Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Owners 71 · 50 reviews analysed Road tests 78 · 25 tests
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The Hankook Winter i cept RS2 is generally well-received as an affordable, value-oriented winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, making it particularly well-suited for Central European winters with predominant rain and cold asphalt. While many users praise its impressive aquaplaning resistance and solid snow traction, opinions on ice performance and ride comfort are more divided.
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
71/100From 50 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 Winter i*cept RS2 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
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What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 50 owner reviews found online.
The Hankook Winter i cept RS2 is generally well-received as an affordable, value-oriented winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, making it particularly well-suited for Central European winters with predominant rain and cold asphalt. While many users praise its impressive aquaplaning resistance and solid snow traction, opinions on ice performance and ride comfort are more divided. Overall, it delivers strong performance-to-price value, though some drivers note drawbacks regarding tire noise and a firm ride.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and handling on wet and dry roads
- Impressive resistance to aquaplaning in heavy rain or standing water
- Strong value for money with a competitive price point
- Good tread wear longevity and durability
- Reliable traction in light to moderate snow and slush
Cons
- Higher than average road noise, especially at highway speeds
- Firm, stiff sidewalls leading to a less comfortable or harsh ride
- Subpar performance and unpredictable grip on ice and black ice
- Occasional loose steering feedback or sluggish dry handling
Worth knowing
- Users fitting smaller, city-oriented vehicles and smaller rim diameters (such as 14-inch sizes) reported a balanced, satisfactory experience for daily commuting.
- A few reviews noted that specific smaller dimensions (like 195/55) felt less confidence-inspiring on wet surfaces compared to larger variants.
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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25 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2021 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
3rd of 8
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2021 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
6th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 1st of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 15th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 18th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 20 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 20 | |
| Value | 13th of 20 | |
| Price | 11th of 20 | |
| Wear | 14th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 19th of 20 |
Source: Auto Bild
2021 Winter tire Market Overview · 205/55 R16
3rd of 49
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 49 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 49 |
Source: Auto Bild
2020 Auto Zeitung Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
4th of 14
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 14 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 14 | |
| Snow Braking | 4th of 14 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 14 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 10th of 14 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 14 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 3rd of 14 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 4th of 14 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 6th of 14 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 7th of 14 |
Source: Auto Zeitung
2020 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
3rd of 9
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2020 ADAC Winter tire Test - 205/55 R16 · 205/55 R16
4th of 15
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: ADAC
2019 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
10th of 12
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch tire Test · 225/45 R17
9th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 10th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 15th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 9th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 8th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 16th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 18th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 12th of 20 | |
| Noise | 18th of 20 | |
| Value | 6th of 20 | |
| Price | 8th of 20 | |
| Wear | 6th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 18th of 20 |
Source: Auto Bild
2019 Winter tire Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17
12th of 45
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 12th of 45 | |
| Snow Braking | 17th of 45 |
Source: Auto Bild
2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter tire Test · 185/65 R15
5th of 16
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: ADAC
2018 AMS Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
4th of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 8th of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 3rd of 11 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 11 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 11 | |
| Noise | 4th of 11 | |
| Price | 5th of 11 |
Source: Auto Motor und Sport
2018 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
3rd of 9
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2018 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 195/65 R15
5th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 12th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 19th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 9th of 20 | |
| Noise | 17th of 20 | |
| Value | 2nd of 20 | |
| Price | 10th of 20 | |
| Wear | 2nd of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 14th of 20 |
Source: Auto Bild
2018 51 Winter tire Shootout · 195/65 R15
4th of 51
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
2017 50 Winter tire Shoot Out · 225/50 R17
20th of 45
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
2017 ADAC SUV Winter tire Test - 215/65 R16 · 215/65 R16
14th of 16
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: ADAC
2017 ADAC Winter tire Test - 195/65 R15 · 195/65 R15
6th of 16
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: ADAC
2017 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
2nd of 8
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2016 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
8th of 8
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Express
2016 AutoBild Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
8th of 20
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Bild
2016 Winter tire Market Overview · 205/55 R16
14th of 43
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
2016 AZ Winter tire Test - 205/55 R16 · 205/55 R16
8th of 14
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
2016 ADAC Winter tire Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
6th of 15
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: ADAC
2015 Auto Bild Top 18 Winter tire Test · 185/60 R15
7th of 18
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Bild
2015 Winter tire Market Overview · 185/60R15
10th of 51
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 compared
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