Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Michelin Alpin 6
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 77% · 28
- TR Score
- 9.1/10
- Owners say
- 85% · 35
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Alpin 6 finished ahead 6 times and the Winter I cept RS3 twice. The Winter I cept RS3 resisted straight aquaplaning at a 4.9% higher speed; the Alpin 6 lasted 21% longer in the wear tests.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose Michelin Alpin 6 if you prioritize the shortest braking on wet/dry roads, maximum tread life, and comfort. Choose Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 if you regularly encounter heavy rain/slush with standing water, want sharper snow handling and lower upfront cost.
Where the Winter I cept RS3 is stronger
- Outstanding aquaplaning resistance (straight and curved) across tests
- Strong snow braking/handling with predictable balance
- Lower purchase price and strong value proposition
Where the Alpin 6 is stronger
- Consistently shorter dry and wet braking distances
- Very high mileage and low wear (class-leading durability)
- Balanced, comfortable ride with good efficiency
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.
Winter I cept RS3 vs Alpin 6 at a glance
| Category | Winter I cept RS3 | Gap | Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won8 shared tests | 2 | 6 | |
| Dry12 measurements | 4 | The Alpin 6 stopped 2.2% shorter in the dry (7 tests) | 7 |
| Wet31 measurements | 18 | The Winter I cept RS3 resisted straight aquaplaning at a 4.9% higher speed (7 tests) | 13 |
| Snow23 measurements | 14 | The Winter I cept RS3 stopped 2.7% shorter on snow (8 tests) | 7 |
| Ice3 measurements | 1 | 2 | |
| Comfort8 measurements | 5 | 3 | |
| Value15 measurements | 3 | The Alpin 6 lasted 21% longer in the wear tests (5 tests) | 9 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.8/10 | The Alpin 6 by 0.3 | 9.1/10 |
| Owner rating28 and 35 reviews | 77% | The Alpin 6 by 8 points | 85% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 74% | The Alpin 6 by 2 points | 76% |
| Pricein the 5 tests that listed prices | Cheaper | The Alpin 6 was dearer in 5 of 5 | +28.3% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 46 | 26 sizes made in both | 42 |
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 8 tests, 2022 to 2024
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 RS3 | Field | Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P6 of 20 | P5 of 20 | |
| 2024 All Season and Winter Tire Test | P5 of 10 | P6 of 10 | |
| 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tire Test | P4 of 12 | P3 of 12 | |
| 2024 Winter 55 Tire Braking Test | P14 of 55 | P5 of 55 | |
| 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tire Test | P5 of 16 | P2 of 16 | |
| 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tire Test | P7 of 15 | P2 of 15 | |
| 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P7 of 20 | P1 of 20 | |
| 2022/23 Tire Reviews Winter Tire Test | P3 of 9 | P7 of 9 |
Performance profile
21 measurements from the 8 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winter I cept RS3
Alpin 6
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 95%: 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 RS3
Alpin 6
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 RS3
Alpin 6
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28 reviews and the Alpin 6 85% from 35. 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 | Winter I cept RS3 | Gap | Alpin 6 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 144 | 2.2% | 141 | 0-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 76.65 | 1.1% | 77.45 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 72.3 | 0.4% | 72 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.9% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 140 | 0.4% | 139 | 2-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 133 | 3.3% | 128 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 93.65 | 1.1% | 94.75 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 45.5 | 0.6% | 45.7 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.9% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.57 | 0.5% | 12.52 | 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 51.3 | 4.9% | 49 | 7-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 13.1 | 8% | 12.4 | 5-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 68 | 2.7% | 69 | 6-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 4.9 | 3.9% | 5.1 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 333 | 1.2% | 338 | 1-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 89.95 | 0.9% | 90.95 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 35.4 | 1.4% | 34.9 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 11.1% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 15 | 0.7% | 15.1 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 11.6 | 3.1% | 11.3 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 66 | 0.1% | 66 | 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 11.1% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 71.54 | 0.3 dB | 71.84 | 5-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 27,134 | 21% | 32,179 | 0-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 8.43 | = | 8.42 | 2-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.53 | 0.6% | 5.57 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 64.03 | 17.2% | 51.67 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 Winter I cept RS3 scores 8.8 and the Alpin 6 9.1 out of 10.
| Winter I cept RS3 | Category | Alpin 6 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Dry | 68 | ||
| 93 | Wet | 88 | ||
| 36 | Comfort | 56 | ||
| 52 | Value | 67 | ||
| 75 | Snow | 59 | ||
| 33 | Ice | 43 | ||
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
| Winter I cept RS3 | Category | Alpin 6 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | Dry Grip | 8.9 | ||
| 8.3 | Wet Grip | 9.1 | ||
| 7.6 | Road Feedback | 8.5 | ||
| 8 | Handling | 8.4 | ||
| 7.6 | Wear | 8.7 | ||
| 6.7 | Comfort | 9 | ||
| 9 | Snow Grip | 8.1 | ||
| 7.7 | Ice Grip | 7.3 | ||
Owners rate the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28 reviews and the Alpin 6 85% from 35. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Hankook Winter I cept RS3
- 77%from 28 reviews
- 74%would buy again
- 156,320 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners generally rate the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 as a capable winter tire with strong real-world grip, particularly in snow and wet conditions, backed up by solid dry grip and handling for a winter pattern. Around two in five owners specifically praise snow traction and wet grip, and a smaller but meaningful group also mention confident aquaplaning resistance and wet handling. The standout drawback is road noise: nearly two thirds of owners mention it and most of those are unhappy, often describing it as noticeably loud at speed. A smaller group also report softer, less responsive steering feel, with mixed feedback on tread life.
- Strong snow traction and confidence in winter conditions
- Reassuring wet grip
- Very good dry grip for a winter tire
- Secure wet handling
- Noticeably loud road noise, especially at speed
- Steering feels soft / less responsive
- Mixed or disappointing tread life
Summarised by AI from 25 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 28 Winter I cept RS3 reviewsI drove some 13000 km with them, once they got 3 years old dry rot cracks were already visible in the tread area around the tread blocks, my winter tires before them were Continental TS850 replaced at 10 years old, gave them away to my father, they were made in 2012, still no dry rot cracks in them at 14 years old, but they aren't as grippy as my new Hankooks. However, Continental is a premium class, Hankooks are middle and now I can see why.
What I misjudged about Hankooks is noise above some 95 km/h, it's more the engine getting more noisy similar noise to the tires humming excessively, once I distinguished that, I can say these Hankooks aren't noisy at all. However, dry rot at just 3 years old is not what I like, I almost wish I paid 80 euros per tire for premium class instead 60 for these Hankooks, they surely aren't going to last me 10 years due to dry rot. But for now, they do their job well, if you wear out tires within a few years, they are good tires
Michelin Alpin 6
- 85%from 35 reviews
- 76%would buy again
- 257,110 milesdriven by reviewers
Across 30 reviews, the Michelin Alpin 6 is most often praised for strong dry and especially wet-road grip, high comfort, and generally low noise, with many drivers highlighting excellent longevity and slow wear over multiple seasons. Most users describe it as a confidence-inspiring winter tire for cold, wet, and highway driving. The main recurring complaint is that snow and ice performance can be only average (and for some, notably weak in braking/traction and lateral stability), making it feel better suited to mild winters than frequent deep-snow conditions.
- Strong wet grip and wet-road stability (including aquaplaning resistance)
- Good dry/cold grip and confident roadholding
- High comfort/ride quality
- Long tread life / excellent wear resistance
- Mixed to weak snow/ice performance for a notable share of drivers (traction/braking/lateral stability), better suited to mild-winter conditions
Summarised by AI from 30 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 35 Alpin 6 reviewsAfter 6 years and ~37.000km of use, the tire still looks good, has a usable tread left. From the beginning till now it performance excellent in dry and wet conditions. Yesterday I've covert 300km of motorway in a very strong storm and they felt really good on a tarmac that was soaked.
On the other hand, the tire really disappointed on snow covered roads. We live in the mountains and when the roads are covered with snow, the tire loses traction very easily uphill.
So, the tire is really great if you live in areas that don't see a lot of snow.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 46 sizes of the Winter I cept RS3 and 42 of the Alpin 6, 26 of them made in both.
| Category | Winter I cept RS3 | Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter | Winter |
| Sizes made | 46 sizes, 14 to 17 inch | 42 sizes, 15 to 20 inch |
| Made in both | 26 sizes 185/65 R15195/60 R15195/65 R15185/50 R16185/60 R16195/45 R16195/50 R16195/55 R16195/60 R16205/45 R16205/55 R16205/60 R16and 14 more | |
| EU label wet grip | B100% | B100% |
| EU label rolling resistance | C58%D42% | C74%D26% |
| EU label noise | 70-72 dB B100% | 69 dB A90%B10% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 189 of 189 | 72 of 72 |
| On the market since | - | 2018 |
| Replaced | Hankook Winter i cept RS2 (2021) | Michelin Alpin 5 (2014) |
| Awards | - | Winner: Best Winter Tires (DriverReviews, 2024/25) |
| Price in the shared tests | The Alpin 6 was the dearer tire in 5 of the 5 tests that listed prices, by 28.3% on average. Each test priced the tires in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
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 Winter i*cept RS3 and Michelin's Alpin 6 target the same premium-touring winter segment, but they go about it differently. Across eight shared tests from ADAC, Auto Bild and others, Michelin consistently finishes slightly higher overall, while Hankook frequently posts standout single-metric wins.
The data points to a clear trade-off: Michelin delivers shorter braking distances on dry and especially wet roads and industry-leading longevity, while Hankook counters with class-leading aquaplaning resistance, lively handling feel, lower price, and often stronger snow braking/handling. Your ideal choice depends on whether you prioritize all-weather braking confidence and tread life (Michelin) or wet-security in standing water, snow agility, and value (Hankook).
Conclusion
Michelin Alpin 6 is the safer bet for broad, everyday winter use where braking margins matter most. It wins most dry and wet braking contests (often by ~3-7%), pairs that with very high mileage (frequently 30-35% higher wear life), and maintains balanced winter performance. If you want a tire that you fit and forget for multiple seasons with consistent, predictable manners, Michelin edges it overall.
Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 offers compelling real-world strengths: best-in-class aquaplaning reserves (typically +5-9% straight-line, double-digit advantage in curved), competitive snow braking/handling, sporty precision, lower rolling resistance in several tests, and a much lower purchase price. For drivers facing heavy rain and slush, frequent standing water, or who value dynamic snow handling and value-for-money, Hankook is a smart pick. The memorable takeaway: Michelin stops shorter and lasts longer; Hankook swims better and costs less.
Winter I cept RS3 vs Alpin 6: your questions
Is the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 or the Michelin Alpin 6 the better tire?
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Alpin 6 finished ahead 6 times and the Winter I cept RS3 twice. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter I cept RS3 scores 8.8 and the Alpin 6 9.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winter I cept RS3 or the Alpin 6?
The Winter I cept RS3 led 18 of the 31 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it resisted straight aquaplaning at a 4.9% higher speed across 7 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Alpin 6 led 7 of the 12 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.2% shorter in the dry across 7 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The Winter I cept RS3 led 14 of the 23 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.7% shorter on snow across 8 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Winter I cept RS3 used 0.6% less fuel (3 tests); the Alpin 6 lasted 21% longer in the wear tests (5 tests) and shed 17.2% less rubber in the abrasion test (3 tests). Owners rate wear 7.6/10 for the Winter I cept RS3 and 8.7/10 for the Alpin 6.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 6.7/10 for the Winter I cept RS3 and 9/10 for the Alpin 6.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28 reviews and the Alpin 6 85% from 35. 74% of Winter I cept RS3 owners would buy it again, against 76% for the Alpin 6.
Which is more expensive?
In the 5 tests that listed prices, the Alpin 6 was the dearer tire in 5 of them, by 28.3% 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 RS3 is made in 46 sizes (14 to 17 inch) and the Alpin 6 in 42 (15 to 20 inch). 26 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winter I cept RS3 is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Alpin 6 B and C.
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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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