Dunlop Winter vs Hankook Winter I cept RS3
- TR Score
- 9.2/10
- Owners say
- 89% · 2
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 77% · 28
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Winter I cept RS3 finished ahead 2 times and the Winter not once. The Winter was 0.7 dB quieter; the Winter I cept RS3 stopped 5.8% shorter in the wet.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 for its repeated wet-road advantage and better overall placings. Choose the Dunlop Winter if ADAC's much longer projected tread life and its straight-line winter grip matter more than wet performance.
Where the Winter is stronger
- Stronger snow traction in ADAC's 2026 test
- About 50% longer projected tread life in ADAC's 2026 test
- Shorter ice stop and lower abrasion in ADAC's 2026 test
Where the Winter I cept RS3 is stronger
- Dry 2/3
- Wet 9/9 Stopped 5.8% shorter in the wet (2 tests)
Conclusion
Hankook finished ahead in both shared tests, but the size of its overall lead varied: two places in ADAC's 2026 winter test and five in Auto Express's. The consistent reason to choose it is wet performance. Its wet stops were about 6% shorter in each test, and it also did better in both straight-line and curved aquaplaning. ADAC's testers found the Hankook precise and composed on dry roads, whereas the Dunlop needed steering corrections. Auto Express likewise found the Dunlop unexpectedly loose on its dry lap, although the two tires' dry braking distances were very close in both tests.
The Dunlop has a clearer advantage in ADAC's winter-surface measurements: about 3% shorter snow and ice stops, and nearly 5% more snow traction. Auto Express also measured a fractional snow traction lead for the Dunlop, but its snow braking results were effectively level. Snow handling complicates the picture. Auto Express put the Hankook ahead on the snow lap and rated it the strongest snow tire in its field, while the Dunlop lacked bite on turn-in. That contrasts with ADAC's account of safe, precise snow handling from the Dunlop and weaker snow traction from the Hankook. It is not a consistent all-round snow win for either tire.
ADAC gives the Dunlop a substantial ownership advantage: the longest projected tread life of its 16 tires, about 50% more distance than the Hankook, along with lower abrasion. It also used slightly less fuel in ADAC's test and had marginally lower rolling resistance in Auto Express's. Choose the Hankook if wet braking, aquaplaning resistance and secure dry-road responses matter most. The Dunlop better suits someone prioritising projected tread life and straight-line winter grip, provided they accept its recurring wet-road shortfall.
The measured tallies (wins out of measurements in the shared tests) come straight from the tables below. The written verdict and bullet points are analysis of those tests and of owner reviews; where they and the figures disagree, the figures are right.
Winter vs Winter I cept RS3 at a glance
| Category | Winter | Gap | Winter I cept RS3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won2 shared tests | 0 | 2 | |
| Dry3 measurements | 1 | 2 | |
| Wet9 measurements | 0 | The Winter I cept RS3 stopped 5.8% shorter in the wet (2 tests) | 9 |
| Snow5 measurements | 3 | 2 | |
| Ice1 measurement | 1 | 0 | |
| Comfort2 measurements | 2 | The Winter was 0.7 dB quieter (2 tests) | 0 |
| Value4 measurements | 4 | 0 | |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 9.2/10 | The Winter by 0.4 | 8.8/10 |
| Owner rating2 and 28 reviews | 89% | The Winter by 12 points | 77% |
| Pricein the 2 tests that listed prices | Level | Level | |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 63 | 27 sizes made in both | 46 |
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 2 tests in 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 | Field | Winter I cept RS3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 225/50 R17 | P8 of 16 | P6 of 16 | |
| 2026 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P8 of 11 | P3 of 11 |
Performance profile
6 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winter
Winter I cept RS3
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 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 12 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Winter
Winter I cept RS3
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.
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 | Gap | Winter I cept RS3 | Wins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 148 | 0.1% | 148 | 1-1 | |||||||||
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| 57.94 | 0.9% | 57.41 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 121 | 5.8% | 114 | 0-2 | |||||||||
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| 138 | 4.3% | 132 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 90.77 | 1.7% | 89.19 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 12.58 | 1% | 12.46 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 47.5 | 6.6% | 50.6 | 0-2 | |||||||||
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| 9.4 | 14.5% | 10.5 | 0-2 | |||||||||
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| 47 | 1.2% | 47 | 1-1 | |||||||||
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| 6 | 0.5% | 6.03 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 593 | 4.8% | 566 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 88.02 | 1.8% | 86.43 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 59 | 3.2% | 61 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 69.8 | 0.7 dB | 70.5 | 2-0 | |||||||||
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| 36,847 | 50.1% | 24,544 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 8.31 | 0.8% | 8.38 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 5.5 | 1.8% | 5.6 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 57 | 20.8% | 72 | 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 Winter scores 9.2 and the Winter I cept RS3 8.8 out of 10.
| Winter | Category | Winter I cept RS3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | Dry | 60 | ||
| 69 | Wet | 93 | ||
| 67 | Comfort | 36 | ||
| 90 | Value | 52 | ||
| 83 | Snow | 75 | ||
| 55 | Ice | 33 | ||
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 | Category | Winter I cept RS3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dry Grip | 8.5 | ||
| 9 | Wet Grip | 8.3 | ||
| 8.5 | Road Feedback | 7.6 | ||
| 8 | Handling | 8 | ||
| - | Wear | 7.6 | ||
| 9.5 | Comfort | 6.7 | ||
| 9.5 | Snow Grip | 9 | ||
| 8 | Ice Grip | 7.7 | ||
Owners rate the Winter 89% from 2 reviews and the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Dunlop Winter
- 89%from 2 reviews
- 4,000 milesdriven by reviewers
All 2 Winter reviewsGreat tire with good grip on compacted snow. Good on wet as well. As I drive electric I appreciate, that Dunlop Winter is very quiet tire. Great price as well. Set of tires cost me 250 euros.
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
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 63 sizes of the Winter and 46 of the Winter I cept RS3, 27 of them made in both.
| Category | Winter | Winter I cept RS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter | Winter |
| Sizes made | 63 sizes, 15 to 21 inch | 46 sizes, 14 to 17 inch |
| Made in both | 27 sizes 185/55 R15185/60 R15185/65 R15195/65 R15185/55 R16185/60 R16195/45 R16195/50 R16195/55 R16195/60 R16205/45 R16205/55 R16and 15 more | |
| EU label wet grip | C74%B26% | B100% |
| EU label rolling resistance | C75%B14%D10% | C58%D42% |
| EU label noise | 69-72 dB B99%A1% | 70-72 dB B100% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 69 of 69 | 189 of 189 |
| On the market since | 2025 | - |
| Replaced | - | Hankook Winter i cept RS2 (2021) |
| Price in the shared tests | Within 1% of each other on average across the 2 tests that listed prices. 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.
Two independent 2026 tests, ADAC's winter tire test and Auto Express's winter tire test, put the Dunlop Winter alongside the Hankook Winter I cept RS3. Hankook finished ahead in both, sixth to eighth with ADAC and third to eighth with Auto Express. Its clearest repeatable advantage was in the wet: it stopped about 6% shorter in both tests and resisted aquaplaning better.
The Dunlop's case is strongest on snow traction and longevity. It produced more snow traction in ADAC's 225/50 R17 test, and its projected tread life was about 50% longer than the Hankook's. Auto Express's 205/55 R16 test also put the Dunlop fractionally ahead in snow traction, though the two were effectively level on snow braking there. Hankook's quicker snow handling lap in that test shows why one snow measure cannot settle the choice.
Winter vs Winter I cept RS3: your questions
Is the Dunlop Winter or the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 the better tire?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 finished ahead 2 times and the Winter not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter scores 9.2 and the Winter I cept RS3 8.8 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winter or the Winter I cept RS3?
The Winter I cept RS3 led 9 of the 9 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 5.8% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Winter I cept RS3 led 2 of the 3 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The Winter led 3 of the 5 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The Winter was 0.7 dB quieter (2 tests). Owners rate comfort 9.5/10 for the Winter and 6.7/10 for the Winter I cept RS3.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winter 89% from 2 reviews and the Winter I cept RS3 77% from 28.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the two were priced within 1% of each other on average.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Winter is made in 63 sizes (15 to 21 inch) and the Winter I cept RS3 in 46 (14 to 17 inch). 27 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winter is graded C for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter I cept RS3 B and C.
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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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