Winter tire handling Updated October 2026

Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 review

Name: Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616
Brand: Hankook

± 6

Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners

Better than 32% of the winter tires we score.

Owners 64 · 37 reviews analysed Road tests 65 · 5 tests

How scores work

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Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 has a Relative Score of 65 out of 100 among winter tires. In 14 road tests with an overall ranking it finished first 0 times and in the top three 2 times. Testers rate it best for noise (83) and weakest for snow (58). 37 owner reviews rate it 64 out of 100. 88% would buy it again.

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.

Full methodology

By owner reviews

64/100

From 37 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.

Would buy again 88%

Dry

Overall dry

Wet

Overall wet

Snow & ice

Overall snow & ice

Comfort

Overall comfort

Noise

Overall noise

Treadwear

Overall treadwear

Handling

Overall handling

Own these tires? Write a review →

By road tests

65/100

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

Dry

Wet

Snow

Noise

Efficiency

By discipline (% of best in test)

Dry Braking

48%

Subj. Dry Handling

95%

Wet Braking

43%

Subj. Wet Handling

91%

Wet Handling

91%

Snow Braking

52%

Snow Handling

57%

Subj. Snow Handling

67%

Snow Traction

57%

Ice Braking

48%

Ice Handling

29%

Subj. Ice Handling

33%

Ice Traction

33%

Inside Noise level

67%

Rolling Resistance

95%

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 37 owner reviews found online.

The Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 is generally well-received as a high-value, dedicated winter tire that delivers impressive grip in snow and slush alongside surprisingly low road noise. While users frequently praise its ice performance, comfort, and affordability compared to premium competitors, some note compromises in wet-weather traction and rapid tread wear during aggressive driving or warmer conditions.

Pros

Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, slush, and severe winter conditions
Low road noise, offering a much quieter ride than typical winter tires
High comfort levels and stable, predictable handling on cold dry or wet roads
Excellent value and affordable price point compared to competing brands

Cons

Subpar performance or reduced traction on wet roads and heavy rain
Faster tread wear, particularly during aggressive driving or when used in warmer weather
Softer sidewalls can feel slightly edgy or less precise when pushed to the limit

Worth knowing

Drivers of rear-wheel-drive vehicles (such as BMWs) reported feeling secure and confident in severe snow despite low ground clearance.
Minivan owners (such as the Dodge Grand Caravan on 235/60R16 sizes) noted great winter capability and dry handling, but experienced noticeably reduced wet traction.
Drivers in severe winter regions (like Montana, Alaska, and the Midwest) praised their dependability on mountain passes and unplowed roads.

14 published test appearances (5 in the score)

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 · 225/45R17

5th of 8

Best: Snow Traction · 3rd Weakest: Wet Braking · 6th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	6th of 8
Dry Braking	5th of 8
Dry Handling	6th of 8
Snow Braking	5th of 8
Snow Traction	3rd of 8
Snow Handling	5th of 8
Ice Braking	6th of 8
Ice Handling	6th of 8
Exterior Noise	6th of 8
Rolling Resistance	5th of 8
Straight Aquaplaning	4th of 8
Wet Handling (tester's mark)	3rd of 8
Ice Traction	5th of 8

Source: NAF Motor

2025 Moottori Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

6th of 7

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Moottori

2024 Nordic Friction Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17

5th of 8

Best: Noise · 2nd Weakest: Wet Handling · 6th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Handling	6th of 8
Snow Traction	3rd of 8
Snow Handling	5th of 8
Ice Handling	6th of 8
Straight Aquaplaning	5th of 8
Dry Handling (tester's mark)	4th of 8
Noise	2nd of 8
Ice Traction	5th of 8
Fuel Consumption	4th of 8

Source: Vi Bilägare

2024 Aftonbladet Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

12th of 17

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Aftonbladet

2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

13th of 19

Best: Exterior Noise · 1st Weakest: Wet Braking · 18th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	18th of 19
Wet Handling	7th of 19
Dry Braking	3rd of 19
Snow Braking	13th of 19
Snow Traction	7th of 19
Snow Handling	7th of 19
Ice Braking	16th of 19
Ice Handling	8th of 19
Exterior Noise	1st of 19
Rolling Resistance	5th of 19
Dry Handling (tester's mark)	9th of 19
Wet Handling (tester's mark)	5th of 19
Ice Traction	13th of 19

Source: UTAC

2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires · 215/60R16

4th of 16

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Consumer Reports

2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

10th of 16

Best: Noise (tester's mark) · 5th Weakest: Ice Braking · 15th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	9th of 16
Wet Handling	10th of 16
Dry Braking	9th of 16
Snow Braking	14th of 16
Snow Traction	11th of 16
Snow Handling	13th of 16
Ice Braking	15th of 16
Ice Handling	14th of 16
Ice Traction	15th of 16
Noise (tester's mark)	5th of 16
Price	6th of 16

2021 Test World Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

14th of 16

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Test World

2021 Za Rulem Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/65R16

3rd of 7

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Za Rulem

2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter tire Test · 215/60 R16

3rd of 17

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Consumer Reports

2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

12th of 20

Best: Wet Handling · 4th Weakest: Ice Handling · 16th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	14th of 20
Wet Handling	4th of 20
Dry Braking	13th of 20
Snow Braking	12th of 20
Snow Traction	13th of 20
Snow Handling	10th of 20
Ice Braking	12th of 20
Ice Handling	16th of 20
Ice Traction	16th of 20
Noise (tester's mark)	11th of 20