71
/ 100
Objective (60%)
75/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
65/100
20 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 vs Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 — 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
73
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
72/100
5 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 — better comfort, treadwear and dry. Pick the Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 if wet matters most to you.
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Category breakdown
6 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)
OPTIMO ME02 K424 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy Eco 2 | OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 84 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Kinergy Eco 2 leads by 25
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy Eco 2 | OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 52 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
OPTIMO ME02 K424 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy Eco 2 | OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 64 | 80 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy Eco 2 | OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 72 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
OPTIMO ME02 K424 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy Eco 2 | OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 84 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
OPTIMO ME02 K424 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy Eco 2 | OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 70 |
| DriverReviews owners | 82 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 | Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 73 |
| Dry | 78 | 84 |
| Wet | 77 | 52 |
| Comfort | 64 | 80 |
| Noise | 72 | – |
| Treadwear | 68 | 84 |
| Handling | 65 | 70 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
71
/ 100
Tire A
73
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 is widely regarded as a budget-friendly, value-oriented tire that offers competent dry-weather performance and respectable longevity for daily commuting. While many users appreciate its affordability and fuel efficiency, the consensus is polarized regarding its noise levels and wet-weather confidence, with several reports of premature road noise and inconsistent grip in adverse conditions.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Good dry-weather traction and handling
- High fuel efficiency due to low rolling resistance
- Impressive tread life and durability for many users
Cons
- High levels of road noise
- Inconsistent wet-weather grip and braking performance
- Stiff ride quality and lack of comfort
- Potential for premature dry rot or accelerated wear in specific conditions
Observations
- Users transitioning from larger wheels (17-inch) to smaller diameters (15-inch) reported a significant reduction in road noise.
- Drivers of light city vehicles reported better-than-average tread longevity compared to heavier or more powerful vehicle applications.
The Hankook Optimo ME02 K424 receives highly polarized feedback, with a significant majority of users expressing severe concerns regarding its performance in wet conditions. While some users report satisfaction with its durability and performance in specific climates, the consensus leans heavily toward the tire being unreliable and potentially dangerous on slick surfaces.
Pros
- High tread longevity due to a harder rubber compound
- Reported effectiveness in light snowy conditions by select users
Cons
- Extremely poor traction and handling on wet roads
- Increased risk of skidding and loss of control during cornering in rain
- Longer braking distances in wet weather, even with ABS engagement
- Audible road noise described as 'squealing' during dry driving
Observations
- Users report that the tire's hard compound contributes to a lack of confidence during routine maneuvers like navigating roundabouts in the rain.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 | B · Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Premium Touring tires | Summer Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Hankook
73
/ 100
Hankook
Winner: Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 — better comfort, treadwear and dry. Pick the Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 if wet matters most to you.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 scores 77 vs 52 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 scores 80 vs 64 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 scores 84 vs 68 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 scores 84 vs 78 on dry.
Tire A · Hankook Kinergy Eco 2
Tire B · Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424
More comparisons
Also compared with
Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 also compared with
Hankook OPTIMO ME02 K424 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.