Tests 63 · 3 tests Owners 63 · 164 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 10 in 2020 Teknikens 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test (rolling resistance)
Head-to-head
Updated
Nexen N Fera SU1 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ventus S1 evo3 is ahead, 69–64
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 76 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,355 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 48 in 2023 Summer Tyre Market Overview (overall ranking)
“You will love the Ventus S1 EVO3's, I purchased a set back in May 2020 for $473 delivered. In your climate driving at Texas speeds (75-85) efficiency is gonna be about 270-295 Wh/m. I just ordered a set of the iON EVO AS to try out as I have a need for snow use but not bad enough for snow tires.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
59
Dry
Ventus S1 evo3 +1776Why this score
Source N Fera SU1 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 55 84 Reviews found online 64 63 Dry Braking (% of best) 94% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 95% 98% -
64
Wet
Ventus S1 evo3 +1781Why this score
Source N Fera SU1 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 62 88 Reviews found online 68 69 Wet Braking (% of best) 87% 100% Wet Handling (% of best) 95% 92% -
58
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source N Fera SU1 Ventus S1 evo3 Reviews found online 50 – -
66
Comfort
N Fera SU1 +462Why this score
Source N Fera SU1 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 66 65 Reviews found online 67 59 -
69
Noise
Ventus S1 evo3 +271Why this score
Source N Fera SU1 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 69 74 Reviews found online 69 – -
67
Treadwear
N Fera SU1 +1255Why this score
Source N Fera SU1 Ventus S1 evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 61 Reviews found online 61 46 -
66
Handling
N Fera SU1 +660Why this score
Source N Fera SU1 Ventus S1 evo3 Reviews found online 66 60
Scores at a glance
| Category | Nexen N Fera SU1 | Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 69 |
| Dry | 59 | 76 |
| Wet | 64 | 81 |
| Snow | 58 | – |
| Comfort | 66 | 62 |
| Noise | 69 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 55 |
| Handling | 66 | 60 |
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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
N Fera SU1
69
/ 100
Ventus S1 evo3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 SU1 | Ventus S1 evo3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #4/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | −3.8 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 95% #4/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 98% #7/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | −3.7 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 99% #2/10 · 2020 Teknikens 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 82% #5/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test | +16.8 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #3/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 98% #2/11 · 2022 AutoBild Sports Cars UHP Summer Tyre Test | +1.1 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 10% #10/15 · 2014 Auto Bild Top 15 Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/48 · 2023 Summer Tyre Market Overview | −90.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 98% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 98% #5/9 · 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test | +0.5 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 97% #4/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 70% #7/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test | +26.6 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 95% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 70% #7/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test | +24.6 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 95% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | −4.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 94% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 80% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | +13.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 87% #10/10 · 2020 Teknikens 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | −13.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #3/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test | 92% #6/9 · 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test | +3.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A N Fera SU1
Pros
- Exceptional value and significantly lower price compared to premium brands
- Remarkably quiet ride and high overall comfort
- Strong dry and wet grip for daily commuting and spirited driving
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can cause vague handling, body roll, or a floating sensation on heavier vehicles
- Faster than average tread wear or inconsistent durability for some users
- Reports of rubber cracking or splitting along the sidewalls and tread blocks over time
Tire B 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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Nexen N Fera SU1
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
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.
r/Golf_R
·6 upvotes ·2026-04-29
“Tire preferences? My MK8 has a little over 18,000 miles now and the stock tires look like they’ve already gone to sh*t? Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 aren’t as good as they advertise? What do you recommend for tires?”
vwvortex.com
·1 upvote ·2025-09-20
“My thoughts with the Hankooks on my '25R vs the Bridgestones on my '23R. Hankooks WAY louder but better ride quality & traction. As far as rotating - I rotate at least every two weeks (off before AutoX and on immediately after - I have dedicated AutoX tires ). I don't even pay attention to what position they're in. Zero issues.”
r/tires
·1 upvote ·2026-02-03
“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”
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Nexen N Fera SU1 | B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 97 | 110 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 24″ | 17″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 9/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 300 A A | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 25,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Nexen N Fera SU1
69
/ 100
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Winner: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — better dry and wet. Pick the Nexen N Fera SU1 if treadwear, handling and comfort matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 76 vs 59 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 81 vs 64 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Nexen N Fera SU1 scores 67 vs 55 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Nexen N Fera SU1 scores 66 vs 60 on handling.
Tire A · Nexen N Fera SU1
Tire B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
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.