Hankook is a giant tire company from South Korea that prides itself on being on the cutting edge of style and technology.
Quick Facts
- Type: All-Season
- Sizes: 15″
- Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG): 400 A A
- Speed Rating: S
- Warranty: N/A
- Price: $$
What Sets It Apart
The Hankook Ventus H101s are really unique. They are a modern tire meant to look like a tire from the 60s. That way, you can put modern tread on your classic muscle car without sacrificing the classic styling.
We are talking about raised white letters that make a bold statement, wider shoulders for maximum grip, and limited size options up to 15 inches. That last part is a little disappointing because we’d love to put these on our modern sports cars. The tread and grip are that good.
There is just one problem; Hankook isn’t producing them anymore. So if you see them sitting on a shelf at your local tire store, grab them while you can.
Comfort and Performance
It’s hard to comment on the comfort a tire offers when they are meant to be installed on a classic car. The tires might be a little quieter than the average highway tire, but there is no way you’ll notice as you pilot an iron brick through the air.
What you will get is a serious upgrade in performance over anything that was available during the period your car was new. Tire technology is probably the single most important advancement in automotive performance. Bringing modern technology to your classic ride will greatly improve acceleration, handling, and stopping distances.
Except in snow or on ice. There’s no surprise there; road performance tires are never going to be able to get a good bite on ice. It’s just something to keep in mind if you plan on taking your first-generation Camaro through the mountains.
Safety and Durability
These tires offer a huge upgrade in safety over most classic-styled tires because of how good the tread is. Many reissue tires, especially actual classic tires, sacrifice a lot of traction to keep the period looks. By contrast, these Hankooks will have you stopping faster than your car has ever stopped before.
They won’t last forever, though. That extra grip comes at the cost of treadwear. You probably aren’t driving your classic car every day, though, so most people will get the full five years of life out of them.
Unfortunately, as we said above, these tires are discontinued. There is no specific warranty, and you may have trouble getting Hankook to honor their standard manufacturer warranty.
Who It’s For
The first thing you have to keep in mind is that 15” rims were incredibly common until about the late 1980s, and then they fell out of fashion quickly. Chances are, if you have a newer vehicle, these tires will not fit.
However, suppose you have a classic car, especially an older muscle car like a Mustang or Charger. In that case, these tires will give you amazing performance without sacrificing that old-school cool.
