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Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 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 3 + 9 road tests and 3 + 61 owner reviews. How we score

Winter I*cept Evo 4 is ahead, 80–72

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Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4
Tire AHankook

Winter I*cept Evo 4

Winter

± 5

Tests 82 · 3 tests Owners 82 · 3 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Tire BNexen

WinGuard Sport 2

Winter

± 5

Tests 73 · 9 tests Owners 71 · 61 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (noise)

Category by category

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

  1. 81

    Dry

    Winter I*cept Evo 4 +11
    70
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests8271
    Reviews found online8169

    Winter I*cept Evo 4: 60% × 81.5 + 40% × 81.1 = 81

    WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 69.4 = 70

  2. 90

    Wet

    Winter I*cept Evo 4 +15
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 9 tests9473
    Reviews found online8477

    Winter I*cept Evo 4: 60% × 93.6 + 40% × 84 = 90

    WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 73.5 + 40% × 77.4 = 75

  3. 75

    Snow

    Winter I*cept Evo 4 +5
    70
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 9 tests7670
    Reviews found online≈ 72 (est.)70

    Winter I*cept Evo 4: 60% × 76.4 + 40% × 72.4 (est.) = 75

    WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 69.6 = 70

    No owner ratings of snow for Winter I*cept Evo 4. The owner half is estimated from its road-test score, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 84

    Comfort

    Winter I*cept Evo 4 +16
    68
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests9064
    Reviews found online8071

    Winter I*cept Evo 4: 40% × 89.7 + 60% × 79.7 = 84

    WinGuard Sport 2: 40% × 64.4 + 60% × 70.6 = 68

  5. 75

    Noise

    WinGuard Sport 2 +6
    81
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests8194
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)61

    Winter I*cept Evo 4: 60% × 81 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 75

    WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 61.3 = 81

    No owner ratings of noise for Winter I*cept Evo 4. 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. 76

    Treadwear

    Winter I*cept Evo 4 +3
    73
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 2 tests7475
    Reviews found online8171

    Winter I*cept Evo 4: 60% × 73.7 + 40% × 80.6 = 76

    WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 74.8 + 40% × 71.3 = 73

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    Winter I*cept Evo 4 +12
    70
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Reviews found online8270
  8. 72

    Efficiency

    Winter I*cept Evo 4 +38
    34
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests7234
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Winter I*cept Evo 4Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Relative Score 80 72
Dry 81 70
Wet 90 75
Snow 75 70
Comfort 84 68
Noise 75 81
Treadwear 76 73
Handling (owners) 82 70
Efficiency 72 34

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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Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

Winter I*cept Evo 4

± 5

WinGuard Sport 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.

DisciplineCategoryWinter I*cept Evo 4WinGuard Sport 2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 97% #4/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 100% #5/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 100% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 99% #5/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 96% #6/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 68% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 97% #10/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 91% #7/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 91% #4/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 90% #4/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 96% #8/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 99% #3/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 99% #7/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 96% #7/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 97% #12/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 96% #7/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 97% #7/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 92% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 98% #2/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 93% #6/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Noise Noise 98% #8/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 100% #2/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 98% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 79% #10/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 98% #4/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 78% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Value Cost 71% #10/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 97% #3/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #3/20 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test #10/10 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winter I*cept Evo 4

Pros

  • Impressive ride comfort, with one reviewer rating it better than a summer Bridgestone Alenza and noting good damping of bump noise
  • Very quiet at city speeds, and in one review at all speeds including highways
  • Precise handling, steering feedback and grip, described as responsive and incredible

Cons

  • Noise reportedly increases above about 100 km/h in one review, contradicting the quiet-at-all-speeds claim in another
  • Snow and frost performance remains unverified, as reviewers have not yet tested it in those conditions
All owner themes in the Winter I*cept Evo 4 review

Tire B WinGuard Sport 2

Pros

  • Excellent value and affordable price point compared to premium winter tires
  • Low noise levels and high comfort, often rivaling all-season or summer tires
  • Strong grip and stability on cold dry and wet pavement

Cons

  • Subpar performance on hard-packed ice and deep snow compared to dedicated heavy-duty winter tires
  • Soft sidewalls can lead to slightly vague handling or a 'rolly' feeling in hard cornering
  • Reports of higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor drop in fuel economy
All owner themes in the WinGuard Sport 2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available8680
Rim diameters17″ – 22″15″ – 20″
Tread depth—11/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Sizes in common3939

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4

Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

Winner: Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 — better efficiency, comfort and wet. Pick the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 scores 72 vs 34 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 scores 84 vs 68 on comfort.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 scores 90 vs 75 on wet.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 scores 82 vs 70 on handling.

Tire A · Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4
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Tire B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
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Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Which is better in the wet, Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4, 90 vs 75 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4, 81 vs 70 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4, 75 vs 70 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 81 vs 75 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4, 84 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4, 76 vs 73 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Winter I*cept Evo 4 or WinGuard Sport 2?

Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4, 72 vs 34 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