Hankook W300 winter tires: Review

[Louis J.]

Just arrived from picking up my W300s. I've driven about ~40 hwy miles on them in the rain at around 45*. Initial impressions:

- Very, very quiet. I coasted at 80 MPH and all I could hear was wind noise. Can't believe they're snows.
- Very stable at speed. Got them to 100MPH and the car was planted.
- Zero hydroplaning. Drove over large pools of standing water at ~80 MPH like it was nothing.
- Very grippy. Took an exit ramp I usually take at speed in the dry (with summers) and was at 8/10ths in the rain with no issues.
- They look HOT! The nicest, most agressive winter tire I've ever seen.

So far, very, very pleased for the $628 USD I paid. I'll post some pics and review after seat-time in the white stuff...when it shows up.

FWIW, I've used Blizzak LM-25s and Nokian WRs in the past on other cars.

[MacDaddy]

what did you think of the blizzacks? i've used WS-50's and i was throughly unimpressed, all the good reviews they get i think are the result of them being the emperors new clothes.

[ABanT]

I'd have to agree with you Louis. I've had them for about 2 weeks now and so far they have been great. I've had a chance to try them out in the snow a couple days ago and they seem to be great so far. I need to try them again though, it all melted by the next day.

I got to do some minor donuts and it was kinda hard to break them loose. But in the end I got it

[evilgabbie]

donuts are more fun when u do it with your abts

[JackalS4]

Thanks for the info!

They look like a pretty good set of winters to consider.

I played around with some all-seasons VS. General Altimax Arctics and they seem like a good winter tire to consider too! (http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=247793)

Although any winter is better than an all-season of course!

[BryanR]

Ran the W300 for the last 2 seasons. Definitely great value for $$$. Gonna try the Conti TS810 this year...

[ABanT]

donuts are more fun when u do it with your abts

Why? Did you get stuck in the snow with your summers?? lol that wouldn't be fun that would just suck.

[evilgabbie]

nah didn't get stuck, just drove out of fmp sideways

[Louis J.]

I'd have to agree with you Louis. I've had them for about 2 weeks now and so far they have been great. I've had a chance to try them out in the snow a couple days ago and they seem to be great so far. I need to try them again though, it all melted by the next day.

I got to do some minor donuts and it was kinda hard to break them loose. But in the end I got it

That's great to hear. The caps or the mountains surrounding Vancouver are starting to get dusted so its only a matter of time for me.

Here's the pics I promised. Sorry for the pic quality...took them with the crackberry.

[picus]

I like my W300's too. The only better winter tire I've used is Michelin x-ice, which is a deeper grooved tire, not a performance winter. I had Blizzacks lm-25 and wintersport m3s before the w300s and overall I prefer the w300s.

[akaisuzu]

That's great to hear. The caps or the mountains surrounding Vancouver are starting to get dusted so its only a matter of time for me.

Here's the pics I promised. Sorry for the pic quality...took them with the crackberry.

lol for a second I thought there's something wrong with my monitor, seeing that there's a straight blue line across all 4 pictures..

[Louis J.]

I like my W300's too. The only better winter tire I've used is Michelin x-ice, which is a deeper grooved tire, not a performance winter. I had Blizzacks lm-25 and wintersport m3s before the w300s and overall I prefer the w300s.

Interesting. I've had Blizzak LM-25s and Nokian WRs and so far I like the W300s better too but I've only driven them in mild wet/dry weather and on the hwy. No snow yet, so I can't fully compare.

lol for a second I thought there's something wrong with my monitor, seeing that there's a straight blue line across all 4 pictures..

lol. My phone camera has issues.

[headshok2002]

I just sold a set of W300's...
Nokian WR's are the favourite in my driveway, I think... My dad has them on his B6.
My car is running PA2's, and my mom's USP wagon is rockin Pirelli Winter Carvings.

I just like the WRs because they offer excellent performance in the winter on snow and ice, but are truly stellar on dry and wet pavement, even as temps start to rise. They are one of a couple tires that are classified as all-seasons, that bear the severe service emblem for use in snow. Treadwear of 400 in a winter tire is ridiculous!

Best snow tire I've ever used is the Nokian Hakka1, but it's notoriously noisy -- a well deserved reputation for sure, for kicking ass, and humming along as it does so (I thought I had a bad wheel bearing, at first).

Best ice tire was the--now discontinued--michelin arctic alpin.

But yeah, W300 is a good tire for 17"+, but I'd pay extra for the WRs, I think. I will report back on the PA2s, as I've not had them in snow. They have ridiculous reviews, so they should impress.

[SleeperAvant]

You need to get a photo of all those B6's on the driveway!

I just sold a set of W300's...
Nokian WR's are the favourite in my driveway, I think... My dad has them on his B6.
My car is running PA2's, and my mom's USP wagon is rockin Pirelli Winter Carvings.

I just like the WRs because they offer excellent performance in the winter on snow and ice, but are truly stellar on dry and wet pavement, even as temps start to rise. They are one of a couple tires that are classified as all-seasons, that bear the severe service emblem for use in snow. Treadwear of 400 in a winter tire is ridiculous!

Best snow tire I've ever used is the Nokian Hakka1, but it's notoriously noisy -- a well deserved reputation for sure, for kicking ass, and humming along as it does so (I thought I had a bad wheel bearing, at first).

Best ice tire was the--now discontinued--michelin arctic alpin.

But yeah, W300 is a good tire for 17"+, but I'd pay extra for the WRs, I think. I will report back on the PA2s, as I've not had them in snow. They have ridiculous reviews, so they should impress.

[headshok2002]

^^^ Haha, it's actually pretty ridiculous.

I should have got a photo a few weeks ago... When my car was on the LMs, my dad on his CHs, and my mom with her OEM 18's...

Now we're all on snow tires. Haha

I did get a picture a while back, before we had the USP wagon (my mom had a 4 door 1.8T golf).

Now we have:
My 02 (USP conversion)
my dads 02
my moms USP avant
my brothers 01 Jetta
my other brothers 03 GTI

It's a lot of 1.8T action! I have a feeling I'll be shopping for a beetle for my gf soon, too... but I'll go for a 2.0 for her.

[SleeperAvant]

I must admit, your mom is the coolest!

^^^ Haha, it's actually pretty ridiculous.

I should have got a photo a few weeks ago... When my car was on the LMs, my dad on his CHs, and my mom with her OEM 18's...

Now we're all on snow tires. Haha

I did get a picture a while back, before we had the USP wagon (my mom had a 4 door 1.8T golf).

Now we have:
My 02 (USP conversion)
my dads 02
my moms USP avant
my brothers 01 Jetta
my other brothers 03 GTI

It's a lot of 1.8T action! I have a feeling I'll be shopping for a beetle for my gf soon, too... but I'll go for a 2.0 for her.

[headshok2002]

I must admit, your mom is the coolest!

She always did keep the fridge stocked with Sunny D...

[Louis J.]

Headshok: interesting review. We don't have snow here yet so I can't do a fair comparison but from the reviews I've read, I'm expecting the W300s to be ~90% as effective and versatile as the WRs but $400 cheaper. Is that a fair assessment in your opinion?

[headshok2002]

As for the 90% as effective bit... I'd say 'probably'.
Really, if you make the switch to a dedicated winter tire -- they are going to be good. I even used cheapo polar trax for the end of last season, because they came with the car I bought. They were actually really good in some situations! Definitely not an ice tire, but they hooked up really well in deep snow.

However, you won't get the lifespan of the WR out of the W300s... the WRs just last really long. I'd expect one season more out of the WRs than the W300s... so that justifies the price difference, somewhat. Probably not 400 bucks worth, but you also get that extra 10% of performance. Haha :)

I've just been really happy with all Nokians, so I would feel good buying them again. Their prices went up a lot last year though... like 20-25% across their whole line.

[jro]

I have the blizzaks as well i really don't mind them at all, I drove them on fernie's ski hill in southern b.c. and i made it up the lift line no prob before the lifties chased me away, it's 30 below zero c and i can accelerate around icy corners and make left or right turns without hesitation, the tires themselves are designed for traction on ice they're really not for deep snow, they just don't have the rugged tread depth, this is the second season i've had them and i really like them, I used the dunlop winter sport md's and paid quite a bit for those and there was no comparison too the bridgestone's, My brother in law has the nokian haaka's and they as well are quite impressive , you give up the speed rating for better traction, but hey! who's driving 200Km's an hour on icy roads anyway! Cheers