In the latest independent tire tests by the media and automobile clubs, Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) has taken the top positions with its cold season-optimized products with its tires, the company notes, praised for their performance 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 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. The testers said, “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 took the silver medal with the Winter i*cept evo 3 X SUV tire. A total of 10 tires in size 235/55 R18 were put to the test to prove their worth – both in minus temperatures at the Ivalo Arctic Center in Finland and 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 30.4m.
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’. The test crew’s assessment stated: “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 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 impressed.
In the all-season tire test by Auto Zeitung, the successful all-weather profile of the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 in 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 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 demonstrated by it achieving top points in the disciplines “driving safety”, “handling” and “slalom”.
