Tests 76 · 32 tests Owners 70 · 3,503 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (wear)
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Sport Maxx RT2 is ahead, 73–68
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Tests 76 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,335 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test (subj. comfort)
“F/S Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 235/35 R19 Hi Guys Selling a full set (4) Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 235/35 R19 summer tires, with 9/32 tread depth which is exactly the same depth when these ultra high performance tires are new. No punctures anywhere. Tires came of my 2024 VW GTI with less than 3k miles on the odometer. The production date on the tires is 3324 which means 33rd week of 2024.This translates to late August 2024. $500/obo but no shipping. Local pick up only. I am in Long Island NY. Message if interested. Read more”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
75
Dry
Level75Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT2 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 84 Reviews found online 70 63 Dry Braking (% of best) 97% 99% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
79
Wet
Ventus S1 evo3 +281Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT2 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 83 88 Reviews found online 72 69 Wet Braking (% of best) 95% 94% Wet Circle (% of best) 97% 98% Wet Handling (% of best) 99% 92% -
70
Comfort
Sport Maxx RT2 +763Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT2 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 65 Reviews found online 70 59 -
67
Noise
Ventus S1 evo3 +471Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT2 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 64 74 Reviews found online 72 – -
69
Treadwear
Sport Maxx RT2 +1455Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT2 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 61 Reviews found online 66 46 -
70
Handling
Sport Maxx RT2 +1060Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT2 Ventus S1 evo3 Reviews found online 70 60
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 | Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 68 |
| Dry | 75 | 75 |
| Wet | 79 | 81 |
| Comfort | 70 | 63 |
| Noise | 67 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 55 |
| Handling | 70 | 60 |
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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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
Sport Maxx RT2
68
/ 100
Ventus S1 evo3
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Sport Maxx RT2 | Ventus S1 evo3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 90% #9/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 90% #6/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test | −0.2 | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #3/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test | 99% #3/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | −1.8 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #3/7 · 2019 EVO Summer Tyre Test | 99% #5/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | −0.5 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 97% #2/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test | 93% #4/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | +4.3 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #4/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test | 98% #11/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test | +1.8 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 45% #7/10 · 2021 Motor Summer Tyre Test | 76% #13/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −31.7 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 50% #15/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 58% #15/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | −8.2 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 91% #2/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 76% #7/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +15.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 13% #8/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test | 17% #6/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | −4.2 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 97% #6/16 · 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test | 91% #8/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test | +6.4 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 89% #2/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | −11.1 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 88% #3/9 · 2021 EVO Summer Tyre Test | 60% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | +27.7 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 84% #12/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 80% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | +3.9 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #17/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 0% #11/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% #11/16 · 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test | 94% #6/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | +1.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #13/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | 98% #5/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | −1.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #5/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test | 92% #6/9 · 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test | +7.3 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Sport Maxx RT2
Pros
- Excellent grip and stability in both wet and dry conditions
- Significantly lower road noise and high ride comfort compared to competitors
- Competitive pricing offering great value for a premium-tier brand
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can cause a spongy feel and lack of precision during fast cornering
- Some reports of premature cracking in the tread valleys or sidewalls
- Performance and noise levels can degrade noticeably as the tread wears down
Tire B Ventus S1 evo3
Pros
- Exceptional grip and confidence in wet and dry conditions
- Low road noise and high ride comfort
- Competitive pricing compared to premium tier-one brands
Cons
- Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on rear axles or heavy vehicles
- Soft sidewalls leading to reduced steering feedback and precision
- Vulnerability to sidewall damage or bubbling from potholes
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
The Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 receives mixed reviews from the community, with some users praising its solid performance, great value, and good grip compared to competitors, while others note concerns regarding longevity, stock wear, and variations in ratings across different sizes. Discussions also highlight specific variant differences, such as the K127 standard version versus the K127e Tesla-specific version.
r/BMW
·2026-02-14
“Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 uneven wear I’ve been using this tyre and have been satisfied with its performance on my BMW G30. Just that I realised that there is an uneven thread wear on the outer side. The main thread has still some thread about 2mm from the thread wear indicator. This is the right front tyre. All other tyres thread wear looks fine. Is this particular tyre still safe to be used for another 10,000km? Or urgently needs to be changed? Anyone has any experience with uneven wear like this? Read more”
r/TyreReviews
·7 upvotes ·2026-01-11
“Which tire should I choose? I’m currently looking for new summer tires, but this time I’m finding it surprisingly difficult to choose. My previous set were Bridgestone T005s, which honestly didn’t impress me much. On my earlier car I’ve driven on Michelin PS4S, Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3, and Pirelli (don’t remember the exact model). The Michelins were by far my favorite — excellent grip and overall a fantastic tire. The Hankooks were above average and perfectly fine, but the Pirellis were a big disappointment. This time I’m considering the following three options: • Michelin Pilot Sport 5 • Continental SportContact 7 • Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 If I hadn’t done any research, I would have gone for the Michelins without hesitation. However, after digging a bit deeper, I added the Continentals as a strong competitor, and the Kumhos because they’re significantly cheaper while still getting quite positive reviews. I drive a Cupra Formentor 2.0 AWD with around 430 hp. I never take the car to the track, but I do enjoy sporty driving and quick launches at traffic lights. Now I’m finding the final decision harder than expected. Taking both price and performance into account, which of these three would you recommend? Read more”
r/Golf_R
·6 upvotes ·2026-04-29
“Tire preferences? My MK8 has a little over 18,000 miles now and the stock tires look like they’ve already gone to sh*t? Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 aren’t as good as they advertise? What do you recommend for tires?”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Price and value#Tread wear and longevity#OEM stock performance#Size variations and ratings#Comparison with competitors
Based on 12 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 | B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 56 | 110 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 21″ | 17″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 300 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2
68
/ 100
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Winner: Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 — better treadwear, handling and comfort. Pick the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 69 vs 55 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 70 vs 60 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 70 vs 63 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 71 vs 67 on noise.
Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2
Tire B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.