Hankook Tires is a leading tire manufacturer based out of South Korea, and builds tires for passenger cars, light trucks, CUVs, SUVs, minivans, electric vehicles, and commercial trucks. The brand focuses on making affordable, durable and performance-oriented tires in different tire categories.

The Hankook Winter I* Pike LT (RW09) is a studdable winter tire that is designed for use on European vans and light trucks. The tire is designed to deliver optimum traction and performance in icy and snowy weather conditions. In this Hankook Winter I* Pike LT (RW09) tire review, we will take a look at some of the features and benefits of the tire that makes it a good choice, its pros and cons, and SimpleTire’s view on the tire.

Features and Benefits

Winter tires are designed for use in medium to heavy winter weather conditions where the temperature is consistently below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. These tires are made from flexible rubber compounds and can be either studdable or non-studdable. Winter tires often feature aggressive tread patterns to reduce the risk of hydroplaning when driving on slush, icy, wet, or snowy roads.

The Hankook Winter I* Pike LT (RW09) is a studdable winter tire that features 3D grooves, wide lateral grooves, additional siping, 3D shoulder blocks, and more to make it a reliable tire in the winter weather. Here is some more information on these features and benefits:

• Improved wet performance: The 3D grooves help to improve snow and wet performance while wide lateral grooves maximize ice braking performance.
• Reduced braking distance: The slits in the center groove help reduce ice braking distance.
• Studdable: Can be pinned with up to six rows of studs, where permitted, to increase performance on icy and snowy roads
• Improved traction: The wide shoulder block design helps in strengthening traction.
• Three Peak Mountain Snowflake Certification: Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification ensures its ability to perform in severe snow conditions

Pros and Cons

Now that we know more about the features and benefits of the tire, let’s take a closer look at some of the pros and cons of the tire.

• Innovative design with 3D grooves, wide lateral grooves, added siping, 3D shoulder blocks, etc., to improve the tire performance on snow and icy roads
• Studdable, where permitted, for additional traction and grip
• Three Peak Mountain Snowflake Certification for certified use in medium to heavy winter weather conditions
• Good driving comfort with low road noise

While these pros speak in favor of the tire, also take a look at these cons.

• Cannot be used in weather conditions consistently below 45 degrees
• The tread can wear irregularly
• Does not come with a limited manufacturer tread life warranty
• Can be noisy when pinned with studs

SimpleTire’s view on Hankook Winter I*Pike LT (RW09) tires

If you are looking for a set of winter tires that can deliver good, reliable performance in wet, snowy, and icy road conditions, Hankook Winter I* Pike LT (RW09) might be the right choice for you. The several features such as 3D grooves, added siping, 3D shoulder blocks, etc., makes the tire an attractive choice with Three Peak Mountain Snowflake Certification.

Also, take a look at the Toyo H09 if you want a similar performance at a slightly lower price.

Vehicles the Hankook Winter I*Pike LT (RW09) is a good replacement tire for

As Hankook Winter I*Pike LT (RW09) is available in a variety of tire sizes, it can be used as a good replacement tire for a variety of vehicles, such as 2017 Ford Transit Connect, 2018 Ram ProMaster 2500, and 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500.