Last Updated on July 6, 2021 by Stephen Tillman
Premium all-season tires are pretty interesting things, as they are always wild cards and not two offer the same qualities. Some deliver more comfort, some more performance, the others more durability or something in-between. Now while looking for all-season premium tires for SUVs I came across the Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33. These tires sound pretty promising and should be an excellent option for most drivers out there, but then again they aren’t proven and require further testing.
Target Audience
The manufacturer states that the Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33 is a high-performance tire for premium SUVs. The company claims that this tire meets all the criteria and conditions that are required for premium SUVs, including wet performance, reduced rolling resistance and noise, and excellent tread life. This all sounds pretty good and these tires are premium priced, so it is not unrealistic to expect something like this, but I want to see whether or not it can deliver the promised features.
Specs and Features
As expected from the price and the premium claims, the Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33 should be a pretty feature-rich tire. Taking a look at the manufacturers and sellers site confirms that, and let’s get on with it. I should note that the manufacturer provides a 5 year or a 65,000-mile tread life warranty for these tires and on top of that it has a 5-year guarantee for the materials and workmanship of them, which shows the amount of confidence put into them. It comes in a good-enough size range for rims spanning from 16 to 20 inches in diameter and with different widths at that. Also, it comes in two-speed ratings H and V.
Moving on to the biggest selling point of this tire is the full silica tread compound that is coupled with a symmetric tread pattern that significantly enhances traction in both wet and dry pavement, at least in most of the cases. The Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33 also has a specialized 3D shoulder block technology that works superbly with the continuous center rib that is pretty stiff. These features sho8uld deliver a better response while steering and stability in cornering. Buyers have stated that this tire works perfectly on the highway, which I assume is true.
I want to touch again on the silica compound which together with the four included circumferential grooves and aqua slant sipes plus grooves, would deliver a better performance in wet pavement, which we will see. It has also added specialized engineered siping for each tread block to deliver better performance in snow, mainly in reducing the braking distance and the rolling resistance to save some money on your trip to the gas pump. To enhance the ride comfort and tire roar the manufacture has added the Silencer Sipes which sound like a gimmick, but the reviews state that it is a useful feature.
First impression
As far as first impressions go these tires don’t look anything exceptional, just like any other all-season tire, but upon touching them you will see that they are sturdy and give the impression that they will last a long time.
I installed these tires on a Lincoln Navigator, which is a premium SUV to see how these tires will perform generally. I can say that they fit good the overall vibe of the SUV and upon the first spin around the block they were comfortable to drive on.
Testing
I put on some 10,000 miles on these tires over the course of 4 months, and I have some words to say about them. Firstly I want to talk about tread life and durability. The high-end materials really paid off here, the silica compound really shows a little wear and the jointless full cover reinforced belt improves the durability of the tire significantly. Then again nothing less is expected when you are paying the top dollars. The comfort levels with the Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33’s was nothing but exceptional, it rolls excellently in all road conditions and delivers an exceptional driving experience. On the other hand, the technology for road noise didn’t really deliver all its qualities, and the tires roared a little, but on SUVs especially heavy ones such as the Navigator that is expected.
In terms of performance and responsiveness, this tire was pretty much exceptional as the high-density polyester carcass worked perfectly, as it improved the steering feedback and handling of the tire, especially on dry pavement. However, this is an all-season tire, and as such in dry weather it should excel, and it really did. For example, I can say that the braking was exceptional, even for a heavy and powerful SUV like the Navigator. Cornering grip was pretty good too, and everything felt pretty smooth and in control with these tires.
Surprisingly the Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33 did well in wet weather as well. I said surprisingly since I didn’t really buy all that technical jargon for wet weather technologies, but again the silica compound paid off here. The aqua slant sipes kept the water from under the tire, and there was no risk of hydroplaning, in most of the cases. The contact with the pavement was constant and I felt pretty confident overall. On snow and ice, it delivered a pleasant experience but I wouldn’t expect a winter tire experience.
Verdict
To finish it off I can comfortably say that the Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33 is a premium tire for premium SUVs and light trucks. It really showed off why it is a good tire, durability and comfort were off the charts. On top of that, I can definitely say that this tire will deliver you reliable performance in dry and wet weather, so you will always have peace of mind. Take care!