Hankook i*cept RS2 review

This tyre was runner-up in our last two winter tests, so it’s a mystery why it drops to one place off the bottom this year. Yes, there are new tyres in this test, but the performance we’ve seen in the past two years simply isn’t there this time. In 2018 and 2017 it starred in the snow tests but this time it is fifth across the four assessments. It feels good on the handling track, though, with a decent balance and the feeling it’s pulling you through the turns.

The damage is done in the wet, where it finishes last, some 13 per cent behind the leaders. In braking it needs three metres longer to stop than the winner, and from behind the wheel it lacks front-end grip: you need to wait before getting on the throttle, but it feels secure with little rear movement. That security is there in the dry, but the steering is slow compared to the best.

We say: Poor performance in the wet ensured there would be no repeat of last year’s runner-up result

Blackcircles.Com says: This is not a particularly high-selling model, but the limited number of motorists who have ordered it have left positive reviews. They focus on grip levels and give it a score of 4.8/5.