Continental VikingContact 8 vs Hankook Winter i cept IZ3
Ahead in each discipline
The Continental VikingContact 8 and the Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 have met in one independent test so far, and the VikingContact 8 finished ahead. The VikingContact 8 was stronger in snow and ice, the Winter i cept IZ3 in wet.
Performance profile
10 measurements from the one shared test, each tire shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
VikingContact 8
Winter i cept IZ3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it.
Where each scores higher
VikingContact 8
Winter i cept IZ3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tires' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tire that did better.
| Measurement | VikingContact 8 | Gap | Winter i cept IZ3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | |||
| Dry Braking ft | 103 | 0.3% | 103 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | 9 | 12.5% | 8 |
| Wet Winter i cept IZ3 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 130 | 5.1% | 123 |
| Wet Handling s | 40.3 | 0.7% | 40 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | 8 | = | 8 |
| Snow VikingContact 8 ahead | |||
| Snow Braking ft | 163 | 1.6% | 165 |
| Snow Traction s | 5.8 | 3.3% | 6 |
| Ice VikingContact 8 ahead | |||
| Ice Braking ft | 155 | 12% | 176 |
| Ice Traction s | 6.3 | 17.1% | 7.6 |
| Comfort Level | |||
| Subj. Noise pts | 9 | = | 9 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared.
Head to head in 1 test in 2025
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | VikingContact 8 | Field | Winter i cept IZ3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tire Test | P1 of 7 | P4 of 7 |
VikingContact 8 vs Winter i cept IZ3: your questions
Is the Continental VikingContact 8 or the Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 the better tire?
The Continental VikingContact 8 and the Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 have met in one independent test so far, and the VikingContact 8 finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the VikingContact 8 scores 9.2 and the Winter i cept IZ3 7.3 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the VikingContact 8 or the Winter i cept IZ3?
The Winter i cept IZ3 led 2 of the 3 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 1-1 between the VikingContact 8 and the Winter i cept IZ3.
Which is better in snow?
The VikingContact 8 led 2 of the 2 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the VikingContact 8 83% from 8 reviews; the Winter i cept IZ3 has no owner reviews yet.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The VikingContact 8 is made in 123 sizes (15 to 22 inch) and the Winter i cept IZ3 in 33 (15 to 20 inch). 28 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the VikingContact 8 is graded D for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter i cept IZ3 D and C.
More comparisons with these tires
vs 
Continental VikingContact 8 vs Michelin X Ice Snow
6-0 in 6 shared tests
vs 
Continental VikingContact 8 vs Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5
6-0 in 6 shared tests
vs 
Continental VikingContact 8 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
6-1 in 7 shared tests
vs 
Continental VikingContact 8 vs Pirelli Ice Friction
3-0 in 3 shared tests
vs 
Continental VikingContact 8 vs Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
2-0 in 4 shared tests
vs 
Continental VikingContact 8 vs Michelin X Ice North 4
2-0 in 4 shared tests
Every Continental vs Hankook test → All comparisons → Compare three or more tires →
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.