Hankook Weatherflex GT vs Toyo Celsius II tires

The South Korean tire manufacturer, Hankook Tire, is among the world’s largest tire makers rolling out quality tires with cutting-edge technology and innovation. With an eye for detail, the Korean brand has established itself as a great alternative in the replacement tire market of all-season, all-weather, all-terrain, winter, and ultra-high-performance tires. On the other hand, the Japanese tire manufacturer Toyo Tire is renowned for its excellent value-for-money products in the off-road category. Introduced in 1945, Toyo has equally great products in other categories as well including the newly introduced all-weather tires. The lately launched Weatherflex GT from Hankook and the Celsius II from Toyo are quality all-weather tires that should make it to your list of tires that offer excellent year-round performance including moderate to severe snow and ice.

Designed for passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks, the Hankook Weatherflex GT and the Toyo Celsius II offer enhanced traction, grip, control, durability, and tread life on dry, wet, and moderate to severe snow. With an asymmetric tread pattern, both tires feature hundreds of sipes for increased grip and control in rain and snow. Solid limited manufacturer tread life warranties back the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) certified tires. So, which one will you go for? To find the answer, let’s compare Hankook Weatherflex GT vs. Toyo Celsius II based on our proprietary SimpleScore system.

Hankook Weatherflex GT tires

Launched in November 2024, the Hankook Weatherflex GT is the first member of the newly introduced tire line – Weatherflex – by the Korean tire maker. Packed with an advanced rubber compound with high silica and resin content, the Hankook all-weather tire offers great grip and traction on dry, wet, and moderate to severe snow and ice. While the asymmetric tread pattern adds versatility for improved performance in different driving conditions, the multi-pitch tread sequence reduces noise and vibration levels for a quiet and comfortable ride quality. With zigzag grooves boosting cornering performance, the 3PMS-certified Weatherflex GT negates the hassle of seasonal tire changes as it offers great year-round performance. The Hankook tire is backed by a strong 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

With an 8.9 average score, the Hankook Weatherflex GT promises outstanding traction, handling, and superb longevity year-round.

Toyo Celsius II tires

Designed for coupes, sedans, minivans, CUVs, and SUVs, the Toyo Celsius II is a reliable year-round performer thanks to its all-weather rubber compounds that perform well in changing weather conditions. While zigzag-shaped tread blocks and dense sipes return enhanced traction in dry, wet, and moderate to severe snow, the interlocking multi-wave siping of the Celsius II’s shoulder elements improves steering response and stability in unpredictable weather conditions. With slush grooves and snow claws, the Toyo all-weather tire resists hydroplaning by quickly removing water and slush for enhanced traction in wet, slush, and snow. The 3PMS certified, Celsius II features an asymmetric tread pattern for optimum stability, grip, control, and durability on wet and snow. Backed by a 45-day/500-mile trial offer, the Toyo Celsius II is covered by a solid 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

Boasting an 8.8, the Toyo Celsius II returns excellent tread life, grip, control, and performance on dry, wet, and snow.

Hankook Weatherflex GT vs Toyo Celsius II tires on traction

All-weather tires are preferred as they provide improved grip and traction on snow and ice compared to all-season tires. Their special rubber compounds and densely siped tread patterns ensure consistent traction even in snow and ice.

Boasting an 8.5 traction score, the Hankook all-weather tire features high sipe density for increased snow and wet traction. At the same time, the circumferential grooves help clear water from the tread and the wide, angled lateral grooves aid in channeling water out of the tread to resist hydroplaning and boost wet traction. Lastly, the 3PMS certification assures great traction in different driving conditions.

Scoring an 8.8, the Toyo Celsius II features high-sipe density on the shoulders and zigzag-shaped tread elements on the inside for effective grip and traction in dry, wet, and snow. While the slush grooves and snow claws ensure improved traction and grip in slippery conditions, the special silica compound ensures the tire remains flexible even in low-temperature conditions for consistent grip.

With a better traction score, the Celsius ‘soars’ to beat the Weatherflex GT.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Celsius II

Hankook Weatherflex GT vs Toyo Celsius II tires on handling

The responsive steering allows you to have complete control over your vehicle, making handling another critical aspect of a tire. Both the Hankook and Toyo promise fantastic handling in wet and snow. Let’s check their handling scores.

With an 8.6, the Hankook Weatherflex GT features interlocking (wave-type) 3D GripKontrol sipes that reduce block deformation for increased block stiffness that lends great handling and cornering performance. Meanwhile, the zig-zag groove contacts the road at various angles to enhance its cornering performance.

On the other hand, the Toyo Celsius II scores an 8.8 thanks to its asymmetric tread design, advanced rubber compound, and multi-wave interlocking sipes, which allow better road contact for improved grip and steering response at high speeds.

The Celsius continues to ‘soar’ in the handling department too, beating the Hankook tire yet again.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Celsius II

Hankook Weatherflex GT vs Toyo Celsius II tires on longevity

All-weather tires are preferred for their long-lasting tread life. However, the longevity of a tire is impacted by many factors such as tire upkeep, tire pressure, driving conditions, weather, and driving habits. The Weatherflex GT and the Celsius II are backed by solid mileage warranties and superb longevity scores.

With an incredible 9.7 score, the Weatherflex GT features a new silica- and resin-rich rubber compound with optimally dispersed silica for increased tread wear. The optimized tread design of the Hankook tire evenly distributes pressure for reduced irregular wear. It is covered by a solid 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

Conversely, the Celsius II scores an excellent longevity score of 9 thanks to its special silica compound that limits uneven wear and promotes uniform wear throughout the tire’s lifecycle. Backed by a 45-day/500-mile trial, the Toyo tire is covered by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

The Hankook Weatherflex GT finally ‘flexes’ its muscle, lowering the Celsius II with its longer tread life and increased mileage warranty.

ADVANTAGE: Hankook Weatherflex GT

When to use each

All-weather tires are an ideal solution for car owners looking for a reliable tire that offers excellent year-round performance in dry, wet, and moderate to severe snowy conditions. While they offer year-round performance like an all-season, they deliver exceptional grip and traction in snow and ice like winter tires. However, you should go for winter tires if the weather in your region consistently remains below the 45-degree Fahrenheit as they come with a special rubber compound that remains flexible in extreme climatic conditions.

The Hankook Weatherflex GT and the Toyo Celsius II promise adequate performance and reliability throughout the year.

Which one should you choose?

To sum up, you should go for the Toyo Celsius II if you want great handling and traction along with year-round performance. On the other hand, if you need exceptional tread life and longer mileage, the Hankook Weatherflex GT should be your go-to all-weather tire. Let’s check their prices to know which one is a real deal.

For a 205/55R16 91H tire size, the Hankook Weatherflex GT costs $118 per tire, while a set of four tires cost $472. Contrarily, the Toyo Celsius II is tagged at $140 per tire and four such tires will cost $560 (the difference in their prices is $88).

Based on the SimpleScores, the Hankook Weatherflex GT is a better option if you:

• Drive a Honda Accord, Toyota Highlander, and BMW 3-Series
• Want superior longevity (9.7 vs 9)
• Want a great all-weather tire at an affordable price (four tires cost $88 less)

Conversely, you should choose the Toyo Celsius II if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Subaru Outback, Ford Bronco, and Lexus ES
• Want better traction (8.8 vs 8.5)
• Prefer responsive handling (8.8 vs 8.6) and stability

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.