Tests 56 · 2 tests Owners 56 · 25 reviews
Best test result: #8 of 9 in 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Firestone Firehawk SZ90 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ventus S1 evo3 is ahead, 68–58
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 75 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,335 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test (noise)
“That would tally with what this person found with the 127 variant that preceded it “Hi just for information,I asked Hankook what tread depth when new was on their Ventus S1 Evo 3 K127 tyre, the reply was 6.6 mm””
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
60
Dry
Ventus S1 evo3 +1777Why this score
Source Firehawk SZ90 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 62 85 Reviews found online 56 64 Dry Braking (% of best) 91% 99% Dry Handling (% of best) 97% 98% -
55
Wet
Ventus S1 evo3 +2176Why this score
Source Firehawk SZ90 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 52 82 Reviews found online 58 68 Wet Braking (% of best) 82% 94% Wet Handling (% of best) 95% 98% -
59
Comfort
Ventus S1 evo3 +564Why this score
Source Firehawk SZ90 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 68 Reviews found online 50 59 -
56
Noise
Ventus S1 evo3 +1571Why this score
Source Firehawk SZ90 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 49 73 -
60
Treadwear
Firehawk SZ90 +555Why this score
Source Firehawk SZ90 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 61 Reviews found online 56 46 -
57
Handling
Ventus S1 evo3 +360Why this score
Source Firehawk SZ90 Ventus S1 evo3 Reviews found online 57 60
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Firehawk SZ90 | Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 58 | 68 |
| Dry | 60 | 77 |
| Wet | 55 | 76 |
| Comfort | 59 | 64 |
| Noise | 56 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 60 | 55 |
| Handling | 57 | 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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
58
/ 100
Firehawk SZ90
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 | Firehawk SZ90 | Ventus S1 evo3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 91% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test | 99% #3/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | −7.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 97% #9/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test | 98% #5/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | −1.8 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 85% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test | 90% #7/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test | −5.3 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 95% #9/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test | 100% #1/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | −4.7 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 7% #14/14 · 2011 Auto Zeitung Max Performance Tyre Test | 33% #3/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | −26.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 82% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test | 94% #6/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | −11.7 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test | 98% #4/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | −3.2 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Firehawk SZ90
Pros
- Strong dry and wet surface grip
- Effective water displacement and braking performance
- Competitive price point
Cons
- Excessive road noise
- Rapid or uneven tread wear
- Unpredictable handling and stability issues
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
Firestone Firehawk SZ90
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/tires
·1 upvote ·2026-02-03
“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”
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?”
r/Volkswagen
·1 upvote ·2026-03-15
“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”
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 · Firestone Firehawk SZ90 | B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
58
/ 100
Firestone Firehawk SZ90
68
/ 100
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Winner: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — better wet, dry and noise. Pick the Firestone Firehawk SZ90 if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 76 vs 55 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 77 vs 60 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 71 vs 56 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Firestone Firehawk SZ90 scores 60 vs 55 on treadwear.
Tire A · Firestone Firehawk SZ90
Tire B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
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.