Written by @oleks_lugovyi
Every reviewer, writer, car manufacturer and automotive journalist will have a varied opinion on which tyre is best, why this one is better than the other and so on and so forth. I may sound like a hypocrite trying to tell you the same thing about Hankook’s S1 Evo 3 tyre. However, hear me out, I’ve had the S3s on my Audi A8 for many years. The previous set lasted me close to 4 years and about 32 thousand miles. I liked the tyre so much that I went once again with the newer version of the same brand and same tyre type. I’m here to tell you the real-world implications, practicalities and day-to-day usability of the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 tyre.
Owning an A8 means that I have to fork out just a little bit extra money when it comes to tyres, being a bigger and heavier car that requires extra load tyre variants and having a pretty chunky wheel size means if you’re not careful you can spend anywhere from 700 to 1k on tyres and fitting alone (sometimes even more depending on where you buy your tyres and in what season). Come March I noticed that my tyre tread was starting to get close to minimum and decided to stay loyal and go for the same Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3s as before. However, I spent a bit extra and went for the top-of-the-range version which scored “A” for fuel, “A” for rain/wet driving and “A” for noise (69 Db). However, I also have a full-size spare wheel in my A8 which meant it too had to be replaced. At the time, I paid close to £800 for five tyres, which isn’t that bad on 255/40/R19 tyre specs.
Here comes the real-world review, the first noticeable difference is noise. Oh, how quiet they are, on an A8 which is already quiet with sound deadening all around on the road noise is minimal. You can be at peace with your own thoughts, in tune with the music and not even have to raise your voice when driving or using hands-free calling. The tyres make driving comfortable and quiet on long-distance journeys, which leads me to my next point.
From March to early September, I’ve already driven over four thousand miles, through Europe (France, Andorra and Spain) and across the treacherous and unpredictable weather conditions of Scotland and the Scottish Highlands. This is where the tyres really outperformed themselves, on long-distance journeys with a fully loaded car I was doing nearly 40 mpg. On normal dry, summer and hot roads they gripped fantastically well. On the mountain roads of Andorra which reached peaks of over seven thousand feet above sea level, with sharp bends that gave you the impression you were on a Group B rally track in the 80s with amazing and exquisite views all around. The tyres kept on pointing the car in the right direction, they never once lacked grip or didn’t feel like they weren’t in tune with the road. Sure, they may not be as sporty as say Michelin Pilot Sports, but these tyres sure came close and felt sporty and gripping enough to have some fun on the mountain roads. They were always at the right temperature, and gripped well and not once did I lose trust in them.
On a few occasions throughout Europe, emergency braking had to be engaged and tyres gripped without hesitation, and you can feel them in action. However, where the tyres really showed their strength was driving in extreme weather, harsh rain and colder conditions. When doing the Scottish NC500 (which is a review in the making), the harsh Scottish rain and storm weather were no match for the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3. There was endless grip, even when driving through flooded roads, heavily soaked and slippery tarmac the tyres always gripped, even at high speed there was no sensation or feeling of aquaplaning or loss of control or traction. Tied to a fully-fledged Quattro system and the Scottish Highland roads and weather conditions weren’t even a worry. At one point when driving through the Ilse of Skye there were winds of excess of 50 mph and heavy rain, and without hesitation, the tyres, the car and I pushed through and got to the overnight stay without issue.
The Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 is a tyre that keeps on giving, it offers a smooth and comfortable ride, but when the needs arise for a bit of fun, aggressive driving it will perform just as well. Not many people give this tyre a try or feel as though it can’t compete with the likes of Pirelli, Goodyear or Michelin. I say Hankook outperforms some of the big-name brands, and it was to my surprise when I went into an Audi dealership and saw that the brand-new Audi RS6 is sitting on the same Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 tyres as my A8. If this tyre is good enough for the top-of-the-range Audi RS cars, then I’m certain that it won’t let you down in keeping you and your pride and joy safe and happy.
Bleeding Edge Digital 