Hankook’s Drive & Learn program strengthens dealer confidence, enhances sales readiness, and delivers hands-on product performance validation

Chicago-area event showcases Hankook Dynapro and Weatherflex product lines through hands-on performance validation and product education

Leading global tiremaker Hankook Tire recently completed its latest Drive & Learn event at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Ill., bringing together dealer partners and content creators for a full-day immersive driving experience designed to transform product knowledge into firsthand confidence behind the wheel.

Designed to move product education beyond the classroom, Drive & Learn allows participants to experience how tire technologies translate into traction, handling, durability, and driver confidence in controlled and real-world driving scenarios. At the recent Autobahn Country Club event, attendees experienced the performance of Hankook’s Dynapro AT2 Xtreme, Dynapro XT, Dynapro HT2, and Weatherflex GT tires across a range of real-world driving conditions. Attendees rotated through a road course, off-road course, and a timed autocross challenge, providing direct exposure to key products within Hankook Tire’s growing passenger, light truck, and SUV offerings.

The off-road course featured varied terrain and technical obstacles designed to demonstrate traction, durability, and control from the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme and Dynapro XT. Participants also navigated Autobahn Country Club’s road course to evaluate on-road handling and comfort. The autocross challenge highlighted the Weatherflex GT’s all-weather capabilities and responsive performance in a competitive, timed environment.

Through the Drive & Learn program, dealers:

Experience tire performance firsthand across on-road, off-road, and all-weather driving environments.
Engage directly with Hankook Tire product experts to better understand how technical product features translate into real-world customer benefits.
Build confidence in recommending products by validating performance claims through hands-on evaluation rather than classroom instruction alone.
Strengthen relationships with Hankook Tire leadership, industry peers, and fellow dealer partners through immersive, experience-based learning.

“Hankook Tire’s Drive & Learn program is designed to give our partners something far more valuable than a product presentation; it gives them firsthand experience,” said Rob Williams, President and CEO, Hankook Tire America Corp. “The level of engagement with our dealers and their opportunity to test our product was an invaluable experience. It’s also incredibly important to connect with our partners in person—to meet the real people behind the business, each with their own story. When dealers can feel the difference themselves, whether that’s navigating an off-road obstacle, pushing through an autocross course, or experiencing on-road comfort and control, they leave with a deeper understanding of our products and greater confidence when speaking with customers.”

The Chicago-area event builds on the momentum of the program’s May activation at the newly launched Tennessee Proving Grounds at Hankook Tires’ Tennessee Manufacturing plant. Upcoming events in the second half of the year include a return to the Tennessee Proving Grounds and a final stop in Texas, continuing Hankook Tire’s investment in hands-on product education, dealer engagement, and performance validation.

As Hankook Tire continues to strengthen its position as a top-seven global leader, programs like Drive & Learn support the company’s broader commitment to delivering advanced mobility solutions through product innovation, technical expertise, and real-world performance. The company supplies OE tires for more than 300 models across 50 global automotive brands, with North American growth driven by key partnerships across premium and next-generation vehicle segments. Through premier U.S. sponsorships, including TGL presented by SoFi and signage in MLB stadiums, Hankook Tire continues to expand its brand presence while delivering advanced mobility solutions for today’s global drivers.

About Hankook Tire America Corp.

Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing, and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Hankook Tire America Corp. markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America Corp. is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Tagged: Tennessee Proving Grounds

Hankook Tire Puts Performance to the Test at Autobahn Country Club