Compounding, tread technologies improve Hankook's winter tire performance

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—With Winter i*cept iZ3 and Winter i*cept iZ3 X, its latest winter product offerings, Hankook Tire America Corp. hopes to inspire and restore something for North American drivers.

Confidence, specifically.

"For many Americans, winter driving can be stressful, especially when encountering snow in excess or icy conditions," Hankook Tire America President Rob Williams said in a statement. "Our latest seasonal product, the Winter i*cept iZ3 tire, along with its SUV counterpart, the i*cept iZ3 X, are engineered to provide confidence in extreme winter conditions with improved ice braking and acceleration."

The tire utilizes the company's latest i*cept compounding and tread design technologies to provide grip in wintry conditions. The compound calls on the performance of a high refined resin and a flexible polymer chain to give the new Winter i*cept tires ice braking and acceleration improvements of 9 and 11 percent, respectively, when compared to their predecessors.

Ice handling, Hankook said, improves by 13 percent when compared to conventional products.

For the tread, Hanook has employed a wider V-shaped pattern and lateral grooves that are 24-percent wider than conventional winter tires, improving water displacement.

Angled ice-grip slits and serrated 3D winter siping assist with the handling.

Overall, Hankook said, the design improves dry handling, wet handling and wet braking by 19 percent, 9 percent and 5 percent, respectively, when compared to conventional winter products.

The tire maker noted that the Winter i*cept iZ3 and Winter i*cept iZ3 X tread life lasts up to 30 percent longer than other winter tire offerings, in part because an optimized curing temperature and a 10-percent larger contact area that optimizes the spread of ground pressure.

Both the Winter i*cept iZ3 and i*cept iZ3 X will be available to pre-order in 51 sizes for rim diameters between 15 and 21 inches, fitting sedans and SUVs. Both tires come with a 50,000-limited treadwear warranty.