Hankook Kinergy 4S review
The Hankook Kinergy 4S is generally regarded as a highly capable all-season tire, particularly praised for its impressive performance in wet, cold, and snowy conditions. While many users report excellent traction and safety in adverse weather, the tire receives mixed feedback regarding its tread longevity and consistency in dry-weather handling.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
78%By road tests
71.7%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 13 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Hankook Kinergy 4S is generally regarded as a highly capable all-season tire, particularly praised for its impressive performance in wet, cold, and snowy conditions. While many users report excellent traction and safety in adverse weather, the tire receives mixed feedback regarding its tread longevity and consistency in dry-weather handling.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and stability in wet and torrential rain conditions
- Strong performance in snow and slush, often cited as a viable alternative to dedicated winter tires
- High value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Reliable emergency braking performance on slick surfaces
Cons
- Reports of premature tread wear and shorter-than-expected service life
- Inconsistent dry-road handling and feedback compared to dedicated summer tires
- Occasional reports of poor traction on greasy or specific wet road surfaces
- Increased road noise noted by some users
Worth knowing
- Users of compact SUVs, such as the Honda CR-V, have reported significantly lower tread life than expected for the vehicle class.
- Drivers of performance-oriented vehicles, such as the Civic Type R, noted a trade-off in lateral grip and steering feedback when switching from dedicated summer tires.
4 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2025 All Season 30 tire Braking Test · 225/40 R18
12th of 30
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 13th of 30 | |
| Dry Braking | 16th of 30 |
2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season tire Test · 235/60 R18
5th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 2nd of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 8 | |
| Noise | 7th of 8 | |
| Price | 2nd of 8 |
2018 ADAC All Season tire Test · 175/65 R14
8th of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
New VS 4mm VS 2mm All Season tire Performance · 185/65 R15
4th of 6
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|