Hankook Winter Tires — Burt Brothers Review

While winter offers its own unique charm, it poses significant driving safety challenges for drivers.

More than 150,000 vehicle accidents in winter result from icy roads, and over 1,800 people die each year in car crashes related to snowy conditions.

Installing the right winter tires is one way to ensure your vehicle is safe on the road, whether you’re navigating deep snow or icy surfaces.

If you’re looking for a good snow tire, the Hankook winter range is an excellent choice for your vehicle.

In this article, we will take a look at four of Hankook’s most popular snow tires and their top features.

An Overview of Hankook Winter Tires

Hankook is a well-known tire manufacturer that offers a wide range of options for all driving conditions, including winter weather. 

Their winter range is designed for optimal performance in cold and snowy conditions, ensuring your safety and comfort.

Hankook is known for providing excellent traction and grip on slippery surfaces, and its tires are manufactured to reduce braking time in both ice and snow.

The Hankook range includes options for passenger cars, light trucks, and SUVs, so you’ll definitely find the right tire for your vehicle and needs.

Our Range of Hankook Snow Tires

Let’s explore Hankook’s range of snow tires and the key features each option offers.

Hankook Winter i-Pike RS (W419)

These studdable winter tires are designed for sedans, minivans, pickup trucks, and SUVs. 

They have a snow performance of over 98% and rank 7th for wet-braking according to All Tyre Tests.

Thanks to their optimal grip levels and good traction on both snow and ice, they’ll help you stay safe on the road.

Available in sizes ranging from 13 to 18 inches, these tires incorporate advanced features like 3D ribs. These raised sections of the tire tread pattern enhance stability and minimize block movement, ensuring superior performance.

Its wide tread grooves provide great grip on ice as well as dry and wet roads, and its low rolling resistance makes your ride more fuel-efficient.

This rigid tire offers greater sidewall stiffness to decrease wear and tear. It also has a very hard bead filler to improve handling and responsiveness.

Additionally, this tire’s aqua slant provides effective water evacuation. Aqua slant increases the portion of the tire that grips the road, providing better performance in wet conditions. Its advanced slit design also maximizes breaking in even the harshest conditions.

Hankook Winter i-Pike (RW11)

This tire’s directional tread pattern and kerf center block give you excellent traction in both ice and snow. A kerf is the width of the gaps or slots that are designed into the tire’s tread pattern.

According to Tires Vote, the Hankook Winter i-Pike (RW11) ranks number four in light truck SUV studdable winter snow tires.

This tire is equipped with grooves that effectively channel water and slush away from the contact area, reducing the risk of hydroplaning and enhancing traction for a safer, more reliable driving experience.

With a continuous center rib—a strip of rubber running along the center of the tire’s tread pattern—and a wider footprint than many other winter tires, it offers great handling for drivers. 

As the tires include high-density siping, they have enough biting edges to ensure braking distances are reduced in wet conditions. Biting edges refer to the tread and grooves of a tire that come into contact with the surface of the road.

The tire includes variable step and tiered groove technology and a smaller tread block which assists with stable and reliable cornering. 

The internal structure of the tire doesn’t disappoint, either. It features twin steel belts that are reinforced with nylon to provide superior strength and durability in even the harshest conditions.

While winter tires are generally not ideal for dry roads due to their softer rubber compound, the Hankook Winter i-Pike (RW11) stands out as an exception. Its design includes a broader contact patch, allowing it to perform effectively on dry surfaces as well as in winter conditions.

Perhaps their most attractive feature is that these tires are ideal for off-road adventures. 

This tire selection is available in rim sizes ranging from 15 to 20 inches, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of SUVs and pickup trucks.

They also come at a great price and are sure to help you feel confident on the road as you navigate the snow.

Hankook Winter i-Pike X SUV

This tire’s outstanding lateral grip means you’ll enjoy good braking and acceleration in winter.

The Hankook Winter i-Pike X SUV has received a score of 9 out of 10 for longevity, 8.5 for handling, and 8.5 for traction on Simple Tire.

These affordable tires are known for their excellent winter traction. With the claw and side edges, as well as the slit tread elements, you can expect superior traction and enhanced grip even in freezing temperatures.

The tread of these tires is strategically designed to be studdable, a feature that can significantly enhance their performance in winter conditions.

Thanks to the special groove placement in the tread, these tires resist hydroplaning in wet conditions, keeping you safe.

With ultra-high tensile (UHT) steel belts and the tread’s unique design surface, the tire shape is maintained throughout your drive. This ensures better controllability and makes this a highly durable tire.

Thanks to its specially designed grip, this tire maintains greater surface contact while in motion compared to others, providing enhanced steering responsiveness and driving stability.

Its highly flexible bead rubber—which is the part of the tire that sits on the rim, helping to secure the tire to the wheel—ensures lower road vibrations for a more comfortable ride, as this strong bead is designed to absorb shock.

Hankook iON i*cept

This is possibly one of Hankook’s quietest tires, thanks to its unique v-shaped tread pattern. 

This tire’s unique tread pattern alternates inside and outside blocks during contact with the road, effectively spreading out the noise generated while driving. Additionally, this innovative design contributes to superior snow traction.

In fact, the Hankook iON i*cept has been awarded 100% in the snow grip category on Tyre Reviews, with 77% of reviewers claiming they’d purchase this tire again.

This tire employs EV contour technology, specifically designed to handle the weight of electric vehicles, ensuring sufficient stiffness to boost cornering reliability and overall performance.

Thanks to optimized sipe angles, this tire boasts improved braking performance on snow and ice, increasing your safety in cold weather.

There are 2D sipes—which are grooves that are cut across the tread blocks—at the center of the tire. Additionally, the tire boasts 3D sipes—which are grooves in the tread that vary in depth and shape. 

The combination of these sipes means you’ll have more traction during movements like cornering and braking as these patterns grip the road’s surface better.

This tire’s lower rolling resistance not only contributes to potential savings on fuel but also maintains good performance on snowy roads.

Additionally, the tire has water pipe kerfs inside the shoulder blocks to effectively drain water from the main groove, another feature that boosts extra grip on the road.

Why You Need Dedicated Winter Tires

If you’re wondering if winter tires are necessary, the answer is yes! Without them, you could face treacherous conditions on the road with no grip or traction. Here are just some of the reasons why you need dedicated winter tires:

✅ Better grip

A winter tire is specifically made from a rubber compound that maintains its flexibility in cooler temperatures and snow-covered terrain.

This flexibility allows for the tire to conform to the surface of the road better, improving grip in ice and snow.

Summer and all-season tires can harden in winter weather, meaning less reliable grip.

✅ Reduced risk of hydroplaning

Winter tires have a tread design that is made with deeper grooves and more sipes compared to summer tires. 

This means that the tire will handle snow and ice with better traction. These tread patterns are also designed to evacuate slush and water, which reduces your risk of hydroplaning. 

✅ Enhanced braking power

For better safety on the road, especially in slippery conditions, a shorter braking distance is crucial. Winter tires are specially designed to improve braking performance on snow and ice, contributing to safer driving in these conditions.

✅ Improved control and handling

Your winter tires will give your vehicle more stability during turns and maneuvers on snowy or icy roads. This improved handling means you’ll have better control of your vehicle.

✅ Maintained flexibility

Tires that aren’t designed for cold temperatures may harden in winter. Winter tires are designed to remain flexible as you drive, improving overall performance and control of the vehicle.

What to Look for In a Good Winter Tire

Before you go out and purchase your new set of winter tires, consider these factors:

➡️ Traction and grip

As you can probably tell by now, having good traction and grip is essential in winter conditions. Ensure that you purchase a tire with deep groves and sipes for improved grip.

➡️ Braking performance

Braking on icy roads can be dangerous, and it can take you much longer to come to a complete stop. This can quickly cause accidents. 

To avoid this, choose a winter tire that has enhanced braking capabilities. It’s a good idea to ask your tire specialist about the braking performance of the option you’re interested in.

➡️ Ride comfort and noise

You want your winter tires to perform well in cold weather, but you also want your ride to be comfortable and smooth. Long road trips or daily commutes can be unpleasant when there’s vibration and noise in the cabin from your tires.

➡️ Longevity and durability

Winter tires can be expensive, so you want to purchase a set that will last you several years. Ensure you choose a tire that has a reputation for lasting durability.

➡️ Pricing

We understand that budget is a concern when it comes to shopping for winter tires. But keep in mind that this is an investment in your safety. Not to mention, the right tires can be more fuel-efficient in the long run.

When to Switch Out Your Summer Tires

Once the general temperature sinks to below 46°F, you know it’s time to remove your all-season tire set and opt for a Hankook tire designed for winter.

When temperatures climb above 46°F, you’ll know it’s time to switch to summer tires again.

Get Your New Hankook Snow Tires Expertly Installed

Overall, Hankook tires are a reliable and affordable brand with extra safety features designed to give you the best driving experience in harsh weather conditions.

If you want to invest in your safety and comfort, get your Hankook winter tires at Burt Brothers.

Not only do we offer a wide variety of Hankook tires for you to choose from, but we also provide expert installation services to ensure that your tires are fitted correctly to keep you safe on the road.

Contact us today to find out more about our Hankook range. You can also visit any of our stores for a free tire evaluation to see if Hankook is best for your vehicle. Schedule an appointment at your nearest store and get the best deals on your new winter tires.