Laufenn Winter Tires in Ottawa
Laufenn is Hankook’s value line — same manufacturer, lower price point. The i FIT ICE LW71 is the reason it comes up here: it is one of the few genuinely inexpensive winter tires that is also studdable.
Is there a rebate on this tire right now?
We run the manufacturer programs on these tires as they open, and they change through the season. Current amounts and dates are always on our specials page.
At a glance
| Made by | Hankook Tire & Technology |
|---|---|
| Winter model | i FIT ICE LW71 |
| All-weather model | X FIT 4S |
| Severe snow rated | Yes — three-peak mountain snowflake |
| Studdable | Yes — i FIT ICE LW71 takes TSMI #12 studs |
| Sipe design | 3D kerf wave pattern |
| Contact patch | Enlarged about 20% over the previous generation |
| Compound | Silica-based, formulated for low rolling resistance |
| Fits | Passenger cars, CUVs and SUVs |
The thing worth knowing about Laufenn
Laufenn is made by Hankook Tire & Technology. That is not a licensing arrangement or a rebadge of a discontinued product — it is Hankook’s value brand, designed and built by the same company, and it is the single most useful fact when you are deciding whether an unfamiliar name on a quote is a risk.
Most inexpensive tires on the Canadian market come from manufacturers you cannot easily research, with winter markings that may be M+S rather than a tested severe-snow rating. Laufenn is the opposite case: a known manufacturer, a real snowflake rating, and a product line with published engineering behind it.
The i FIT ICE LW71 is the winter tire, and it is studdable — it is moulded with stud holes and takes TSMI #12 pins. That combination, budget price and studdable, is unusual and is why it comes up for people driving rural roads around the city.
The two models that matter here
| Model | Type | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| i FIT ICE LW71 | Studless winter, studdable | Value winter set for cars, CUVs and SUVs — or a studded set for rural glare ice where the law permits |
| X FIT 4S | All-weather | One set all year, where storing a second set is not practical |
What is in the i FIT ICE LW71
Laufenn’s published design features, and what each is for.
3D kerf wave sipes
The sipes follow a wave pattern in three dimensions rather than running straight across. That geometry lets adjacent tread block faces interlock under load, which reduces the block movement that would otherwise make a heavily siped winter tire feel vague under braking, while still giving you the biting edges that grip ice.
About 20% larger contact patch
Laufenn enlarged the contact patch roughly 20% over the previous generation, which they credit for improved braking on snow and ice. More rubber on the ground is more edges working at once — the reason contact patch is one of the levers a tire designer actually has.
Snow slits and 3D claw edges
Additional cuts in the tread and claw-shaped edges on the centre blocks. The centre of the tread is what carries load under straight-line braking, so putting extra biting structure there targets the specific thing most drivers care about: stopping.
Studdable — TSMI #12
The tire is moulded with stud holes and accepts TSMI #12 pins where studs are permitted. Studs are a specialist tool: they are excellent on sustained glare ice and worse than a good studless tire on the bare, salted asphalt that makes up most Ottawa driving. Check the current Ontario rules on studded tires before you commit — they are restricted, not general-purpose.
Sizes, fitment and how we quote
We do not warehouse tires. We order in from our Ottawa distributors — usually the same or the next business day — and you get a full installed quote before we order anything. That quote includes mounting, balancing, valve stems or TPMS service kits, and old-tire disposal, so the number you see is the number you pay.
Bring the vehicle, or read the size off the placard in the driver’s door jamb, and we will confirm it against what your vehicle should be running. If your size is not made in this line we will tell you that rather than substituting something else quietly. More on what we do with the tires once they arrive is on our tire services page.
What this means for an Ottawa driver
Laufenn tends to come up in three situations, and all three are legitimate. A student’s first car, where the whole vehicle is worth less than a premium set of tires. A lease coming back in a year or two, where you will never see the back half of a winter tire’s life. And a second or third vehicle in a household that does low winter mileage. In each case the alternative people are seriously considering is running the all-seasons through the winter, and that is the comparison that matters.
The studdable option changes the calculation for anyone whose driving takes them off the plowed grid — a long unmaintained lane, a rural property road west or south of the city. Ottawa proper is plowed and salted heavily enough that studs are usually the wrong tool, but that is not true everywhere in the region. If you are thinking about studs, check the current Ontario restrictions first; they are not permitted generally.
- Ontario restricts studded tires — they are not generally permitted province-wide. Confirm the current rule for your situation before you order a set studded.
- Ontario insurers have been required since 2016 to offer a winter tire discount, typically 2–5%. On a value set, that discount is a meaningful fraction of the purchase.
- Quebec requires winter tires December 1 to March 15, which the snowflake-rated LW71 satisfies if you commute to Gatineau.
- Laufenn being a Hankook product means warranty and availability behave like a major brand’s, which is not true of every inexpensive tire.
What installation includes here
Mounting and balancing
Every tire is balanced on the machine, not eyeballed. An unbalanced wheel shows up as a vibration at a specific speed and chews the tire unevenly.
Valve stems or TPMS kits
Rubber valve stems get replaced with the tire. TPMS sensors get new service kits — the seals and collars are consumables, not permanent parts.
Torqued to specification
Wheels go on with a torque wrench to your vehicle’s spec, not an impact gun. Over-torquing warps rotors; under-torquing loses wheels.
Pressures set properly
Set to the placard, or to the load if you tow. Cold-weather pressure drops are why the light comes on the first cold morning.
Old tire disposal
Included in the quote. Ontario tire stewardship fees are part of the number we give you, not a surprise at the counter.
Seasonal storage
Ask us — if you have nowhere to keep a second set, we can talk about what storage looks like.
Related reading
Hankook winter tires
Look at this one the parent brand — same manufacturer, one tier up.
NexenNexen winter tires
Look at this one the other value-brand winter lineup we fit regularly, with a wider model range.
- All tires we fit in Ottawa
- Balancing, repair, rotation, TPMS and seasonal changeover
- Current tire rebates and shop offers
- Ontario safety standards certificate
- Tire rules for an Ontario safety inspection
- Why rotation and balancing matter here
- Tire maintenance: safety and performance
Specifications and program details on this page reviewed with our distributors: September 2026.
Laufenn — questions we actually get asked
Straight answers, from the counter at Beech Street.
It is Hankook’s value line, designed and built by Hankook Tire & Technology. That puts it in a different category from unbranded imports: real engineering, a genuine three-peak mountain snowflake rating, and warranty support through an established distributor network. If you are choosing between an unfamiliar cheap tire and a Laufenn at a similar price, the Laufenn is the safer buy.
Probably not, if you drive in Ottawa proper. The city plows and salts heavily, and studs on bare asphalt are noisy, wear quickly, and grip worse than a good studless tire. Studs are the right tool for sustained rural glare ice. Ontario also restricts studded tires rather than permitting them generally, so check the current rule for your circumstances before ordering — we will not stud a set without that conversation.
Same manufacturer, different tier. The Winter i*cept is the more developed product and will generally be better on ice and hold up better in its later seasons. The LW71 is the value option, and it is studdable, which the i*cept is not. If your winter mileage is low or the vehicle is short-term, the LW71 is often the smarter spend.
Laufenn’s all-weather tire — one set that stays on the car year-round, carrying a severe-snow rating so it is winter-legal and winter-capable. Same trade-off as any all-weather: not as good as a dedicated winter tire in January, not as good as a summer tire in July, and very convenient if you have nowhere to store a second set.
It is Laufenn’s published figure for the LW71 against its predecessor, and they credit it with improved braking on snow and ice. The mechanism is straightforward: a larger contact patch puts more tread blocks and more biting edges on the road at any moment. It is one of the few genuine levers a designer has, alongside compound and sipe geometry.
We do not warehouse tires. We order in from our Ottawa distributors, usually the same or the next business day, and we quote the full installed price before anything is ordered. Bring the car or read the size off the driver’s door jamb and we will confirm it against the placard.
What Ottawa Customers Say About Our Service
"I dropped my car off at Franco Garage around 11:15am (no appointment, they took me right away) and by 12:30pm they had already ordered my car battery AND installed it! The cost was amazing. They only charged me for the battery itself (under $200) and $15 for labour. Everywhere else I called prior to Franco Garage was quoting between $250-$432 for the battery alone and a high labour cost, not to mention long wait times. I will definitely bring my car back to Franco Garage!! What an incredible experience. The service was extremely fast and the guys working were honest, reliable and really personable!"
Natasha Ferrill
2 months ago
"Noticed I had a deflating tire and a 6AM trip to Montreal the next day. The guys were already fully booked for the day, but still squeezed me in for a quick fix. I didnt even have to wait anywere, they were done in under 15 minites. Both mechanics were very polite and even offered to walk i to the ahop and showed me exactly what was causing the leak in the tire. They knew I was in a rush, but still charged me a fair price. I couldn't be happier, they actually made my day :)"
Yehor Sanko
2 months ago
"Great employees with great expertise. They take time to discuss with you on possible options for your vehicles. Everytime, the job was great and well done. No need to return, it was fixed at first occasion. Thank you Franco Garage!"
Mike M
6 months ago
Want a price on a set?
Tell us the vehicle and we will quote the tires installed — all in, before we order anything. Family-run on Beech Street since 1981.