All-season tire Updated October 2026

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.

Community sentiment Mixed Read the buzz
#Affordable CrossClimate alternative#Wet weather traction#Snow and winter performance#Tread wear longevity#Cabin road noise

Owners rate it 17.2 points lower than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.

Hankook Kinergy 4S2

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

61/100

From 3,626 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.

Would buy again 70%
Dry
Overall dry
57.4
Corner stability
55.1
Dry traction
56.1
Steering response
55.1
Wet
Overall wet
66.8
Wet traction
62.5
Snow & ice
Overall snow & ice
62.7
Comfort
Overall comfort
60.4
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
60.4
Handling
Overall handling
57.2

Own these tires? Write a review →

By road tests

78/100

Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.

Dry
82
Wet
84.7
Snow
79
Comfort
76.5
Noise
66.7
Treadwear
71.2
By discipline (% of best in test)
Dry Braking
74.4%
Dry Handling
73.5%
Subj. Dry Handling
66.7%
Wet Braking
76%
Subj. Wet Handling
100%
Wet Handling
80.2%
Straight Aquaplaning
82.9%
Curved Aquaplaning
88.9%
Snow Braking
72.7%
Snow Handling
72.7%
Subj. Snow Handling
77.8%
Snow Traction
49.5%
Inside Noise level
40.9%
Subjective Comfort
88.9%
Rolling Resistance
47.9%
Price
68.4%
Wear
27.1%

Hankook Kinergy 4S2 specs & sizes

Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.

SizeRetailer
155/65 R14 Amazon
165/60 R14 Amazon
165/65 R14 Amazon
165/70 R14 Amazon
175/65 R14 Amazon
175/70 R14 Amazon
175/80 R14 Amazon
185/55 R14 Amazon
185/60 R14 Amazon
185/65 R14 Amazon
185/70 R14 Amazon
195/70 R14 Amazon
135/70 R15 Amazon
155/60 R15 Amazon
165/60 R15 Amazon
165/65 R15 Amazon

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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.

No reviews from our readers yet

Driving on the Hankook Kinergy 4S2? Tell other drivers how it grips, rides and wears.

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Dry grip
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Snow & ice
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Quietness
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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
Best: Wet Braking · 3rd Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 8th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking3rd of 9
Dry Braking5th of 9
Snow Braking4th of 9
Snow Traction6th of 9
Rolling Resistance8th of 9
Straight Aqua6th of 9
Curved Aquaplaning3rd of 9
Subj. Dry Handling3rd of 9
Subj. Comfort8th of 9
Subj. Wet Handling6th of 9
Subj. Noise7th of 9
Subj. Snow Handling7th of 9

Source: Die Reifentester

2026 ADAC All Season tire Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15

5th of 16
Best: Curved Aquaplaning · 1st Weakest: Noise · 14th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking12th of 16
Dry Braking7th of 16
Snow Braking6th of 16
Snow Traction8th of 16
Ice Braking11th of 16
Straight Aqua3rd of 16
Curved Aquaplaning1st of 16
Noise14th of 16
Wear2nd of 16
Fuel Consumption7th of 16
Abrasion4th of 16
Wet Braking - Concrete12th of 16

Source: ADAC

2025 Auto Bild Sports Car All Season tire Test · 225/45 R18

3rd of 10
Best: Wet Circle · 1st Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 10th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 10
Wet Handling4th of 10
Wet Circle1st of 10
Dry Braking6th of 10
Dry Handling3rd of 10
Snow Braking4th of 10
Snow Traction8th of 10
Snow Handling5th of 10
Rolling Resistance10th of 10
Straight Aqua7th of 10
Curved Aquaplaning4th of 10
Subj. Comfort4th of 10
Noise10th of 10
Snow Slalom6th of 10

Source: Auto Bild Sportscars

2025 Autobild SUV All Season tire Test · 215/55 R17

3rd of 11
Best: Dry Handling · 1st Weakest: Wet Braking · 7th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking7th of 11
Wet Handling6th of 11
Wet Circle5th of 11
Dry Braking6th of 11
Dry Handling1st of 11
Snow Braking4th of 11
Snow Traction6th of 11
Snow Handling6th of 11
Rolling Resistance4th of 11
Straight Aqua7th of 11
Curved Aquaplaning6th of 11
Subj. Comfort2nd of 11
Noise5th of 11
Snow Slalom5th of 11

Source: Auto Bild Allrad

2025 AutoBild All Season tire Test · 225/40 R18

5th of 15
Best: Wet Circle · 4th Weakest: Wet Braking · 12th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking12th of 15
Wet Handling6th of 15
Wet Circle4th of 15
Dry Braking12th of 15
Dry Handling8th of 15
Snow Braking4th of 15
Snow Traction6th of 15
Snow Handling9th of 15
Rolling Resistance9th of 15
Straight Aqua12th of 15
Curved Aquaplaning6th of 15
Noise11th of 15
Value6th of 15
Wear5th of 15
Abrasion4th of 15
Total Cost of Ownership7th of 15
Snow Circle6th of 15

Source: Auto Bild

2025 Auto Bild All Season Camper Van tire Test · 245/45 R18

6th of 9
Best: Dry Handling · 1st Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 9th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 9
Wet Handling7th of 9
Dry Braking6th of 9
Dry Handling1st of 9
Snow Braking3rd of 9
Snow Traction4th of 9
Snow Handling4th of 9
Rolling Resistance9th of 9
Straight Aqua7th of 9
Curved Aquaplaning8th of 9
Noise5th of 9
Snow Slalom4th of 9

Source: Auto Bild

2024 Sport Auto All Season tire Test · 215/40 R18

2nd of 6
Best: Snow Braking · 1st Weakest: Dry Braking · 6th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 6
Wet Handling2nd of 6
Dry Braking6th of 6
Dry Handling2nd of 6
Snow Braking1st of 6
Snow Traction1st of 6
Snow Handling1st of 6
Rolling Resistance3rd of 6
Straight Aqua1st of 6
Curved Aquaplaning1st of 6
Noise2nd 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
Best: Dry Handling · 1st Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 9th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking4th of 10
Wet Handling2nd of 10
Dry Braking5th of 10
Dry Handling1st of 10
Snow Braking2nd of 10
Snow Traction5th of 10
Snow Handling3rd of 10
Rolling Resistance9th of 10
Straight Aqua3rd of 10
Noise4th of 10
Snow Circle3rd of 10

Source: Auto Bild Allrad

2024 Minivan / SUV All Season tire Test · 235/55 R17

8th of 12
Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 11th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 12
Wet Handling3rd of 12
Wet Circle3rd of 12
Dry Braking5th of 12
Dry Handling2nd of 12
Snow Braking4th of 12
Snow Traction5th of 12
Snow Handling5th of 12
Rolling Resistance11th of 12
Straight Aqua11th of 12
Noise3rd of 12
Price3rd of 12
Snow Slalom7th of 12

Source: Auto Bild Allrad

2024 ADAC All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16

3rd of 16
Best: Wear · 2nd Weakest: Noise · 14th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking10th of 16
Dry Braking4th of 16
Snow Braking10th of 16
Snow Traction8th of 16
Ice Braking13th of 16
Straight Aqua11th of 16
Curved Aquaplaning5th of 16
Noise14th of 16
Wear2nd of 16
Fuel Consumption8th of 16
Abrasion3rd of 16
Wet Braking - Concrete11th of 16
Tyre Weight9th of 16

Source: ADAC

2023 Auto Zeitung All Season tire Test · 215/55 R17

3rd of 9
Best: Dry Handling · 1st Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 8th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 9
Wet Handling4th of 9
Wet Circle4th of 9
Dry Braking4th of 9
Dry Handling1st of 9
Snow Braking5th of 9
Snow Traction5th of 9
Snow Handling5th of 9
Rolling Resistance8th of 9
Straight Aqua7th of 9
Subj. Comfort3rd of 9
Noise6th of 9
Snow Slalom6th of 9

Source: Auto Zeitung

2023 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 225/45 R17

8th of 16
Best: Curved Aquaplaning · 1st Weakest: Fuel Consumption · 15th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking13th of 16
Wet Handling11th of 16
Dry Braking12th of 16
Dry Handling13th of 16
Snow Braking4th of 16
Snow Traction9th of 16
Snow Handling8th of 16
Rolling Resistance11th of 16
Straight Aqua7th of 16
Curved Aquaplaning1st of 16
Noise12th of 16
Value3rd of 16
Wear2nd of 16
Fuel Consumption15th of 16
Total Cost of Ownership3rd of 16

Source: Auto Bild

2023 All Season tire 35 Set Shootout · 225/45 R17

13th of 35
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking14th of 35
Dry Braking14th of 35

Source: Auto Bild

2022 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 195/55 R16

3rd of 15
Best: Snow Handling · 2nd Weakest: Abrasion · 14th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 15
Wet Handling4th of 15
Dry Braking5th of 15
Dry Handling4th of 15
Snow Braking6th of 15
Snow Traction4th of 15
Snow Handling2nd of 15
Rolling Resistance11th of 15
Straight Aqua12th of 15
Noise2nd of 15
Value11th of 15
Price5th of 15
Wear12th of 15
Fuel Consumption11th of 15
Abrasion14th of 15
Total Cost of Ownership12th of 15

Source: Auto Bild

2022 All Season tire Market Overview · 195/55 R16

5th of 35
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 35
Dry Braking5th of 35

Source: Auto Bild

2021 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 225/50 R17

3rd of 16
Best: Wet Handling · 4th Weakest: Wear · 14th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 16
Wet Handling4th of 16
Dry Braking4th of 16
Dry Handling7th of 16
Snow Braking11th of 16
Snow Traction8th of 16
Snow Handling10th of 16
Rolling Resistance9th of 16
Straight Aqua5th of 16
Noise12th of 16
Value9th of 16
Price5th of 16
Wear14th of 16
Total Cost of Ownership12th of 16

Source: Auto Bild

2021 All Season tire Market Overview · 225/50 R17

4th of 32
Best: Dry Braking · 4th Weakest: Wet Braking · 5th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 32
Dry Braking4th of 32

Source: Auto Bild

2021 AZ All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16

6th of 9
Best: Snow Handling · 1st Weakest: Wet Handling - Cool · 9th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking7th of 9
Wet Handling5th of 9
Dry Braking5th of 9
Dry Handling8th of 9
Snow Braking6th of 9
Snow Traction3rd of 9
Snow Handling1st of 9
Rolling Resistance7th of 9
Straight Aqua2nd of 9
Noise5th of 9
Price2nd of 9
Dry Handling - Cool3rd of 9
Wet Braking - Cool7th of 9
Dry Braking - Cool2nd of 9
Wet Handling - Cool9th 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
Best: Wet Braking · 1st Weakest: Snow Traction · 6th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking1st of 11
Wet Handling1st of 11
Dry Braking4th of 11
Dry Handling5th of 11
Snow Braking4th of 11
Snow Traction6th of 11
Snow Handling4th of 11
Rolling Resistance6th of 11
Straight Aqua4th of 11
Noise5th of 11
Price5th of 11

Source: Auto Bild

2020 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 205/55 R16

7th of 14
Best: Straight Aqua · 1st Weakest: Noise · 13th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking4th of 14
Wet Handling2nd of 14
Dry Braking6th of 14
Dry Handling4th of 14
Snow Braking6th of 14
Snow Handling5th of 14
Rolling Resistance12th of 14
Straight Aqua1st of 14
Noise13th of 14
Value11th of 14
Wear13th of 14
Total Cost of Ownership13th of 14

Source: Auto Bild

2020 All Season tire Market Overview - 32 tire Braking Test · 205/55 R16

3rd of 31
Best: Wet Braking · 4th Weakest: Dry Braking · 6th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking4th of 31
Dry Braking6th of 31

Source: Auto Bild

2020 Tyre Reviews All Season tire Test

2nd of 9
Best: Subj. Wet Handling · 1st Weakest: Snow Traction · 6th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Subj. Dry Handling4th of 9
Dry Braking3rd of 9
Dry Handling5th of 9
Wet Braking2nd of 9
Wet Handling3rd of 9
Subj. Wet Handling1st of 9
Straight Aquaplaning2nd of 9
Curved Aquaplaning2nd of 9
Snow Traction6th of 9
Snow Handling4th of 9
Subj. Snow Handling3rd of 9
Subjective Comfort2nd of 9
Inside Noise level5th of 9
Price6th of 9
Rolling Resistance5th of 9
Snow Braking4th of 9

2019 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 225/45 R17

5th of 10
Best: Dry Handling · 3rd Weakest: Wet Braking · 8th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking8th of 10
Wet Handling6th of 10
Dry Braking5th of 10
Dry Handling3rd of 10
Snow Braking3rd of 10
Snow Handling3rd of 10
Rolling Resistance5th of 10
Straight Aqua4th of 10
Noise8th of 10
Value7th of 10
Price3rd of 10
Wear7th of 10
Total Cost of Ownership4th 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
Best: Dry Braking · 5th Weakest: Wet Braking · 11th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking11th of 31
Dry Braking5th of 31

Source: Auto Bild

2018 Auto Bild All Season tire Test · 195/65 R15

5th of 10
Best: Noise · 2nd Weakest: Wear · 9th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking3rd of 10
Wet Handling6th of 10
Dry Braking3rd of 10
Dry Handling4th of 10
Snow Braking8th of 10
Snow Handling8th of 10
Rolling Resistance5th of 10
Straight Aqua3rd of 10
Noise2nd of 10
Value8th of 10
Price2nd of 10
Wear9th of 10
Total Cost of Ownership8th 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.

Sentiment breakdown
Positive36%
Mixed48%
Negative15%
Top themes
#Affordable CrossClimate alternative#Wet weather traction#Snow and winter performance#Tread wear longevity#Cabin road noise#Ride stiffness and comfort

From 33 threads and comments.

Hankook Kinergy 4S2 compared

Compare any two

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