Menu

Hankook Winter i pike RS2 vs Continental IceContact 3

In the 5 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental IceContact 3 finished ahead 5 times and the Winter i pike RS2 not once. The Winter i pike RS2 was stronger in value, the IceContact 3 in dry, wet, snow, ice and comfort.

Performance profile

12 measurements from the 5 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.

Dry BrakingSubj. Dry HandlingWet BrakingWet HandlingStraight AquaSnow BrakingSnow TractionSnow HandlingIce BrakingIce TractionIce HandlingSubj. Noise

Where each is furthest ahead

Winter i pike RS2

IceContact 3

Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.

In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 90%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 7 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.

Every measurement, side by side

Averages of the figures both tyres 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. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.

Measurement Winter i pike RS2 Gap IceContact 3 Wins
Dry IceContact 3 ahead
Dry Braking m 35.15 3.1% 33.96 0-5
Subj. Dry Handling pts scored 28.1% scored 1-2
Wet IceContact 3 ahead
Wet Braking m 34.72 1.9% 34.14 2-3
Wet Handling s 39.99 0.4% 39.82 2-2
Subj. Wet Handling pts scored 14.3% scored 0-1
Straight Aqua km/h 60.63 1.6% 59.73 2-1
Snow IceContact 3 ahead
Snow Braking m 28.58 1.1% 28.44 2-3
Snow Traction s 4.97 2.5% 4.85 0-4
Snow Handling s 68.56 1.7% 67.24 0-5
Subj. Snow Handling pts scored 12.5% scored 0-1
Ice IceContact 3 ahead
Ice Braking m 22.66 5.7% 21.96 2-3
Ice Traction s 4.29 0.1% 4.38 2-3
Ice Handling s 53.69 1.9% 52.74 1-4
Subj. Ice Handling pts scored = scored 0-0
Comfort IceContact 3 ahead
Subj. Comfort pts scored 25% scored 0-1
Subj. Noise pts scored 16.7% scored 0-2
Noise dB 75.4 0.4 dB 75 0-1
Value Winter i pike RS2 ahead
Rolling Resistance kg / t 5.15 4.6% 5.4 1-0
Fuel Consumption l/100km 5.67 0.4% 5.69 1-0

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 tyres shared.

Head to head in 5 tests, 2019 to 2023

Each row is one published test in which both tyres 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 pike RS2 Field IceContact 3
2023 Studded Tyre Test Vi Bilagare · 2023 · 225/45 R17 P6 of 8 P5 of 8
2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test Teknikens Varld · 2021 · 205/55 R16Studded Winter Tyres P7 of 9 P6 of 9
2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test Vi Bilagare · 2020 · 205/60 R16 P4 of 8 P2 of 8
2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test Test World · 2020 · 205/55 R16Studded Winter Tyres P5 of 5 P1 of 5
2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test Vi Bilagare · 2019 · 225/50 R17 P5 of 8 P1 of 8

Winter i pike RS2 vs IceContact 3: your questions

Is the Hankook Winter i pike RS2 or the Continental IceContact 3 the better tyre?

In the 5 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental IceContact 3 finished ahead 5 times and the Winter i pike RS2 not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter i pike RS2 scores 7.6 and the IceContact 3 9.1 out of 10.

Which is better in the wet, the Winter i pike RS2 or the IceContact 3?

The IceContact 3 led 7 of the 14 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.9% shorter in the wet across 5 tests.

Which is better in the dry?

The IceContact 3 led 7 of the 9 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.1% shorter in the dry across 5 tests.

Which is better in snow?

The IceContact 3 led 13 of the 16 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it was 2.5% quicker in the snow traction test across 5 tests.

Which is quieter and more comfortable?

Owners rate comfort 7.6/10 for the Winter i pike RS2 and 7.3/10 for the IceContact 3.

What do owners say?

Owners rate the Winter i pike RS2 83% from 5 reviews and the IceContact 3 79% from 3.

Which is more expensive?

In the 2 tests that listed prices, the IceContact 3 was the dearer tyre in 2 of them, by 27.3% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.

Run either of these?

Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.

Review the Winter i pike RS2 Review the IceContact 3

Where this data comes from

Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres 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 Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.

Who does the testing

Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.

Rate your tyres

My tyres

Saved in this browser on this site. No account needed. Clearing browser data removes your choices.

Vehicle and size

Check the size, load and speed ratings on your vehicle. Saving a size does not confirm fitment.

Saved tyres

Save tyres from a tyre page, test or comparison to keep them here.

Select 2–8 saved tyres. Ranked comparisons require at least two shared tests.