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Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 vs Vredestein Snowtrac 5 — 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 + 2 road tests and 5 + 6 owner reviews. How we score

Snowtrac 5 leads, 71–69 Narrow edge

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Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Tire AHankook

Winter i*pike RS2

Winter

± 6

Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 73 · 5 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

Vredestein Snowtrac 5
Tire BVredestein

Snowtrac 5

Winter

± 7

Tests 66 · 2 tests Owners 75 · 6 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 11 in 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 56

    Dry

    Snowtrac 5 +18
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 2 tests4974
    Reviews found online6774

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 49.4 + 40% × 66.5 = 56

    Snowtrac 5: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 74.3 = 74

  2. 73

    Wet

    Winter i*pike RS2 +1
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 2 tests7167
    Reviews found online7679

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 75.9 = 73

    Snowtrac 5: 60% × 66.6 + 40% × 79.4 = 72

  3. 76

    Snow

    Winter i*pike RS2 +4
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 2 tests7670
    Reviews found online7775

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 76 + 40% × 76.9 = 76

    Snowtrac 5: 60% × 70 + 40% × 75.3 = 72

  4. 73

    Comfort

    Winter i*pike RS2 +1
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests81≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online6873

    Winter i*pike RS2: 40% × 80.7 + 60% × 68.2 = 73

    Snowtrac 5: 40% × 69.9 (est.) + 60% × 73.3 = 72

    No road tests of comfort for Snowtrac 5. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 59

    Noise

    Snowtrac 5 +3
    62
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 2 tests5559
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 54.8 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 59

    Snowtrac 5: 60% × 59.4 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 62

    No owner ratings of noise for Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5. 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.

  6. 71

    Treadwear

    Winter i*pike RS2 +10
    61
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 69 (est.)55
    Reviews found online7570

    Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 74.7 = 71

    Snowtrac 5: 60% × 54.9 + 40% × 70 = 61

    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).

  7. 73

    Handling (owners)

    Snowtrac 5 +1
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Reviews found online7374
  8. 73

    Efficiency

    Winter i*pike RS2 +1
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*pike RS2Snowtrac 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests7372
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Winter i*pike RS2Vredestein Snowtrac 5
Relative Score 69 71
Dry 56 74
Wet 73 72
Snow 76 72
Comfort 73 72
Noise 59 62
Treadwear 71 61
Handling (owners) 73 74
Efficiency 73 72

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
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Winter i*pike RS2

± 7

Snowtrac 5

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*pike RS2Snowtrac 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 88% #16/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test 98% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 96% #3/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test 90% #14/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 82% #11/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test 90% #19/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #5/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test 97% #14/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 100% #2/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test 97% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 98% #6/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test 98% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #3/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test 96% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 98% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test 83% #9/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 67% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test 74% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #6/8 2023 Studded Tyre Test #8/16 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test – 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
All owner themes in the Winter i*pike RS2 review

Tire B Snowtrac 5

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and handling in deep snow and on icy surfaces
  • Strong performance and stability in wet road conditions
  • Low road noise levels across various surface types

Cons

  • Limited long-term data regarding tread wear longevity
  • Perceived as expensive by some users depending on the specific vehicle application
  • Inconsistent availability compared to major market leaders
All owner themes in the Snowtrac 5 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 B · Vredestein Snowtrac 5
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—20
Rim diameters—13″ – 16″

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2

Vredestein Snowtrac 5

Narrow edge: Vredestein Snowtrac 5 — better dry and noise. Pick the Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 if treadwear and snow matter most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Vredestein Snowtrac 5 scores 74 vs 56 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 71 vs 61 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 76 vs 72 on snow.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Vredestein Snowtrac 5 scores 62 vs 59 on noise.

Tire A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
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Tire B · Vredestein Snowtrac 5
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Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Which is better in the wet, Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 72 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Vredestein Snowtrac 5, 74 vs 56 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 76 vs 72 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Vredestein Snowtrac 5, 62 vs 59 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 72 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 71 vs 61 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Winter i*pike RS2 or Snowtrac 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 72 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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