Tests – · none yet Owners 73 · 32 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 9 in 2011 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Optimo 4S vs Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Optimo 4S leads, 72–70 Narrow edge
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Tests 78 · 24 tests Owners 61 · 3,626 reviews
Best test result: #4 of 27 in 2018 27 All Season Tyre Shootout (overall ranking)
“We're able to get the Kinergy 4S2 from Discount Tires (America's Tires) for less than half the price of. the Cross Climate 2's. We plan to give them a try on a Nissan LEAF and Prius Prime. Hot take: Hit the "found a lower price" feature on the Discount Tire site and see what they offer you! We were very pleasantly surprised!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
71
Dry
Kinergy 4S2 +172Why this score
Source Optimo 4S Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 82 Reviews found online 74 57 -
76
Wet
Kinergy 4S2 +278Why this score
Source Optimo 4S Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 85 Reviews found online 78 67 -
–
Snow
No comparison73Why this score
Source Optimo 4S Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 79 Reviews found online – 63 -
73
Comfort
Optimo 4S +370Why this score
Source Optimo 4S Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 77 Reviews found online 76 60 -
–
Noise
No comparison67Why this score
Source Optimo 4S Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 67 -
67
Treadwear
Level67Why this score
Source Optimo 4S Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 71 Reviews found online 67 60 -
73
Handling
Optimo 4S +1657Why this score
Source Optimo 4S Kinergy 4S2 Reviews found online 73 57
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Optimo 4S | Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 70 |
| Dry | 71 | 72 |
| Wet | 76 | 78 |
| Snow | – | 73 |
| Comfort | 73 | 70 |
| Noise | – | 67 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 67 |
| Handling | 73 | 57 |
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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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Optimo 4S
70
/ 100
Kinergy 4S2
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | Optimo 4S | Kinergy 4S2 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 17% #6/9 · 2011 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 25% #4/27 · 2018 27 All Season Tyre Shootout | −8.3 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Optimo 4S
Pros
- Excellent traction and confidence in snow and icy conditions
- Strong performance in wet weather and standing water
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
Cons
- Dry road handling can feel slightly compromised compared to dedicated summer tires
- Some reports of increased noise levels when the tires are brand new
- Occasional reports of uneven tread wear or balancing issues
Tire B Kinergy 4S2
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather grip, braking, and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong performance and confidence in cold temperatures, light snow, and slush
- High overall value for money compared to premium tier alternatives
Cons
- Increased road noise and occasional highway 'whining' or howling between 120-140 km/h
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear or uneven inner tread deformation
- Softer sidewalls can induce initial steering delay or a slight floating feel during aggressive cornering
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Hankook Optimo 4S
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Community members frequently view the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 as a solid, budget-friendly alternative to premium all-weather tires like the Michelin CrossClimate 2, highlighting its strong wet traction and good snow performance for the price. However, users report mixed experiences regarding tread longevity, with some noting rapid or uneven wear, as well as drawbacks such as highway humming noise, a stiff ride, and twitchy handling on ice.
r/croautomobili
·22 upvotes ·2025-10-29
“Zimske gume - premium ili neka srednja klasa? Nakon 2 proklizavanja u skretanju ovaj vikend (po kiši) zaključila sam da je vrijeme da kupim nove gume. Otkako sam uzela auto (prosinac 2022.) imam jedne te iste cjelogodišnje gume, Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 225/45/R17. Prošlu zimu kad je bilo snijega jedva sam kući s posla išla koliko sam se klizala po ulici, kiša još nekako ali snijeg i led katastrofa. Ove godine je i na kiši počeo proklizavati. Auto je zadnji pogon, 115ks ništa specijalno. Ono što me zanima je koliko ima smisla uzeti neke premium gume obzirom da godišnje radim oko 15k kilometara, većinski po gradu (Slavonija), tu i tamo autoput do Zg, možda 2 puta godišnje Mađarska/Austrija/Slovenija. Vidim da svi hvale Continental Wintercontact TS870 ali poprilično su skupe pa imate li možda preporuku za nešto jeftinije, a kvalitetno? Više me zanima da su dobre za kišu jer snijega nema nešto specijalno i sve će biti bolje nego ove koje sad imam. Što se dimenzije tiče imam jedne alu felge pa bih onda uzela istu dimenziju čisto da se ne moram izut iz cipela zbog troškova s kupovanjem još i felgi. TLDR: Zimska guma, 225/45/R17, zadnji pogon, što kupiti? Read more”
bobistheoilguy.com
·2021-03-02
“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”
teslamotorsclub.com
·3 upvotes ·2023-12-30
“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.”
Top themes
#Affordable CrossClimate alternative#Wet weather traction#Snow and winter performance#Tread wear longevity#Cabin road noise#Ride stiffness and comfort
Based on 33 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Optimo 4S | B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 35 | 95 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 17″ | 14″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Hankook Optimo 4S
70
/ 100
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Winner: Hankook Optimo 4S — better handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Optimo 4S scores 73 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Hankook Optimo 4S scores 73 vs 70 on comfort.
Tire A · Hankook Optimo 4S
Tire B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2
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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.