Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 review
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.
Owners rate it 24.6 points higher than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.
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
83%By road tests
58.4%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 5 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
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
Worth knowing
- 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.
5 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2023 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17
6th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 2nd of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 2nd of 8 | |
| Noise | 3rd of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 4th of 8 |
2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
13th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 11th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 16th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 14th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 4th of 16 | |
| Ice Traction | 7th of 16 | |
| Subj. Noise | 14th of 16 | |
| Price | 5th of 16 |
2020 Studded Winter tire Test · 205/60 R16
4th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Noise | 3rd of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 2nd of 8 |
2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
7th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 14th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 10th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Ice Braking | 6th of 20 | |
| Ice Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Ice Traction | 6th of 20 | |
| Subj. Noise | 17th of 20 |
2019 Studded Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
5th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 8th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Ice Braking | 7th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 5th of 8 |