Tests 68 · 3 tests Owners 68 · 14 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 11 in 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 3 + 27 road tests and 14 + 3,669 owner reviews. How we score
Kinergy 4S2 leads, 70–68 Narrow edge
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Tests 68 · 3 tests Owners 68 · 14 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 11 in 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Tests 78 · 27 tests Owners 60 · 3,669 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (curved aquaplaning)
“Softer alternative to HANKOOK KINERGY 4S2? Searching for alternarive to HANKOOK KINERGY 4S2 Good day to you! I recently decided to move to all-season tires. After checking reviews, costs and availability I went for HANKOOK 4S2. But i find them VERY stiff and not comfortable at all. (245 40 18). Would you please recommend an alternative with a softer ride? I am in Europe. Cheers and thank you!”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 26 tests | 70 | 83 |
| Reviews found online | 67 | 56 |
Kinergy 4S: 60% × 69.7 + 40% × 67.2 = 69
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 82.9 + 40% × 56 = 72
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 26 tests | 74 | 87 |
| Reviews found online | 71 | 65 |
Kinergy 4S: 60% × 74.1 + 40% × 71 = 73
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 86.8 + 40% × 64.9 = 78
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 21 tests | 66 | 79 |
| Reviews found online | 77 | 61 |
Kinergy 4S: 60% × 66.1 + 40% × 76.5 = 70
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 78.6 + 40% × 60.8 = 71
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests | ≈ 68 (est.) | 72 |
| Reviews found online | 66 | 54 |
Kinergy 4S: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 66 = 67
Kinergy 4S2: 40% × 71.5 + 60% × 54.4 = 61
No road tests of comfort for Kinergy 4S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 21 tests | 56 | 62 |
| Reviews found online | ≈ 66 (est.) | ≈ 66 (est.) |
Kinergy 4S: 60% × 56.3 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 60
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 61.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 63
No owner ratings of noise for Kinergy 4S or Kinergy 4S2. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 10 tests | 63 | 72 |
| Reviews found online | 63 | 60 |
Kinergy 4S: 60% × 62.8 + 40% × 62.9 = 63
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 72.5 + 40% × 59.6 = 67
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 64 | 56 |
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 21 tests | 67 | 51 |
| Category | Hankook Kinergy 4S | Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 70 |
| Dry | 69 | 72 |
| Wet | 73 | 78 |
| Snow | 70 | 71 |
| Comfort | 67 | 61 |
| Noise | 60 | 63 |
| Treadwear | 63 | 67 |
| Handling (owners) | 64 | 56 |
| Efficiency | 67 | 51 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Kinergy 4S
Kinergy 4S2
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.
| Discipline | Category | Kinergy 4S | Kinergy 4S2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% #16/30 · 2025 All Season 30 Tyre Braking Test | 92% #6/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #4/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 99% #3/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 94% #4/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 89% #13/30 · 2025 All Season 30 Tyre Braking Test | 93% #7/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #5/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 97% #8/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 88% #6/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 100% #1/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #4/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 96% #9/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 97% #7/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 98% #9/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 66% #7/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test | 85% #6/10 · 2026 Auto Zeitung All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 89% #2/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 86% #9/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 74% #2/8 · 2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season Tyre Test | 74% #3/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #9/10 2017 All Season Tyre Test | #7/15 2025 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 65% #7/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test | 89% #4/10 · 2026 Auto Zeitung All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #12/30 2025 All Season 30 Tyre Braking Test | #7/9 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
The Hankook Kinergy 4S2 is widely regarded as a good-value 3PMSF all-weather tire, often recommended as a cheaper alternative to the Michelin CrossClimate 2 thanks to strong wet performance and good independent test results. Complaints include a stiff ride, highway road noise, fast or uneven tread wear, and weaker snow and ice grip for some owners. Several users noted that ice performance wasn't tested and that it suits milder, wet climates best.
“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”
“I've been running the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 all seasons on my M3 for just over a year - great tyres, esp in the wet, although they take a few hundred miles to scrub in (a touch "slippery" until then, so care is needed pulling out of junctions, etc). They placed 2nd behing the CrossClimate 2s in the 2022 all-season tyre test on Tyre Reviews, and were considered better overall in milder, wet conditions (bulk of UK basically!), which is why I chose them over the CC2s. Only had the recent spell of wintry weather to check the snow/ice performance - no issues with snow, but felt twitchy on ice. Supply seems limited this year - only place I've seen them listed in M3 18" size is ATS Euromaster, whereas I could have also got them from Halfords & Kwikfit last year.”
“Hankook Worn out after 15k miles Took my car in for a standard tire rotation and was informed all 4 tires only had 4/32 of tread remaining left. I was shocked. I've only put about 15k miles on in the 2.5 years I've had the tires. I don't drive aggressively at all. Mix of city and highway. Anyways, I got about a 75% credit on the Hankook Kinergy 4s2 all weather tires and only paid about $70 out of pocket towards my new tires (plus $90 balancing and mounting fee)! I went with the Falken Aklimate that were about $150 a tire. Just wanted to share my story. Can the softer rubber in all weather tires cause them to wear out faster in the summer? Only other thing I can think of is my car was parked outside for 2 summers in a south facing parking lot so maybe the sun just baked them and cause the tread to wear faster? But I would think that would be more dry rot related than tread wear. Read more”
Based on 34 community posts
| Attribute | A · Hankook Kinergy 4S | B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 67 | 95 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 18″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| UTQG | 500 - 600 A A | 500 A A |
| Sizes in common | 48 | 48 |
Hankook Kinergy 4S
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Narrow edge: Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — better wet, treadwear and dry. Pick the Hankook Kinergy 4S if efficiency, handling and comfort matter most to you.
Hankook Kinergy 4S scores 67 vs 51 on efficiency.
Hankook Kinergy 4S scores 64 vs 56 on handling.
Hankook Kinergy 4S scores 67 vs 61 on comfort.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 scores 78 vs 73 on wet.
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Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 78 vs 73 on our wet score.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 72 vs 69 on our dry score.
Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 71 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 63 vs 60 on our noise score.
Hankook Kinergy 4S, 67 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 67 vs 63 on our treadwear score.
Hankook Kinergy 4S, 67 vs 51 on our efficiency score.
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