Tested 3 times by independent publications, the Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 has taken 1 test wins with an average finish of 3rd.
2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test P3 of 20
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4, new to the market this season, shares third place and an 'exemplary' verdict. It is a strong all-rounder with especially good dry-road manners and low running costs, without leading on snow.
Where the Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 finished in each measured discipline, across every test that measured it against at least two other tires. Field beaten is the share of the other tires it outranked in that measurement.
| Discipline | Tests | Avg finish | Field beaten | Firsts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | ||||
| Dry Braking | 2 | P4.5 of 16.5 | 75% | - |
| Dry Handling | 2 | P3 of 16.5 | 88% | - |
| Wet | ||||
| Wet Braking | 3 | P3.7 of 27.7 | 87% | - |
| Wet Handling | 2 | P6 of 16.5 | 71% | - |
| Wet Circle | 2 | P7 of 16.5 | 61% | - |
| Straight Aqua | 2 | P6 of 16.5 | 76% | 1 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 2 | P4.5 of 16.5 | 81% | - |
| Snow | ||||
| Snow Braking | 3 | P6 of 21 | 74% | - |
| Snow Traction | 2 | P6 of 16.5 | 66% | - |
| Snow Handling | 2 | P9 of 16.5 | 51% | - |
| Snow Slalom | 2 | P9 of 16.5 | 46% | - |
| Comfort | ||||
| Subj. Comfort | 2 | P1.5 of 15 | 97% | 1 |
| Noise | 2 | P5 of 16.5 | 81% | 1 |
| Value | ||||
| Wear | 1 | P3 of 20 | 89% | - |
| Value | 1 | P10 of 20 | 53% | - |
| Rolling Resistance | 2 | P5 of 15.5 | 67% | - |
Overall finishing position against the tires that have most often shared a test with the Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4. Only tires tested alongside it at least three times are listed.
| Rival | Shared tests | Ahead | Behind | Level | Finished ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bridgestone Blizzak 6
3 shared: 3 ahead, 0 behind
|
3 | 3 | 0 | - | 100% |
 Matador MP93 Nordicca
3 shared: 3 ahead, 0 behind
|
3 | 3 | 0 | - | 100% |
 Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
3 shared: 3 ahead, 0 behind
|
3 | 3 | 0 | - | 100% |
 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
3 shared: 1 ahead, 2 behind
|
3 | 1 | 2 | - | 33% |
Drawn from 2 tests. Updated October 28, 2026.
The Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 has a strong record in its two 2026 tests. It placed fourth of 50 in the Auto Bild braking qualifier, including fourth in wet braking. In the Auto Bild Allrad SUV test it won the ten-tire winter field and earned an Exemplary rating. The testers called it the strongest tire in the wet and dry half of that test. It was third of 11 including the summer reference in both wet braking and wet handling, and led straight aquaplaning. Dry handling was second overall and quickest among the winter tires. It was also rated joint most comfortable and recorded the lowest pass-by noise.
Snow performance was less prominent. In the Auto Bild Allrad test it was fifth of 11 for snow traction and handling, and seventh in the snow slalom. The testers called it competent rather than a leader on snow, although its snow braking was closer to the front, at fourth of 11. Rolling resistance was mid-field, sixth of 11. The braking qualifier also showed respectable snow braking, seventh of 30 and just 1% behind the best. Auto Bild Allrad noted that it was the least expensive of its three Exemplary tires.
It resisted straight-line aquaplaning better than any tire here- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
braked second-shortest of the winter tires in the wet- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
had the fourth-shortest wet braking- 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2026)
On dry roads it was clearly the quickest winter tire in handling- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
and dry handling- 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2026)
was the second-fastest winter tire on the wet handling course- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
recorded the lowest pass-by noise- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
and braked well- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
was in the top four for dry braking- 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2026)
it was rated joint most comfortable- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
was among the most comfortable tires- 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2026)
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 was the strongest tire in the wet and dry half of the test- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 was the strongest tire in the wet- 2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter Tire Test (2026)
below average for handling and the slalom- 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test (2026)
Strong = top two of the field in that measurement. Weak = bottom two.
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4, new to the market this season, shares third place and an 'exemplary' verdict. It is a strong all-rounder with especially good dry-road manners and low running costs, without leading on snow.
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 is the overall test winner and one of three tires Auto Bild rated exemplary. Its excellent wet and dry results outweigh merely average snow performance, and it was the least expensive of the three top-rated tires.
Owner reviews, sizes and EU label data, comparisons and the Tire Reviews score. All Hankook tires