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Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Sport Maxx RT2 leads, 73–69 Narrow edge

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Tire ADunlop

Sport Maxx RT2

Summer

Tests 75 · 32 tests Owners 70 · 3,504 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test (curved aquaplaning)

“For what it's worth, I put a full new set of 18inch Sport Maxx RT2's on my E85 a couple of years ago and found them more than adequate/good when your a looking for a value/capability compromise. Like B21 mentions, if you want a really upto date tyre, you pick a newer release from the manufacturer provided that pushing on a couple of hundred quid extra can be justified. (When you don't need to tell the wife) I just put a set of 19inch Continental Conti Sport 7's on my E89 but wouldn't have had an issue fitting 19inch Sport Maxx RT2's.”

Tire BHankook

Ventus S1 evo3

Summer

Tests 76 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,355 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (wet braking)

“Small tire size change having different ratings? (Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3) Hi all, I'm looking for a good all round tire for my MX5 (I'm in the non snowy regions of the UK so summer tires) and a pretty popular recommendation are the Ventus S1 Evo 3s. At the MX5's stock size of 205/45/R17 they are rated at A for fuel and wet performance, and 68db of noise, which is great! However I'd like to size up to 215/45/R17, and for whatever reason the ratings drop to B for fuel and wet performance, and most importantly to me, 71db of noise. I was just wondering how such a small difference in size changes things quite drastically? I know these ratings aren't that important, but it seems strange to me they'd change at all Thanks! Read more”

Category by category

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

  1. 75

    Dry

    Ventus S1 evo3 +1
    76
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT2Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)7884
    Reviews found online7063
    Dry Braking (% of best)95%100%
    Dry Handling (% of best)98%98%
  2. 78

    Wet

    Ventus S1 evo3 +3
    81
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT2Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)8388
    Reviews found online7269
    Wet Braking (% of best)96%100%
    Wet Circle (% of best)97%98%
    Wet Handling (% of best)99%96%
  3. 70

    Comfort

    Sport Maxx RT2 +8
    62
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT2Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)7065
    Reviews found online7059
  4. 67

    Noise

    Ventus S1 evo3 +4
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT2Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)6474
    Reviews found online72–
  5. 69

    Treadwear

    Sport Maxx RT2 +14
    55
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT2Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)7061
    Reviews found online6646
  6. 70

    Handling

    Sport Maxx RT2 +10
    60
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT2Ventus S1 evo3
    Reviews found online7060
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop Sport Maxx RT2Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Relative Score 73 69
Dry 75 76
Wet 78 81
Comfort 70 62
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.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
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Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Sport Maxx RT2

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.

DisciplineCategorySport Maxx RT2Ventus S1 evo3ΔBoth?
Curved Aquaplaning Curved 100% #1/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test 90% #6/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test +9.7 Same test
Dry Braking Dry 95% #13/48 · 2023 Summer Tyre Market Overview 100% #2/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test −4.3 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #18/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 98% #7/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 80% #8/10 · 2021 Motor Summer Tyre Test 90% #7/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test −9.4 Different tests
Noise Other 99% #11/16 · 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test 100% #3/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test −0.7 Different tests
Price Other 87% #4/10 · 2019 Gute Fahrt Summer 18 Inch Tyre Test 68% #4/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test +18.5 Different tests
Value Other 71% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 58% #15/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test +12.8 Different tests
Wear Other 66% #10/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 58% #16/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test +8.0 Same test
Overall Ranking Overall 25% #4/9 · 2021 EVO Summer Tyre Test 17% #6/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test +8.3 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 98% #4/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test 97% #9/10 · 2022 AutoBild 19 Inch Summer UHP Tyre Test +1.7 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 100% #1/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test 70% #7/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test +30.0 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 93% #6/10 · 2021 Motor Summer Tyre Test 85% #7/9 · 2021 EVO Summer Tyre Test +7.8 Different tests
Subj. Wet Handling Subj 90% #4/7 · 2019 EVO Summer Tyre Test 60% #8/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test +29.8 Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Total 0% #17/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test 0% #14/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 96% #8/10 · 2019 Gute Fahrt Summer 18 Inch Tyre Test 100% #1/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout −3.5 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 96% #7/9 · 2021 EVO Summer Tyre Test +3.1 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
All owner themes in the Sport Maxx RT2 review

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
All owner themes in the Ventus S1 evo3 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2

Positive

Community opinion portrays the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 as a solid, quiet, and good-value performance tire that performs well in all weather conditions. While some drivers note it is an older design compared to newer flagship releases and point out its 'B' wet rating in certain sizes, it is generally considered capable and competitively priced. There is also frequent discussion clarifying the availability of both run-flat and non-run-flat variants across different dimensions.

zroadster.org ·1 upvote ·2018-11-27

“I have Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2's on my Audi A3 2.0TDI (buckets of torques) and they work incredibly well in all weather conditions. Granted a different proposition with FWD Audi, but for the price it was a no brainer to stick with them when I needed the fronts replacing.”
forums.m3cutters.co.uk ·2021-01-21

“Thanks everyone! I knew this forum would have the answer I think in this case what the tyre fitter might have meant was "there are no Dunlop run-flats for e46 M3s" (he did ask what car it was for) as this size based search does not bring up tyres with the run flat feature. Which I presume means the ones I ordered previously were not run-flats (it certainly looked properly flat, would not want to drive on it let alone at the claimed 50mph) and thence the new one I've ordered is also a not a run-flat. Garage should be able to fit them. Bloody confusing of the Dunlop website.”
z4-forum.com ·2024-01-07

“Dunlop sportmaxx RT2 in XL are only 'B' for rain though :thumbsdown:”
Top themes
#Run-flat availability confusion#Low road noise#Value for money#All-weather grip#Older tire generation#Wet performance rating

Based on 19 community posts

Tire B

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Mixed

Community sentiment toward the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 is mixed, with users frequently praising its strong dry and wet grip, comfort, and competitive pricing. However, notable drawbacks include relatively fast tread wear, reports of increasing road noise over time, and mixed experiences with OEM specs versus premium competitors like Michelin.

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?”
teslamotorsclub.com ·1 upvote ·2023-01-26

“Nice. I'm in Texas, so I'm not sure if those (as all seasons) would be the best choice for me. I will never drive in snow/ice, and have been leaning towards the Hankook Ventus S1 EVO3 for my Model 3 AWD with 19" wheels. Those are the only Tesla OEM (I prefer the Tesla specs like acoustic lining, tread width, extra sidewall stability, etc.) summer tires in the 19" size.”
jaguarforums.com

“I had Hankook tires on my XKR, and thought they were the noisiest tires I had ever heard on a car, and I had to get rid of them as I couldn't stand it.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Value for money#Road noise levels#Tread wear and longevity#OEM fitments and EV variants#Run-flat identification confusion#Ride comfort

Based on 33 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available56110
Rim diameters17″ – 21″17″ – 22″
Tread depth10/32″—
UTQG300 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Winner: Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 — better treadwear, handling and comfort. Pick the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 if noise and wet matter 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 62 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
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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.

73

Narrow edge

Sport Maxx RT2

Amazon