80
/ 100
Objective (60%)
69/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
85/100
556 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS vs Kumho Solus HA31 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
77
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
82/100
9 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS — better noise, dry and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Solus HA31 if comfort, snow and handling matter most to you.
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Potenza RE980AS leads by 19
Why this score
| Source | Potenza RE980AS | Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 90 | 67 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 99% | 90% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 100% | 97% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Potenza RE980AS leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Potenza RE980AS | Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 92 | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 79 |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 99% | 94% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 100% | 95% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Solus HA31 leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | Potenza RE980AS | Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 55 | 75 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 40 | 90 |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 86% | 97% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Solus HA31 leads by 34
Why this score
| Source | Potenza RE980AS | Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 23 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 56 | 83 |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Potenza RE980AS leads by 33
Why this score
| Source | Potenza RE980AS | Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 67 |
| SimpleTire owners | 80 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Potenza RE980AS leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | Potenza RE980AS | Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 63 | 74 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Solus HA31 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Potenza RE980AS | Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 80 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS | Kumho Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 80 | 77 |
| Dry | 91 | 72 |
| Wet | 91 | 82 |
| Snow | 63 | 81 |
| Comfort | 49 | 83 |
| Noise | 100 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 86 | 74 |
| Handling | 70 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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.
Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
80
/ 100
Tire A
77
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
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 | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 99% #2/7 · 2020 Tyre Reviews UHP All Season Tyre Test | 90% #12/31 · 2019 All Season Tyre Performance Overview | +8.4 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #4/4 · 2022/23 UHP All Season Tyre Test | 97% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | +3 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 99% #6/7 · 2020 Tyre Reviews UHP All Season Tyre Test | 79% #4/10 · 2019 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | +20.1 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 33% #3/4 · 2022/23 UHP All Season Tyre Test | 11% #9/31 · 2019 All Season Tyre Performance Overview | +22.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 86% #1/4 · 2022/23 UHP All Season Tyre Test | 97% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | -10.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #3/7 · 2020 Tyre Reviews UHP All Season Tyre Test | 94% #5/10 · 2019 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | +5.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #3/4 · 2022/23 UHP All Season Tyre Test | 95% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | +4.2 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (and its 'PLUS' iteration) is widely regarded as a high-value, ultra-high-performance all-season tire that excels in dry and wet road handling. While many users praise its quiet ride, responsiveness, and superior wet-weather traction compared to OEM tires, some enthusiasts find the sidewall stiffness lacking for aggressive track use, and a subset of users reports disappointing tread life.
Pros
- Excellent dry and wet road grip
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Strong value proposition compared to premium competitors
- Responsive steering and handling for daily spirited driving
Cons
- Inconsistent tread life, with some users reporting premature wear
- Soft sidewalls perceived as 'sloppy' by some performance-oriented drivers
- Cold-weather flat-spotting that requires a few miles to round out
- Mediocre performance in deep snow or ice despite all-season classification
Observations
- Users with performance sedans and coupes (e.g., BMW, Audi, Mustang) generally appreciate the balance of comfort and grip, though some note it lacks the precision of dedicated summer tires.
- Tesla and EV owners report a noticeable reduction in range (approx. 5%) and a firmer ride, though many find the trade-off for improved handling and lower noise compared to OEM tires acceptable.
- Drivers of heavier or high-torque vehicles occasionally report faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on staggered setups where rotation is not possible.
The Kumho Solus HA31 is widely regarded as a capable and cost-effective all-season solution for drivers seeking reliable winter performance without the need for seasonal tire changes. While users consistently praise its traction in snow and wet conditions, some note a compromise in high-speed stability and road noise compared to dedicated summer tires.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and confidence in heavy snow and winter conditions
- Strong wet-weather grip and stability in windy conditions
- Excellent value proposition for daily commuters
- Reliable handling during cornering and highway on-ramps
Cons
- Increased road noise at higher speeds (70mph+)
- Noticeable softness in the tire compound during warmer temperatures
- Inconsistent performance feedback in dry, non-winter conditions
- Potential for reduced performance compared to premium all-weather alternatives
Observations
- Users report successful application on smaller, economical vehicles like the Kia Rio and Peugeot 107 for daily commuting.
- Owners of mid-size vehicles like the Nissan Altima noted a significant improvement in winter confidence compared to standard all-season tires.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS | B · Kumho Solus HA31 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season Ultra High Performance tires | All Season Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 6 | — |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 18″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 500 A A | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 50,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
80
/ 100
Bridgestone
77
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS — better noise, dry and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Solus HA31 if comfort, snow and handling matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Solus HA31 scores 83 vs 49 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS scores 100 vs 67 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS scores 91 vs 72 on dry.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Kumho Solus HA31 scores 81 vs 63 on snow.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS
Tire B · Kumho Solus HA31
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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) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.