Continental UltraContact NXT vs Nexen N Blue S
Ahead in each discipline
The Continental UltraContact NXT and the Nexen N Blue S have met in one independent test so far, and the UltraContact NXT finished ahead. The UltraContact NXT was stronger in dry, wet and comfort, the N Blue S in value.
Performance profile
11 measurements from the one shared test, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
UltraContact NXT
N Blue S
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
UltraContact NXT
N Blue S
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tyres' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tyre that did better.
| Measurement | UltraContact NXT | Gap | N Blue S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry UltraContact NXT ahead | |||
| Dry Braking m | 36.6 | 2.7% | 37.6 |
| Dry Handling s | 52.5 | 1.3% | 53.2 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | 7.1 | 24.6% | 5.7 |
| Wet UltraContact NXT ahead | |||
| Wet Braking m | 50.2 | 6.9% | 53.9 |
| Wet Handling s | 84.6 | 2.2% | 86.5 |
| Wet Circle m/s | 0.84 | 5% | 0.8 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 74.1 | 3.5% | 76.7 |
| Curved Aquaplaning m/sec2 | 2.75 | 5.1% | 2.89 |
| Comfort UltraContact NXT ahead | |||
| Subj. Comfort pts | 7 | 7.7% | 6.5 |
| Noise dB | 63.8 | 1.4 dB | 65.2 |
| Value N Blue S ahead | |||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 6.58 | 8.2% | 6.04 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 1 test in 2025
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | UltraContact NXT | Field | N Blue S |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Motor Low Rolling Resistance (AA) Tyre Test | P1 of 7 | P6 of 7 |
UltraContact NXT vs N Blue S: your questions
Is the Continental UltraContact NXT or the Nexen N Blue S the better tyre?
The Continental UltraContact NXT and the Nexen N Blue S have met in one independent test so far, and the UltraContact NXT finished ahead. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the UltraContact NXT scores 9.1 and the N Blue S 8.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the UltraContact NXT or the N Blue S?
The UltraContact NXT led 3 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The UltraContact NXT led 3 of the 3 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 9.5/10 for the UltraContact NXT and 7.3/10 for the N Blue S.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the UltraContact NXT 96% from 2 reviews and the N Blue S 68% from 4.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The UltraContact NXT is made in 20 sizes (16 to 20 inch) and the N Blue S in 53 (14 to 19 inch). 4 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the UltraContact NXT is graded A for wet grip and A for rolling resistance in most sizes; the N Blue S B and B.
Which is the newer tyre?
The UltraContact NXT is the newer design: it reached the market in 2023, the N Blue S in 2014.
More comparisons with these tyres
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.