Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 vs Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4: Hankook’s latest Central European winter tyre has arrived—and it’s taking on the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2. The new Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 promises lower rolling resistance, less noise and 15% longer mileage than its predecessor. But can it match the Pirelli when grip matters most? Let’s start with wet performance.
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Results: Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 vs Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4
Results below were taken from 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test with a total of 20 tires tested. The graph below shows the comparison between Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 vs Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 based on the relevant performance category. The Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
Since we are talking about the middle European winter segment with both tires having the converted 3 peak mountain logo, snow performances was tested. The tire size of interest is 245/45 R19 which is a common tire size for BMW 5 Series & Audi A6. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a BMW 5 series.
Wet
The Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 stops 5.2 metres shorter in wet braking, at 51.6 metres versus Hankook’s 56.8 metres, putting the Winter i*cept evo 4 9% behind. Pirelli is also 3.3 km/h faster in wet handling, averaging 82.8 km/h against 79.5 km/h, with Hankook 4% behind.
Hankook fights back in straight aquaplaning, reaching 90.7 km/h versus Pirelli’s 89 km/h—1.7 km/h higher, giving it a 2% advantage. Overall, Pirelli offers stronger wet braking and handling, while Hankook has a small edge in resisting aquaplaning.
i*cept evo 4 :
- -9% in wet braking
- -4% in wet handling
- +2% in straight aquaplaning
Snow
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 stops 0.3 metres shorter on snow, at 29.2 metres versus 29.5 metres for the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2—a 1% advantage. Hankook also delivers 120 N more snow traction, producing 5,243 N against Pirelli’s 5,123 N—a 2% advantage.
Pirelli fights back in snow handling, averaging 56.9 km/h versus Hankook’s 56.2 km/h—0.7 km/h faster, putting Hankook 1% behind. Overall, they are closely matched: Hankook has a small edge in stopping and traction, while Pirelli is slightly quicker around the snow handling course.
i*cept evo 4 :
- +1% in snow braking
- -2% in snow traction
- -1% in snow handling
Mileage
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 lasts 4,250 km longer, reaching 55,550 km compared with 51,300 km for the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2—an 8% advantage. That gives Hankook a useful edge in tyre life, helping drivers go further before needing a replacement.
i*cept evo 4 :
- +8% in mileage
Dry
The Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 stops 0.9 metres shorter in dry braking, at 42.8 metres versus 43.7 metres for the Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4, putting Hankook 2% behind. Dry handling is effectively equal, with Pirelli averaging 111.7 km/h against Hankook’s 111.6 km/h—just 0.1 km/h faster, a 0% difference after rounding.
Overall, Pirelli has a small advantage in dry stopping distance, while both deliver almost identical dry handling speeds.
i*cept evo 4 :
- -2% in dry braking
- 0% in dry handling
Noise
The Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 measures 0.5 dB(A) quieter at 80 km/h, recording 71.6 dB(A) versus 72.1 dB(A) for the Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4, putting Hankook 1% behind on the noise index. Overall, Pirelli has a small noise advantage, although the measured gap is modest.
i*cept evo 4 :
- -1% in exterior noise (+0.5 dB)
Rolling Resistance
The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 has 0.36 kg/t lower rolling resistance, measuring 7.64 kg/t versus 8.00 kg/t for the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2—a 5% advantage on the rolling resistance index. This gives Hankook an efficiency edge, helping reduce the energy needed to keep the tyres rolling.
i*cept evo 4 :
- +5% in Rolling resistance
Price
For 245/45 R19, the Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 costs €47 less per tyre, at €187 versus €234 for the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2—making Hankook 20% cheaper. Across a set of four, that adds up to €188 in savings, giving Hankook a clear price advantage.
Tire size: 245/45 R19
- P Zero Winter 2 : € 234
- i*cept evo 4 : € 187
Difference: -20% more cheaper for i*cept evo 4
Conclusion from a Tire Expert’s Perspective:
In my tyre expert view, the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 earns its premium through stronger wet braking and handling, shorter dry stops and slightly lower noise. The Hankook Winter i*cept evo 4 trades some wet performance for slightly better snow braking and traction, 8% longer mileage and lower rolling resistance—all at a 20% lower price. I would choose Pirelli for its wet-road safety advantage, but Hankook offers better value if you accept the extra 5.2 metres needed to stop in the wet.
Dr Edwin Pang