Hankook Winter i cept RS2 vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter
In the 14 independent tests that ran both tires, the Hankook Winter i cept RS2 finished ahead 9 times and the Cinturato Winter 5 times. The Winter i cept RS2 was stronger in dry and wet, the Cinturato Winter in comfort.
Performance profile
9 measurements from the 14 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winter i cept RS2
Cinturato Winter
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. The scale stops at 97%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 6 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Winter i cept RS2
Cinturato Winter
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.
Where owners rate each higher
Winter i cept RS2
Cinturato Winter
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Winter i cept RS2 81% from 50 reviews and the Cinturato Winter 78% from 7. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tire did better.
| Measurement | Winter i cept RS2 | Gap | Cinturato Winter | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Winter i cept RS2 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 149 | 1.7% | 152 | 1-1 |
| Dry Handling mph | 69.8 | 3% | 67.8 | 2-0 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | 100% | scored | 1-0 |
| Wet Winter i cept RS2 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 128 | 3.9% | 133 | 3-1 |
| Wet Handling mph | 44.8 | 0.2% | 44.9 | 0-1 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | scored | 25% | scored | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 51.8 | 1.5% | 51 | 2-1 |
| Snow Level | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 89 | 0.5% | 90 | 2-2 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 488 | = | 488 | 1-0 |
| Snow Handling mph | 34 | 1.1% | 33.6 | 1-1 |
| Subj. Snow Handling pts | scored | 33.3% | scored | 0-1 |
| Comfort Cinturato Winter ahead | ||||
| Subj. Comfort pts | scored | 80% | scored | 1-0 |
| Noise dB | 69.75 | 1.2 dB | 68.55 | 0-2 |
| Value Level | ||||
| Wear miles | 37,189 | 107.8% | 17,895 | 1-0 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 9.25 | 1.4% | 9.12 | 1-2 |
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 14 tests, 2016 to 2021
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 i cept RS2 | Field | Cinturato Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Winter Tire Market Overview | P3 of 50 | P27 of 50 | |
| 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test | P4 of 14 | P7 of 14 | |
| 2020 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P2 of 9 | P4 of 9 | |
| 2020 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 205/55 R16 | P4 of 15 | P11 of 15 | |
| 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tire Test | P4 of 16 | P2 of 16 | |
| 2018 AMS Winter Tire Test | P4 of 11 | P5 of 11 | |
| 2018 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P3 of 9 | P5 of 9 | |
| 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P5 of 20 | P13 of 20 | |
| 2018 51 Winter Tire Shootout | P4 of 52 | P7 of 52 | |
| 2016 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P8 of 8 | P3 of 8 | |
| 2016 AutoBild Winter Tire Test | P8 of 20 | P5 of 20 | |
| 2016 Winter Tire Market Overview | P14 of 49 | P6 of 49 | |
| 2016 AZ Winter Tire Test - 205/55 R16 | P8 of 14 | P3 of 14 | |
| 2016 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P6 of 15 | P8 of 15 |
Winter i cept RS2 vs Cinturato Winter: your questions
Is the Hankook Winter i cept RS2 or the Pirelli Cinturato Winter the better tire?
In the 14 independent tests that ran both tires, the Hankook Winter i cept RS2 finished ahead 9 times and the Cinturato Winter 5 times. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter i cept RS2 scores 9 and the Cinturato Winter 7.7 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winter i cept RS2 or the Cinturato Winter?
The Winter i cept RS2 led 6 of the 10 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.9% shorter in the wet across 4 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Winter i cept RS2 led 4 of the 6 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it averaged a 3% higher speed on the dry handling course across 2 tests.
Which is better in snow?
Across the shared tests the snow measurements are split 4-4 between the Winter i cept RS2 and the Cinturato Winter.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Cinturato Winter had 1.4% lower rolling resistance (3 tests). Owners rate wear 8.5/10 for the Winter i cept RS2 and 7.2/10 for the Cinturato Winter.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The Cinturato Winter was 1.2 dB quieter (2 tests). Owners rate comfort 7.5/10 for the Winter i cept RS2 and 8.1/10 for the Cinturato Winter.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winter i cept RS2 81% from 50 reviews and the Cinturato Winter 78% from 7. 80% of Winter i cept RS2 owners would buy it again, against 83% for the Cinturato Winter.
Which is more expensive?
In the 3 tests that listed prices, the Cinturato Winter was the dearer tire in 3 of them, by 12.6% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Winter i cept RS2 is made in 43 sizes (13 to 17 inch) and the Cinturato Winter in 33 (14 to 17 inch). 26 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winter i cept RS2 is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Cinturato Winter B and D.
Which is the newer tire?
The Winter i cept RS2 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the Cinturato Winter in 2015. The Cinturato Winter replaced the Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3.
More comparisons with these tires
Every Hankook vs Pirelli test → All comparisons → Compare three or more tires →
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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.