Head-to-head Updated

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 vs Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 24 road tests and 104 + 3,649 owner reviews. How we score

ExtremeContact DWS 06 leads, 72–70 Narrow edge

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Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Tire BHankook

Kinergy 4S2

All Season

± 4

Tests 79 · 24 tests Owners 60 · 3,649 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (curved aquaplaning)

“Hankook's 3-peak all-season tire, also called all-weather, is finally available from TR, though it had been out awhile now, when it replaced the 4S (4s1?) that was sold in Canada, but not the US. Like all the other 3-peak all-seasons that they carry, TR classifies the 4S2 as grand touring all-season”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 76

    Dry

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 +4
    72
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests≈ 73 (est.)83
    Reviews found online8057

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 72.9 (est.) + 40% × 79.5 = 76

    Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 82.6 + 40% × 56.5 = 72

    No road tests of dry for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 79

    Wet

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 +1
    78
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests≈ 77 (est.)87
    Reviews found online8264

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 77.2 (est.) + 40% × 82.4 = 79

    Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 86.6 + 40% × 64.3 = 78

    No road tests of wet for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 68

    Snow

    Kinergy 4S2 +4
    72
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 18 tests≈ 69 (est.)79
    Reviews found online6661

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 69 (est.) + 40% × 65.9 = 68

    Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 79 + 40% × 61.3 = 72

    No road tests of snow for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 68

    Comfort

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 +4
    64
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests≈ 69 (est.)77
    Reviews found online6755

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 40% × 68.7 (est.) + 60% × 67 = 68

    Kinergy 4S2: 40% × 76.6 + 60% × 54.9 = 64

    No road tests of comfort for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 69

    Noise

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 +3
    66
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 18 tests≈ 67 (est.)66
    Reviews found online74≈ 67 (est.)

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 73.8 = 69

    Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 65.6 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 66

    No road tests of noise for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

    No owner ratings of noise for Kinergy 4S2. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 65

    Treadwear

    Kinergy 4S2 +2
    67
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 9 tests7071
    Reviews found online5859

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 69.8 + 40% × 58.3 = 65

    Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 59.4 = 67

  7. 76

    Handling (owners)

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 +20
    56
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Reviews found online7656
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    54
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 18 tests–54
Scores at a glance
Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 vs Hankook Kinergy 4S2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryContinental ExtremeContact DWS 06Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Relative Score 72 70
Dry 76 72
Wet 79 78
Snow 68 72
Comfort 68 64
Noise 69 66
Treadwear 65 67
Handling (owners) 76 56
Efficiency – 54

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 9

ExtremeContact DWS 06

± 4

Kinergy 4S2

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryExtremeContact DWS 06Kinergy 4S2ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #6/19 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires #5/16 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A ExtremeContact DWS 06

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Strong performance in light snow and cold weather

Cons

  • Softer sidewalls can reduce steering sharpness or cause rollover during heavy track/autocross use
  • Tread wear can be faster than expected with aggressive driving or on lower-profile sizes
  • Occasional reports of increased road noise or vibration as the tire ages
All owner themes in the ExtremeContact DWS 06 review

Tire B Kinergy 4S2

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather grip, braking, and aquaplaning resistance
  • Strong performance and confidence in cold temperatures, light snow, and slush
  • High overall value for money compared to premium tier alternatives

Cons

  • Increased road noise and occasional highway 'whining' or howling between 120-140 km/h
  • Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear or uneven inner tread deformation
  • Softer sidewalls can induce initial steering delay or a slight floating feel during aggressive cornering
All owner themes in the Kinergy 4S2 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Hankook Kinergy 4S2

Mixed

Community members frequently view the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 as a solid, budget-friendly alternative to premium all-weather tires like the Michelin CrossClimate 2, highlighting its strong wet traction and good snow performance for the price. However, users report mixed experiences regarding tread longevity, with some noting rapid or uneven wear, as well as drawbacks such as highway humming noise, a stiff ride, and twitchy handling on ice.

bobistheoilguy.com ·2021-03-02

“Hankook's 3-peak all-season tire, also called all-weather, is finally available from TR, though it had been out awhile now, when it replaced the 4S (4s1?) that was sold in Canada, but not the US. Like all the other 3-peak all-seasons that they carry, TR classifies the 4S2 as grand touring all-season”

r/TyreReviews ·3 upvotes ·2025-10-15

“Hankook Kinergy 4S2 vs Continental AllSeasonContact 2 For the past 3 years I have been using the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 195/55R15 and I am super happy with them, but a little over 50,000km in it is time to get new shoes this winter. I have driven in snow and they felt quite ok. Now I am looking to either get them again since I enjoyed them, or try the Continental AllSeasonContact 2 - but they only come in 185/55R15. I have read that narrower tires are better in the snow - most of the driving I do is on maintained roads but we do go into the mountains for a few weekends through winter usuallly. First of all, are the Continental a big step up from the Hankooks, like-for-like? Secondly, would the width difference be a significant factor in snow performance gain or dry/wet performance loss? And if it is better to have the narrower tire, would the Hankook in 185/55R15 be still a reasonable move from my current 195/55? Price-wise: Continental AllSeasonContact 2 185/55 R15 - 100Eur Hankook Kinergy 4S2 185/55 R15 - 79Eur Hankook Kinergy 4S2 195/55 R15 - 84Eur Cheers :) Read more”

subaruoutback.org ·3 upvotes ·2022-11-09

“I had the Kinergy 4s2 tires and they were not good. They wore unevenly, especially on the outsides of the fronts and handling was poor. When cornering the tire felt like the sidewall was folding under which would explain the increased wear on the outside tread block of the tires . The alignment was verified to be perfect. Go with the CC2 or anything Nokian . I ran some old Nokian WRG2s and was very impressed. Id imagine the latest versions are also very good.”

Top themes
#Affordable CrossClimate alternative#Wet weather traction#Snow and winter performance#Tread wear longevity#Cabin road noise#Ride stiffness and comfort

Based on 33 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—95
Rim diameters—14″ – 20″
Tread depth10/32″—
UTQG560 A - AA A—
Treadwear warranty50,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06

Hankook Kinergy 4S2

Narrow edge: Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 — better handling, dry and comfort. Pick the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 scores 76 vs 56 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 scores 76 vs 72 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 scores 68 vs 64 on comfort.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Hankook Kinergy 4S2 scores 72 vs 68 on snow.

Tire A · Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06
Tire B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2

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ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Kinergy 4S2?

Which is better in the wet, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Kinergy 4S2?

Neither, by our numbers: 79 vs 78 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Kinergy 4S2?

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06, 76 vs 72 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Kinergy 4S2?

Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 72 vs 68 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Kinergy 4S2?

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06, 69 vs 66 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Kinergy 4S2?

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06, 68 vs 64 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Kinergy 4S2?

Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 67 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology