tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Winter i cept evo3 vs Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 — 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 18 + 7 road tests and 23 + 51 owner reviews. How we score

Winter i cept evo3 leads, 78–76 Narrow edge

Check price on Amazon · Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2 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.

Hankook Winter i cept evo3
Tire AHankook

Winter i cept evo3

Winter

± 4

Tests 76 · 18 tests Owners 82 · 23 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
Tire BHankook

Winter i*cept RS2

Winter

± 5

Tests 78 · 7 tests Owners 74 · 51 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (wet handling)

Category by category

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

  1. 78

    Dry

    Winter i cept evo3 +4
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 5 tests7575
    Reviews found online8372

    Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 75.2 + 40% × 82.7 = 78

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 75.2 + 40% × 72 = 74

  2. 90

    Wet

    Winter i cept evo3 +5
    85
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / 7 tests9289
    Reviews found online8678

    Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 91.9 + 40% × 86.3 = 90

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 89.4 + 40% × 78.4 = 85

  3. 80

    Snow

    Winter i cept evo3 +3
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / 7 tests8181
    Reviews found online8072

    Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 80.6 + 40% × 80.2 = 80

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 80.6 + 40% × 71.6 = 77

  4. 73

    Comfort

    Winter i cept evo3 +3
    70
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests7274
    Reviews found online7467

    Winter i cept evo3: 40% × 71.8 + 60% × 74 = 73

    Winter i*cept RS2: 40% × 74.4 + 60% × 66.6 = 70

  5. 33

    Noise

    Winter i*cept RS2 +27
    60
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 4 tests1056
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 10 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 33

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 56.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 60

    No owner ratings of noise for Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2. 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.

  6. 79

    Treadwear

    Winter i cept evo3 +4
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 3 tests7775
    Reviews found online8175

    Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 77 + 40% × 81 = 79

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 74.6 + 40% × 74.9 = 75

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    Winter i cept evo3 +9
    73
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Reviews found online8273
  8. 62

    Efficiency

    Winter i cept evo3 +20
    42
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 5 tests6242
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Winter i cept evo3Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
Relative Score 78 76
Dry 78 74
Wet 90 85
Snow 80 77
Comfort 73 70
Noise 33 60
Treadwear 79 75
Handling (owners) 82 73
Efficiency 62 42

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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Winter i cept evo3

± 5

Winter i*cept RS2

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinter i cept evo3Winter i*cept RS2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 94% #10/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 98% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #7/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 98% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 100% #1/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 81% #10/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 96% #2/49 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #7/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 98% #3/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 97% #7/35 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 99% #5/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 97% #6/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 97% #8/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 94% #4/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 90% #4/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 94% #12/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 100% #2/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 89% #3/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test 72% #14/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 81% #12/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test 77% #18/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 90% #3/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test 84% #11/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #9/20 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test #19/20 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 79% #4/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test 74% #13/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #8/12 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test #3/49 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winter i cept evo3

Pros

  • Exceptional wet grip and outstanding aquaplaning resistance
  • Outstanding snow and ice traction providing high confidence in winter storms
  • Great value for money compared to Tier-1 brands like Michelin or Goodyear

Cons

  • Slightly increased noise levels or humming compared to summer tires
  • Mixed feedback on ride comfort, with some finding them stiffer
  • Longer braking distances reported by a few users in specific conditions
All owner themes in the Winter i cept evo3 review

Tire B Winter i*cept RS2

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and handling on wet and dry roads
  • Impressive resistance to aquaplaning in heavy rain or standing water
  • Strong value for money with a competitive price point

Cons

  • Higher than average road noise, especially at highway speeds
  • Firm, stiff sidewalls leading to a less comfortable or harsh ride
  • Subpar performance and unpredictable grip on ice and black ice
All owner themes in the Winter i*cept RS2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Winter i cept evo3 B · Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available8637
Rim diameters17″ – 22″13″ – 17″
Sizes in common00

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Winter i cept evo3

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2

Narrow edge: Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — better efficiency, handling and wet. Pick the Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 scores 60 vs 33 on noise.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 62 vs 42 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 82 vs 73 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 90 vs 85 on wet.

Tire A · Hankook Winter i cept evo3
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
Check price on Amazon

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

Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Which is better in the wet, Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 90 vs 85 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 78 vs 74 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 80 vs 77 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2, 60 vs 33 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 73 vs 70 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 79 vs 75 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Winter i cept evo3 or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 62 vs 42 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