Hankook Tire earned the Top Manufacturer Summer 2026 award from Auto Bild after the new Ventus evo secured multiple premium test victories.
Hankook Tire Defeats 15 Manufacturers to Win the Top Manufacturer Award
Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) has defeated 15 manufacturers to receive the Top Manufacturer Summer 2026 award by Auto Bild, following two victories earned by its new Ventus evo. The top manufacturer award is evaluated based on the latest test results conducted by Auto Bild, Auto Bild sportscars, and Auto Bild allrad.
The Ventus evo premium summer tyre, including its SUV variant, made a perfect debut by winning the Auto Bild and Auto Bild allrad tests, making Hankook Tire the only manufacturer to achieve such a feat, even though one of the victories was shared with a competitor.
Meanwhile, in the all-season segment, Hankook Tire secured third place in the overall manufacturer ranking, thanks to the consistent performance shown by its Kinergy series in four different tests. Hankook said the Kinergy range delivered a strong wet braking capability and reliable handling in dry conditions.
“The two test wins for the new Ventus evo highlight how well this tyre fits into the premium segment, while the consistently high performance of the Kinergy model series in four independent all-season tyre tests demonstrates that Hankook is one of the most reliable manufacturers in this segment,” Hankook Tire noted.
The Auto Bild manufacturer ranking summarises the results of all tests conducted within a season using a points system. Test win is worth 6 points, exemplary rating means 5 points, good rating is equal to 3 points, satisfactory remark is 2 points, and recommended with reservation label earns 1 point. Eco Champion gets another 1 bonus point, and Green Tyre is awarded with an additional 2 points.
For the 2025/26 season, Auto Bild tested a total of 67 summer tyres and 61 all-season tyres.
