Nankang AR 1 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Better than 48% of the summer tires we score.
Owners 61 · 38 reviews analysed Road tests 62 · 1 test
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Nankang AR 1 has a Relative Score of 63 out of 100 among summer tires. 38 owner reviews rate it 61 out of 100. 83% would buy it again.
- Weak point: Wet 39 — 10th of 10 (2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick tire Test)
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
How scores work
- Relative score
- 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
- Road tests
- 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
- Owner reviews
- 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.
By owner reviews
61/100From 38 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
62/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 38 owner reviews found online.
The Nankang AR-1 is widely regarded as a high-performance, budget-friendly semi-slick tire that excels in dry track conditions. While it offers impressive grip, feedback, and value compared to premium competitors, users note that it is prone to heat-soaking during extended sessions and performs poorly in wet conditions.
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip and cornering speed
- High value-for-money ratio compared to premium semi-slicks
- Predictable and progressive handling characteristics
- Quick warm-up time in most conditions
- Strong steering feedback and turn-in response
Cons
- Significant performance drop-off in wet weather
- Tendency to become 'greasy' when heat-soaked during long track sessions
- High levels of road noise and drone for street use
- Inconsistent longevity depending on vehicle weight and driving style
Worth knowing
- Lightweight vehicles (e.g., Mazda MX-5, Lotus Elise) report excellent durability and predictable handling.
- High-horsepower, heavy vehicles (e.g., F80 M3, 992 GT3) are more prone to rapid heat-soaking and greasy performance during consecutive hot laps.
- Users note that specific sizes, such as the 205/45/15, often run wider than their nominal branding suggests.
1 published test appearance
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick tire Test · 235/35 R19
3rd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 10th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 10th of 10 | |
| Wet Circle | 10th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 10 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 10th of 10 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 10th of 10 | |
| Noise | 9th of 10 | |
| Price | 8th of 10 |
Source: Sport Auto
Reviews from our readers
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