Tests – · none yet Owners 65 · 17 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Dragon Sport vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ventus S1 evo3 leads, 68–66 Narrow edge
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Tests 76 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,355 reviews
“Small tire size change having different ratings? (Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3) Hi all, I'm looking for a good all round tire for my MX5 (I'm in the non snowy regions of the UK so summer tires) and a pretty popular recommendation are the Ventus S1 Evo 3s. At the MX5's stock size of 205/45/R17 they are rated at A for fuel and wet performance, and 68db of noise, which is great! However I'd like to size up to 215/45/R17, and for whatever reason the ratings drop to B for fuel and wet performance, and most importantly to me, 71db of noise. I was just wondering how such a small difference in size changes things quite drastically? I know these ratings aren't that important, but it seems strange to me they'd change at all Thanks! Read more”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
65
Dry
Ventus S1 evo3 +1176Why this score
Source Dragon Sport Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 84 Reviews found online 64 63 -
70
Wet
Ventus S1 evo3 +1181Why this score
Source Dragon Sport Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 88 Reviews found online 70 69 -
65
Comfort
Dragon Sport +362Why this score
Source Dragon Sport Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 65 Reviews found online 61 59 -
–
Noise
No comparison71Why this score
Source Dragon Sport Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 74 -
64
Treadwear
Dragon Sport +955Why this score
Source Dragon Sport Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 61 Reviews found online 63 46 -
66
Handling
Dragon Sport +660Why this score
Source Dragon Sport Ventus S1 evo3 Reviews found online 66 60
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Dragon Sport | Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 68 |
| Dry | 65 | 76 |
| Wet | 70 | 81 |
| Comfort | 65 | 62 |
| Noise | – | 71 |
| Treadwear | 64 | 55 |
| Handling | 66 | 60 |
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.
Important
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Important
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Less important
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Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
Dragon Sport
68
/ 100
Ventus S1 evo3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Dragon Sport
Pros
- Excellent tread life and durability for the price point
- High value-for-money compared to premium performance tires
- Strong dry grip and reliable wet weather performance for daily driving
Cons
- Soft sidewalls leading to vague steering feedback and understeer
- Susceptibility to sidewall damage and punctures from road hazards
- Performance limits fall short of true enthusiast-grade tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport series
Tire B Ventus S1 evo3
Pros
- Exceptional grip and confidence in wet and dry conditions
- Low road noise and high ride comfort
- Competitive pricing compared to premium tier-one brands
Cons
- Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on rear axles or heavy vehicles
- Soft sidewalls leading to reduced steering feedback and precision
- Vulnerability to sidewall damage or bubbling from potholes
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Pirelli Dragon Sport
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Community sentiment toward the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 is mixed, with users frequently praising its strong dry and wet grip, comfort, and competitive pricing. However, notable drawbacks include relatively fast tread wear, reports of increasing road noise over time, and mixed experiences with OEM specs versus premium competitors like Michelin.
r/Golf_R
·6 upvotes ·2026-04-29
“Tire preferences? My MK8 has a little over 18,000 miles now and the stock tires look like they’ve already gone to sh*t? Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 aren’t as good as they advertise? What do you recommend for tires?”
teslamotorsclub.com
·1 upvote ·2023-01-26
“Nice. I'm in Texas, so I'm not sure if those (as all seasons) would be the best choice for me. I will never drive in snow/ice, and have been leaning towards the Hankook Ventus S1 EVO3 for my Model 3 AWD with 19" wheels. Those are the only Tesla OEM (I prefer the Tesla specs like acoustic lining, tread width, extra sidewall stability, etc.) summer tires in the 19" size.”
jaguarforums.com
“I had Hankook tires on my XKR, and thought they were the noisiest tires I had ever heard on a car, and I had to get rid of them as I couldn't stand it.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Value for money#Road noise levels#Tread wear and longevity#OEM fitments and EV variants#Run-flat identification confusion#Ride comfort
Based on 33 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Dragon Sport | B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 22 | 110 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 20″ | 17″ – 22″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Pirelli Dragon Sport
68
/ 100
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Winner: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — better dry and wet. Pick the Pirelli Dragon Sport if treadwear, handling and comfort matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 76 vs 65 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 81 vs 70 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Pirelli Dragon Sport scores 64 vs 55 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Dragon Sport scores 66 vs 60 on handling.
Tire A · Pirelli Dragon Sport
Tire B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
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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.