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Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 review

The Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 is a consistently good tyre with easily exploited abilities that has been overtaken since our last test

Auto Express Tyre Test 2024 - Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3

The Hankook was our winner the last time we tested this size back in 2021, and it performed well again this year. However, it couldn’t challenge the top performers in any aspect this time around, suggesting it has stood still while others have improved. As before, its best results came in the wet, where it was a close third in both wet braking – just 30cm off the best – and working through deep water in the straight-line aquaplaning test. 

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However, it was last in the wet cornering test and could manage only sixth fastest in wet handling, although as its percentage score shows, it wasn’t that far off the pace. Around the lap it lacked the bite of the best and was a little loose at the rear, but it broke away slowly, making its behaviour predictable and exploitable. 

It was a decent performer in the dry too, getting within a metre of the best tyre in the braking test and setting a mid-table lap time around the dry handling circuit. As in the wet, it lacked the outright grip of the best, but it had good feel and balance, and a calm adjustability, which made it easy to get the best from. It demonstrated strong refinement too, with low in-cabin noise levels, showed a good ability to round off sharp inputs on tough surfaces, and completed a solid performance with decent fuel economy. 

Blackcircles.com says…

“A popular choice, with over 1,500 customer reviews leading to an overall rating of 4.5/5.”

Results

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3  
Overall99.3% 
Price£99.16 
Wet braking99.10%3rd
Wet handling98.30%6th
Wet cornering97.40%8th
Curved aquaplaning86.80%6th
Straight aquaplaning98.20%3rd
Dry braking97.60%4th
Dry handling98.60%5th
Cabin noise94.0%6th
Rolling resistance92.50%4th

Buy the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 from Blackcircles.com…

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Products editor

Kim has worked for Auto Express for more than three decades and all but a year of that time in the Products section. His current role as products editor involves managing the section’s content and team of testers plus doing some of the tests himself. 

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