Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Better than 54% of the winter tires we score.
Owners 73 · 5 reviews analysed Road tests 66 · 5 tests
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Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 has a Relative Score of 69 out of 100 among winter tires. In 5 road tests with an overall ranking it finished first 0 times and in the top three 0 times. Testers rate it best for comfort (79) and weakest for dry (49). 5 owner reviews rate it 73 out of 100. 96% would buy it again.
- Weak point: Noise 55 — 14th of 16 (2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test), 17th of 20 (2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test)
- Weak point: Dry 49 — 16th of 16 (2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test), 6th of 8 (2019 Studded Winter tire Test)
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
73/100From 5 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
66/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 5 owner reviews found online.
The Hankook Winter i pike RS2 is widely praised by users as an exceptional value-focused winter tire that delivers impressive grip and predictable handling on snow and ice. Reviewers consistently highlight its reliability in harsh Nordic conditions, strong stud retention over multiple seasons, and surprising comfort during normal day-to-day driving.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking on snow and ice
- Strong side grip and predictable cornering limits
- High durability with secure stud retention over multiple years
- Surprising ride comfort and low noise levels for a winter tire
- Excellent overall value compared to tier-one competitors
Cons
- Poor steering feedback on dry tarmac
- Noticeable understeer in dry road conditions
Worth knowing
- Long-term reviewers across multiple winter seasons note that the rubber compound remains malleable and soft over years of use.
- Users handling high-powered vehicles (e.g., 250 horsepower) report confident handling and stability.
5 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2023 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17
6th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 2nd of 8 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 3rd of 8 | |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | 6th of 8 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 2nd of 8 | |
| Noise | 3rd of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 4th of 8 |
Source: Vi Bilägare
2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
13th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 11th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 16th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 14th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 4th of 16 | |
| Ice Traction | 7th of 16 | |
| Noise (tester's mark) | 14th of 16 | |
| Price | 5th of 16 |
2020 Studded Winter tire Test · 205/60 R16
4th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 4th of 8 | |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 3rd of 8 | |
| Noise (tester's mark) | 3rd of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 2nd of 8 |
Source: Vi Bilägare
2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
7th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 14th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 10th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Ice Braking | 6th of 20 | |
| Ice Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Ice Traction | 6th of 20 | |
| Noise (tester's mark) | 17th of 20 |
2019 Studded Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
5th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 8th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Ice Braking | 7th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 1st of 8 | |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | 5th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 5th of 8 |
Source: Vi Bilägare
Reviews from our readers
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