The Hankook brand is nothing new.
This internationally known tire brand has journeyed from a humble beginning to achieving world-class excellence.
What makes Hankook tires top-notch, and where do their origins lie?
Let’s dive into this article to answer some of your questions and help you better understand this special product.
To answer your initial question….Here is where Hankook tires are made…
Hankook’s main headquarters, research, and technical centers are in Seoul, South Korea. This is where the company was originally founded. The company has manufacturing facilities that produce all of its products. There are various plants placed all across the globe.
Hankook is a matrix-structured organization. Their regional headquarters are in Korea, the United States, Europe, and China. These oversee production, sales, and distribution systems customized for local consumers.
To further increase proficiency, they have subdivided these headquarters into 16 sections. These are customized to local business facets and product types.
Hankook tire manufacturing plants in other prominent countries, including Germany, the United States, Japan, and China. This has placed them in a good position to optimize the performance of their current products and focus on developing new innovative products.
Who Makes Hankook Tires?
Hankook was established in 1941 as a Chosun Tire Company, with production underway the very next year. They have managed to bolster their production rates from a mere 110,000 tires per year to a whopping 50 million tires per year.
The South Korean company ‘Hankook Tires and Technology Co.’ manufactures Hankook tires. Their private research facilities and factory allow them to directly supply their authentic products and original equipment to automakers.
Available types of Hankook tires
Hankook offers a variety of tires that fit for varying vehicle types. These include tires for passenger vehicles, SUVs, vans/transporters, and trucks/light trucks/buses.
Below is a list of available Hankook tires within their categories:
Types of Cars | Available Hankook Tires |
| Passenger Cars | Optimo ME02 (K424) Ventus ME01 (K114) Ventus V12 evo2 (K120) |
| Sport-Utility Vehicle | Dynapro HP2 (RA33) Dynapro atm Dynapro AT2 (RF11) |
| VANs/Transporters | Dynapro HT (RH12) Vantra LT (RA18) |
| Trucks/Buses | e-cube DL10 DM06 Smart Work DM09 |
| Winter Edition | Winter i*cept RS2 Winter i*cept evo2 Winter i*cept evo3 |
| Ventus Selection | Ventus S1 evo3 (performance tire chosen by premium car makers) Ventus S1 Noble2 (the premium performance all-season tire) Ventus V12 evo2 (the best choice for sports driving) Ventus Prime 3 (the best balance of performance and safety) Ventus V2 concept 2 (balanced performance all-season tire) Ventus R-S4 (extreme performance for road-legal racing) |
| Kinergy Catalog | Kinergy 4S2 (all-weather types) Kinergy GT (grand-touring all-season tire) Kinergy PT (premium passenger and crossover touring all-season tire) Kinergy evo2 (all-around performance) Kinergy ST (standard touring all-season tire) Kinergy EX (total balance for everyday driving) |
Are Hankook tires good?
Yes, Hankook tires are better than good.
Hankook follows strict procedures throughout the entire production phase of its products. The best quality and impressive Hankook tire technology are achieved through this procedure. The result? An overall balanced and satisfactory driving experience.
Not only are these tires ‘good’, but they are perfect for budget-focused mass buyers. Their labor costs are low, and they provide affordable and cost-efficient wheels.
Best Hankook tires
Here are the top-rated Hankook tires you can choose from each category and their pros, cons, and features.
All-season passenger tires: Kinergy 4S H740
This is an asymmetrical, all-season tire delivering impressive grip. It replaces the Optimo 4S H730 and encompasses a mixture of silicone-based rubber that allows for improved road holding.
However, its disadvantage lies in its poor handling of wet conditions.
Winter passenger tires: Winter i*cept Evo W310
These custom wheels are specialized for performance in winter-like conditions, its “bear paw” tread gives sufficient grip. This guarantees enhanced performance.
Negative attributes include a softer sidewall, which reduces the dry cornering performance. It also heightens the hard-pack snow and ice traction.
All-season Sport-Utility Vehicle tires: Dynapro AT2 RF11
Characteristics include an incredibly strong belt and structure. It has reinforced shoulders for extended life.
It features biting diagonal studs and multi-directional grooves to ensure better grip and traction.
It also has a block-chain control system and air exhaust sipes, reducing noise.
However, it is not the best choice for off-road driving or gravel roads, thick mud, or deep snow.
Winter SUV tires: Winter i*cept evo2 W320A SUV
It has impressive tread and traction grooves that encompass many snow points. These features allow drivers to enjoy driving performance in winter-like conditions like snow.
Unfortunately, it has high rolling resistance and high fuel consumption. It also requires a longer braking distance on dry roads. It has below-average aquaplaning resistance with poor handling in wet conditions.
How long do Hankook tires last?
Hankook’s tires outlast the market’s average lifespan, exceeding nearly 3,500 miles.
Most of the covered series is set at 50,000 miles, with some of the high-performance sport tires having 40,000 miles. However, its typical tread-life warranty has a staggering estimated mileage of 59,000 miles.
Each Hankook tire has a 30-day road test duration coverage.
FAQs
Are Hankook tires on par with Michelin quality?
Michelin is ranked 2nd, and Hankook 7th out of the 10 best tire companies globally. Both are leading brands concerning experience, quality, and performance.
Tires are usually rated according to the following factors:
– The life of the tire
– Wet and dry handling
– Stopping ability
– Value for money
– Overall satisfaction
Michelin has 5-star ratings for the tire’s life, wet and dry handling, and stopping ability. They have 4-star ratings for value for money and overall satisfaction.
Hankook is on Michelin’s tail. They have 5-star ratings for stopping ability and value for money. They have 4-star ratings for the tire’s life, wet and dry handling, and overall satisfaction.
Cho Yang-rai owns 15.99% Of Hankook (Korean stock exchange rate). His father, Cho Hong-Je, founded Hankook. Hankook and Michelin are Partners, with Michelin holding 9.98% shares.
Is Michelin the owner of Hankook?
Cho Yang-rai owns 15.99% Of Hankook (Korean stock exchange rate). His father, Cho Hong-Je, founded Hankook. Hankook and Michelin are Partners, with Michelin holding 9.98% shares.
Who manufactures the most tires?
Bridgestone (Japan) is currently the leading tire manufacturer. They produce over 150 million tires annually and have a market share of around 20%.
Who produces the most tires globally?
Bridgestone leads the tire industry with the world’s global tire-based revenue. They generated over $27 billion in 2020.
Final considerations
Hankook is a South Korean tire company.
Their main headquarters and research center are located in Seoul, and they have extended their manufacturing plants to important countries such as Germany, the United States, Japan, and China.
They now export tires to 180 countries.
Hankook is an organized business. They have headquarters in multiple countries that are further subdivided. This keeps them informed and on the top of their game.
The company follows strict procedures throughout the entire production phase of its products. This helps to achieve the best quality with Impressive technical traits.
They produce a wide variety of tires To meet the needs of varying vehicle types and their requirements.
Hankook has low labor costs and provides budget-friendly products. This makes it the smart choice for customers seeking affordable rates.
