Hankook Tire wins UK's 2026 WhatTire Award for 6th consecutive year

Hankook Tire & Technology said Wednesday that 11 of its products across nine categories have been recognized at the 2026 WhatTire Awards, organized by leading British tire publication WhatTire, marking the company's sixth consecutive year winning at the event.

The WhatTire Awards evaluate major tire products sold in the UK market on overall performance and safety to select a "Tire of the Year" in each category. Hankook Tire took first place in three categories this year, earned two "Highly Recommended" ratings and six "Recommended" ratings, cementing its standing as a global top-tier brand.

The company demonstrated broad product competitiveness by winning across a wide range of segments, including electric vehicle, high-performance and winter tires. Products from four of the company's major global brand lines were recognized: iON, the world's first full-lineup EV-dedicated tire brand; Ventus, its flagship tire brand; Kinergy, its comfort tire brand; and Winter i*cept, its winter tire brand.

The iON lineup led the way. The iON evo claimed first place in the "EV Tire of the Year" category for the third consecutive year since 2024, while the iON evo SUV took first place in the "SUV Tire of the Year" category.

The iON FlexClimate SUV received a "Highly Recommended" rating in the "All-Season SUV Tire of the Year" category, and the iON FlexClimate earned a "Recommended" rating in the "EV Tire of the Year" category, underscoring the strength of the company's full EV-dedicated tire lineup.

The Ventus line also drew high marks. The ultra-high-performance Ventus evo claimed first place in the "Performance Tire of the Year" category for the second consecutive year. The Ventus evo features an optimized EMC developed using the latest AI technology, balancing world-class performance and driving stability.

The premium comfort tire Ventus Prime4 received a "Highly Recommended" rating in the "Summer Tire of the Year" category, while the ultra-high-performance super sports tire Ventus S1 evo Z earned a "Recommended" rating in the "Super Sports Tire of the Year" category.

Tires optimized for seasonal driving conditions also performed well across the board. The Kinergy 4S2 all-weather tire received a "Recommended" rating in the "All-Season Tire of the Year" category, and all three Winter i*cept models — the RS3, evo3 and evo3 X — earned "Recommended" ratings in the "Winter Tire of the Year" category, demonstrating the company's competitive range across seasons and driving environments.

Hankook Tire has built its global technological edge on a state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure spanning its Technoplex, Hankook Technodome and Hankook Techno Ring facilities. The company has consistently earned strong results from evaluations by global automotive publications such as Auto Bild and accredited certification bodies including TÜV SÜD.

Hankook Tire is South Korea's first tire-dedicated company and its top-selling automotive tire brand domestically. Operating through four global regional headquarters, more than 30 overseas branches, eight production facilities and five R&D centers, it sells tires in more than 160 countries and generates over 85 percent of its total sales from overseas markets.