83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
89/100
24 professional tests
User signal (40%)
84/100
43 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
84
/ 100
Objective (60%)
71/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
79/100
28 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 and Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is stronger on comfort and treadwear. Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 is stronger on noise and wet.
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 81 | 77 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 84 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 94% | 91% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 98% | 98% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter i*cept evo2 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 78 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 92% | 96% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 98% | 98% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | 89 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 73 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 97% | 97% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 98% | 99% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 82 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Winter i*cept evo2 leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | 100 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 83 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter i*cept evo2 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 81 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 84 |
| Dry | 82 | 80 |
| Wet | 81 | 84 |
| Snow | 84 | 82 |
| Comfort | 87 | 82 |
| Noise | 78 | 100 |
| Treadwear | 87 | 83 |
| Handling | 79 | 81 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
83
/ 100
Tire A
84
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #14/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | 91% #11/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | +2.7 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #16/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | +0.4 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 99% #2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 78% #11/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | +20.8 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #17/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #11/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | -1.8 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 84% #9/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | 71% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | +12.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 25% #4/15 · 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 20% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | +5 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #3/16 · 2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | +0.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #9/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | -0.7 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 92% #18/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 93% #9/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | -1.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #13/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | 96% #3/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | -3.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #9/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | -0.3 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction and confidence-inspiring performance in deep snow, ice, and slush. While it excels in cold-weather environments, some users note that its soft sidewall construction can lead to a 'mushy' steering feel and reduced stability on dry pavement when temperatures rise above 10°C.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and braking performance on snow and ice
- Excellent longevity and slow tread wear
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Strong resistance to hydroplaning in heavy rain and slush
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can cause unstable handling or 'squirming' in dry, warmer conditions
- Lack of effective rim protection despite marketing claims
- Steering response can feel lazy or imprecise on certain vehicle setups
- Performance noticeably degrades when ambient temperatures exceed 10-12°C
Observations
- Users with high-torque vehicles (e.g., Tesla Model 3, performance-oriented cars) reported that the tire can feel nervous or lack precision during hard acceleration.
- Drivers of heavier vehicles or those using wider tire formats noted that maintaining higher inflation pressures is often necessary to mitigate soft sidewall flex and improve steering feedback.
- The tire is highly regarded for AWD vehicles (e.g., Subaru Forester, Skoda Yeti), where it effectively complements the drivetrain's capability in deep snow.
The Hankook Winter i cept evo2 is widely regarded as a high-value, comfort-oriented winter tire that performs reliably in mild to moderate winter conditions. While it excels in noise reduction and ride quality, user consensus is mixed regarding its performance in deep snow and its longevity, with some users noting a significant drop-off in grip as the tread wears down over several seasons.
Pros
- Excellent ride comfort and low noise levels
- Strong value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Predictable and progressive handling in wet and dry conditions
- Good traction in light to moderate snow and slush
Cons
- Noticeable decline in performance and grip as the tire ages/tread wears
- Struggles in deep snow or extreme winter conditions
- Soft sidewalls can lead to vague steering feedback during spirited driving
- Increased fuel consumption reported by some users
Observations
- BMW owners frequently use these as a comfortable alternative to factory run-flat tires, noting improved ride quality.
- Performance on RWD vehicles in deep snow is reported as inconsistent, with some users experiencing significant traction loss.
- Users with high-torque vehicles noted that the tire can struggle to put power down effectively on dry pavement.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | B · Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Ultra High Performance Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Dunlop
84
/ 100
Hankook
Too close to call: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 and Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is stronger on comfort and treadwear. Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 is stronger on noise and wet.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 scores 100 vs 78 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 87 vs 82 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 87 vs 83 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 scores 84 vs 81 on wet.
Tire A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*cept evo2
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 also compared with
Hankook Winter i*cept evo2 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.