The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 (91 H), awarded the title of "AUTO BILD-Eco-Meister," secured sixth place in the winter tire test. With an EU label of C/B/B and a noise level of 72 dB, this tire is priced at around €360 per set, offering a balanced combination of affordability and performance. On snow, it performed impressively, delivering strong traction and braking along with stable handling. In wet conditions, it stood out for its excellent hydroplaning resistance, though the braking distances were slightly longer than ideal. On dry roads, the tire provided a smooth and comfortable drive with decent handling. Its true strength lies in its outstanding mileage and low rolling resistance, making it a cost-effective choice. Despite the longer braking distances in the wet, this tire remains a solid option for drivers seeking value without compromising on quality.

The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 delivers satisfactory results on snow, with good traction and decent handling. However, its performance on wet and dry roads is hindered by long braking distances, making it less competitive in these conditions. The tire provides excellent protection against hydroplaning, but requires larger steering angles to maintain control on wet surfaces, and its feedback near the grip limit is unclear. While it maintains an acceptable level of rolling resistance, its longer braking distances, especially in wet conditions, prevent it from achieving higher overall scores. This tire is suitable for snowy conditions but falls short on wet and dry asphalt.

The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 offered a mixed performance in this test. It struggled on dry roads, where precision and steering feedback were below expectations, often requiring adjustments to maintain stability. While wet and winter performance was slightly better, it still only managed an average rating overall. The tire performed adequately in wet hydroplaning tests but fell short in braking and handling. On snow and ice, it delivered satisfactory results in braking and traction, navigating the course with decent control. Its strong points include good fuel efficiency, low wear, and a relatively long tread life. However, it faced challenges with dry handling and some manufacturing residue issues, which may affect initial performance.

Safety Verdict: The Hankook Winter icept RS3 offers solid performance on dry and snowy roads, but struggles in wet conditions. It provides good steering feedback and precision on dry roads, making sudden maneuvers manageable. However, its braking distance from 100 km/h is slightly longer than expected, leading to a below-average score. In wet conditions, the tire’s performance is inconsistent. While it handles aquaplaning well, it lacks grip in other wet scenarios, leading to early oversteering and challenging control. On snow, the icept RS3 demonstrates impressive traction and braking, navigating snowy paths with precision. Its performance on ice is average, showing adequate braking capabilities.

Environmental Verdict: The Winter i*cept RS3 stands out for its durability, offering high mileage and minimal tread wear. Its lightweight design contributes to efficient fuel consumption. However, initial production residues pose an environmental concern as they shed unnecessarily during the first few kilometers.

The Hankook i’cept RS3 secured a solid third place, excelling in snow with strong grip and precise handling. It led the snow circuit, demonstrating great traction and responsiveness, and came in a close second in snow braking. In wet conditions, it topped both deep-water hydroplaning tests, outpacing its rivals. It ranked third on the wet circle and fourth in wet braking, showing solid stability and predictability on the handling track.

While it wasn’t as sharp in the dry, finishing sixth in braking and fifth in handling, it remained competitive, just half a second behind the leader. Its performance, particularly in snow and wet conditions, combined with excellent fuel efficiency, makes it a strong contender overall.

The Hankook Winter i'cept RS3 W462 secures second place, distinguished by its high level of balance and stability across various surfaces. This tire excels with its outstanding performance on wet asphalt and boasts the best hydroplaning resistance in its category. Additionally, it offers excellent value for money, making it a top choice for cost-conscious yet performance-oriented drivers.

Hankook tires excel in wet and snowy conditions, but their dry pavement dynamics need refining. Their overall wear resistance and fuel efficiency are praiseworthy.

Pros:

• Wet pavement adeptness
• Winter conditions proficiency
• Lightweight benefits
• Fuel efficiency

Cons:

• Limited dry performance
• Challenging wet conditions handling

The Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 performs commendably across various road conditions, securing a good rating on dry roads due to its safety in sudden maneuvers and strong braking performance, despite some precision limitations. In wet conditions, it excels in braking and lateral aquaplaning, with reliable handling but falls short in lateral aquaplaning. On winter roads, it impresses with second-best test results, showcasing above-average braking and acceleration, and excellent snow handling. However, it falls short in environmental balance due to below-average predicted mileage, despite its good ratings in abrasion and efficiency.

The Hankook i*cept RS3, in its second appearance in tests, showcases noteworthy improvement in dry and wet performance, reducing the margin between itself and top contenders like Bridgestone and Continental. It offers a well-balanced performance with a particular emphasis on dry conditions where it secured a clear win in handling.

• Positive: Remarkable improvement in dry and wet conditions, demonstrating high levels of grip and deft direction changes. Secured top positions in dry handling and wet braking, showing effective control and responsiveness. Achieved good rankings in aquaplaning tests, showcasing stability in wet conditions. Competitive pricing at £117.40 provides good value.

• Negative: Compromised snow grip, rendering it less comfortable in snowy conditions. Lagged in fuel economy, marking it as a significant area for improvement. Dry braking and cabin noise results were relatively lower compared to the competition.

This new tire from Hankook has a very well balanced performance on all types of surfaces. On the downside, this tire is noisy and has strong rolling resistance.

The tire ensures excellent handling response on snow but the longitudinal traction could be better. In addition, the RS3 has issues with hydroplaning resistance, wet braking, rolling resistance, and generally you could say that, although in recent years Hankook has been doing a lot to improve the performance of its tires, there is obviously still a long way to go.

New winter tires with balanced driving characteristics, dynamic wet and dry handling, good hydroplaning reserves. Moderate mileage, average comfort.

A very balanced tyre, excellent grip in all wet tests, good in the snow, good in the dry. Slightly elevated internal noise level, average rolling resistance.