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 evo3 — 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
85
/ 100
Objective (60%)
90/100
20 professional tests
User signal (40%)
86/100
22 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — better dry, wet and handling. Pick the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 if comfort matters most to you.
Read full
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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 i cept evo3 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 81 | 89 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 89 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 96% | 95% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 98% | 100% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter i cept evo3 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 90 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 92% | 100% |
| Wet Braking - Concrete (% of best) | 87% | 71% |
| Wet Circle (% of best) | 97% | 100% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 99% | 100% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | 77 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 93 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 99% | 97% |
| Snow Circle (% of best) | 99% | 96% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 100% | 95% |
| Snow Slalom (% of best) | 93% | 82% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 98% | 79% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 90 | 81 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 77 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Winter i cept evo3 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | 81 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter i cept evo3 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 88 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter i cept evo3 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 83 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | Hankook Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 85 |
| Dry | 82 | 89 |
| Wet | 81 | 87 |
| Snow | 84 | 84 |
| Comfort | 87 | 80 |
| Noise | 78 | 81 |
| Treadwear | 87 | 88 |
| Handling | 79 | 83 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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
85
/ 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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 94% #3/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 96% #2/6 · The BEST Performance Winter Tyres for 2024 / 2025 | -2 | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 95% #5/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +0.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #5/10 · 2024 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 100% #3/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | -1.8 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 85% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 91% #7/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | -5.3 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 95% #1/15 · 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 95% #10/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | -0.2 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 95% #4/16 · 2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 87% #21/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | +7.3 | Different tests |
| Abrasion | Other | 66% #4/15 · 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 64% #4/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | +2.7 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #17/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #8/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | -1.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 91% #16/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 67% #4/11 · 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | +23.7 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 55% #4/15 · 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 79% #12/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -23.6 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 71% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | -26.6 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 25% #4/10 · 2024 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 13% #8/54 · 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test | +12.5 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #8/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 97% #11/30 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | +1.6 | Different tests |
| Snow Circle | Snow | 99% #7/9 · 2021 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | 96% #3/9 · 2021 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | +3.4 | Same test |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 95% #10/10 · 2024 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | +5.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Slalom | Snow | 93% #13/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 82% #6/11 · 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test | +11.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 98% #4/9 · 2021 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | 79% #10/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +18.2 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 90% #9/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 96% #5/9 · 2021 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | -5.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 90% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 95% #6/11 · 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | -5 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #10/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #13/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2022 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | -7.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | Wet | 87% #6/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 71% #6/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | +16.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #10/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2022 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | -2.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #7/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #3/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | -0.9 | 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 evo3 is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that offers exceptional value, frequently outperforming more expensive premium brands in wet and snowy conditions. While most users praise its balanced handling and impressive aquaplaning resistance, a small minority of drivers report concerns regarding ride comfort and noise levels.
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong traction and confidence-inspiring grip in deep snow and ice
- Excellent value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Stable and predictable handling on dry and cold pavement
Cons
- Reports of increased road noise compared to summer tires
- Mixed feedback regarding ride comfort, with some users finding them stiff
- Occasional reports of suboptimal launch traction in wet conditions
Observations
- Drivers of performance-oriented vehicles (e.g., Ford Puma ST) noted that the tire maintains sporty characteristics without significant compromise.
- Users with AWD vehicles (e.g., Audi A4 Allroad) highlighted superior stability in deep water and snow, though some RWD users noted the importance of fitting all four tires to prevent rear-end instability.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | B · Hankook Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Dunlop
85
/ 100
Hankook
Winner: Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — better dry, wet and handling. Pick the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 if comfort matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 87 vs 80 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 89 vs 82 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 87 vs 81 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 83 vs 79 on handling.
Tire A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Tire B · Hankook Winter i cept evo3
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 also compared with
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 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.