Leao Winter Defender UHP vs Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4
Ahead in each discipline
The Leao Winter Defender UHP and the Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 have met in one independent test so far, and the Winter I*cept Evo 4 finished ahead. The Winter I*cept Evo 4 was stronger in wet.
Performance profile
Their shared test recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart starts from each tire's Tire Reviews Score categories: its whole record, not the shared test.
Where each scores higher
Winter Defender UHP
Not ahead in any category
Winter I*cept Evo 4
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 | Winter Defender UHP | Gap | Winter I*cept Evo 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Winter I*cept Evo 4 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 156 | 23.6% | 119 |
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 2026
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 | Winter Defender UHP | Field | Winter I*cept Evo 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Winter Tire Braking Test - 50 Sets | P44 of 50 | P4 of 50 |
Winter Defender UHP vs Winter I*cept Evo 4: your questions
Is the Leao Winter Defender UHP or the Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 the better tire?
The Leao Winter Defender UHP and the Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 have met in one independent test so far, and the Winter I*cept Evo 4 finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter Defender UHP scores 3.2 and the Winter I*cept Evo 4 9.6 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winter Defender UHP or the Winter I*cept Evo 4?
The Winter I*cept Evo 4 led 1 of the 1 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winter I*cept Evo 4 96% from 2 reviews; the Winter Defender UHP has no owner reviews yet.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Winter Defender UHP is made in 38 sizes (15 to 20 inch) and the Winter I*cept Evo 4 in 87 (17 to 22 inch). 16 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winter Defender UHP is graded C for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter I*cept Evo 4 B and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The Winter I*cept Evo 4 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2025, the Winter Defender UHP in 2014.
More comparisons with these 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.
Review the Winter Defender UHP Review the Winter I*cept Evo 4
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.