Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Linglong Sport Master Winter
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 77% · 28
- TR Score
- 7.3/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 4
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 finished ahead 4 times and the Sport Master Winter not once, with one level. The Winter I cept RS3 resisted straight aquaplaning at a 12.7% higher speed; the Sport Master Winter stopped 1.4% shorter in the dry.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 if you want the more dependable winter tire for real-world rain, slush and motorway standing water-its aquaplaning resistance and wet control are consistently stronger, and it's usually the better all-rounder. Pick the Linglong Sport Master Winter only if budget is the overriding constraint and your winters are relatively mild (more cold/wet than deep snow), accepting that the headline low price comes with noticeably smaller safety margins in deep water and, in several tests, weaker winter stability and higher rolling resistance.
Where the Winter I cept RS3 is stronger
- Best-in-class wet safety margins in these comparisons, driven by dominant aquaplaning resistance (e.g., +12-15% straight aquaplaning and ~+18-38% curved aquaplaning vs Linglong depending on test)
- Typically stronger and more confidence-inspiring wet handling and cornering (e.g., Sport Auto wet handling 75.5 vs 72.1 km/h; Auto Express wet handling 89.19 vs 90.67 s)
- More economical to run overall: consistently lower rolling resistance (e.g., Sport Auto 8.4 vs 10.0 kg/t; Auto Express 8.38 vs 9.52 kg/t) and strong wear in AvD (45,721 km vs 34,475 km)
Where the Sport Master Winter is stronger
- Often strong in dry braking relative to Hankook (wins 4/5 shared dry-braking comparisons, including ADAC 43.3 vs 45.2 m)
- Very low purchase price and strong price-per-km/value scoring in cost-focused tests (AvD price-performance winner; value metrics beat Hankook in AvD and ADAC)
- Can deliver acceptable, non-dangerous baseline braking in some datasets (AvD shows near-identical braking on dry/wet/snow to Hankook, within ~1%)
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 Sport Master Winter at a glance
| Category | Winter I cept RS3 | Gap | Sport Master Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won5 shared tests | 4 | 1 level | 0 |
| Dry10 measurements | 5 | Level between the two. | 5 |
| Wet22 measurements | 19 | The Winter I cept RS3 resisted straight aquaplaning at a 12.7% higher speed (4 tests) | 2 |
| Snow15 measurements | 12 | The Winter I cept RS3 stopped 3.1% shorter on snow (5 tests) | 3 |
| Ice1 measurement | 1 | 0 | |
| Comfort6 measurements | 3 | 2 | |
| Value8 measurements | 5 | The Winter I cept RS3 had 8.6% lower rolling resistance (4 tests) | 2 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.8/10 | The Winter I cept RS3 by 1.5 | 7.3/10 |
| Owner rating28 and 4 reviews | 77% | The Sport Master Winter by 5 points | 82% |
| Pricein the 5 tests that listed prices | +50.3% | The Winter I cept RS3 was dearer in 5 of 5 | Cheaper |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 46 | 30 sizes made in both | 95 |
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 5 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 | Winter I cept RS3 | Field | Sport Master Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test | P6 of 9 | P9 of 9 | |
| 2026 AvD Winter Tire Test | P7 of 15 | P9 of 15 | |
| 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P3 of 16 | P3 of 16 | |
| 2026 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P3 of 11 | P9 of 11 | |
| 2025 AMS Winter Tire Test | P4 of 10 | P8 of 10 |
Performance profile
17 measurements from the 5 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winter I cept RS3
Sport Master 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. 11 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
Sport Master 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 RS3
Sport Master Winter
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28 reviews and the Sport Master Winter 82% from 4. 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 | Sport Master Winter | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 148 | 1.4% | 146 | 1-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 57.41 | 0.5% | 57.7 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 70.6 | 0.3% | 70.4 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 26.4% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 122 | 1.2% | 123 | 3-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 132 | = | 132 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 89.19 | 1.6% | 90.67 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 43.7 | 3.4% | 42.2 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 36.7% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 17.1 | 2.5% | 16.7 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.46 | 2% | 12.71 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 53.3 | 12.7% | 47.3 | 4-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 11.1 | 27.2% | 8.7 | 4-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 71 | 3.1% | 74 | 4-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 6.03 | 4.4% | 6.31 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 316 | 2.1% | 289 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 86.43 | 0.9% | 87.22 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 56.7 | 1.6% | 55.8 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 28.3% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.3 | 0.5% | 12.3 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.5 | 4.1% | 12 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 72 | 1.8% | 73 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 25% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 70.7 | 0.6 dB | 71.3 | 2-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 22,687 | 13.2% | 19,721 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 8.38 | 8.6% | 9.21 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.7 | 1.7% | 5.8 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 93 | 11.8% | 82 | 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 Winter I cept RS3 scores 8.8 and the Sport Master Winter 7.3 out of 10.
| Winter I cept RS3 | Category | Sport Master Winter | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Dry | 83 | ||
| 93 | Wet | 62 | ||
| 36 | Comfort | 29 | ||
| 52 | Value | 32 | ||
| 75 | Snow | 26 | ||
| 33 | Ice | 17 | ||
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 | Sport Master Winter | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | Dry Grip | 8.8 | ||
| 8.3 | Wet Grip | 8.3 | ||
| 7.6 | Road Feedback | 7.8 | ||
| 8 | Handling | 7.8 | ||
| 7.6 | Wear | 6.7 | ||
| 6.7 | Comfort | 8 | ||
| 9 | Snow Grip | 9.3 | ||
| 7.7 | Ice Grip | 8 | ||
Owners rate the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28 reviews and the Sport Master Winter 82% from 4. 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
Linglong Sport Master Winter
- 82%from 4 reviews
- 5,000 milesdriven by reviewers
All 4 Sport Master Winter reviewsDrove them one winter on really heavy snow in the moutains no problem at all the snow grip was really impresive even against some premium tires. I had no problems never got stuck even when i was trying to get stuck i saw many people with premium tires and same awd having trouble but not with this ones. The only problem is Wear I think if ur winter is mild and temp are high the tires will melt away. About to mount them for this winter to see did they change after 1 year.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 46 sizes of the Winter I cept RS3 and 95 of the Sport Master Winter, 30 of them made in both.
| Category | Winter I cept RS3 | Sport Master Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter | Winter Run flat |
| Sizes made | 46 sizes, 14 to 17 inch | 95 sizes, 14 to 21 inch |
| Made in both | 30 sizes 165/70 R14175/65 R14175/65 R15185/55 R15185/60 R15185/65 R15195/55 R15195/60 R15195/65 R15195/45 R16195/50 R16195/55 R16and 18 more | |
| EU label wet grip | B100% | A81%B19% |
| EU label rolling resistance | C58%D42% | D82%C17%B1% |
| EU label noise | 70-72 dB B100% | 71-75 dB B100% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 189 of 189 | 101 of 101 |
| On the market since | - | 2025 |
| Replaced | Hankook Winter i cept RS2 (2021) | - |
| Price in the shared tests | The Winter I cept RS3 was the dearer tire in 5 of the 5 tests that listed prices, by 50.3% 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.
This is a revealing match-up between two mainstream winter tires aimed at everyday passenger cars: the Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 (positioned as a premium-touring winter tire) and the Linglong Sport Master Winter (a budget-leaning touring winter option). They've met across five major European tests in multiple sizes, so we can separate one-off results from consistent traits.
Across those tests, a clear pattern emerges: the Hankook repeatedly prioritizes wet-road security-especially aquaplaning resistance-and tends to be the more "complete" winter tire in mixed conditions. The Linglong's main hooks are purchase price and, in several tests, surprisingly competitive dry (and sometimes wet) braking numbers-but it struggles to convert that into stable, confidence-inspiring behavior when conditions deteriorate, particularly in deep water and on snow.
Conclusion
Taken as a whole, the Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 is the safer, more rounded choice-and it earns that verdict through repeatable advantages in the areas that most often decide winter near-misses: wet handling balance and aquaplaning margins. The raw aquaplaning gaps are not subtle: in the ADAC 185/65 R15 test the Hankook led straight aquaplaning by 96.1 vs 83.7 km/h (+14.8%) and curved aquaplaning by 4.0 vs 2.9 m/s² (+37.9%), and Sport Auto showed the same story at 82.9 vs 73.8 km/h (+12.3%) and 3.18 vs 2.45 m/s² (+29.8%). It also tends to be more efficient (rolling resistance advantages such as 8.4 vs 10.0 kg/t in Sport Auto) and, in AvD, dramatically longer-lived (45,721 km vs 34,475 km predicted wear, +32.6%). The main caveat is that Hankook can be inconsistent in feel (reports of understeer on snow/wet and “elastic” dry behavior) and it often doesn't shine in dry braking.
The Linglong Sport Master Winter is more complicated than “bad everywhere”: in several datasets it posts strong dry braking (e.g., ADAC 43.3 m vs Hankook 45.2 m) and it can look acceptable on the scoreboard in milder tests (it even shares 3rd/16 with Hankook in ADAC's 185/65 R15 result, helped by balanced dry/wet). But when tests focus on stability, deep-water safety and winter control, it repeatedly falls away-Sport Auto rated it last (9/9) with a "poor" grade and applied a two-grade penalty for wet/snow stability, while Auto Express also placed it 9/11 with particularly weak aquaplaning and high rolling resistance. The practical takeaway: the Linglong's low upfront price can be real, but the Hankook is the tire you buy when you want consistent, repeatable safety margins in real winter rain and slush rather than “good numbers in one or two lanes of performance.”
Winter I cept RS3 vs Sport Master Winter: your questions
Is the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 or the Linglong Sport Master Winter the better tire?
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 finished ahead 4 times and the Sport Master Winter not once, with one level. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter I cept RS3 scores 8.8 and the Sport Master Winter 7.3 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winter I cept RS3 or the Sport Master Winter?
The Winter I cept RS3 led 19 of the 22 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it resisted straight aquaplaning at a 12.7% higher speed across 4 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 5-5 between the Winter I cept RS3 and the Sport Master Winter.
Which is better in snow?
The Winter I cept RS3 led 12 of the 15 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.1% shorter on snow across 5 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Winter I cept RS3 had 8.6% lower rolling resistance (4 tests). Owners rate wear 7.6/10 for the Winter I cept RS3 and 6.7/10 for the Sport Master Winter.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 6.7/10 for the Winter I cept RS3 and 8/10 for the Sport Master Winter.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28 reviews and the Sport Master Winter 82% from 4.
Which is more expensive?
In the 5 tests that listed prices, the Winter I cept RS3 was the dearer tire in 5 of them, by 50.3% 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 Sport Master Winter in 95 (14 to 21 inch). 30 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 Sport Master Winter A and D.
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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.
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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