Review: Hankook Ventus V12 EVO K110 Tires

[a4darkness]

Basics
A few weeks ago, I had a new set of Hankook Ventus V12 EVO K110's installed on my car. Wanted to provide some quick feedback to anyone interested. I'm by no means a tire expert. But I've run more than a few brands on 3 different A4's and do like researching to make a well informed decision. So maybe this will have some relevance. I opted for the the standard size 235/45ZR17's as I'm still running the OEM sport wheels.

This was a particularly fun project. After making a short list, I decided these were my front runner. So, I read literally all of the reviews on TireRack, then soured QW, AZ, Vortex, 6speedonline etc., and of course the magazine reviews (links below).

Goals
As I had just returned to the Bay Area after 9 yrs in SoCal, I had to pay closer attention to wet weather performance + braking as the rain and fog is far more prevalent up here. Safety first, right? Especially if I decide to drive like an ass and hit a slick spot. Been known to happen every so often. [rolleyes] Obviously, good cornering and braking were required. Durability and sidewall strength were a must. Also, I harbor a (very unproven) theory that an AWD vehicle is a bit more rough on tires overall as it's both power and weight being distributed to all four corners. That plus the heavy-ass-Panzer characteristics of the B6 A4 necessitates something that can take a beating. IMO the ~$100+ per/tire range is fair so I was looking to keep it around there.

Impressions
It's been ~600+ miles since they've been installed and I have nothing negative to report in the slightest. My only fear was a weak sidewall (as a heavy car might revel this more where a lighter car might not). But at 35PSI, that's proven to be a non-issue as these tires are incredibly true and steady around corners... even when aggressively pushed. I've not yet once heard them squeal or bark. And I'm noticing the absence of my traction control light (which came on quite frequently with my old tires, even before they were worn out).

Road noise has all but vanished. These have significantly decreased noise from not only regular driving but bumps and other imperfections in the road. And now, my A4 now glides at a quiet hum on the freeway. Never did that before.

Speaking of freeway speeds, at around 65MPH and above, these tires have excellent characteristics. The car just slips effortlessly up the speedometer and far more so than before. Guess that would be good 'high speed rolling resistance.' Straight line tracking is effortless and true at both low and high speeds.

I've only spent a bit of time in wet weather and again it was very positive. Never felt a loss of control or like I needed to slow down to a more conservative speed. Tried to replicate a sudden brake-check and they behaved perfectly. Overall, I had no loss of traction or other squirreliness.

Most significant point of note is the stopping. I was traveling approx 45mph on a dry, open, straight two-lane road. A car up ahead was waiting to pull out. He hesitated... and then slowly crept out (crossing my lane taking a left turn). I couldn't believe it. In short, this was a "two hands on the steering wheel and two feet on the brake pedal" kind of situation. No time to down shift, just react.

Shockingly, I came to a complete stop with what seemed to be very little effort. If the ABS kicked on, I didn't notice it. Tires didn't even chirp. I just... stopped. Even with the stock brakes, these tires dug into the pavement and then some. I'm just glad to have not plowed into the 80yr old man driving that Prius. And by the look on his face, he was certainly thinking the same. High marks here.

Caveat, anyone planning to use these in overly near freezing temps or ice / snow should be cautious as they're not designed for said conditions. And I'd imagine if tracked these tires might fair okay, but that's pure speculation. Maybe better, maybe worse. Nothing to report concerning these particulars.

Overall, I'm quite pleased. Big surprise. But please take my review with a grain of salt. Its understandable that even a good tire can be lacking in certain ways depending on one's opinion. Obviously I've not had these for too long so long term and tread life can't be reported upon. Also, I've yet to see any really serious rain... interested to see how they fair on all fronts.

But so far, I would give them a resounding recco for a solid performing dry/wet tire in the max performance summer category.

EDIT 01/09/12 -> Realized that I used to be running these as high as 40PSI and bumped them back up to that today. Made a huge difference. Pretty sure that's the sweet spot for these tires (at least with my setup).

Cost
Although these were very well priced on both Tire Rack and a few other sites, a local shop was able to get me these installed and out the door for $575. Bonus, Hankook is running a rebate right now as well:

$50 Mail In Rebate (good till June 30th)
http://hankooktireusa.com/greatcatch/


Info
Hankook Ventus V12 EVO K110 (Max Performance Summer)
235/45ZR17
UTQG: Treadwear: 280, Traction: AA, Temperature: A
Load Index 97 = 1609lbs (730kg) per tire
Speed Rating “Y” = 186mph (300kph)
Max Load: 1609 lbs.
Max. Inflation Press: 50 psi
Tread Depth: 10/32"
Tire Weight: 24lbs.
Rim Width Range: 7.5-9"
Meas. Rim Width: 8"
Sect. Width: 9.3"
Tread Width: 8.1"
Overall Diam: 25.4"
Revs Per Mile: 819
Country of Origin: Korea (company based + tires produced there)

TireRack Info
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Ventus+V12+evo+K110

Here's Hankook's mini-site for these tires. Side note, I'm usually quite leery of marketing-based stats, the corporate site is pretty nice. Worth a glance.
http://ventus.hankooktire.com/

Car and Driver Summer Tire Shootout
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/09q2/tire_test_nine_affordable_summer_tires_take_on_the _michelin_ps2-comparison_tests

2009 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test (learned that in Europe, auto mag annual tire tests carry a lot of weight)
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2009-Auto-Zeitung-Summer-Tyre-Test.htm


And cause I'm a PhotoSlut...


http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee273/noti88/Hankook%20Ventus%20V12%20EVO%20K110/bf6fec50.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee273/noti88/Hankook%20Ventus%20V12%20EVO%20K110/d631fc54.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee273/noti88/Hankook%20Ventus%20V12%20EVO%20K110/a01144a9.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee273/noti88/Hankook%20Ventus%20V12%20EVO%20K110/8ac3fd01.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee273/noti88/Hankook%20Ventus%20V12%20EVO%20K110/11639c9e.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee273/noti88/Hankook%20Ventus%20V12%20EVO%20K110/a5541206.jpg


fuck yeah curb rash!



UPDATE -> Long Term 'Testing' here. (http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/362322-Review-Hankook-Ventus-V12-EVO-K110-Tires?p=7153836&viewfull=1#post7153836)

[JoshDub]

Great write up! First order of business, lets see how fast you can wear off that Hankook on the bottom.

[a4darkness]

<- grabs keys, ipod and radar detector, heads for the door


Great write up! First order of business, lets see how fast you can wear off that Hankook on the bottom.

[JoshDub]

Good work solider. Shred hard [up]

[Sharkfin]

Nice review. My brother got a set of 19s on his G35 coupe a couple weeks ago and loves them as well, they were also the cheapest available tire on tirerack for his car.

[highseas]

I've been running them for the last month or so (235/40 18). So far, I'm very impressed. Very good wet grip and hydroplaning resistance for a high performance tire.

[doublezero30]

ive been running these since last summer and i love them also! wet and dry, they perform amazingly! im afraid ill have to replace them sooner than i was hoping for, but thats my alignment issue and not the tires themselves. ive put probably ~8,000 miles on them and loved every second of it. i just wish i had some hotchkis sways to help with the bodyroll around corners!

[Keaton@JHM]

solid review. i might get these.

[doublezero30]

solid review. i might get these.

you wont regret it.

[Keaton@JHM]

you wont regret it.

yea... it doesn't seem like it. i really need new tires but i'm debating whether or not i should go all seasons.

[a4darkness]

More formal update if anyone is interested.

Since buying these tires I randomly got a new job... very cool position / place. Significance? It came w/a 120m round trip commute (for the time being).

Needless to say, I've been driving... a LOT. And these tires have performed beyond expectation.

I knew these tires liked to be run at a higher PSI but set them at 35lbs for the time being which was fine. However, i just bumped it up to 40lbs and am even more pleased. There's a hair more road noise and bumpiness (very slight) but the trade off in firmness and control is awesome. They're just a bit more dialed to my liking. So then, to each their own between 35 and 40 PSI.

I need to highlight the braking abilities once again. 7 am, half awake... OUTOFNOWHERE BAMBI LEAPS IN FRONT OF MY CAR. Hit brakes, expect the worst from my stock 1.8T brakes. Nothing. Just slowed down enough for the deer to leap out of the way while I stayed firmly planted on the ground. No ABS, no nothin. Awesome. Accidentally killed a deer in HS... so glad I didn't have to relive that one.

Similar but far worse, some ridiculous cyclist on a trail that crosses a main road just decided to ride out in front of me. Even saw my car coming and just assumed he could ride out into the road. That was a full blown mash... two feet full force. Stopped on a fuckin dime. Even if the tires had squealed (which they didn't??) you'd have never heard it over the stream of profanities coming out of my mouth. Many of those smug Bay Area Prius owners own bicycles... the attitude carries over. Smug!! lol BRB, popping newly acquired blood pressure meds.

On a more positive note, I have been throwing the car into corners and taking on ramps faster and faster. And they grip solid and proper every time. So. Much. Fun. And the wet traction is so good I've legitimately forgotten the roads were wet to start with.

Rad.

[Keaton@JHM]

hah! darkness, i love your braking stories. you gotta watch out for the cyclists in the bay. even though i'm one of them sometimes, i hate it when they think that they have more of a right to be on the road than cars (rather than an equal right).

[a4darkness]

Couldn't agree more. Share the road... but this was just like, GTFO my way cause I'm on a bike, yo! I was like, awwwwwwwww you gotta be kidding me. Fuuuuuuuuuuuu

Also, unless you're in the ice and snow on a regular basis, these tires will be fine. I talked to some ppl who run them in colder climates and they said traction issues only started around the freezing mark. So, basically if you hit Tahoe, chains are required. But seeing that they are most of the time anyway, who cares? You'll be fine. I would never have gotten them if they weren't 100% appropriate for our environment here.

[Keaton@JHM]

Couldn't agree more. Share the road... but this was just like, GTFO my way cause I'm on a bike, yo! I was like, awwwwwwwww you gotta be kidding me. Fuuuuuuuuuuuu

hahahah. that's funny after the fact but i hate *hate* that feeling right before a hard brake slam! it's like, the worst combination of "oh F*&%, i'm gonna die" and "oh F*&%$, i'm so pissed that this is happening!"


Also, unless you're in the ice and snow on a regular basis, these tires will be fine. I talked to some ppl who run them in colder climates and they said traction issues only started around the freezing mark. So, basically if you hit Tahoe, chains are required. But seeing that they are most of the time anyway, who cares? You'll be fine. I would never have gotten them if they weren't 100% appropriate for our environment here.

word. i might get these today after work. i just got coilovers and it x3ed the noise and vibrations from my currently dying tires. where'd you have yours done?

[a4darkness]

ROTFL @ braking stuff

Actually had em done up in Sebastopol at Benedetti Tire (near my folk's place, was up there). They had to order em (so you wouldn't be able to walk in for them) but they beat Tire Rack's pricing which was kinda shocking. Geoff Brown was the guy who helped me, very cool guy.

What CO's? I'm really hesitant about going that route as the roads around here are garbage. (Bay Area roads... bad?? Never!)

[Keaton@JHM]

They had to order em (so you wouldn't be able to walk in for them)

but i want them nowwwwww! hahah.

i got the coilovers installed at 2bennett. they have a custom kit with their own fabricated springs and koni shocks. i just had them installed last night and knowing my tires are garbage i haven't been able to really drive it. do coilovers! the money will pay for itself every time you look at the car when you get in, where you're in the car taking on/off ramps at 50+, and when you're walking away from the car. the adjustable-ness of the kit is nice, too. it is a little bumpy i guess but i really don't mind that because it handles sooo well.

[AvantJunkie]

I am picking a set of these up next week, and this review just solidified my decision. Very in depth review--Thanks again, darkness!

[B6 1.8T]

Just chiming in, I've put about 6,000 miles on mine so far and I love them. I've noticed a huge increase in wet traction, surprisingly (coming from Michelins) but they are quiet, and handle great in the twisties... I'd definitely recommend them.

[doublezero30]

Also, unless you're in the ice and snow on a regular basis, these tires will be fine. I talked to some ppl who run them in colder climates and they said traction issues only started around the freezing mark. So, basically if you hit Tahoe, chains are required. But seeing that they are most of the time anyway, who cares? You'll be fine. I would never have gotten them if they weren't 100% appropriate for our environment here.

these tires arent recommended to be driven in under 45degree weather. last fall, i drove on the in 40-45 degree weather and they were fine. but i would never ever attempt to use them in snow or ice or even below freezing. i just care too much about my car and safety to be that stupid using summer tires for winter.

[lookaught]

So there is very little road noise? Please update as they wear, I'm sure you'll burn through them at 120 miles/day. I hate loud tires, and was looking at these for my next set as they are cheeeeap.

Thanks for the writeup!

[Trev]

Have them here too. About 1000miles on them so far and I couldn't be any more happy. 235/35/19 in the front and 245/35/19 in the rear.

Only been able to test them out in the rain for the most part (rainy Vancouver weather) and they defiantly do their job. I was able to do a full stop from 150k/hr (93miles/hr) in the rain and they didn't even seem break a sweat. Iphone Dynolicious measured a breaking force of 1.1G's

[VMRWheels]

I'm personally running these tires on my car right now too, definitely no complaints on my end so far!

[a4darkness]

LOL, yeah I hear that. Had to wait like 5 days cause the stock on hand for these is always limited. But, I took that as a good indicator.

I was thinking about this on the (long ass) drive home tonite... you make good points here c2c. COs are more and more for me. Never thought I'd care so much about ride height. Oh how things change. ;-]

As for the bumpy part, I'm kinda curious now to see how much it changes once you've got new shoes on the Avant.


but i want them nowwwwww! hahah.

i got the coilovers installed at 2bennett. they have a custom kit with their own fabricated springs and koni shocks. i just had them installed last night and knowing my tires are garbage i haven't been able to really drive it. do coilovers! the money will pay for itself every time you look at the car when you get in, where you're in the car taking on/off ramps at 50+, and when you're walking away from the car. the adjustable-ness of the kit is nice, too. it is a little bumpy i guess but i really don't mind that because it handles sooo well.

[a4darkness]

Bitchin. Hey, you bet. Hope you like em as much as I do Brett.


I am picking a set of these up next week, and this review just solidified my decision. Very in depth review--Thanks again, darkness!

[a4darkness]

I'm still kinda shocked over the wet traction. And you must really be putting it to good use over thurrr. <waves to other side of the big yard>


Just chiming in, I've put about 6,000 miles on mine so far and I love them. I've noticed a huge increase in wet traction, surprisingly (coming from Michelins) but they are quiet, and handle great in the twisties... I'd definitely recommend them.

[a4darkness]

these tires arent recommended to be driven in under 45degree weather. last fall, i drove on the in 40-45 degree weather and they were fine. but i would never ever attempt to use them in snow or ice or even below freezing. i just care too much about my car and safety to be that stupid using summer tires for winter.

^^ thank you for further clarifying 'near freezing' with your experiences. I couldn't be more specific as I wasn't provided w/actual temps, just approximations.

[a4darkness]

You bet Jon. I'm sure I will too, lol. But even I only get 15-20K out of em, that's fine by me. Long term wear seems to be dependent on driving style... or so I was able to ascertain from all the reviews I read. If you really want specifics, I can get exact mileage, do a depth test and take some more pics. No prob.

Noise? Lets just say for the first time ever I was able to hear how truly shitty the OEM speakers are. No sir, I've had loud tries (Kumho!) and these, as of now, are no where near like them.


So there is very little road noise? Please update as they wear, I'm sure you'll burn through them at 120 miles/day. I hate loud tires, and was looking at these for my next set as they are cheeeeap.

Thanks for the writeup!

[mnkyA4]

Dam Thomas, just might have to get these for my 18's soon.

[Keaton@JHM]

As for the bumpy part, I'm kinda curious now to see how much it changes once you've got new shoes on the Avant.

i should be able to let you know tonight or tomorrow. tirerack works hella fast. big o in concord already has my tires. if i can sneak out of work a little early i might be able to throw that new rubber on tonight!

[a4darkness]

Damn son, you got on that ish right quick. Nicely done.

Semi-related note, yesterday Griffin in Berkley installed my StopTechs. That plus the tires makes for a ridiculously good combination. Awesome.


i should be able to let you know tonight or tomorrow. tirerack works hella fast. big o in concord already has my tires. if i can sneak out of work a little early i might be able to throw that new rubber on tonight!

[Keaton@JHM]

mmmm i want a bbk! kinna expensive though.

[a4darkness]

For a very long time, I was repeatedly told that it was worth the money. I didn't really believe it. Like... eh, probably great but worth it? Nah.

All that changed last night on the drive home. My god, what a difference.

Hopefully I can find a way to construe this feeling appropriately in a 'review' of sorts.


mmmm i want a bbk! kinna expensive though.

[Keaton@JHM]

did you just do the front? calipers and rotors?

[a4darkness]

Sorta both... new to me StopTech 332 kit on the front (old style hats, non-directional). Added new friction rings, new StopTech pads and lines for both the front and in the rear for the OEM setup (which I left alone, plenty of life left in the pads / rotors).

And am I severely lacking sleep or did you just switch your profile pic?

[Keaton@JHM]

ahhh... got it.

hah, yea. i just switched it. i just remembered i had some pictures of my car (not just my grille) loaded on the computer. i'm new on here and one of the guys suggested that i put up pictures of my car so people could start recognizing me. that pic should help, but you can't tell that it's a killer avant. i'll have to update it.

[a4darkness]

<- jealous



killer avant

[EBG 18T]

thanks for updating us on the V12s. I almost bought a set this week for the wifes car, but i ended up ordering the Conti DW for her. Get them mounted today and i am amazed how quiet and smooth they are compared to her dead Bridgestone 070's. The DW's have a softer turn in the old tires, but the quietness and ride quality definitely overshadow the slight decrease in turn-in. Depending on how these work out i may have to order a set for myself next spring.

[a4darkness]

Sure Eric, no prob.

At a certain point a lot of it comes down to personal preference. I mean, once you're boxed into a category and looking at tires on the same level, it's kinda more about whatcha like and don't like. I just hope I continue to like the Kooks and you the DWs. Curious to hear how they perform on your ride... especially after a proper thrashing.

[dman3931]

I am considering a set of 235/35-19. I have a set of Ice Bears as a winter set and I have to say, I think they are a decent tire, and pretty good for the price, but they have pretty poor lip protection. As they are on my OEM wheels, its not a huge issue. I am about to get a set of DPEs with a nice lip though, and I dont want the same lack of protection. I dont know how the Ventus stacks up in that department. Can anyone comment on that or the ride with the 19s, as I'm sure it is much different than with the huge sidewall of a 17". Thank you

[a4darkness]

I'm not sure if a larger sidewall does that much to protect the lip of a rim. But I'm sure it helps. As for actual rim protection, that is something I can't speak to. Haven't been able to find any data supporting it for these tires... which is kinda weird. Usually it's listed as Yes or No in the tire data sheet.


I am considering a set of 235/35-19. I have a set of Ice Bears as a winter set and I have to say, I think they are a decent tire, and pretty good for the price, but they have pretty poor lip protection. As they are on my OEM wheels, its not a huge issue. I am about to get a set of DPEs with a nice lip though, and I dont want the same lack of protection. I dont know how the Ventus stacks up in that department. Can anyone comment on that or the ride with the 19s, as I'm sure it is much different than with the huge sidewall of a 17". Thank you

[FLYINGLEGGS]

Great review. Thanks.

[a4darkness]

Certainly.

Tires are still going strong. No increase in road noise or lack of control / stopping to date. Been clocking 120m+ M-F round trip w/the new commute for over a month now. Got the Stoptechs on and now if I brake hard it throws my head in the dash. Epic.

[Dake]

Solid review indeed. I've been shopping for tires (still on Winter Performance and it's midsummer..) and these just might be what I get. Plus they're not $250/ea. [:D]

[north door]

Have these in 19in on 08 335i, very pleased with them so far. Ride is much better than the stock runflats, handling and braking seem to be great, especially for the price. The C&D review pretty much sold me on these tires, I'll prolly be getting some for the A4 next year.

[Keaton@JHM]

oh! oh! i have these, too. or rather, after reading darkness' review i bought them. they are pretty awesome! can't beat the price. i need to figure out what i'm doing in the winter though. either getting all seasons and bigger wheels or taking the gf's car up to tahoe.

[Keaton@JHM]

Got the Stoptechs on and now if I brake hard it throws my head in the dash. Epic.

ps: ^ LMFAO!!!

[Kronic Budz]

i am as well running these "budget" tires and am very pleased. Great braking, road comfort/noise and grip. Only concern i have had with them is that the sidewall is a little on the weaker side. I feel i need to run a higher pressure to obtain the grip and treadwear im looking for, as well as give it more of a tight feel rather than soft. I had them at 35-37 psi and felt nice but now i have them around 37-38 psi cold. 235/40/18

[AvantJunkie]

Just picked these up yesterday in a 235/35/19, and I already love them. Running them at 40 psi, they ride smoother and quiter than my 18 Michelin PS A/S's. Haven't had a chance to push them yet, but will be sure to report back after I do.

[a4darkness]

i am as well running these "budget" tires and am very pleased. Great braking, road comfort/noise and grip. Only concern i have had with them is that the sidewall is a little on the weaker side. I feel i need to run a higher pressure to obtain the grip and treadwear im looking for, as well as give it more of a tight feel rather than soft. I had them at 35-37 psi and felt nice but now i have them at 40psi cold. 235/40/18

After a few K miles, I noticed some minor 'leaning' when taking long sloping corners at high speeds. It was weird cause it was only in the rear. So I pumped em up from 35 to 40psi and have been quite pleased with the results.

Also, it's great to hear these are getting nods in both 18" and 19" sizes. Not like it would matter too much, but you never know right?

[oildrpr]

i'm thinkin of these myself.. just not sure yet. but leaning towards em'..

[Charles.waite]

Bringing this thread back from the dead...

How are these holding up Darkness? I'm debating these or ContiExtreme DWSs. I am having a raging debate in my head over All Season vs Summer, especially after all the snow here up north this past winter. Leaning towards the Kooks, as my gf's b7 avant has the DWSs and I'm not enamored with them. They seem fine, but a bit too loud and a bit too much flex. Of course it could be the non-sport chassis letting her ride down...

I'm running Yoko yk520s from the previous owner that I am not in love with either. The Kooks sound perfect were I not concerned about winter performance...

[north door]

I have the Kooks on my A4 and my wife's 335i.....very happy with them in all non snow conditions. If you have to drive in snow, you need to have a dedicated set of winter tires and rims. You won't believe the difference between real snow tires and so-called all-seasons (or as one tire store employee called them "no-seasons").
But the Kooks seem to be a great tire for the money.....isn't that what we want?

[Charles.waite]

Good to know. Yea it seems like the Kooks tick nearly all the boxes, have very few drawbacks and are relatively affordable to boot! Plus I've always got the avant in case a snow.

I feel you on the "no season" comment. I wonder if the snow ability of the all seasons is really just a placebo? Even at their best, all seasons are merely passable in light snow. They'll never beat a dedicated snow tire. Of course that piece of mind, that "just in case" feeling that all seasons give you that 1% of the time when the weather is snowy might be worth it. the other 99% of the year, probably not.

[Pothole]

wow these just showed up at my door yesterday, glad you brought this thread back from the dead so I can feel all warm and fuzzy about my purchase

[Saracen]

Got 235/40/18's mounted up a few weeks ago. No complaints at all, it's an excellent tire.

[treedodger]

Thomas,

Can you give me an update on how these tires are holding up? How many miles do you think you'll get out of them?

Thanks!

[Charles.waite]

Yes, inquiring minds want to know! I'm THIIIS close to pulling the trigger on getting some of these. But I dont want to be buying a new set every 20k or so...

[Trev]

Still running mine, absolutely amazing tires for the price.

Had to do a hard full stop from 160kph (stupid raccoon) gf's glasses flew right off her face and hit the windshield... [:p]

[Charles.waite]

Still running mine, absolutely amazing tires for the price.

Had to do a hard full stop from 160kph (stupid raccoon) gf's glasses flew right off her face and hit the windshield... [:p]

How do you find them in the winter? or do you have a winter setup. Since our weather is pretty comparable I am curious if I'll need to invest in some all seasons at some point for the winter...

[a4darkness]

Thomas,
Can you give me an update on how these tires are holding up? How many miles do you think you'll get out of them?
Thanks!

Yes, inquiring minds want to know! I'm THIIIS close to pulling the trigger on getting some of these. But I dont want to be buying a new set every 20k or so...


My bad on the delayed reply fellas, just finished up finals and trying to catch up... and replace my rear window. Thankfully, just now checked that off the list.

As for the Kooks, they've held up very well. The dry traction is epic and the wet traction is equally excellent. Frankly, I was really surprised that they delivered so well in the rain. When I lived down in SoCal, I just ran summers all the time and didn't care too much about what they were. But now that I'm back in The Bay, we do get some crazy rain so I really wanted to get something both affordable and SAFE in the rain. Okay, lets be honest here... I wanted to drive in the rain like I drive when it's not raining, or at least not have to worry about it. Turns out, they're the real deal.

As for longevity, I lost one to an errant piece of metal on The Bay Bridge early this year so I'm unsure about total mileage but I guess-timated about 20k, which seems about right for ~$110 tires. However, I realized just a short time ago that I never got an alignment after they were installed (did suspension shortly after, was going to do it then, swapped it twice etc etc). So, these could have lasted longer. But IMO, they're pretty much the grits and I ordered up another set when the original rears went a few months ago. If my review seemed excessive, it was more so b/c I was so shocked that a Korean tire at this price point could get such great marks compared to the PS2's (per the comparison articles).

My only stipulation would be to run them at 35PSI as the rear sidewalls will flex a bit if you really push em hard. That was on the street (backroad out in the forest) and the only time they've wavered. But it was at like 70+ on a long sweeping turn. At that point, it's pretty much a track style situation and I'm cool with that as a threshold.

So, as for longevity, I would say 25k...likely more. Wish I had some more solid data for you guys but since I lost one and had to purchase + rotate I never found out. Well, that an the whole no alignment thing. Such a rookie move. My bad. Anyway, this is not a 40k tire but frankly at this price point I'm not complaining in the slightest. These have been spectacular tires for my needs and i will continue to buy them.



How do you find them in the winter? or do you have a winter setup. Since our weather is pretty comparable I am curious if I'll need to invest in some all seasons at some point for the winter...

Wanted to address this specifically Charles. This tire is not designed for winter use, but this I'm sure you already know. However, since we do see mid 20's at the very lowest but mostly high 20's to 30's temps in the dead of winter here in NorCal, I wanted to know if the Kooks were gonna implode or something. I found a fella on QW who told me that they loose grip around 20 deg (and are not for use in the snow). So then, that was plenty good for me as we'll rarely if ever see temps that cold.


Hope that helps fellas.

EDIT: One more thing. Granted, I have StopTechs which are arguably the finest mod I've ever done. But they aren't worth shite w/out a great tire to compliment them. For the past three months I've been playing stop-light F1 racer in SF and countless times I've mashed on my brakes and come to a perfectly glorious stop again and again. Now of course, the StopTechs are a large part of this... but anyone with subpar tires can tell you that when they brake it's scary as hell. Not with these, not in the slightest.

[Charles.waite]

Good to know, thanks for the update. Yea I was mostly worried about the temperature thing, not the snow so much. I live on a hill and honestly I'd rather just not try to get to work with the way normally moronic Seattle drivers turn extra retarded in the snow. Its kind of comical really, but then you get the idiots with their SUVs who drive around at 80 because they have "4 Wheel Drive" h-yuck! And then people wonder why they always see SUVs stranded on the side of the road... /rant.

I'm really thinking of pulling the trigger on these soon. I checked my tires the other day (crappy yoko yk520s) and not only did the driver fron have a nice slice/chunk out of the sidewall, but the driver rear is worn almost to the belts on the inside due to the previous owner not knowing what an alignment was. Also each tire has a drastically different wear level and manufacturing date. One was 2007, one was 2008, and two were 2010. So yea, they've got to go. I'll probably just keep the Yokos and use them in the winter if I can source a cheap/decent set of rims.

Anyway thanks for the updates on this. They sound like the real deal.

[widgget]

for summer tires these are great, been running a set of 18s this season with no complaints so far.

[Pothole]

Good to know, thanks for the update. Yea I was mostly worried about the temperature thing, not the snow so much. I live on a hill and honestly I'd rather just not try to get to work with the way normally moronic Seattle drivers turn extra retarded in the snow. Its kind of comical really, but then you get the idiots with their SUVs who drive around at 80 because they have "4 Wheel Drive" h-yuck! And then people wonder why they always see SUVs stranded on the side of the road... /rant.

I'm really thinking of pulling the trigger on these soon. I checked my tires the other day (crappy yoko yk520s) and not only did the driver fron have a nice slice/chunk out of the sidewall, but the driver rear is worn almost to the belts on the inside due to the previous owner not knowing what an alignment was. Also each tire has a drastically different wear level and manufacturing date. One was 2007, one was 2008, and two were 2010. So yea, they've got to go. I'll probably just keep the Yokos and use them in the winter if I can source a cheap/decent set of rims.

Anyway thanks for the updates on this. They sound like the real deal.

first off ill second the retard drivers in Seattle, how the hell does no one in this state know how to drive!!!

second these kooks are awesome, feel just as grippy as the BFG G-force's i took off, and way quieter, and a softer ride on the crappy roads/potholes/construction areas

[Trev]

These are summer tiers ONLY!!!

I run a full set of Winter tires from mid fall to mid spring here in Vancouver which is identical to Seattle weather.

[a4darkness]

These are summer tiers ONLY!!!
I run a full set of Winter tires from mid fall to mid spring here in Vancouver which is identical to Seattle weather.

Agreed. I can't really speak to the weather in Seattle, but my gut says if you're up there don't rely on these for a winter solution. But if you're just facing rain and temps as specified, good to go. We'll call em Summer/ Aggressive Fall Tires.

[Charles.waite]

These are summer tiers ONLY!!!

I run a full set of Winter tires from mid fall to mid spring here in Vancouver which is identical to Seattle weather.

I know. I'm just thinking I'll have my Yoko all seasons for winter and the kooks for the other 95% of the year. I would go with winters but I really don't want to shell out for two sets of tires and a set of winter rims. Just not worth it at this point, though when I've got more cashflow I'll probably go that direction. All-Season's have always seemed rather pointless to me...

Though with the way people now prepare for winter around here since we've had close to 3 inches of snow in the past two years, I should be getting studded snows and run them from october to april. I swear people around here are such reactionary/irrational morons when it comes to weather out here. Eastern washington routinely gets feet of snow in a year. Seattle, MAYBE 2 inches, once a winter, and its usually melted by the middle of the day. People are so worried about the snow, they fail to think about the fact that the ice is whats really dangerous. But I digress. I could go on for days so I'll just leave you with this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5AUznN3VXg


Summer/ Aggressive Fall Tires
^^This!

[Pothole]

I know. I'm just thinking I'll have my Yoko all seasons for winter and the kooks for the other 95% of the year. I would go with winters but I really don't want to shell out for two sets of tires and a set of winter rims. Just not worth it at this point, though when I've got more cashflow I'll probably go that direction. All-Season's have always seemed rather pointless to me...

Though with the way people now prepare for winter around here since we've had close to 3 inches of snow in the past two years, I should be getting studded snows and run them from october to april. I swear people around here are such reactionary/irrational morons when it comes to weather out here. Eastern washington routinely gets feet of snow in a year. Seattle, MAYBE 2 inches, once a winter, and its usually melted by the middle of the day. People are so worried about the snow, they fail to think about the fact that the ice is whats really dangerous. But I digress. I could go on for days so I'll just leave you with this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5AUznN3VXg


^^This!

I run my 19's (now the kooks) about 11 months about of the year, then I have my stock wheels with a good 4 season tire on them for when it snows, thats all you need for seattle... well that and to stay out of the way of those people who dont understand physics of inertia

[Rommulus]

Bumping this thread for some sidewall pics!


Debating between a 225 or 235 for an 18x8 wheel. If you have sidewall pics of either size on an 8" wide wheel please post em up! All I could find in a search was 8.5" pics [:(] Thanks!

I'd like to go with the 235, but knowing how sidewall shape differs between tire brands, I'm worried about the 235 looking a bit too ballooned for my taste...

[Sharkfin]

I would definitely go with the 235 and I speak from experience.

[Pothole]

sorry I have 19x8.5


but I vote 235

[Bsix3.0]

i have 19x8 with 225/35 tires. ill go take a pic. brb lol

[BNZ TOY]

great thread, and solid review as usual. I'll look into these when my nittos wear thin. Thanks man.

[Rommulus]

I would definitely go with the 235 and I speak from experience.
Can you elaborate? Did you just prefer the look of the 235?


i have 19x8 with 225/35 tires. ill go take a pic. brb lol
Looking forward to the pic. Thank!

[Sharkfin]

wider track, better handling, looks better, protects the wheel more

[Charles.waite]

Agreed. Wider contact patch is never a bad thing. Wheel protection is a bonus. the tires on my g37 were pretty stretched and every rim was curbed. I was VERY careful too, but one slipup and CRUNCH! Plus my GF drove it a lot and didn't give a shit.....

[a4darkness]

I've been asked time and again about how these tires hold up over the long term. Overall, they've been pretty damn good. But I really wanted to report back with something more definitive than that. However, it's been somewhat difficult considering I've not yet had a full set from start to finish. But maybe this will suffice, was able to put together a timeline of sorts.

April 2010 -> 59,130m
* four new tires installed

April 2011 -> 75,300m (lost 1 front tire due to punctured sidewall via large piece of metal)
* existing front converted to spare @ 16,170m
* new fronts installed
* rears kept @ 16,170m

Dec 2011 -> 89,450m
* rears pulled and tossed @ 30,320m
* fronts to rears @ 14,150m
* new fronts installed

During this entire time I never actually got an alignment. Not the greatest of ideas but considering how many times I've swapped and / or adjusted my suspension it would have been an exercise in futility or uber expensive to keep getting alignments... unless I had lifetime alignments from Firestone or something... but they're not gonna touch my car.

I knew my rears were on the wear bars in late Oct and ordered a set on Black Friday ($200 shipped!) but had zero opportunities until that day to get em installed until mid Dec. Had to wait till finals were over. Normally I would NEVER drive on tires like this. They went from a decent amount of tread to almost nothing practically overnite. Not safe, even with quattro.

So here's a set of Hankooks with approx 30k on em
* driven hard in the city, lots of freeway miles and plenty of spirited drives on country back roads (no tracking, just two parade laps at AZ10)
* no alignments
* on a suspension that was swapped / altered at least 20 times
* majority of life spent as rears which is far less wear than fronts

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee273/noti88/Hankook%20Ventus%20V12%20EVO%20K110/A4Tiresbald12-20-11.jpg


Needless to say, it won't be my last set.

[Pothole]

^wow those are pretty bald!!!

I ran mine for three months in the summer before i pulled them for winter, they still look brand new, can't wait to put them back on! [drive]

[Charles.waite]

I still want these. Unfortunately, I dont think snows are in the cards, so I'll likely be getting some Conti DWS. I haz a sad...

[screwball]

I've been running them for the last month or so (235/40 18). So far, I'm very impressed. Very good wet grip and hydroplaning resistance for a high performance tire.

I'm running the same size on my GTI.

BT + FWD = ZZzzzz.... for me, but that's to be expected. Overall I've been happy with these.

[Pothole]

I still want these. Unfortunately, I dont think snows are in the cards, so I'll likely be getting some Conti DWS. I haz a sad...

Don't cry to much Mr White, my uncle got some DWS's to run as his winter set up on his mod'ed B5 S4, and never took them off, loves them and they have been on the car for a year and a half, his summer michelin's are just wasting away in the garage now

[Charles.waite]

My B7 non-sport has the DWS and they are great tires. I just can't help but shed a tear or two for the few hundredths of a G that I might be missing out on in the twisties. Not that there are any of those in my commute. But a guy can dream right?

Went skiing at Stevens Pass yesterday and the DWS were SOLID in the icy parking lot and really good in the torrential rain on the way home. No complaints really other than my B7 needs a better suspension! When I have the luxury of buying a set of 3-Season tires, I'll definitely be getting these though

[Pothole]

I was always in the 4 season tire corner....until I learned of the dark side [evilsmile]

now I have more wheels and tires than I know what to do with

[Charles.waite]

Oh I know too sadly. Had some RE050As on my previous G37. The grip was incredible. Wet was so-so. Winter in those was terrifying though. They just got WAY too hard in the cold.

Trust me, my No-Season DWS cop out is not for lack of desire. Its purely financial ATM. Got more important things that require my surplus $$$ [;)]

[A42007]

I have had mine for 9 months and put about 15,000 miles on them. They are still in great condition.

I keep my car aligned, tires balanced and rotated every 5,000 miles too.

[a4darkness]

Realized that I used to be running these as high as 40PSI and bumped them back up to that today. Made a huge difference. Pretty sure that's the sweet spot for these tires (at least with my setup).

[Pothole]

^ same, think I have them at 42psi though, or thats what there gonna be at once they go back on

[screwball]

I ran mine at 40psi on my GTI.

[a4darkness]

40 on a GTI and even 42 on an A4? Seems like this really is the range to be in. Good to know fellas.

Did some brief freeway driving after filling them up but have yet to do an extended drive. And no backroads yet. Curious to observe the differences.

[Pothole]

not sure if its worth anything, but I heard your supposed to run low pro's at 40psi...cant remember where I heard it though of from who [:/]

[a4darkness]

It makes sense... less area to absorb shock needs a higher psi to keep the sidewall from collapsing.

However, all other tires I've run on an A4 have called for / seemed best at 30-35psi and I figured that was going to be the case with these as well. However, it's not. This is certainly better. I just wanted to be sure and post it as others have complained about sidewall flex around corners and other minor, less than favorable characteristics that are more apparent when these tires have a psi closer to 30 than 40.

[Charles.waite]

Hmm. I run my tires (Yoko YK520 235/40r18 on the B6, Conti DSW 235/45r17 on the B7) at around 35-37. I found that on my G37 (225/45r19 fronts, 245/45r19 rears) while they recommend 32psi, they handled much better at closer to 40, like you guys have found.

It firmed up the ride some, but when the sidewalls are that short its just making a already harsh ride worse. I was going to check the tire pressures today so maybe I'll pump it up to 39-ish and see how I like it. My Yokos are on their last legs so its almost new tire time. Maybe this spring...

[a4darkness]

^^ This just brought an interesting thought... Wouldn't the recommended tire pressure be based upon the tire(s) that ship with the vehicle?

[Charles.waite]

Good point. The G had Bridgestone RE050A. Wouldn't recommend them btw, road noise was godawful, tramlining was godawful. Grip was awesome though. Except of wet roads, thank god for Traction Control!

Also is it just me or has TireRack jacked up the price for the Hankooks? $180 a tire now?

[LuckyUSP]

I run these in a 245/40R17, on my mid to high 300awhp dsm, they are a great tire, however a little lower quality when comparing to a premium tire obviously. I break all four loose with a hard launch, but aside from that, I love mine too!

[Pothole]

^ I payed $165 back in August, 2011

[oaybar007]

I figured I'd bring this one back.

There's an $80 rebate on these until June 30th so I might give them a try. I haven't had summer tires on my USP since 2007 and it's about time!

[daihashi]

I figured I'd bring this one back.

There's an $80 rebate on these until June 30th so I might give them a try. I haven't had summer tires on my USP since 2007 and it's about time!

They're pretty nice for a street tire. Good wet/dry traction, stiff side wall, decent mileage, low road noise.

They're my favorite street tire, can't beat the price for what you get.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[MikTip]

The "XL" at the end of the tires size indicates extra load! Which means a beefier side wall!
Never buy from tire places unless they are XL rated for the B6 Audi.! [hail]

[oaybar007]

Thanks for the tip!

[SlickFix]

Just wanted to thank a4darkness and everyone else who participated in this thread. Thanks to you guys, I just ordered a set from Discount Tires and will have them installed on the Avant when they arrive.