Tests 65 · 5 tests Owners 64 · 37 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (exterior noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 vs Hankook Winter i*pike 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 5 + 5 road tests and 37 + 5 owner reviews. How we score
Winter i*pike RS2 leads, 69–65 Narrow edge
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Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 73 · 5 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)
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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67
Dry
Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +1156Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 5 tests 71 49 Reviews found online 60 67 Dry Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 95% 91% Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 71.3 + 40% × 60.2 = 67
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 49.4 + 40% × 66.5 = 56
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63
Wet
Winter i*pike RS2 +1073Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 5 tests 59 71 Reviews found online 67 76 Wet Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 81% 84% Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 96% 96% Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 59.5 + 40% × 67.1 = 63
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 75.9 = 73
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67
Snow
Winter i*pike RS2 +976Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 5 tests 58 76 Reviews found online 79 77 Ice Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 79% 91% Ice Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 83% 95% Ice Traction (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 61% 91% Snow Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 97% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 98% 98% Snow Traction (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–1 97% 98% Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 58.1 + 40% × 79.1 = 67
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 76 + 40% × 76.9 = 76
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66
Comfort
Winter i*pike RS2 +773Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 68 (est.) 81 Reviews found online 64 68 Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 64.2 = 66
Winter i*pike RS2: 40% × 80.7 + 60% × 68.2 = 73
No road tests of comfort for Winter I cept iZ2 W616. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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71
Noise
Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +1259Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 4 tests 83 55 Reviews found online 53 ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (tester's mark) (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 89% 63% Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 82.8 + 40% × 52.8 = 71
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 54.8 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 59
No owner ratings of noise for Winter i*pike RS2. 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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59
Treadwear
Winter i*pike RS2 +1271Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 62 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 54 75 Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 61.9 (est.) + 40% × 54 = 59
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 74.6 = 71
No road tests of treadwear for Winter I cept iZ2 W616. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
No road tests of treadwear for Winter i*pike RS2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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67
Handling (owners)
Winter i*pike RS2 +673Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Reviews found online 67 73 -
76
Efficiency
Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +373Why this score
Source Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 2 tests 76 73
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 65 | 69 |
| Dry | 67 | 56 |
| Wet | 63 | 73 |
| Snow | 67 | 76 |
| Comfort | 66 | 73 |
| Noise | 71 | 59 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 71 |
| Handling (owners) | 67 | 73 |
| Efficiency | 76 | 73 |
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.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
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Important
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Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
65
/ 100
Winter I cept iZ2 W616
69
/ 100
Winter i*pike 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.
In the overall rankings of 2 tests that ran both, Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 finished ahead 1 times and Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | Winter I cept iZ2 W616 | Winter i*pike RS2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% | 91% | +3.2 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 80% #4/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 40% #6/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 73% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 96% #3/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 81% | 84% | −2.9 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% | 96% | 0.0 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 79% | 91% | −12.0 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 83% | 95% | −11.8 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 61% | 91% | −29.9 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% | 99% | −2.0 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% | 98% | +0.3 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 97% | 98% | −0.8 | 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Noise | Noise | 100% #2/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 89% | 63% | +26.1 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 97% #4/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 96% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 98% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 67% | 67% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #10/16 | #13/16 | – | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter I cept iZ2 W616
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, slush, and severe winter conditions
- Low road noise, offering a much quieter ride than typical winter tires
- High comfort levels and stable, predictable handling on cold dry or wet roads
Cons
- Subpar performance or reduced traction on wet roads and heavy rain
- Faster tread wear, particularly during aggressive driving or when used in warmer weather
- Softer sidewalls can feel slightly edgy or less precise when pushed to the limit
Tire B Winter i*pike RS2
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking on snow and ice
- Strong side grip and predictable cornering limits
- High durability with secure stud retention over multiple years
Cons
- Poor steering feedback on dry tarmac
- Noticeable understeer in dry road conditions
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 | B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | 10.5/32″ | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 40,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
65
/ 100
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616
69
/ 100
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Narrow edge: Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — better treadwear, wet and snow. Pick the Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 if noise, dry and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 scores 71 vs 59 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 71 vs 59 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 scores 67 vs 56 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 73 vs 63 on wet.
Tire A · Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
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Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Which is better in the wet, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 73 vs 63 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616, 67 vs 56 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 76 vs 67 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616, 71 vs 59 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 73 vs 66 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 71 vs 59 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616, 76 vs 73 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