Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Pirelli Cinturato C3
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 97
- TR Score
- 9.4/10
- Owners say
- 91% · 19
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Pirelli Cinturato C3 finished ahead 3 times and the Ventus Prime 4 not once. The Cinturato C3 stopped 6% shorter in the wet.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Pirelli Cinturato C3 for most drivers-especially if you see frequent rain, drive at motorway speeds, or value the biggest safety margin (wet braking and aquaplaning). The Hankook Ventus Prime 4 only makes sense as a value-led alternative if it's notably cheaper and your use is mainly calm, dry commuting where its small efficiency/abrasion advantages matter more than ultimate wet performance.
Where the Ventus Prime 4 is stronger
- Slight efficiency edge in ADAC fuel consumption (5.4 vs 5.7 l/100 km)
- Lower abrasion in ADAC (75 vs 79 mg/km/t), supporting lower particulate wear output
- Competitive dry braking within the touring class in some tests (e.g., only 0.22 m behind in Die ReifenTester)
Where the Cinturato C3 is stronger
- Consistently superior wet braking across all shared tests (e.g., ADAC 31.8 m vs 34.5 m; Die ReifenTester 24.17 m vs 26.59 m)
- Much stronger aquaplaning resistance (ADAC straight aquaplaning 79.7 vs 72.9 km/h; also wins in the other tests)
- More confident, predictable handling balance (notably higher subjective wet handling score: 82 vs 71 in Die ReifenTester)
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.
Ventus Prime 4 vs Cinturato C3 at a glance
| Category | Ventus Prime 4 | Gap | Cinturato C3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won3 shared tests | 0 | 3 | |
| Dry4 measurements | 0 | The Cinturato C3 stopped 3.7% shorter in the dry (3 tests) | 4 |
| Wet11 measurements | 0 | The Cinturato C3 stopped 6% shorter in the wet (3 tests) | 11 |
| Comfort3 measurements | 0 | 3 | |
| Value4 measurements | 2 | Level between the two. | 2 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.8/10 | The Cinturato C3 by 0.6 | 9.4/10 |
| Owner rating97 and 19 reviews | 82% | The Cinturato C3 by 9 points | 91% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 73% | The Cinturato C3 by 10 points | 83% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 66 | 20 sizes made in both | 35 |
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 | Ventus Prime 4 | Field | Cinturato C3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ADAC Summer Tire Test | P11 of 16 | P2 of 16 | |
| 2025 Die ReifenTester Summer Touring Tire Test | P6 of 7 | P2 of 7 | |
| 2025 Al Volante Summer Tire Test | P6 of 7 | P1 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
Ventus Prime 4
Cinturato C3
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
Ventus Prime 4
Cinturato C3
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
Ventus Prime 4
Not ahead in any category
Cinturato C3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97 reviews and the Cinturato C3 91% from 19. 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 | Ventus Prime 4 | Gap | Cinturato C3 | Wins | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | 3.7% | 118 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | 2.6% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 99 | 6% | 93 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||
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| 138 | 11.4% | 122 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 113.2 | 3.2% | 109.6 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | 15.5% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 47.3 | 6.3% | 50.2 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||
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| 145.5 | 4.9% | 151.4 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.2% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| scored | 7.9% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
|
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| 72.9 | 1.1 dB | 71.8 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 27,775 | 8.7% | 30,199 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 7.7 | 3.9% | 7.4 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||
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| 5.4 | 5.3% | 5.7 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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| 75 | 5.1% | 79 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||
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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 Ventus Prime 4 scores 8.8 and the Cinturato C3 9.4 out of 10.
| Ventus Prime 4 | Category | Cinturato C3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | Dry | 93 | ||
| 71 | Wet | 94 | ||
| 27 | Comfort | 28 | ||
| 80 | Value | 54 | ||
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
| Ventus Prime 4 | Category | Cinturato C3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | Dry Grip | 9.6 | ||
| 8.3 | Wet Grip | 9.6 | ||
| 8.1 | Road Feedback | 9.3 | ||
| 8.2 | Handling | 9.3 | ||
| 7.8 | Wear | 9 | ||
| 8 | Comfort | 8.3 | ||
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97 reviews and the Cinturato C3 91% from 19. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
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.
Pirelli Cinturato C3
- 91%from 19 reviews
- 83%would buy again
- 76,500 milesdriven by reviewers
Across 19 reviews, the Pirelli Cinturato C3 is described as a highly confidence-inspiring tire with standout grip, strong wet and dry braking, and sharp, sporty steering that makes cars feel more responsive and secure. Many drivers also report good stability and a generally refined ride, with several praising low wear early on and solid durability impressions. The most repeated drawbacks are higher road noise for some users and a firmer/less plush ride over poor surfaces, with a smaller minority noting worsened fuel economy; one review also flags inconsistent manufacturing finish/quality control.
- Excellent dry and wet grip
- Strong braking and high safety/confidence
- Sharp steering response and sporty handling/turn-in
- Stable, predictable handling and good feedback
- Road noise can be higher than expected (especially on some roads/at low speeds)
- Ride can feel firmer/less forgiving over bumps and potholes
- Some reports of reduced fuel economy/rolling resistance increase
Summarised by AI from 19 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 19 Cinturato C3 reviewsI can say that these tires are the best I have ever had! My previous tires were Bridgestone T001 and Falken FK 510. I am extremely impressed with the comfort and stability of the new Pirelli tires. Their wear in 6000 miles is only 0.7mm! When new the tread is 7.3mm.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 66 sizes of the Ventus Prime 4 and 35 of the Cinturato C3, 20 of them made in both.
| Category | Ventus Prime 4 | Cinturato C3 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 66 sizes, 15 to 20 inch | 35 sizes, 16 to 20 inch |
| Made in both | 20 sizes 205/55 R16205/55 R17215/55 R17225/45 R17225/50 R17225/55 R17225/60 R17225/65 R17235/60 R17215/55 R18225/45 R18225/55 R18and 8 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A88%B12% | A100% |
| EU label rolling resistance | B47%C39%A14% | B40%A35%C25% |
| EU label noise | 68-71 dB A52%B48% | 66-72 dB B80%A20% |
| Replaced | Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 | Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2 (2026) |
| 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.
Hankook's Ventus Prime 4 and Pirelli's Cinturato C3 target the same buyer on paper: a premium-touring summer tire for everyday passenger cars, where safety, comfort, efficiency and long life matter more than outright sportiness. In practice, these two sit in very different places in the latest independent testing, and the gap shows up most clearly when conditions turn wet.
Across three shared professional tests in three different sizes (205/55 R17, 225/50 R17, 225/55 R18), the Pirelli Cinturato C3 consistently finishes at the sharp end (1st, 2nd and 2nd), while the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 lands near the back (6th, 6th and 11th). The pattern isn't about a single metric: Pirelli repeatedly combines shorter braking distances with stronger aquaplaning resistance and more confidence-inspiring handling, whereas the Hankook's main counterpunch is slightly better fuel economy / abrasion in ADAC's environmental sub-metrics.
Conclusion
If you prioritize driving safety and all-round confidence, the Pirelli Cinturato C3 is the clear winner based on the shared data. It beats the Hankook in every test overall (3/3) and dominates the safety-critical wet metrics: for example in ADAC it stops 2.7 m shorter in the wet (31.8 m vs 34.5 m) and resists straight-line aquaplaning to a much higher speed (79.7 vs 72.9 km/h). That same theme repeats in Die ReifenTester (wet braking 24.17 m vs 26.59 m; wet handling +15.5% on subjective score) and in Al Volante where it also wins overall with better wet handling time (109.55 s vs 113.22 s) and stronger curved aquaplaning.
The Hankook Ventus Prime 4 isn't a “bad” tire, but it reads like a tire that's acceptable in routine dry use and commuting, yet gives away too much margin in the wet compared with today's best touring tires. Its most defensible advantage is efficiency/environmental detail in ADAC (lower fuel consumption 5.4 vs 5.7 l/100 km and lower abrasion 75 vs 79 mg/km/t), but those gains are relatively small next to the C3's repeated wet-safety benefits and better overall rankings. The practical takeaway: if you want one premium-touring summer tire that feels modern, secure and predictable in mixed conditions, choose the C3; only consider the Prime 4 if price is substantially lower and your driving is predominantly gentle and dry-biased.
Ventus Prime 4 vs Cinturato C3: your questions
Is the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 or the Pirelli Cinturato C3 the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Pirelli Cinturato C3 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 Ventus Prime 4 scores 8.8 and the Cinturato C3 9.4 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Ventus Prime 4 or the Cinturato C3?
The Cinturato C3 led 11 of the 11 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 6% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Cinturato C3 led 4 of the 4 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.7% shorter in the dry across 3 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8/10 for the Ventus Prime 4 and 8.3/10 for the Cinturato C3.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97 reviews and the Cinturato C3 91% from 19. 73% of Ventus Prime 4 owners would buy it again, against 83% for the Cinturato C3.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Ventus Prime 4 is made in 66 sizes (15 to 20 inch) and the Cinturato C3 in 35 (16 to 20 inch). 20 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Ventus Prime 4 is graded A for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Cinturato C3 A and B.
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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.
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