Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post - Replacing Stocks with Hankook's... now or later?

Pushing_Tin · 05-14-2010, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tresfr

I realize the Bridgestones are not the best bang for the buck tire. However, I do not see the Hankooks as an upgrade. They are a better value but I would be surprised if there was not a slight drop in performance. The Hankooks will ride a little smoother and be quiter but they are are performance downgrade.

I was thinking the same thing until I read all the reviews from tirerack and this comparo from last year's car and driver test. The Hankooks placed second. I just ordered mine today and will probably wait another month or two before I have them installed to get every last bit of tread out of the Bridgestones. I will report back when I've driven with them on for a bit.

Tire Test: Nine Affordable Summer Tires Take On the Michelin PS2 - Comparison Tests - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

Quote:

“Deceptively quick” is a good summation of the Hankook Ventus V12 Evos because they often didn’t feel as strong as they actually were, particularly in the dry. Their fourth-place autocross time wasn’t spectacular, but they did outlap the benchmark Michelin PS2s. Geswein said the Hankooks felt “somewhat soft” and “imprecise,” although they were forgiving, yielding consistent laps with no surprises. Despite that feeling of softness, the V12 Evos somehow managed a second-place skidpad run of 0.93 g and were above average in braking. Hankook just launched a new extreme-performance Ventus R-S3 model, which wasn’t available in time for this test but likely has sharper dry responses.

In the wet, however, the V12s were as sporty and connected as they come, with grip second only to the PS2s’ and the best braking. The Hankooks were extremely consistent, likely because they were so well-behaved, which made them easy to drive quickly. Subjectively, they felt the best around the track, even though their time trailed slightly behind the Dunlops’.

With above-average wet and dry performances, and tying for quietest on the street loop, the V12 Evo is an impressive and well-rounded summer tire. And, at $106, it’s a bargain, too.