Hankook Kinergy 4S2 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Owners 61 · 3,626 reviews analysed Road tests 78 · 30 tests
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The Hankook Kinergy 4S2 is widely praised as an exceptional value-focused all-season tire that punches well above its weight, particularly offering outstanding wet-weather performance and reassuring grip in cold conditions and light snow. While most drivers note substantial improvements in ride comfort and wet traction compared to older or summer tires, some users experience accelerated wear or a noticeable whining noise at specific highway speeds.
Owners rate it 17.2 points lower than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
How scores work
- Relative score
- 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
- Road tests
- 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
- Owner reviews
- 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.
By owner reviews
61/100From 3,626 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
78/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
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What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 3,626 owner reviews found online.
The Hankook Kinergy 4S2 is widely praised as an exceptional value-focused all-season tire that punches well above its weight, particularly offering outstanding wet-weather performance and reassuring grip in cold conditions and light snow. While most drivers note substantial improvements in ride comfort and wet traction compared to older or summer tires, some users experience accelerated wear or a noticeable whining noise at specific highway speeds.
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather grip, braking, and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong performance and confidence in cold temperatures, light snow, and slush
- High overall value for money compared to premium tier alternatives
- Improved ride comfort and bump absorption
- Good dry road stability and handling
Cons
- Increased road noise and occasional highway 'whining' or howling between 120-140 km/h
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear or uneven inner tread deformation
- Softer sidewalls can induce initial steering delay or a slight floating feel during aggressive cornering
- Potential drop in fuel economy compared to low rolling resistance tires
Worth knowing
- EV and hybrid drivers noted that while the tire performs safely, the tread pattern generates noticeable road noise given the lack of engine sound.
- Drivers of heavier vehicles (such as SUVs and family hatchbacks like the VW Tiguan and Ford S-Max) reported that the tire successfully transformed handling and added a strong sense of security in poor weather.
Reviews from our readers
Drivers who have these tires on their car, in their own words. We check every review before it goes live.
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30 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2026 Die Reifentester All Season tire Test - 225/40 R18 · 225/40 R18
6th of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 9 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 9 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 9 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 9 | |
| Straight Aqua | 6th of 9 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 3rd of 9 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 3rd of 9 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 8th of 9 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 6th of 9 | |
| Subj. Noise | 7th of 9 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 7th of 9 |
Source: Die Reifentester
2026 ADAC All Season tire Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
5th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 12th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 7th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 11th of 16 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 1st of 16 | |
| Noise | 14th of 16 | |
| Wear | 2nd of 16 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 7th of 16 | |
| Abrasion | 4th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 12th of 16 |
Source: ADAC
2025 Auto Bild Sports Car All Season tire Test · 225/45 R18
3rd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Wet Circle | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 10th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 10 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 4th of 10 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 4th of 10 | |
| Noise | 10th of 10 | |
| Snow Slalom | 6th of 10 |
Source: Auto Bild Sportscars
2025 Autobild SUV All Season tire Test · 215/55 R17
3rd of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 11 | |
| Wet Circle | 5th of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 11 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 11 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 11 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 11 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 6th of 11 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 2nd of 11 | |
| Noise | 5th of 11 | |
| Snow Slalom | 5th of 11 |
Source: Auto Bild Allrad
2025 AutoBild All Season tire Test · 225/40 R18
5th of 15
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 12th of 15 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 15 | |
| Wet Circle | 4th of 15 | |
| Dry Braking | 12th of 15 | |
| Dry Handling | 8th of 15 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 15 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 15 | |
| Snow Handling | 9th of 15 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 15 | |
| Straight Aqua | 12th of 15 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 6th of 15 | |
| Noise | 11th of 15 | |
| Value | 6th of 15 | |
| Wear | 5th of 15 | |
| Abrasion | 4th of 15 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 7th of 15 | |
| Snow Circle | 6th of 15 |
Source: Auto Bild
2025 Auto Bild All Season Camper Van tire Test · 245/45 R18
6th of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 9 | |
| Wet Handling | 7th of 9 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 9 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 9 | |
| Snow Traction | 4th of 9 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 9 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 9 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 8th of 9 | |
| Noise | 5th of 9 | |
| Snow Slalom | 4th of 9 |
Source: Auto Bild
2024 Sport Auto All Season tire Test · 215/40 R18
2nd of 6
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 6 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 6 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 6 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 6 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 6 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 6 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 6 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 3rd of 6 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 6 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 1st of 6 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 6 |
Source: Sport Auto
2024 Auto Express All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16
4th of 7
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2024 Auto Bild SUV All Season tire Test · 245/45 R18
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 2nd of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 10 | |
| Noise | 4th of 10 | |
| Snow Circle | 3rd of 10 |
Source: Auto Bild Allrad
2024 Minivan / SUV All Season tire Test · 235/55 R17
8th of 12
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 12 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 12 | |
| Wet Circle | 3rd of 12 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 12 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 12 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 12 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 12 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 12 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 11th of 12 | |
| Straight Aqua | 11th of 12 | |
| Noise | 3rd of 12 | |
| Price | 3rd of 12 | |
| Snow Slalom | 7th of 12 |
Source: Auto Bild Allrad
2024 ADAC All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16
3rd of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 10th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 10th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 13th of 16 | |
| Straight Aqua | 11th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 5th of 16 | |
| Noise | 14th of 16 | |
| Wear | 2nd of 16 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 8th of 16 | |
| Abrasion | 3rd of 16 | |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 11th of 16 | |
| Tyre Weight | 9th of 16 |
Source: ADAC
2023 Auto Zeitung All Season tire Test · 215/55 R17
3rd of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 9 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 9 | |
| Wet Circle | 4th of 9 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 9 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 9 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 9 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 9 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 9 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 3rd of 9 | |
| Noise | 6th of 9 | |
| Snow Slalom | 6th of 9 |
Source: Auto Zeitung
2023 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 225/45 R17
8th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 13th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 11th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 12th of 16 | |
| Dry Handling | 13th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 9th of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 8th of 16 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 11th of 16 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 1st of 16 | |
| Noise | 12th of 16 | |
| Value | 3rd of 16 | |
| Wear | 2nd of 16 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 15th of 16 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 3rd of 16 |
Source: Auto Bild
2023 All Season tire 35 Set Shootout · 225/45 R17
13th of 35
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 14th of 35 | |
| Dry Braking | 14th of 35 |
Source: Auto Bild
2022 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 195/55 R16
3rd of 15
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 15 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 15 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 15 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 15 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 15 | |
| Snow Traction | 4th of 15 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 15 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 11th of 15 | |
| Straight Aqua | 12th of 15 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 15 | |
| Value | 11th of 15 | |
| Price | 5th of 15 | |
| Wear | 12th of 15 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 11th of 15 | |
| Abrasion | 14th of 15 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 12th of 15 |
Source: Auto Bild
2022 All Season tire Market Overview · 195/55 R16
5th of 35
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 35 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 35 |
Source: Auto Bild
2021 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 225/50 R17
3rd of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 16 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 11th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 10th of 16 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 16 | |
| Straight Aqua | 5th of 16 | |
| Noise | 12th of 16 | |
| Value | 9th of 16 | |
| Price | 5th of 16 | |
| Wear | 14th of 16 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 12th of 16 |
Source: Auto Bild
2021 All Season tire Market Overview · 225/50 R17
4th of 32
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 32 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 32 |
Source: Auto Bild
2021 AZ All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16
6th of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 9 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 9 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 8th of 9 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 9 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 9 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 7th of 9 | |
| Straight Aqua | 2nd of 9 | |
| Noise | 5th of 9 | |
| Price | 2nd of 9 | |
| Dry Handling - Cool | 3rd of 9 | |
| Wet Braking - Cool | 7th of 9 | |
| Dry Braking - Cool | 2nd of 9 | |
| Wet Handling - Cool | 9th of 9 |
Source: Auto Zeitung
2020 Auto Express All Season tire Test · 225/45 R17
3rd of 6
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2020 Auto Bild SUV All Season tire Test · 215/60 R16
1st of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 1st of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 5th of 11 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 11 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 6th of 11 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 11 | |
| Noise | 5th of 11 | |
| Price | 5th of 11 |
Source: Auto Bild
2020 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16
7th of 14
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 14 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 14 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 14 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 14 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 14 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 14 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 12th of 14 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 14 | |
| Noise | 13th of 14 | |
| Value | 11th of 14 | |
| Wear | 13th of 14 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 13th of 14 |
Source: Auto Bild
2020 All Season tire Market Overview - 32 tire Braking Test · 205/55 R16
3rd of 31
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 31 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 31 |
Source: Auto Bild
2020 Tyre Reviews All Season tire Test
2nd of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Subj. Dry Handling | 4th of 9 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 5th of 9 | |
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 9 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 9 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 1st of 9 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 2nd of 9 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 2nd of 9 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 9 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 9 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 3rd of 9 | |
| Subjective Comfort | 2nd of 9 | |
| Inside Noise level | 5th of 9 | |
| Price | 6th of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 9 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 9 |
2019 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 225/45 R17
5th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 10 | |
| Noise | 8th of 10 | |
| Value | 7th of 10 | |
| Price | 3rd of 10 | |
| Wear | 7th of 10 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 4th of 10 |
Source: Auto Bild
2019 ACE GTU All Season tire Test · 205/60 R16
5th of 8
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: GTÜ
2019 Auto Express All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16
8th of 11
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2019 All Season tire Performance Overview · 225/45 R17
8th of 31
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 11th of 31 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 31 |
Source: Auto Bild
2018 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 195/65 R15
5th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 8th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 10 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 10 | |
| Value | 8th of 10 | |
| Price | 2nd of 10 | |
| Wear | 9th of 10 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 8th of 10 |
Source: Auto Bild
2018 27 All Season tire Shootout · 195/65 R15
4th of 27
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
What owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of the scores above.
Community members frequently view the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 as a solid, budget-friendly alternative to premium all-weather tires like the Michelin CrossClimate 2, highlighting its strong wet traction and good snow performance for the price. However, users report mixed experiences regarding tread longevity, with some noting rapid or uneven wear, as well as drawbacks such as highway humming noise, a stiff ride, and twitchy handling on ice.
From 33 threads and comments.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 compared
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