Tests 76 · 17 tests Owners 82 · 22 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 vs Pirelli Ice Zero 2 — 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 17 + 6 road tests and 22 + 3 owner reviews. How we score
Winter i cept evo3 is ahead, 78–67
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Tests 78 · 6 tests Owners 57 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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78
Dry
Winter i cept evo3 +672Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 4 tests 75 82 Reviews found online 82 57 Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 75.3 + 40% × 81.9 = 78
Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 56.9 = 72
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90
Wet
Winter i cept evo3 +1773Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 17 / 5 tests 92 81 Reviews found online 86 61 Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 92.1 + 40% × 86.2 = 90
Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81 + 40% × 60.9 = 73
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80
Snow
Winter i cept evo3 +1070Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 17 / 4 tests 80 76 Reviews found online 80 63 Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 80.1 + 40% × 79.5 = 80
Ice Zero 2: 60% × 75.6 + 40% × 62.6 = 70
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73
Comfort
Winter i cept evo3 +1558Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests 72 72 Reviews found online 74 50 Winter i cept evo3: 40% × 71.6 + 60% × 73.7 = 73
Ice Zero 2: 40% × 71.9 + 60% × 49.5 = 58
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33
Noise
Ice Zero 2 +3366Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 4 tests 10 65 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 10 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 33
Ice Zero 2: 60% × 64.8 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 66
No owner ratings of noise for Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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79
Treadwear
Winter i cept evo3 +2356Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests 77 ≈ 61 (est.) Reviews found online 81 49 Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 77 + 40% × 81.1 = 79
Ice Zero 2: 60% × 60.5 (est.) + 40% × 49.4 = 56
No road tests of treadwear for Ice Zero 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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81
Handling (owners)
Winter i cept evo3 +2853Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Reviews found online 81 53 -
62
Efficiency
Ice Zero 2 +870Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 3 tests 62 70
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i cept evo3 | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 78 | 67 |
| Dry | 78 | 72 |
| Wet | 90 | 73 |
| Snow | 80 | 70 |
| Comfort | 73 | 58 |
| Noise | 33 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 79 | 56 |
| Handling (owners) | 81 | 53 |
| Efficiency | 62 | 70 |
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.
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
78
/ 100
Winter i cept evo3
67
/ 100
Ice Zero 2
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.
| Discipline | Category | Winter i cept evo3 | Ice Zero 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #10/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 100% #1/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 84% #14/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 81% #10/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 100% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #7/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 87% #21/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | 78% #13/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 98% #3/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 99% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #5/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 97% #6/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 94% #4/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 60% #12/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 94% #12/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 98% #10/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | 93% #14/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European 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 | 55% #10/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #8/12 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | #4/6 2027 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | – | 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
Tire B Ice Zero 2
Pros
- Very good traction and performance on snow
- Reasonably quiet for a studded winter tire
- Adequate performance on wet and salty roads
Cons
- Dangerous slipping on ice at low speeds in cold climates
- Strong, intrusive howling noise at speeds above 95 km/h
- Poor overall handling compared to competing studded winter tires like the Nokian Hakkapeliitta
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Winter i cept evo3 | B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 86 | — |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 22″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
78
/ 100
Hankook Winter i cept evo3
67
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Winner: Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — better handling, treadwear and wet. Pick the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 if noise and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 66 vs 33 on noise.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 81 vs 53 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 79 vs 56 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 90 vs 73 on wet.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i cept evo3
Tire B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
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Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Which is better in the wet, Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 90 vs 73 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 78 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 80 vs 70 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Pirelli Ice Zero 2, 66 vs 33 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 73 vs 58 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 79 vs 56 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Winter i cept evo3 or Ice Zero 2?
Pirelli Ice Zero 2, 70 vs 62 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