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Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 vs Sumitomo HTR Z III — Compared (May 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.
Sumitomo HTR Z III
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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
Why this score
| Source | Ventus V12 evo2 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 87 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 95 |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | Ventus V12 evo2 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 81 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 81 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 82 |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | Ventus V12 evo2 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 52 |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | Ventus V12 evo2 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 82 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 86 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 91 |
Noise
Why this score
| Source | Ventus V12 evo2 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | Ventus V12 evo2 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 72 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 82 |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | Ventus V12 evo2 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 80 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 | Sumitomo HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 82 | 81 |
| Dry | 91 | 92 |
| Wet | 85 | 81 |
| Snow | 67 | 52 |
| Comfort | 84 | 89 |
| Noise | 92 | 87 |
| Treadwear | 78 | 82 |
| Handling | 79 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Tire A
Tire B
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 is widely regarded as a high-value, performance-oriented summer tire that offers a compelling balance of dry grip, wet weather confidence, and comfort at a competitive price point. While it excels in daily driving and spirited road use, some enthusiasts note limitations in steering precision and sidewall stiffness when pushed to the absolute limit on track or in aggressive cornering.
Pros
- Excellent value-for-money proposition compared to premium tier brands.
- Strong traction and handling in both dry and wet road conditions.
- Low road noise levels and high comfort for a performance tire.
- Predictable and progressive breakaway characteristics at the limit.
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a 'floaty' feel or lack of steering feedback during aggressive maneuvers.
- Tread life is generally considered average to short, particularly for spirited drivers.
- Performance can degrade noticeably as the tire wears down, specifically regarding noise and wet grip.
- Not suitable for cold weather or near-freezing temperatures.
Observations
- Users with high-torque, rear-wheel-drive vehicles (e.g., Mustang GT, C5/C6 Corvette) report excellent straight-line hook but note that aggressive driving significantly accelerates rear tread wear.
- Drivers of European sedans (BMW, Audi) appreciate the comfort and noise reduction compared to OEM run-flat tires, though some note the soft sidewall is less ideal for track-focused setups.
- Some users on 17-inch or smaller wheels report a firmer ride than expected, while those on larger diameters generally praise the balance of comfort and performance.
The Sumitomo H/TR Z III is widely regarded as a high-value performance tire that offers a compelling balance of dry grip, comfort, and affordability. While it is frequently praised as a cost-effective alternative to premium brands for daily driving and spirited street use, some users note limitations in extreme wet-weather cornering and high-horsepower traction.
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Strong dry handling and steering feedback
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Predictable performance for daily driving
Cons
- Inconsistent wet-weather side grip during cornering
- Limited traction under heavy acceleration on high-horsepower vehicles
- Not suitable for winter or freezing conditions
- Variable tread life depending on driving style and vehicle weight
Observations
- High-horsepower RWD vehicles (e.g., 500whp Mustang) may experience significant wheel spin compared to premium performance tires.
- Users with staggered setups report good longevity, though the inability to rotate tires can accelerate wear on the rear axle.
- Owners of lighter, nimble vehicles like the Mini Cooper report high satisfaction with handling and wet-weather performance.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 | B · Sumitomo HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 300 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
Hankook
Sumitomo
Too close to call: Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 and Sumitomo HTR Z III are within 2 points overall. Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 is stronger on snow, noise and wet. Sumitomo HTR Z III is stronger on comfort and treadwear.
Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 scores 67 vs 52 on snow.
Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 scores 92 vs 87 on noise.
Sumitomo HTR Z III scores 89 vs 84 on comfort.
Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 scores 85 vs 81 on wet.
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.