Is Expensive Better? 2026 AutoView Korean All-Season Tyre Test

+The Kumho Majesty X Solus was the overall winner of this test, and it earned the result by being good everywhere rather than exceptional anywhere. It sat among the shortest stoppers on both dry and wet roads, ranked near the top for measured cabin quiet, and gave the most composed subjective handling in the field. At the limit its behaviour stayed linear and easy to read, so the driver always knew what the car would do next.

−Lateral grip around the circle was only mid-pack, so the Kumho Majesty X Solus could not match the front-runners for outright cornering speed, and its ride comfort came in below the softer Nexen tyres. It is also one of the heavier tyres in the group.

+The Hankook Ventus S2 AS was the braking champion of the test, pulling up shortest on both dry and wet roads. It also shared the best subjective handling rating, with quick response to small steering inputs and a strong sense of support from the tyre, and it held high grip around the circle. For an older design it stays very competitive.

−The Hankook Ventus S2 AS was the loudest tyre on the objective noise measurement and the heaviest in the group. At the highest test speeds its yaw response built up more sharply, though overall confidence stayed high.

+The Kumho Majesty Solus Edge produced the highest cornering grip of any tyre in the test, holding the fastest average speed around the circle, and it backed that up with top-four braking on both dry and wet roads. Developed to take on the Hankook Ventus S2 AS, it gets close on the tests that matter most.

−Body movement grew noticeably as the Kumho Majesty Solus Edge approached its cornering limit, which cost it subjective points, and it was among the noisier tyres both on the meter and by ear. It also has the shallowest tread of the group.

+The Hankook Ventus Air S braked with the best of them, ranking second on dry roads and third in the wet, and it was one of the quieter tyres on the noise meter. It carries noise-reduction foam and is clearly engineered as a premium product on the performance side.

−Ride comfort was among the weakest in the whole test, which is the one shortcoming a driver feels every day. The Hankook Ventus Air S also generated low grip around the circle, and at the highest test speed it switched from understeer to oversteer and was slow to recover.

+The Kumho Solus TA51 plus was the value standout of the test, a mid-grade tyre that beat several premium rivals for cornering grip and coasted the furthest of anyone, marking it out as the most efficient tyre here. It won its own mid-grade group on the strength of that balance.

−The Kumho Solus TA51 plus felt numb to small steering inputs on the straight, leaning on grip rather than finesse to hold its line, and its braking was only mid-pack on both surfaces. Ride comfort sat on the firmer side.

+The Nexen N Priz S was the cheapest tyre in the test and also the most refined, recording the lowest measured noise and sharing the best subjective comfort and quietness ratings. It has the deepest tread of the group, which points to a longer service life, and it delivers all of that without noise-reduction foam.

−Handling was the clear weakness of the Nexen N Priz S, the lowest-rated in the field: it slid into oversteer from low speeds and became difficult for an ordinary driver to control as the pace rose. Its dry braking was also among the longest.

+The Nexen N Fera Supreme was among the quietest and most comfortable tyres in the test, ranking near the top for both measured and perceived refinement. As Nexen's flagship comfort tyre it delivers on cabin calm.

−The Nexen N Fera Supreme recorded the longest dry stop and the lowest cornering grip of the entire field, with wet braking also near the back. For a top-of-the-range tyre, those safety results are hard to overlook.

+The Hankook Kinergy ST AS was the lightest tyre in the test, held strong grip around the circle, and was one of the more efficient tyres for coasting distance. Those are useful traits for a mid-grade all-season tyre.

−Wet braking was among the longest and refinement was poor, the Hankook Kinergy ST AS drawing the lowest subjective noise rating and a firm ride. Under repeated hard cornering its grip faded and it slipped towards oversteer, though the movement was gradual enough to manage.

+The Nexen Primus AS T1 was light, keenly priced as the second-cheapest tyre here, and reasonably comfortable, placing mid-field for ride and noise. On paper it looks like a value option.

−The wet braking of the Nexen Primus AS T1 was the longest of all nine tyres, a serious shortfall in an emergency, and its handling was among the weakest, losing the driver's chosen line as speeds climbed.