I am writing this story on May 24th; a week after Victoria Day long weekend, the unofficial start of summer here in Canada, and three weeks into having these Hankook Ventus Evo summer performance tires installed on my car. Despite the start of summer having come and gone, Toronto is currently sitting at a high of 12 degrees Celsius and we have just gotten 30 millimetres of rain over the past two days.

It would be fair to think, of course, here’s another person ranting on about the unpredictable weather in Canada - let’s move on. Well, yeah, I am, our weather sucks, but that is also what makes these Hankook Ventus Evo tires work so well.

First world problems

See, us driving enthusiasts have a first-world yet still very real problem here. We want the highest performing tires possible to maximize our cars’ capabilities, but our summer is so short, so unpredictable, and ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires tend to severely underperform once the roads get cool and/or wet.

Hankook understood this dilemma, and when it came time to update their Ventus Evo UHP tires, they specifically made upgrades to enhance performance across various temperature conditions as well as making them better driving over wet surfaces.

making gains

Firstly, there is a new tread compound that is specifically made to improve grip over various temperature and weather conditions. Then, the lateral shoulder grooves – the horizontal ones along both sides of the tires – are wider to help improve wet braking performance. Hankook says cornering stability has also been improved thanks to the flat side profile design and evenly distributed stiffness across the contact patch.

According to Hankook, these improvements have led to a 6% improvement in how the Hankook Ventus Evo brakes on dry roads when compared to the previous version, and the car is supposed to brake 7% quicker and turn 4% faster when road surface is wet. Most importantly, the new tread pattern has led to the Hankook Ventus Evo lasting 30% longer as a result of its improved stiffness distribution.

rubber meets the road

These lab results sound well and good, but it's time to put them to action. In order to properly evaluate these tires, I have fitted them on a car that demands a lot from the precious few square inches of contact with the road. The 2015 Lexus RC F is fitted with a 5-litre V8 engine sending every one of the 467 horsepower to the rear wheels, and this particular sample is not just a car for speedways; it is a daily commuter that is tasked to handle the ever-changing elements here in Canada, including the hot, dry, cold, and dreary weather that can all take place in a single day.

First thing we look for in performance tires that are intended for daily use is how they ride. As much as we like the stiffer compound in UHP-tires for its role in helping the tire to retain its shape in corners, it also tends to lead to harsher ride quality and more audible road noise. Fortunately, the Hankook Ventus Evo have managed quite well in both of these categories, and I have observed overall refinement that's on par with average all-season tires, and better than many dedicated summer sets.

I found the Hankook Ventus Evo to be quite communicative – they provided a good amount of feedback through the steering wheel, and while they are not quite as sharp as the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, we think they struck a good balance for street use. They provided good responses in corners with above-average grip for this test car – not an easy feat, as the RC F demands a lot from its tires with its nose-heavy nature and an affinity to oversteer.

Rain meets the road

When the weather inevitably turned cold and wet, I found that is when the Hankook Ventus Evo holds an advantage over its competition. Many UHP tires see a drastic loss in grip due to its lack of ability to direct water away from the main contact patches, and the Ventus Evo counters this by featuring an abundance of sipes along the shoulders.

They always behaved predictably when the rain inevitably came, which is perfect as predictability is of utmost importance when it comes to how a car handles inclement weather. The usual trepidation that comes with summer UHP tires on wet pavement is gone.

WRAP IT UP

With 35 popular sizes spanning from 17 to 21-inches in diameter, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a set for their summer rides. Hankook has backed their tires up with their SureTire plan that includes a 30-day free trial, road hazard warranty, and a treadwear warranty that covers up to 145,000 kilometres on certain replacement products.

The Hankook Ventus Evo ultra-high-performance tires are great options for those living in ever-changing Canadian weather. After all, our summers are already short and wildly unpredictable, and we are thankful for any set of tires that will allow us to maximize our summer fun without sacrificing confidence for when the summer weather isn't always summery.