The Hankook Optimo H725 is classified as a standard touring all-season tire. However, this is the type of all-season tire that is designed for a longer service life. The Optimo H725 is standard equipment on some Ford and Chrysler automobiles, so it wasn’t hard to find a test vehicle fitted with these tires.
For this review of the Hankook Optimo H725, I was able to acquire a 2013 Chrysler 300 with the 3.6-liter V6 motor and 8-speed automatic transmission. The car was fitted with stock 17-inch wheels and Hankook Optimo H725 tires.
I always believed the Chrysler 300 was ahead of its time when it was launched back in 2005. It had all the design flair of a true gangster automobile while having the refinement of a German luxury car. Of course, it would have been better if my test car came fitted with the burly Hemi V8 motor. But with 294 horsepower and 260 foot-pounds of torque on tap, I was still excited to take my test car for a long drive across neighboring states.
Features
When it comes to tire wear, the Hankook Optimo H725 comes close to the Optimo H727. The Optimo H725 was designed primarily as an all-season tire that delivers good amounts of traction and grip on wet and dry roads. But Hankook made sure the Optimo H725 had the wear attributes of a touring tire as well. This is good news for those who want a long-lasting all-season tire that starts at less than $90 per pop.
The Hankook Optimo H725 is designed with four wide main grooves for fast and efficient water drainage. The treads are equipped with high-density kerf siping to offer balanced levels of grip on snowy or icy roads. An all-season tire will have to perform well on light snow – the kerfs are there to ensure that you can get still drive your car safely despite the presence of ice or slush on the roads.
The tire is also equipped with long and interlocking center and intermediate buttons to provide directional stability and excellent braking. This tire has a radial shoulder angle to combat irregular wear while maximizing the stiffness of the rubber to deliver good handling.
The Hankook Optimo H725 utilizes an abrasion-resistance tread compound to deliver impressive wear characteristics. But is this compound geared more towards giving longer mileage instead of improving the dry and wet traction of the tire? This is what I intend to find out in this Hankook Optimo H725 review.
Test Drive
My test car was far from being perfect. There was an irritating screeching noise emanating from under the hood after cold starts, but the noise would disappear when the motor is warmed up. I had this minor fault checked by a local mechanic who diagnosed a faulty drive belt. I had the belt replaced before my test drive. The owner was more than willing to shoulder the bill, but I politely refused as a gesture of goodwill for allowing me to spend time with his delightful Chrysler 300.
Dry Traction
The Chrysler 300 is far from being a sports saloon, but it handles quite well for a large sedan. Although the suspension and the chassis were obviously tuned to prioritize riding comfort, the car was able to respond to my inputs with nary a complaint from the suspension and the tires. I wish the steering was a bit more direct, but dry traction was acceptable given the comfortable nature of the Hankook Optimo H725. The tires didn’t have the dry traction and grip of a performance tire, but it definitely comes close.
Wet Traction
Traction on wet roads was not as good. The car felt a bit nervous on drenched tarmac. The unnerving feeling is correlated to how fast you were driving at that time. At high speeds, you will want to slow down a bit as the tires hunt for traction on uneven wet tarmac. Drive it sanely, however, and you get optimal levels of grip as long as you don’t taunt the steering and the chassis with the corrective moves of a racing driver.
Snow Traction
How I wish I had the chance to test the Hankook Optimo H725 in the snow. The owner told me the tires performed quite well during the winter season as long as you maintain an appropriate speed and stay clear of roads with more than two or three inches of snow.
Comfort
The Chrysler 300 is a comfortable cruiser, no question about that. The Hankook Optimo H725 tires were decently comfortable in the city, and they were remarkably compliant on the highway. However, I have tested other all-season tires that offer better comfort and refinement. Even small potholes will make themselves known as the tires have a tendency to make thumping noises that are enough to upset the refinement of the cabin.
Noise
In terms of road noise, the Hankook Optimo H725 tires are on the average side. The tires are quiet on city roads but harsh road surfaces will introduce some tire roar even at moderately slow speeds. You will also encounter a bit of tire roar on the highway as you approach triple-digit speeds.
Treadwear
This is the strongest argument for getting a set of Hankook Optimo H725 tires. The tires fitted to my test car were approximately five months old and have traveled over 5,500 miles, but the treads were still thick and fresh. I did notice a bit of wear as the kerfs on the treads were slowly fading away, but that’s about it. This is not bad for an all-season tire that starts at less than $90 each.
Conclusion
The Hankook Optimo H725 is a good all-season high-mileage tire that delivers great value for money. It is not the most comfortable or refined tire in the market, but it delivers the promise of excellent mileage and all-season performance.
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Alvin Reyes has expertise in automotive evaluation. He collaborated with famous newspapers and is still making efforts in tire review for DrivingPress.com