Nankang NS2 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Owners 53 · 212 reviews analysed Road tests 56 · 2 tests
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The Nankang NS2 is a polarizing budget-tier tire that is frequently praised for its exceptional value and longevity, but criticized for inconsistent wet-weather performance and high road noise. While many users find them perfectly adequate for daily driving and dry conditions, a significant portion of reviewers report a lack of confidence in rain, leading to a divided consensus on safety and reliability.
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
53/100From 212 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
56/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 212 owner reviews found online.
The Nankang NS2 is a polarizing budget-tier tire that is frequently praised for its exceptional value and longevity, but criticized for inconsistent wet-weather performance and high road noise. While many users find them perfectly adequate for daily driving and dry conditions, a significant portion of reviewers report a lack of confidence in rain, leading to a divided consensus on safety and reliability.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
- Strong dry-weather grip and handling
- High tread life and durability
- Attractive, sporty directional tread pattern
Cons
- Poor wet-weather traction and high risk of aquaplaning
- Excessive road noise that often worsens with wear
- Inconsistent quality control (reports of cracking or separation)
- Harsh ride quality on certain vehicle setups
Worth knowing
- Users with high-torque or RWD vehicles frequently report traction loss in the wet, suggesting the tire struggles to manage power delivery in poor conditions.
- Owners of vehicles with stiff or lowered suspension setups often note that the tire's hard compound exacerbates ride harshness and noise.
- Drivers using low-profile sizes (e.g., 35-series) report that the lack of sidewall protection makes the tires vulnerable to pothole damage.
Reviews from our readers
Drivers who have these tires on their car, in their own words. We check every review before it goes live.
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2 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2020 tire Market Overview Braking Test · 245/45 R18
45th of 49
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 44th of 49 | |
| Dry Braking | 36th of 49 |
Source: Auto Bild
2012 Auto Bild 20 inch tire Test · 245/30 R20
7th of 8
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Bild
What owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of the scores above.
Community opinions on the Nankang NS2 are divided between budget-conscious drivers who find them acceptable or decent value for daily driving and users who report poor quality, fast wear, and construction defects. While praised for affordability, durability against potholes, and reasonable dry/wet stability compared to other budget tires, detractors cite high road noise, inferior wet confidence, and internal tread separation issues.
From 32 threads and comments.
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