Launched in 2016, the Hankook Winter i*cept iZ2 W616 is starting to show its age. By modern standards, it struggles to balance winter grip with spring conditions. Compared to other premium-class tires, it falls behind in braking efficiency and cornering performance. However, where this veteran still holds its ground is in fuel economy and low external noise. Manufactured in Korea during the 23rd week of 2023, the tire features a tread depth of 8.3 mm, a Shore hardness of 63 units, and weighs 9.6 kg. Priced at 1717 NOK, with a load and speed index of 94T, it remains a competitive option for those prioritizing fuel efficiency and quieter rides.

While the Hankook Winter i*cept iZ2 excels in wet conditions, offering near-perfect grip, it struggles to keep up with the competition on icy and snowy roads. Its performance on these winter surfaces falls short, leaving it behind in critical winter tests.

Promising ice grip and adept handling, Hankook does falter slightly with aggressive steering. Snowy roads are a breeze, but caution is advised on wet terrains.

• Pros: Impressive ice braking and handling; low rolling resistance.
• Cons: Wet roads can be tricky.

The Hankook Winter I*Cept IZ2 has a long snow braking distance, and even though its lateral grip is better, the grip can be suddenly lost, which compromises its handling performance (in addition, the grip grows weaker at large steering angles). There are no problems with snow grip, and the Hankook model has a rapid steering response, including at high speeds. On wet pavement, the Hankook tire is inferior to the competition due to a fuzzy steering response and a long braking distance, but it must be said that the tire maintains the rear grip quite well when bypassing an obstacle. In the dry, the tire’s response to the driver’s inputs is somewhat delayed, yet logical, and the tire will not bring you any unpleasant surprises.

The Hankook Winter i*cept iz2 is a high rated winter / snow tire suitable for snow covered and icy roads and has good braking on dry pavement.

Decent road holding ability on snow and asphalt. Lowest rolling resistance on test. Reasonably smooth ride. Poor braking performance on snow pavement. Issues with acceleration on ice.

Positive: Good snow performance. Low rolling resistance.
Negative: Insufficient dry handling.

No handling issues on snow during active driving. Decent traction and road holding ability on snow. Slightly fuzzy road holding ability on asphalt. Good.

Positive: Logic behavior without any unpleasant surprises on snow. Low rolling resistance. On dry pavement, the tires demonstrate delayed response to the driver’s actions, at the same time ensuring dependable grip on the rear axis.
Negative: Unstable behavior on wet pavement. Risk of going into a skid during an emergency maneuver on ice.

Hankook is one of the best non-studded tires in terms of braking and side grip on ice. It precisely controls and gives you good control over the car in almost any situation. In the snow we get the same safe and good driving feeling. Big braking distance on wet pavement. It is a quiet tire with the lowest rolling resistance in the test.