Replaced Hankook Optimo H725A with Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus-
I have a 2013 Jetta TDi w/Premium 6 spd. I loved everything about the car except the tires. Hankooks are so terrible in wet weather and so prone to hydroplaning for my style of driving. I decided to hold on to them for at least 30K miles. However when I was taking a left turn after a rain storm, the car totally under-steered and was sliding out of control for a few seconds. Traction control nor ABS didn't even light up since this was a slide as opposed to a slip. . Hankooks are terrible mostly in the phase where tIhere is slight oil on the tarmac and you are prone to hydroplaning. IMHO, these tires should be taken off this car. I was alone and was calm. However I cannot think of a scenario where I had my toddler had lost control, not worth the savings.
To cut to the chase, @ 9800 miles, I changed these horrible tires for Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus. The difference is night and day. Vehicle handling, traction, cornering and evferything related to the vehicle is so refined that I feel like I am driving a different vehicle. I have had my share of BMW, Civic Sis and so on with tires changed often. But in no other car does tires make a difference, as in the jetta tdi. Discount tire paid me 60 X4= 240 for the old tire trade-in and it wasn't a bad deal. Try it and you will not regret the 400 odd you spend after trading in the tires. I think it is a safety issue as well and hence the long post.