distribution, and is still a forward-thinking company when it comes to environmental sustainability and the mission of producing top-quality tires for difficult winter conditions. Let’s take a quick look at some of the premium tires in the Hakkapeliitta tire lineup:
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
The Hakkapeliitta R5 is designed for a balance of winter traction with capable handling and road manners. The Hakkapeliitta R5 features Nokian’s innovative Arctic Grip Crystals embedded in the tread for tenacious grip in ice and snow, and studless Double Block Grip that incorporates sweeping directional grooves, a thick pattern of sipes, and a tread pitch that’s computer tuned to neutralize certain frequencies and overtones, keeping road noise to a minimum. The Hakkapeliitta R5 has the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for severe winter service, and is designed for low rolling resistance to help enhance fuel economy. The Hakkapeliitta R5 is also certified for use on EVs and hybrids. The Hakkapeliitta 5 is available in a wide range of sizes from 14” to 20” for a variety of fitments.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
Take on the absolute worst conditions that winter can throw your way with the Hakkapeliitta 10 from Nokian. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 is mounted with strategically-placed studs (always check state and local laws for legality of studded tires and calendar restrictions) for confident grip on ice and slush. The Hakkapeliitta 10’s center pattern of studs help to enhance acceleration and braking grip, while the studs toward the shoulder aid in cornering ability and lane changes. The tread compound of the Hakkapeliitta 10 stays flexible to deliver traction in subfreezing weather, and the directional tread incorporates sweeping grooves and sipes to dig in and slice through snow and slush. Handling and steering response are quick and nimble, even on dry roads, and the tread pitch of the Hakkapeliitta 10 is tuned to help keep road noise to a minimum and deliver a quiet, serene ride. The Hakkapeliitta 10 is designed for reduced rolling resistance, helping to save fuel, and is certified for use on EVs and hybrids. The Hakkapeliitta 10 is 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake rated for severe winter service.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 EV
Designed for electric vehicles, hybrids and mild hybrids, the Hakkapeliitta 10 EV from Nokian is the solution to deliver peace of mind in rough winter driving conditions. Nokian took the proven design features from the Hakkapeliitta 10 and concentrated on reduced rolling resistance to help extend the battery life and range of EVs. Like the Hakkapeliitta 10, the Hakkapeliitta 10 EV has an optimized pattern of studs to enhance grip on ice-slick pavement (always check state and local laws for legality and calendar restrictions on studded tires), with studs toward the tread’s center aiding in braking and acceleration and the shoulder pattern of studs helping with control for cornering, turns and lane changes. Nokian’s Silentdrive technology helps keep road noise to a minimum, and its eco-friendly tread formulation stays flexible for reliable grip in subfreezing weather. The Hakkapeliitta 10 EV is 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake certified for severe winter service.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT3
For the ultimate in confident winter grip for light trucks, there’s the Hakkapeliitta LT3 from Nokian. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT3 has strategically placed studs for traction on ice and frozen slush (always check state and local laws for the legality and calendar restrictions on studded tires) with the inner rows of studs designed for improved acceleration and braking and the pattern of studs toward the shoulder boosting traction for cornering and lane changes. In a true Nokian innovation, the stainless-steel studs of the Hakkapeliitta LT3 are designed to never corrode from use on salty winter roads, through the entire service life of the tire. An aggressive directional tread with sipes and deep, sweeping grooves claws its way through snow and slush, and tough internal construction makes the Hakkapeliitta LT3 suitable for commercial duty. Low rolling resistance makes the Hakkapeliitta LT3 suitable for electric vehicles and hybrids as well as helping to optimize fuel economy. NOTE: the Hakkapeliitta LT3 is also available with a non-studded tread design.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta C4
Designed for vans and RVs, the Hakkapeliitta C4 takes the innovations and expert design features of other tires in the Hakkapeliitta line and leverages them into a confident and capable tire for heavier vehicles. The Hakkapeliitta C4 has a state-of-the-art, strategically placed pattern of square studs for reliable traction in the worst winter conditions, with studs toward the tread’s center that optimize acceleration and braking traction and studs toward the shoulder for enhanced control while cornering, turning or changing lanes. The Hakkapeliitta C4’s stainless studs are designed to never corrode even after being used on winter roads with harsh salt and deicing chemicals. Aramid-reinforced sidewalls make the Hakkapeliitta C4 sturdy enough for heavier vehicles and rough conditions while helping to provide a balanced and stable driving experience. Like other Hakkapeliitta tires, the Hakkapeliitta C4 is designed for low rolling resistance and is certified for use on EVs and hybrids.
Other Nokian Hakkapeliitta tires
In addition to the above tires, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta family of tires also includes the:
- Hakkapeliitta 7
- Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV
- Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV Studded
- Hakkapeliitta 9
- Hakkapeliitta 9 SUV
- Hakkapeliitta 9 SUV Studded
- Hakkapeliitta 8
- Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV
- Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV Studded
- Hakkapeliitta C2
- Hakkapeliitta C3 Studded
- Hakkapeliitta C4
- Hakkapeliitta CR3
- Hakkapeliitta CR4
- Hakkapeliitta LT2
- Hakkapeliitta LT2 Studded
- Hakkapeliitta LT3
- Hakkapeliitta LT3 Studded
- Hakkapeliitta R
- Hakkapeliitta R SUV
- Hakkapeliitta R2
- Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV
- Hakkapeliitta R3
- Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV
- Hakkapeliitta R5
- Hakkapeliitta R5 EV
- Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV
- Hakkapeliitta RSi
- Hakkapeliitta SUV 5
- Hakkapeliitta SUV 5 Studded
- Hakkapeliitta TRI
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