81
/ 100
Objective (60%)
78/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
80/100
38 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho Ecsta HS51 vs Nexen N Blue HD — 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
74
/ 100
Objective (60%)
73/100
4 professional tests
User signal (40%)
74/100
20 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better comfort, handling and dry. Pick the Nexen N Blue HD if noise matters most to you.
Read full
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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)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | 79 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 75 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 92% | 97% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 100% | 99% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 86 | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 73 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 97% | 92% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 100% | 96% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 56 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 60 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
N Blue HD leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 70 | 59 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 63 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 62 |
| DriverReviews owners | 82 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta HS51 | Nexen N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 74 |
| Dry | 88 | 80 |
| Wet | 85 | 83 |
| Snow | – | 100 |
| Comfort | 84 | 62 |
| Noise | 70 | 74 |
| Treadwear | 77 | 74 |
| Handling | 80 | 62 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
81
/ 100
Tire A
74
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | 92% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 97% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | -5 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 99% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | +0.7 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 75% #20/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 80% #11/12 · 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test | -4.9 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 96% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | +2.3 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 59% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 77% #9/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | -18 | Same test |
| Wear | Other | 88% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 63% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | +24.8 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 11% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 5% #20/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | +6.1 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 99% #2/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 92% #20/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | +7.2 | Same test |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #9/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 0% #16/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 0 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #6/53 · 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test | 92% #16/53 · 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test | +5.2 | Same test |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 96% #19/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | +3.6 | Same test |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Kumho Ecsta HS51 is widely regarded as a high-value, budget-friendly tire that offers performance comparable to premium brands for daily driving. While most users praise its wet and dry grip, comfort, and longevity, a subset of reviewers reports inconsistent experiences regarding sidewall stiffness and rapid tread wear.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium competitors
- Strong wet and dry traction for daily commuting
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Impressive tread life for many users, often exceeding 30,000 miles
Cons
- Reports of soft sidewalls leading to handling 'wobble' or lack of feedback
- Inconsistent tread wear, with some users reporting premature failure
- Occasional issues with aquaplaning in heavy rain
- Not recommended for high-performance or aggressive cornering
Observations
- Users with heavier vehicles or those driving at high speeds noted concerns regarding sidewall stability and cornering precision.
- Drivers of compact and mid-sized sedans generally report the highest satisfaction regarding noise levels and overall comfort.
The Nexen N Blue HD is generally perceived as a budget-friendly tire that offers impressive performance when new, particularly in wet and dry conditions. However, user consensus indicates a significant decline in both grip and noise levels as the tread wears, leading to mixed long-term satisfaction.
Pros
- Strong initial grip in both wet and dry road conditions
- High value-for-money proposition for budget-conscious buyers
- Smooth and quiet ride quality during the initial break-in period
- Reliable performance for daily commuting and highway driving when new
Cons
- Significant increase in road noise as the tire wears
- Noticeable degradation in traction and grip after 10,000–20,000 kilometers
- Inconsistent tread life, with some users reporting premature wear on front axles
- Reports of sidewall bubbling or structural issues in some instances
Observations
- Users noted that the tire performs best on smaller vehicle platforms, with some suggesting it is better suited for sizes below 15 inches.
- Front-wheel drive vehicles reported improved traction in varied weather conditions compared to stock tires, though long-term durability remains a concern.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta HS51 | B · Nexen N Blue HD |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Premium Touring tires | Summer High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
81
/ 100
Kumho
74
/ 100
Nexen
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better comfort, handling and dry. Pick the Nexen N Blue HD if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 84 vs 62 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 80 vs 62 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 88 vs 80 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Nexen N Blue HD scores 74 vs 70 on noise.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta HS51
Tire B · Nexen N Blue HD
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho Ecsta HS51 also compared with
Nexen N Blue HD also compared with
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.