Media

Seoul, Korea, November 10, 2023 – Just in time for the start of the winter tire season, global leading tire company Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) is taking the top positions in the latest independent tire tests by the media and automobile clubs with its products optimized for the cold season. Hankook tires are especially impressive in the safety-related categories in the dry and wet as well as in snow.

In the latest ADAC winter tire test for small SUVs, the Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 in the size 205/60 R16 H tied for third with another competitor in the overall ranking. The premium tire came second in the driving safety category, impressing the testers with its outstanding winter properties. Here’s what the experts had to say: “For anyone planning on doing lots of winter driving, the Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 will serve you very well.”

In the winter tire test by ACE, Hankook Tire took the silver medal with the Winter i*cept evo 3 X SUV tire. A total of ten tires in the size 235/55 R18 were put to the test, and had to prove their worth both in minus temperatures at the Ivalo Arctic Center in Finland as well as at moderate temperatures in Mireval in France. The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 3 X, designed specifically for the popular SUV segment, impressed the testers most of all in the tough braking challenge, where it was the first to come to a stop on a wet road surface with a braking distance of 30.4 meters.

The Winter i*cept evo 3 X in the size 225/60 R18 also performed impressively in the Auto Bild Allrad winter tire test, with a grade of “Good”. Here’s the assessment of the test crew: “Balanced premium profile with impressive winter properties, very good aquaplaning qualities and good value for money.”

Auto Bild also gave the Hankook Winter i*cept evo 3 winter tire in the size 225/45 R18 for passenger cars a grade of “Good”, while Auto Bild Sportscars gave the Winter i*cept evo 3 in the size 225/40 R18 the rating “Exemplary”. The testers also praised the high aquaplaning safety reserves here. The Hankook tires came out top in this evaluation. The magazines also praised the good winter qualities and the dynamic dry handling (Auto Bild) as well as the short braking distances both on wet and dry surfaces (Auto Bild Sportscars).

The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 3 achieved good marks in the UK too. The premium tire in the size 225/45 R17 scored four and a half out of a possible five stars in the winter tire comparison test by the magazine “Auto Express”, where it performed particularly well in dry handling and dry braking. The tire’s wet grip was also impressive.

The all-season tire with top safety, handling, and comfort properties
In the comprehensive all-season tire comparison by Auto Bild Allrad in the size 235/65 R17, Hankook’s Kinergy 4S 2 X SUV tire achieved excellent test results and gained the rating “Exemplary”. The testers from the Auto Bild Allrad editorial team narrowed the field down to ten all-season tires for SUVs and performed an in-depth comparison across 14 categories. They summarized the strengths of the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 X as follows: “Proven all-season profile with balanced high-performance potential, dynamic wet and snow handling, attractive price”. In the safety-related tests, the Hankook all-season tire achieved particularly good results for handling on snow as well as driving on the wet circular track. It also impressed when it came to comfort and came top of the competitors in the “pass-by noise” evaluation with a score of 1.

Double value for money winner
 In the all-season tire test by Auto Zeitung, the successful all-weather profile of the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 in the size 215/55 R17 finished in the top group. It was one of only three tires to receive the rating “Highly recommended”, and the testers picked it as their sole choice for “Recommended for value for money”. The Auto Zeitung all-season tire comparison looked at nine tires, which had to complete a total of 18 tests in the snow, wet and dry. In particular, in the wet evaluation, the testers praised the “balanced presentation” and “good performance” of the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2. In the dry evaluation, they described the all-season tire as having “impeccable handling right to the limits”. This was also attested by the top points in the disciplines “driving safety”, “handling” and “slalom”.

The Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 in the size 225/45 R17 received a score of “Good” in the Auto Bild all-season tire ranking. Due to the combination of the best ratio of price, mileage, and rolling resistance as well as good performance in the snow and wet, the testers also awarded it the “EcoMeister” title for optimum ecological properties. In the Auto Bild test, the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 was up against 15 other tires. The testers’ verdict on the eco-champion: a “reliable all-season tire with dependable handling characteristics on snow and ice, snappy steering response, very good mileage.”