Hankook Winter i*cept RS 3 Awarded Exemplary Rating

Hankook has achieved a strong result with its Winter i*cept RS 3 tyre in the current Auto Bild winter tyre test (issue 44 dated 29th October 2026). In the popular 205/55 R 16 size used on many base versions in the compact class, the testers awarded the tyre an overall score of 1.4 and a rating of ‘Exemplary’ which propelled it to second place out of the 14 winter tyres tested.

Using a Volkswagen Golf as the test car, the Auto Bild test assessed each candidate’s performance on snow, wet and dry surfaces, demonstrating their braking, handling and safety capabilities in varying conditions. The comprehensive test programme also included rolling resistance and drive-by noise.

The Hankook Winter i*cept RS 3 particularly stood out in the aquaplaning in curves discipline with the best lateral acceleration value in the field, and similarly achieved the second-highest aquaplaning onset speed in the aquaplaning evaluation, leading the testers to refer to the tyre as an “aquaplaning expert”, and they also mentioned the tyre’s ‘fair price’.

The Hankook Winter i*cept RS 3 was in the top three when it came to snow traction and snow slalom too. At the same time, it delivered an impressive performance for braking on snow, with the test vehicle coming to a stop from 50 km/h (31 mph) after 24.1 metres. On a wet surface, the braking distance from 100 km/h (62 mph) was 47.4 metres. These results underline the tyre’s balanced qualities in everyday winter driving on snow and in wet and dry conditions.

Hallmarks of the Hankook Winter i*cept RS 3 include a generous shoulder zone for better traction and lateral guidance when cornering on snow. The inverse V-shaped tread and special 3D sipes ensure short braking distances on snow-covered roads. High tread rigidity enhances safety on icy roads. In addition, fine tread grooves on the blocks help to evacuate water quickly as well as to reduce the aquaplaning risk.