Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 76 · 5 reviews
Best test result: #5 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 vs Nexen WinGuard — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter i*pike RS2 is ahead, 72–65
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
59
Dry
Level59Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 49 – Reviews found online 74 54 -
74
Wet
Winter i*pike RS2 +1064Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 71 – Reviews found online 78 62 -
76
Snow
Winter i*pike RS2 +175Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 76 – Reviews found online 77 78 -
78
Comfort
Winter i*pike RS2 +1365Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 81 – Reviews found online 75 61 -
60
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 55 – -
71
Treadwear
Winter i*pike RS2 +665Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 WinGuard Reviews found online 75 65 -
79
Handling
Winter i*pike RS2 +2257Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 WinGuard Reviews found online 79 57
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | Nexen WinGuard |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 65 |
| Dry | 59 | 59 |
| Wet | 74 | 64 |
| Snow | 76 | 75 |
| Comfort | 78 | 65 |
| Noise | 60 | – |
| Treadwear | 71 | 65 |
| Handling | 79 | 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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Important
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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
Winter i*pike RS2
65
/ 100
WinGuard
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 | Winter i*pike RS2 | WinGuard | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 20% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 3% #34/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test | +17.1 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
Tire B WinGuard
Pros
- Strong traction and handling in snow-covered conditions
- Noticeable improvement in grip over summer tires in cold weather
- Confidence-inspiring braking performance on mountain passes
Cons
- Mediocre performance on ice
- Poor dry-weather handling when temperatures exceed 10°C
- Occasional difficulty with uphill starts in deep snow
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | B · Nexen WinGuard |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
65
/ 100
Nexen WinGuard
Winner: Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — better handling, comfort and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 79 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 78 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 74 vs 64 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 71 vs 65 on treadwear.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Tire B · Nexen WinGuard
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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.