Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 vs Nexen N Fera Primus — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Ventus S1 evo3 leads, 69–68 Narrow edge

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Tire AHankook

Ventus S1 evo3

Summer

Tests 76 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,355 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test (rolling resistance)

“Small tire size change having different ratings? (Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3) Hi all, I'm looking for a good all round tire for my MX5 (I'm in the non snowy regions of the UK so summer tires) and a pretty popular recommendation are the Ventus S1 Evo 3s. At the MX5's stock size of 205/45/R17 they are rated at A for fuel and wet performance, and 68db of noise, which is great! However I'd like to size up to 215/45/R17, and for whatever reason the ratings drop to B for fuel and wet performance, and most importantly to me, 71db of noise. I was just wondering how such a small difference in size changes things quite drastically? I know these ratings aren't that important, but it seems strange to me they'd change at all Thanks! Read more”

Tire BNexen

N Fera Primus

Summer

Tests 61 · 7 tests Owners 76 · 11 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 Vi Bilagare Summer Tyre Test (straight aqua)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 76

    Dry

    Ventus S1 evo3 +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3N Fera Primus
    Professional tests (TWG score)8473
    Reviews found online6376
    Dry Braking (% of best)93%94%
    Dry Handling (% of best)98%98%
  2. 81

    Wet

    N Fera Primus +3
    84
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3N Fera Primus
    Professional tests (TWG score)8885
    Reviews found online6982
    Wet Braking (% of best)99%86%
    Wet Circle (% of best)98%92%
    Wet Handling (% of best)98%99%
  3. 62

    Comfort

    Ventus S1 evo3 +14
    48
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3N Fera Primus
    Professional tests (TWG score)6532
    Reviews found online5971
  4. 71

    Noise

    Ventus S1 evo3 +6
    65
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3N Fera Primus
    Professional tests (TWG score)7464
  5. 55

    Treadwear

    Ventus S1 evo3 +6
    49
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3N Fera Primus
    Professional tests (TWG score)6133
    Reviews found online4674
  6. 60

    Handling

    N Fera Primus +15
    75
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3N Fera Primus
    Reviews found online6075
Scores at a glance
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 vs Nexen N Fera Primus: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryHankook Ventus S1 evo3Nexen N Fera Primus
Relative Score 69 68
Dry 76 74
Wet 81 84
Comfort 62 48
Noise 71 65
Treadwear 55 49
Handling 60 75

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
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Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
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Important
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Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Ventus S1 evo3

N Fera Primus

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryVentus S1 evo3N Fera PrimusΔBoth?
Curved Aquaplaning Curved 86% #9/10 · 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tyre Test 89% #10/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test −3.5 Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 93% #14/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test 94% #19/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test −1.5 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #5/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test 98% #16/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 87% #17/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test +13.0 Different tests
Noise Other 98% #11/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test 98% #13/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test −0.1 Different tests
Price Other 76% #13/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 75% #6/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test +1.5 Different tests
Value Other 70% #13/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 57% #11/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test +13.5 Different tests
Wear Other 76% #7/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 47% #40/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test +29.7 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 17% #6/9 · 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test 14% #7/10 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Summer Tyre Test +2.4 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 98% #5/9 · 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/10 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Summer Tyre Test −2.3 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 67% #10/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test 40% #9/10 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Summer Tyre Test +26.7 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 60% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test 60% #7/10 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Summer Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Subj. Noise Subj 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test 60% #5/10 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Summer Tyre Test +40.0 Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Total 0% #14/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test 0% #19/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 99% #3/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test 86% #7/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test +12.7 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 98% #3/10 · 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tyre Test 92% #14/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test +6.2 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #6/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test 99% #6/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test −0.5 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Ventus S1 evo3

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and confidence in wet and dry conditions
  • Low road noise and high ride comfort
  • Competitive pricing compared to premium tier-one brands

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on rear axles or heavy vehicles
  • Soft sidewalls leading to reduced steering feedback and precision
  • Vulnerability to sidewall damage or bubbling from potholes
All owner themes in the Ventus S1 evo3 review

Tire B N Fera Primus

Pros

  • Fantastic dry and wet grip with stable cornering and predictable handling
  • High level of comfort with a smooth, soft ride that absorbs bumps well
  • Noticeably quieter than certain premium alternatives

Cons

  • Slightly longer braking distances compared to some competing brands like Falken
  • Reports of faster tread wear and relatively low initial tread depth
  • Can be noisy for some drivers depending on the vehicle and road conditions
All owner themes in the N Fera Primus review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Mixed

Community sentiment toward the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 is mixed, with users frequently praising its strong dry and wet grip, comfort, and competitive pricing. However, notable drawbacks include relatively fast tread wear, reports of increasing road noise over time, and mixed experiences with OEM specs versus premium competitors like Michelin.

Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Value for money#Road noise levels#Tread wear and longevity#OEM fitments and EV variants#Run-flat identification confusion#Ride comfort

Based on 33 community posts

Tire B

Nexen N Fera Primus

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 B · Nexen N Fera Primus
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available11050
Rim diameters17″ – 22″15″ – 19″

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Nexen N Fera Primus

Too close to call: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 and Nexen N Fera Primus are within 2 points overall. Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 is stronger on comfort, noise and treadwear. Nexen N Fera Primus is stronger on handling and wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Nexen N Fera Primus scores 75 vs 60 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 62 vs 48 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 71 vs 65 on noise.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 55 vs 49 on treadwear.

Tire A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Tire B · Nexen N Fera Primus

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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

69

Narrow edge

Ventus S1 evo3

Amazon