Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — 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 14 + 19 road tests and 2,521 + 3,376 owner reviews. How we score

Ventus Prime 4 is ahead, 75–68

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Hankook Ventus Prime 4
Tire AHankook

Ventus Prime 4

Summer

± 4

Tests 77 · 14 tests Owners 71 · 2,521 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)

“Aim for rainy condition. Best are 1.Bridgestone Turanza 005 2.Hankook ventus prime 4.”

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Tire BHankook

Ventus S1 evo3

Summer

± 6

Tests 77 · 19 tests Owners 57 · 3,376 reviews

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

“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?”

Category by category

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

  1. 79

    Dry

    Ventus Prime 4 +4
    75
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 18 tests8386
    Reviews found online7360

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 82.7 + 40% × 73 = 79

    Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 85.6 + 40% × 59.8 = 75

  2. 77

    Wet

    Ventus S1 evo3 +4
    81
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 18 tests7990
    Reviews found online7568

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 78.6 + 40% × 74.5 = 77

    Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 89.6 + 40% × 68 = 81

  3. 69

    Comfort

    Ventus Prime 4 +10
    59
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests7064
    Reviews found online6756

    Ventus Prime 4: 40% × 70.3 + 60% × 67.4 = 69

    Ventus S1 evo3: 40% × 64.4 + 60% × 55.8 = 59

  4. 61

    Noise

    Ventus S1 evo3 +12
    73
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 14 tests5877
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 57.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 61

    Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 76.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 73

    No owner ratings of noise for Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3. 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.

  5. 74

    Treadwear

    Ventus Prime 4 +21
    53
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 4 tests7961
    Reviews found online6742

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 78.5 + 40% × 66.9 = 74

    Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 60.8 + 40% × 41.5 = 53

  6. 72

    Handling (owners)

    Ventus Prime 4 +13
    59
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3
    Reviews found online7259
  7. 84

    Efficiency

    Ventus Prime 4 +16
    68
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 15 tests8468
Scores at a glance
Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryHankook Ventus Prime 4Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Relative Score 75 68
Dry 79 75
Wet 77 81
Comfort 69 59
Noise 61 73
Treadwear 74 53
Handling (owners) 72 59
Efficiency 84 68

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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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Ventus Prime 4

± 6

Ventus S1 evo3

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.

DisciplineCategoryVentus Prime 4Ventus S1 evo3ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 92% #16/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 96% #7/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #6/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test 98% #7/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 90% #4/14 · 2025 Summer and All Season Combined Tyre Test 60% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 93% #6/7 · 2025 Al Volante Summer Tyre Test 87% #6/7 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 91% #16/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 98% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 87% #14/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 94% #6/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 98% #4/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 98% #5/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #2/8 · 2025 Moottori Summer Tyre Test 100% #2/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 90% #4/14 · 2025 Summer and All Season Combined Tyre Test 80% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 95% #4/7 · 2025 Die ReifenTester Summer Touring Tyre Test 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #4/8 · 2025 Moottori Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise (tester's mark) Noise 80% #11/14 · 2025 Summer and All Season Combined Tyre Test 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 77% #6/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 56% #13/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 95% #10/14 · 2025 Summer and All Season Combined Tyre Test 97% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 69% #9/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 74% #6/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #4/20 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test #14/20 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 64% #5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 58% #15/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #11/16 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test #6/8 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ventus Prime 4

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry grip providing high confidence
  • Significantly reduced road noise and smooth, quiet ride quality
  • Competitively priced offering great value compared to top-tier premium brands

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear reported by some users, leading to shorter overall tire life
  • Noticeable decrease in wet traction and grip as the tread wears down past the halfway mark
  • Stiffer sidewalls can translate to a firmer ride or reduced comfort on rough surfaces
All owner themes in the Ventus Prime 4 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

Hankook Ventus Prime 4

Positive

Community opinion on the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 is largely positive, with drivers viewing it as a comfortable, quiet, and capable touring tire. Users frequently praise its strong dry and wet performance alongside its compelling price-to-performance ratio compared to premium alternatives like Michelin. Some uncertainties exist regarding long-term tread wear and slight fuel economy impacts, but owners generally report satisfactory everyday reliability.

r/TireQuestions ·1 upvote ·2026-10-09

“Found a cut on one of my tires, is it 100% cooked? Three month old Hankook Ventus Prime 4 and I found a cut/split. It’s holding air fine but it is cooked?”

r/TyreReviews ·6 upvotes ·2024-03-16

“Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Kumho Ecsta HS52? Hey there! Went to this reddit after reading a lot of reviews on the website, a bit of a newbie in general. I have read about many models and settled on 2 possible ones due to pricing and availability in my country (not looking for any other options). In my price range and requirements I've settled on Ventus Prime 4 initially (50% cheaper than Primacy that my car came stock with), but have also seen some good stuff said about HS52. I was quite settled on the first one since it scored very well in 2022 Autobild review, but now that 2024 came out a lot of numbers are completely different (predicted tread life alone took a huge dive) and Hankook is now 4 positions lower than Kumho. To add to this, Hankook was only 10% more expensive thank Kumho in my country, but now there was a price drop and and now there is 20% price difference, so set of Kumhos comes out noticeable cheaper. Spec wise they seems very similar with some trade-offs in different departments. I'm not really looking to save as much money as possible, but with latest reviews I'm not sure if there is any improvement worth paying for. Any thoughts? Thanks. Read more”

r/croautomobili ·1 upvote ·2026-09-23

“Top top top guma, stavio prosle godine kad sam kupio auto, odmah na Kupres isao, snijega i leda bilo dosta, ali izdale me nisu Imam i ljetne hankook ventus prime 4 isto odlicna guma”

Top themes
#value for money#comfort and low noise#wet and dry grip#comparison with premium brands#tread longevity questions#touring versus sports handling

Based on 41 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.

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 · Hankook Ventus Prime 4 B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available66110
Rim diameters15″ – 20″17″ – 22″
UTQG200 - 420 A A200 - 420 A - AA A
Sizes in common2525

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Ventus Prime 4

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Winner: Hankook Ventus Prime 4 — better treadwear, efficiency and handling. Pick the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 if noise and wet matter most to you.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 scores 74 vs 53 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 scores 84 vs 68 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 scores 72 vs 59 on handling.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 73 vs 61 on noise.

Tire A · Hankook Ventus Prime 4
Tire B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

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Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3?

Which is better in the wet, Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3?

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3, 81 vs 77 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3?

Hankook Ventus Prime 4, 79 vs 75 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3?

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3, 73 vs 61 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3?

Hankook Ventus Prime 4, 69 vs 59 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3?

Hankook Ventus Prime 4, 74 vs 53 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Ventus Prime 4 or Ventus S1 evo3?

Hankook Ventus Prime 4, 84 vs 68 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