Tests – · none yet Owners 42 · 6 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho I Zen KW31 vs Nitto NT555 G2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
NT555 G2 is ahead, 61–50
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
49
Dry
NT555 G2 +756Why this score
Source I Zen KW31 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 49 Reviews found online 38 67 -
48
Wet
NT555 G2 +452Why this score
Source I Zen KW31 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 48 Reviews found online 40 59 -
53
Snow
I Zen KW31 +548Why this score
Source I Zen KW31 NT555 G2 Reviews found online 42 34 -
55
Comfort
NT555 G2 +1368Why this score
Source I Zen KW31 NT555 G2 Reviews found online 41 67 -
62
Noise
NT555 G2 +466Why this score
Source I Zen KW31 NT555 G2 Reviews found online 54 65 -
54
Treadwear
NT555 G2 +2175Why this score
Source I Zen KW31 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 80 Reviews found online 45 67 -
38
Handling
NT555 G2 +2967Why this score
Source I Zen KW31 NT555 G2 Reviews found online 38 67
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho I Zen KW31 | Nitto NT555 G2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 50 | 61 |
| Dry | 49 | 56 |
| Wet | 48 | 52 |
| Snow | 53 | 48 |
| Comfort | 55 | 68 |
| Noise | 62 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 54 | 75 |
| Handling | 38 | 67 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
50
/ 100
I Zen KW31
61
/ 100
NT555 G2
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A I Zen KW31
Pros
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Acceptable dry weather performance
- Affordable economical option
Cons
- Extremely poor grip and stopping distances in wet conditions
- Inadequate traction and performance on ice and serious winter conditions
- Low overall confidence leading to premature replacement
Tire B NT555 G2
Pros
- Aggressive, visually appealing tread pattern and sidewall design
- Exceptional value and lower price point compared to premium brands like Michelin or Pirelli
- Long-lasting tread life and slow wear rates for a summer performance tire
Cons
- Poor wet-weather traction, with multiple users reporting hydroplaning and a slippery feel in the rain
- Lack of straight-line traction and wheel spin under heavy acceleration, especially on high-horsepower RWD vehicles
- Subpar performance in cooler temperatures or cold conditions, requiring heat to grip properly
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Kumho I Zen KW31
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Nitto NT555 G2
Community sentiment regarding the Nitto NT555 G2 is divided, with many owners appreciating its affordable price point, quiet street ride, good tread life, and availability in hard-to-find wide sizes. However, numerous drivers express frustration over poor straight-line traction on higher-horsepower vehicles, significant loss of grip in cold temperatures, and dangerous handling or hydroplaning in wet weather. Additionally, several users report persistent issues with flat-spotting when vehicles are parked for extended periods.
r/ft86
·152 upvotes ·2020-06-17
“Finally got new tires on, NT555 G2s”
myg37.com
“It’s been about 8 months and about 17,000 miles or so. I have 120 miles total a day to work and back home. Tread depth is still plenty in the front and the rears aren’t bad either. I didn’t have a tread depth gauge on me for an accurate measure. The tires still grip very well through these cold, rainy days we’ve been having lately. Front left tire Front right tire. Rear right tire Rear left tire”
corvetteforum.com
“If you daily drive them, and the temps stay up (you are in Florida) you should be ok. As I have stated a bunch of times (as well as others) they flat spot quick. In my case 3 days. NTB replaced them for me, under warranty, customer satisfaction after less that 5000 miles. I will never own another Nitto tire again. Once they flat spot (in my experience, can't say for others) it will take 10 to 20 miles of driving to warm them up enough to go over 55 mph without severely shaking the car. I talked to Nitto and their BS response was to put the car on jackstands when it was not being driven. No care about the customer, no thought that they might not be the right tire for where I live with a car that is not driven daily. They should come with a set of those plastic blocks that help prevent flat spotting while keeping the tire round when it is parked, not being driven.”
Top themes
#Wet traction issues#Cold weather performance#Affordable budget option#Straight line grip#Temporary flat spotting#Wide size availability#Michelin tire comparisons
Based on 84 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho I Zen KW31 | B · Nitto NT555 G2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 88 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 11.5/32″ | 10.2/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 320 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
50
/ 100
Kumho I Zen KW31
61
/ 100
Nitto NT555 G2
Winner: Nitto NT555 G2 — better handling, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Kumho I Zen KW31 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 67 vs 38 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 75 vs 54 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 68 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 56 vs 49 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho I Zen KW31
Tire B · Nitto NT555 G2
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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.