tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Fulda Kristall Montero 3 vs Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429) — 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 + 1 road tests and 33 + 5 owner reviews. How we score

Kristall Montero 3 is ahead, 72–57

Check price on Amazon · Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429) on Amazon
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.

Fulda Kristall Montero 3
Tire AFulda

Kristall Montero 3

Winter

± 8

Tests 68 · 1 test Owners 78 · 33 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 8 in 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (straight aquaplaning)

Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
Tire BHankook

Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)

Winter tire

± 8Provisional

Tests 69 · 1 test Owners 42 · 5 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 19 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (ice traction)

Category by category

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

  1. 68

    Dry

    Kristall Montero 3 +14
    54
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6465
    Reviews found online7538

    Kristall Montero 3: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 74.6 = 68

    Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429): 60% × 64.8 + 40% × 38.4 = 54

  2. 76

    Wet

    Kristall Montero 3 +19
    57
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7265
    Reviews found online8144

    Kristall Montero 3: 60% × 72.1 + 40% × 80.9 = 76

    Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429): 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 44.4 = 57

  3. 71

    Snow

    Kristall Montero 3 +5
    66
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6878
    Reviews found online7748

    Kristall Montero 3: 60% × 67.9 + 40% × 76.5 = 71

    Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429): 60% × 78 + 40% × 48.2 = 66

  4. 76

    Comfort

    Kristall Montero 3 +32
    44
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online7932

    Kristall Montero 3: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 79.2 = 76

    Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429): 40% × 61.3 (est.) + 60% × 31.7 = 44

    No road tests of comfort for Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429). The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    49
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests–62
    Reviews found online–29

    Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429): 60% × 62.1 + 40% × 29.2 = 49

  6. 75

    Treadwear

    Kristall Montero 3 +23
    52
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 58 (est.)
    Reviews found online8044

    Kristall Montero 3: 60% × 71.3 (est.) + 40% × 79.6 = 75

    Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429): 60% × 58.2 (est.) + 40% × 43.6 = 52

    No road tests of treadwear for Kristall Montero 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429). The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 76

    Handling (owners)

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Reviews found online76–
  8. 71

    Efficiency

    Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429) +3
    74
    Why this score
    SourceKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7174
Scores at a glance
CategoryFulda Kristall Montero 3Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
Relative Score 72 57
Dry 68 54
Wet 76 57
Snow 71 66
Comfort 76 44
Noise – 49
Treadwear 75 52
Handling (owners) 76 –
Efficiency 71 74

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

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Kristall Montero 3

± 8

Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)

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.

DisciplineCategoryKristall Montero 3Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 92% #5/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 70% #12/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #5/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 70% #9/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #5/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 70% #7/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 87% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 90% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Ice Handling Snow 86% #7/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 90% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Ice Traction Snow 89% #7/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 97% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 80% #8/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 93% #7/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 90% #2/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 96% #4/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 90% #5/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #13/15 2022 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 #6/10 2025 UTAC Ivalo Studded Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Kristall Montero 3

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow and slush
  • High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
  • Excellent tread wear and durability over high mileage

Cons

  • Occasional reports of understeer on wet or damp roads
  • Handling can feel sluggish or unresponsive in non-winter temperatures
  • Performance on pure ice is limited, consistent with most non-studded winter tires
All owner themes in the Kristall Montero 3 review

Tire B Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Fulda Kristall Montero 3 B · Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
CategoryWinterWinter tire
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1736
Rim diameters13″ – 16″13″ – 18″
Tread depth—11/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Sizes in common1010

Which one should you actually buy?

Fulda Kristall Montero 3

Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)

Winner: Fulda Kristall Montero 3 — better comfort, treadwear and wet. Pick the Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429) if efficiency matters most to you. Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429) rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 5 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Fulda Kristall Montero 3 scores 76 vs 44 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Fulda Kristall Montero 3 scores 75 vs 52 on treadwear.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Fulda Kristall Montero 3 scores 76 vs 57 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Fulda Kristall Montero 3 scores 68 vs 54 on dry.

Tire A · Fulda Kristall Montero 3
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)?

Which is better in the wet, Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)?

Fulda Kristall Montero 3, 76 vs 57 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)?

Fulda Kristall Montero 3, 68 vs 54 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)?

Fulda Kristall Montero 3, 71 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)?

Fulda Kristall Montero 3, 76 vs 44 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)?

Fulda Kristall Montero 3, 75 vs 52 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Kristall Montero 3 or Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429)?

Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 (W429), 74 vs 71 on our efficiency score.

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