Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN vs Hankook Ventus Prime 4
- TR Score
- 8.6/10
- Owners say
- 88% · 11
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 97
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN finished ahead 3 times and the Ventus Prime 4 not once. The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN resisted straight aquaplaning at a 5.4% higher speed; the Ventus Prime 4 stopped 2.5% shorter in the wet.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN if you want the more consistently confidence-inspiring tire in real-world rain (especially aquaplaning resistance) and stronger overall test results. Choose the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 if your priority is maximum mileage and slightly lower fuel use, and you're prepared to drive more conservatively when wet grip and stability become the limiting factor.
Where the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN is stronger
- Very strong aquaplaning resistance across tests (straight aquaplaning wins 3/3; e.g., 81.9 vs 74.5 km/h in ReifenTester)
- Consistently competitive braking performance, especially dry (e.g., ADAC 34.9 m vs 36.7 m)
- Stable, predictable handling character noted by testers (benign, reliable behavior in touring use)
Where the Ventus Prime 4 is stronger
- Outstanding longevity and wear metrics in ADAC (44,700 vs 36,700 km; lower abrasion 75 vs 95 mg/km/t)
- Lower fuel consumption in ADAC (5.4 vs 5.7 l/100 km) supporting lower running costs
- Dry-road grip described as generally good, with decent dry braking in at least one test (ReifenTester: 36.76 vs 37.05 m)
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN vs Ventus Prime 4 at a glance
| Category | Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN | Gap | Ventus Prime 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won3 shared tests | 3 | 0 | |
| Dry4 measurements | 3 | The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN stopped 2.1% shorter in the dry (3 tests) | 1 |
| Wet11 measurements | 9 | The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN resisted straight aquaplaning at a 5.4% higher speed (3 tests) | 2 |
| Comfort3 measurements | 2 | 0 | |
| Value4 measurements | 1 | 3 | |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.6/10 | The Ventus Prime 4 by 0.2 | 8.8/10 |
| Owner rating11 and 97 reviews | 88% | The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN by 6 points | 82% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 100% | The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN by 27 points | 73% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 110 | 57 sizes made in both | 66 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 3 tests, 2025 to 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 | Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN | Field | Ventus Prime 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ADAC Summer Tire Test | P4 of 16 | P11 of 16 | |
| 2025 Die ReifenTester Summer Touring Tire Test | P3 of 7 | P6 of 7 | |
| 2025 Al Volante Summer Tire Test | P5 of 7 | P6 of 7 |
Performance profile
15 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
Ventus Prime 4
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 85%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
Ventus Prime 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.
Where owners rate each higher
Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
Ventus Prime 4
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN 88% from 11 reviews and the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97. 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. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN | Gap | Ventus Prime 4 | Wins | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | 2.1% | 123 | 2-1 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | 1.3% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 97 | 2.5% | 99 | 1-2 | |||||||||||||
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| 132 | 4.8% | 138 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 111.2 | 1.8% | 113.2 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | 8.5% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 49.8 | 5.4% | 47.3 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 147.6 | 3.6% | 145.5 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | 2.6% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 72.8 | 0.1 dB | 72.9 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 22,804 | 21.8% | 27,775 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 6.8 | 11.7% | 7.7 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 5.7 | 5.3% | 5.4 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 95 | 21.1% | 75 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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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. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN scores 8.6 and the Ventus Prime 4 8.8 out of 10.
| Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN | Category | Ventus Prime 4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | Dry | 82 | ||
| 83 | Wet | 71 | ||
| 15 | Comfort | 27 | ||
| 60 | Value | 80 | ||
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.
What owners say
| Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN | Category | Ventus Prime 4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.9 | Dry Grip | 8.8 | ||
| 8.7 | Wet Grip | 8.3 | ||
| 8.3 | Road Feedback | 8.1 | ||
| 8.5 | Handling | 8.2 | ||
| 9.2 | Wear | 7.8 | ||
| 8.9 | Comfort | 8 | ||
Owners rate the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN 88% from 11 reviews and the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
- 88%from 11 reviews
- 100%would buy again
- 82,200 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers rate the Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN very highly overall, describing it as a premium-feeling touring tire at a mid-range price with strong safety and predictability. The most consistent praise is for confident wet-weather grip (including heavy rain/highway use), stable dry handling, and a comfortable ride, with many also highlighting excellent rim protection. Noise is the main recurring drawback, often described as surface-dependent and sometimes more noticeable around 50-60 km/h, though several users still find it quiet.
- Strong wet grip and confidence in heavy rain
- Comfortable ride and good touring manners
- Stable, predictable handling and braking in dry and wet
- Excellent rim protection
- Road noise can be surface-dependent and noticeable at some speeds
Summarised by AI from 10 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 11 Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN reviewsVery satisfied.
Very nice grip (dry and wet)
Has significantly lowered consumption compared to previous tires(latitude cross), and dramatically more quiet
Hankook Ventus Prime 4
- 82%from 97 reviews
- 73%would buy again
- 1,056,322 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 highly overall (average 80.7%), most often praising its strong dry grip and confident, predictable dry handling, backed up by a comfortable, generally quiet ride. Wet grip is also widely seen as secure for a touring tire, with many calling it reassuring in heavy rain, though a minority report some instability or weaker aquaplaning resistance. The main recurring drawback is longevity: wear and performance consistency split opinion, with around one in four owners mentioning tread life and around one in ten saying grip drops off noticeably as the tire wears, sometimes accompanied by increased noise.
- Strong dry grip with plenty of traction
- Excellent dry handling and confidence in corners
- Comfortable, compliant ride quality
- Generally low road noise for a touring tire
- Tread life can be disappointing for some drivers
- Grip drops off as the tire wears
- Road noise can be noticeable on some surfaces
Summarised by AI from 87 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 97 Ventus Prime 4 reviewsNo complaints on Wet or Dry grip for everyday driving. It was a 2025 tire with 12k miles had to deal with a full blowout while driving. From a tropical climate with 99% indoor parking.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 110 sizes of the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN and 66 of the Ventus Prime 4, 57 of them made in both.
| Category | Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN | Ventus Prime 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 110 sizes, 16 to 22 inch | 66 sizes, 15 to 20 inch |
| Made in both | 57 sizes 185/55 R16195/45 R16195/50 R16195/55 R16195/60 R16205/45 R16205/50 R16205/55 R16205/60 R16215/45 R16215/55 R16215/60 R16and 45 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A100% | A88%B12% |
| EU label rolling resistance | B73%C25%A2% | B47%C39%A14% |
| EU label noise | 70-73 dB B100% | 68-71 dB A52%B48% |
| On the market since | 2022 | - |
| Replaced | Firestone RoadHawk (2017) | Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 |
| Awards | - | Winner: Summer Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2023) |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Firestone's Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN and Hankook's Ventus Prime 4 sit in the same “premium-touring summer” brief: quiet, confidence-inspiring daily driving with strong safety margins and reasonable running costs. But across three independent group tests in popular family-car sizes (205/55 R17 to 225/55 R18), they end up taking noticeably different routes to that goal.
The key theme from the shared data is that the Firestone tends to score higher on outright safety-related metrics-especially aquaplaning resistance and generally competitive braking-while the Hankook leans more toward ownership economics (notably wear and fuel consumption in ADAC), yet shows more pronounced wet-limit weaknesses in professional comments. That split is reflected in the overall placings: Firestone finishes ahead in all three shared tests (including 4th vs 11th in ADAC 2026), while the Hankook never beats it overall in this dataset.
Conclusion
Across the three shared tests, the Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN is the more convincing “set-and-forget” choice for drivers who prioritize day-to-day safety margins, particularly in heavy rain. It repeatedly leads on aquaplaning resistance (straight aquaplaning wins in all three tests, e.g., 77.2 vs 72.9 km/h in ADAC and 81.9 vs 74.5 km/h in ReifenTester) and is usually ahead on dry braking (e.g., 34.9 vs 36.7 m in ADAC; 37.8 vs 38.7 m in Al Volante). Testers also describe it as stable and predictable, even if steering precision is not a standout.
The Hankook Ventus Prime 4's strongest argument is running cost: in ADAC it posts materially higher predicted mileage (44,700 vs 36,700 km, +21.8%), lower abrasion (75 vs 95 mg/km/t), and lower fuel consumption (5.4 vs 5.7 l/100 km). However, the professional narratives repeatedly flag wet-limit shortcomings (fair/sufficient wet handling and aquaplaning in ADAC; “caution advised on wet road” in ReifenTester; rear instability in wet curves in Al Volante). Even where its wet braking is close-and sometimes fractionally better (e.g., 29.7 vs 29.8 m in Al Volante)-the overall wet confidence appears less robust.
Practical takeaway: if you regularly face motorway standing water and want the tire that most consistently “keeps its composure” in the wet, the Firestone is the safer bet in this head-to-head. If your priority is maximizing kilometers per set and shaving fuel use-and you're willing to be more cautious when conditions get greasy-the Hankook can make sense, but it's harder to recommend as an all-conditions touring pick based on these shared results.
Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN vs Ventus Prime 4: your questions
Is the Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN or the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN finished ahead 3 times and the Ventus Prime 4 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN scores 8.6 and the Ventus Prime 4 8.8 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN or the Ventus Prime 4?
The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN led 9 of the 11 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it resisted straight aquaplaning at a 5.4% higher speed across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN led 3 of the 4 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.1% shorter in the dry across 3 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.9/10 for the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN and 8/10 for the Ventus Prime 4.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN 88% from 11 reviews and the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97. 100% of Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN owners would buy it again, against 73% for the Ventus Prime 4.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN is made in 110 sizes (16 to 22 inch) and the Ventus Prime 4 in 66 (15 to 20 inch). 57 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN is graded A for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ventus Prime 4 A and B.
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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.
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