75
/ 100
Objective (60%)
58/100
5 professional tests
User signal (40%)
83/100
5 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 vs Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme — 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%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
84/100
44 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme — better dry, comfort and wet. Pick the Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 if snow and treadwear matter most to you.
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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)
Wintrac 4 Extreme leads by 57
Why this score
| Source | Winter i*pike RS2 | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 1 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 86 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Wintrac 4 Extreme leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Winter i*pike RS2 | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 82 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 89 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winter i*pike RS2 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Winter i*pike RS2 | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 83 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 80 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Wintrac 4 Extreme leads by 24
Why this score
| Source | Winter i*pike RS2 | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 56 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 88 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter i*pike RS2 | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter i*pike RS2 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Winter i*pike RS2 | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 83 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter i*pike RS2 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Winter i*pike RS2 | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 78 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 84 |
| Dry | 29 | 86 |
| Wet | 82 | 89 |
| Snow | 88 | 80 |
| Comfort | 64 | 88 |
| Noise | 89 | – |
| Treadwear | 90 | 83 |
| Handling | 80 | 78 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
75
/ 100
Tire A
84
/ 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 Winter i*pike RS2 is widely regarded as a high-value, performance-oriented winter tire that excels in severe ice and snow conditions. Users consistently praise its robust stud retention and predictable handling, positioning it as a competitive alternative to premium European brands.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking performance on ice and packed snow
- High-quality stud retention and long-term durability
- Predictable side grip and cornering stability
- Excellent value-to-performance ratio
Cons
- Vague steering feedback on dry tarmac
- Noticeable understeer when driving on dry road surfaces
- Performance on dry pavement does not match the precision of premium summer-oriented winter tires
Observations
- Long-term users report that the rubber compound remains malleable and effective even after multiple seasons of harsh Nordic winters.
- The tire maintains consistent performance characteristics across various vehicle types, including those with higher horsepower outputs.
The Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme is widely regarded by users as a high-performance winter tire that excels in deep snow, ice, and cold, wet conditions. While it offers exceptional traction and safety margins in harsh weather, users note that its performance degrades in warmer temperatures, where the compound becomes soft and handling feels less precise.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and stability in deep snow and on ice
- Strong performance in cold, wet, and greasy road conditions
- Impressive tread longevity and durability
- High value-for-money compared to premium competitors
- Noticeable improvement in handling and confidence over standard summer or all-season tires
Cons
- Reduced handling precision and 'squidgy' feel in temperatures above 13°C
- Initial stiffness or harsh ride quality during the break-in period
- Increased tread wear if used consistently in warm summer weather
- Less effective on clay-based mud when tread depth drops below 4mm
Observations
- Owners of heavy SUVs and 4x4s (e.g., Land Rover Freelander, Volvo XC90) frequently report that these tires transform vehicle capability in extreme winter conditions.
- Users noted that the tires significantly improved the handling of rear-wheel-drive vehicles, which are typically prone to losing traction in cold weather.
- Some users reported a harsh ride initially on larger wheel sizes, which improved significantly after a break-in period of approximately 2,000 miles.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | B · Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
75
/ 100
Hankook
84
/ 100
Vredestein
Winner: Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme — better dry, comfort and wet. Pick the Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 if snow and treadwear matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme scores 86 vs 29 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme scores 88 vs 64 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 88 vs 80 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 90 vs 83 on treadwear.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Tire B · Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme
More comparisons
Also compared with
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 also compared with
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme 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.