Hankook Tire Takes Top Spot in Two Categories of the Korean Standard-Quality Excellence Index: 18 Straight Years for Tires and Two for EV-Specific Tires

[Financial News] Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) ranked first in two categories in the 2026 Korean Standard-Quality Excellence Index (KS-QEI) survey conducted by the Korean Standards Association (KSA). It took first place for the 18th consecutive year in the automobile tire category and for the second consecutive year in the EV-specific tire category.
On the 29th, Hankook Tire said it had held the top spot in the automobile tire category every year from 2009 through this year. The company said its proactive R&D investment over many years had translated into technological prowess and quality competitiveness.
The Korean Standard-Quality Excellence Index is a quality measurement model jointly developed by the Korean Standards Association and the Korean Society for Quality Management. It evaluates product and service quality and customer satisfaction among customers who have used the products and services, as well as experts.
The EV-specific tire category was introduced last year, and Hankook Tire’s EV tire brand iON took first place for the second consecutive year. Hankook Tire describes iON as the world’s first full-lineup brand of tires designed exclusively for electric vehicles.
iON was designed around the company’s proprietary EV-focused technology system, iON Innovative Technology. The company says it balances four core technologies: low noise, improved mileage, excellent grip and low rolling resistance.
iON tires are fitted as original equipment on key electrified models, including the Porsche Taycan, Lucid Gravity, BMW i4, iX and iX3, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 9, Kia EV2, EV3, EV4 and EV9, and Polestar 4.
Hankook Tire currently supplies original-equipment tires for around 300 vehicle models from about 40 automakers worldwide. This year, it is also supplying OE tires for high-performance models such as the Porsche 911 Carrera and Panamera, BMW’s flagship electric sedan, the i7, and Ford’s electric SUV, the Mustang Mach-E.
A Hankook Tire representative said, “We will continue to enhance our technological and product competitiveness to meet the needs of the future mobility environment,” adding, “We plan to strengthen our competitiveness as a global top-tier tire company while providing customers with a differentiated brand experience.”
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter