Tests 78 · 20 tests Owners 65 · 18 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tyre Test (noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 vs Kumho Ecsta HS52 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ecsta HS52 leads, 76–72 Narrow edge
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Tests 82 · 7 tests Owners 71 · 2,352 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (value)
“Bad i have hs52 on my audi a3 8l quattro 1.8t i have no grip with rain.. Like cant corner fast it just goes straight... Dry its fine but wet forget it. My oncle has the same experience with kuhmo on his bmw 118 diesel he got some rims and they had pretty good threats kumho on it. He said all it wanted was to drift and spin out. He said a couple of times it did a 180 he said never again i said same don't trust my car with these tyres. Im gonna get some new rim 17" and Goodyear asymmetric 6. To replace my 16" stock rims with kumho... I have had bad tyres but never this bad. Like 1 ere prix were even better in my Mercedes even doh they became ovals.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
75
Dry
Ecsta HS52 +681Why this score
Source N Fera Sport SU2 Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 85 Reviews found online 67 75 Dry Braking (% of best) 97% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 100% -
78
Wet
Ecsta HS52 +482Why this score
Source N Fera Sport SU2 Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 83 88 Reviews found online 71 72 Wet Braking (% of best) 93% 87% Wet Braking - Concrete (% of best) 89% 89% Wet Circle (% of best) 97% 91% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 97% -
79
Comfort
N Fera Sport SU2 +1465Why this score
Source N Fera Sport SU2 Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 89 – Reviews found online 63 60 -
85
Noise
N Fera Sport SU2 +2065Why this score
Source N Fera Sport SU2 Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 97 64 -
60
Treadwear
Ecsta HS52 +1373Why this score
Source N Fera Sport SU2 Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 63 78 Reviews found online 56 66 -
69
Handling
Ecsta HS52 +675Why this score
Source N Fera Sport SU2 Ecsta HS52 Reviews found online 69 75
Scores at a glance
| Category | Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 | Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 76 |
| Dry | 75 | 81 |
| Wet | 78 | 82 |
| Comfort | 79 | 65 |
| Noise | 85 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 60 | 73 |
| Handling | 69 | 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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
N Fera Sport SU2
76
/ 100
Ecsta HS52
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.
| Discipline | Category | N Fera Sport SU2 | Ecsta HS52 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 86% #7/11 · 2022 AutoBild Sports Cars UHP Summer Tyre Test | 82% #18/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +4.3 | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #3/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | 100% #2/44 · 2022 Summer Tyre Market Overview | −3.2 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #16/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 100% #3/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | −1.9 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 79% #17/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 67% #14/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +12.5 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 95% #14/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 93% #15/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +1.5 | Different tests |
| Abrasion | Other | 59% #8/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 59% #12/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −0.6 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/10 · 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tyre Test | 96% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +3.6 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 94% #3/10 · 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tyre Test | 77% #5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +16.8 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 91% #4/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −9.2 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 67% #9/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 60% #12/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | +7.0 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 13% #8/17 · 2021 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 50% #2/55 · 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview | −37.5 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 98% #10/11 · 2023 Sport Auto UHP Tyre Test | 95% #16/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +3.2 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #12/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 0% #12/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 93% #5/10 · 2022 AutoBild 19 Inch Summer UHP Tyre Test | 87% #5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +5.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | Wet | 89% #13/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 89% #2/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −0.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #5/7 · 2025 Autobild Sports Cars UUHP Tyre Test | 91% #15/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +5.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #10/10 · 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tyre Test | 97% #14/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −0.9 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A N Fera Sport SU2
Pros
- Significantly cheaper than premium tier alternatives like Michelin and Continental
- Impressive dry grip and predictable, controllable handling
- Strong wet weather performance and high-speed stability
Cons
- Rapid and uneven tread wear, often requiring replacement prematurely
- Stiff carcass leading to mediocre ride comfort and harshness over road imperfections
- Soft rubber compound prone to squirming under hard cornering or experiencing shoulder damage
Tire B Ecsta HS52
Pros
- Excellent wet and dry weather traction
- Low road noise and quiet operation
- Smooth and comfortable ride quality
Cons
- A few reports of accelerated or abnormal tread wear
- Slightly sensitive to tire pressure regarding comfort
- Occasional complaints of high-speed vibration or imbalance early on
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta HS52
The Kumho Ecsta HS52 receives a polarized mix of reviews from the community, praised by many for its rigid sidewalls, strong dry grip, sharp steering responsiveness, and great value compared to premium alternatives. However, some users report disappointing wet weather performance, potential issues with aquaplaning resistance, and inconsistent test results across different sizes. Overall, it is viewed as a solid mid-range option, though experiences with wet traction and longevity vary significantly among drivers.
r/Mazda323
·6 upvotes ·2026-06-14
“Mini review of the Kumho Ecsta HS52 I was running some Hankook's on my GT before and the tire wall not stiff enough. Now I've mounted these Kumho Ecsta HS52's and I highly recommend them: The tire wall is nicely rigid and they grip great in the dry, took quite some intent to make them loose traction. Additionally, I've accidentally ran over a pretty big sharp looking rock at decent speed that aimed right in a tread groove (thinnest part) and the thing shrugged it off no problem. And all of this for a damn good price too! So if anyone's looking for good tires, now you know.”
r/tires
·3 upvotes ·2025-09-23
“What’s up with these tyres? Kumho ectsa hs52 date code 3923, tyres are (UK) legal regards tread but I can’t imagine this damage is normal. Both front tyres have this, looks like the tread is tearing apart in multiple places. I did not fit these tyres but it was mot’d 3 months ago and has done 2k miles since. I’ve owned the car 11 months but only noticed this very recently. I am getting them replaced on Monday with little use before then but I’m curious how this has happened. Is it just a shit brand? Wear is even across the face so I don’t think it would be the alignment or anything to do with the car and the damage is random across the contact patch. It’s a Peugeot 508 2l diesel so quite a bit of weight on the nose. Fitting Bridgestone Turanza 6. Rear tyres are good, but a different brand (horizon horace 2122 date)”
r/CarTalkUK
·1 upvote ·2025-01-11
“I have kuhmo ecsta hs52's on my renault megane during spring and summer and they are really good. No complaints at all. My milage did go up a little bit but that's it”
Top themes
#Dry grip and handling#Wet weather performance#Sidewall stiffness#Price and value#Comparison with competitors#Fuel economy and weight#Tread wear and durability
Based on 17 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 | B · Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 53 |
| Rim diameters | — | 14″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
76
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta HS52
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS52 — better treadwear, dry and handling. Pick the Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 if noise and comfort matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 scores 85 vs 65 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 scores 79 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 73 vs 60 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 81 vs 75 on dry.
Tire A · Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta HS52
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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.