In the quest for tires, you can get tripped up on all sorts of obstacles. One of them is not knowing the brand you are encountered with. Today, our guide is going to be devoted to one of those brands that people do know pretty well, as we take a look at Hankook tires in our guide. We’ll be helping you figure out just why it is as popular as it is, so let’s get started!
Hankook Tire Company Background & Information
Hankook is very well known all over the world in name, but there are still many details about the brand that you will no doubt not know. Beginning in 1941, then known as the Chosun Tire Company, in Korea, which was still unified at the time, the company helped to build an entrepreneurial spirit that would take root in the South for years and decades to come.
The name was changed to what now know of it as- Hankook- in 1953, and five years later they had a full fledged plant that began operating. Soon, they began to thrive in the nation before expanding into the bordering countries in Asia. As the 90s approached, they began to grow even bigger, opening up a huge facility that would enable them to begin sending tires to the USA and Europe, making them a truly global brand, of which they remain today.
Hankook are known for a variety of things apart from this history. They have forged their reputation through delivering high quality tires that push the limits of technology, a must have for consumers regardless of where they are located. Such is their strength now that they have even gotten involved with racing, becoming the tire provider of the DTM series in Germany.
Hankook Tire Cost and Pricing
Just as with any product out there, you do get a range in pricing in regards to Hankook tires. It really just is going to depend on the specified use for your tires. Tires that are made for smaller cars tend to be cheaper, unless they are specialized, than those made for bigger vehicles. With that said, the pricing of Hankook is competitive but not the cheapest out there generally.
You can always compare prices from place to place to get the best deal, but just know that Hankook is not among the cheapest of the lot. In a lot of cases, they will be slightly cheaper than the other big names in the market, to be fair, but you don’t get a hefty bargain, most of the time, from Hankook.
That might not be what you want to hear, but when you consider how good of a job they do with their technology and their commitment to you, the consumer, then you can forgive this in order to get extreme durability and assuredness.
Hankook Tire Warranty
For big time companies, the difference between standing out and being lost in the fold can be over warranties and guarantees. With Hankook, you need not worry about being covered and insured by them in the event that something goes wrong. First of all we should mention their quality guarantee.
They place a high value on employees doing their best, and that trickles down to the customers’ tires when they are finished and ready to be placed on the car for use. In terms of warranties themselves, Hankook offers a very generous one-year warranty in the event that certain things go poorly for you and your tires.
They will replace your tires without a bunch of pain if you have this occur, giving you a lot of peace of mind in the process. Of course, as with any warranty, you do need to do your research and due diligence by looking over all of the necessary materials. Not all warranties are the same, and you can’t assume they will cover every single thing that could possibly go wrong.
Tire Options
As you can guess, Hankook is going to offer a ton of options for you to pick from. Whether you are heading out on the road and want a tire that will last you a long time or you are testing your race car, there is something for everyone with Hankook, such is their level of understanding and knowledge.
This is a brand that has withstood the test of time and only seems to be getting better and better by pushing the limits as far as they possibly can. There are also all kinds of tires for those hitting the ‘normal’ roads. There are tires for SUVs and trucks and for cars. Within those, there are options for all of the various seasons, helping provide you with additional coverage when the weather is less than ideal for you to deal with and drive in. In terms of being able to find Hankook tires, it’s not too difficult to do so.
Most dealers are going to carry at least a couple of them in their stock, while most others will be able to get them for you if you want them. If your local person doesn’t have them, then moving down the road will likely see them come to the forefront. That’s just how big and popular they have become. It’d be a real shock if you didn’t have any access to them in your area, so it’s not one of those cases where it is a far flung brand that is hard to get your hands on.
Hankook Tire Technologies and Features
Hankook, as you would imagine, did not get to where they are by simply standing around and waiting or copying off the work of others, so to speak. Instead they have constantly been at the forefront of tire technology, as you have to be in order to work hand-in-hand with just about any racing series in the world today.
There are many bits of technology that they work into their tires, but the one that most will know and appreciate is that of the ‘Kontrol.’ This technology is epitomized by finding the most possible out of blending durability, comfort, safety, and performance. While some tires out there are good at doing one of these things, Hankook have somehow managed to be good at all of them at once, helping make sure you don’t have to skimp on any of it.
As of right now, they are working on a project called ‘Design Innovation,’ where they are working along with design schools all over the globe to devise tires for the future, as it is a very uncertain yet exciting time upcoming in the history of humans and could be vastly different from what we have now. This demonstrates their commitment to technology, even if it’s in something that could be well over the horizon.
Hankook Tire Durability
As with virtually anything out there on the market, durability is going to depend on a range of factors. How well you treat them is definitely one of them, as is whether or not you are utilizing them correctly. On top of that, you also have to keep in mind that some tires are made to last longer than others.
All of that being set aside, it’s very clear to see that Hankook tires have placed a large emphasis on durability. They have not sacrificed other things, such as safety or performance for it, mind you, but they have made sure to make very durable and long lasting tires for the road ahead. No one wants to be stuck buying new tires too often, and you can guarantee yourself that’s not going to happen by turning to and trusting Hankook tires. They will go above and beyond those budget tires, who while decent, will just not hold much of a candle to these major players in the game.
Summary & Final Recommendations
If you are looking for a high quality set of tires, then you could go much more wrong than with Hankook tires. This brand is known for pushing the limits of what seems to be possible, all the while helping create a business like atmosphere in a continent. They have forged their own path by taking the time to test the brinks of technology, all the while giving you excellent customer service, which should help you make up your mind.
Hankook Tire Models
Passenger Tires
Extreme Performance Summer
- Ventus R-S4
Max Performance Summer
- Ventus V12 evo K110
- Ventus V12 evo2
Ultra High Performance Summer
- Ventus Prime 2
- Ventus Prime 2 HRS
- Ventus S1 evo2
- Ventus S1 evo2 HRS
- Ventus S1 evo3
Ultra High Performance All-Season
- Ventus S1 noble2
- Ventus S1 noble2
- Ventus S1 noble2 HRS
- Ventus V4 ES H105
High Performance All-Season
- Ventus V2 Concept2
High Performance Summer
- Kinergy Eco
Performance All-Season
- Ventus H101
Grand Touring All-Season
- Kinergy GT
- Kinergy GT HRS
- Optimo H426
- Optimo H426B HRS
- Optimo H428
- Optimo H725A
Standard Touring All-Season
- Kinergy PT
- Kinergy ST
- Optimo H724
- Optimo H725
Racetrack and Autocross
- Ventus Z214
Light Truck/SUV Tires
Street/Sport Truck Summer
- Ventus S1 evo2 SUV
- Ventus S1 evo3 SUV
- Ventus S1 eve3 SUV HRS
Street/Sport Truck All-Season
- Ventus ST RH06
Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season
- Dynapro HP2
- Dynapro HP2 Plus
- Ventus AS RH07
Highway All-Season
- Dynapro AS RH03
- Dynapro HT RH12
On/Off-Road All-Terrain
- Dynapro AT RF08
- Dynapro AT-M
- Dynapro AT2
Off-Road Maximum Traction
- Dynapro MT