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.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Nexen N Blue HD vs Sumitomo H/TR Z — 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
67
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
68/100
4 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Nexen N Blue HD — better treadwear and wet. Pick the Sumitomo H/TR Z if handling, comfort and dry 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)
H/TR Z leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | N Blue HD | H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 83 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
N Blue HD leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | N Blue HD | H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 73 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Comfort
Score (0–100)
H/TR Z leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | N Blue HD | H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 56 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 68 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | N Blue HD | H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 59 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
N Blue HD leads by 24
Why this score
| Source | N Blue HD | H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 63 | 50 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
H/TR Z leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | N Blue HD | H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 62 | 70 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Nexen N Blue HD | Sumitomo H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 67 |
| Dry | 80 | 83 |
| Wet | 83 | 73 |
| Snow | 100 | – |
| Comfort | 62 | 68 |
| Noise | 74 | – |
| Treadwear | 74 | 50 |
| Handling | 62 | 70 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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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Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
Tire A
67
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
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.
The Sumitomo H/TR Z receives highly polarized feedback, with users divided between those praising its value and longevity and those reporting significant durability and safety concerns. While some drivers report excellent tread life and performance comparable to premium brands, others cite premature wear and catastrophic structural failure.
Pros
- High value-for-money proposition
- Strong dry weather traction
- Competitive tread life for some users
Cons
- Inconsistent tread wear and longevity
- Subpar wet weather performance
- Reports of structural failure and blowouts
Observations
- Users operating on challenging terrain, such as steep country roads, reported significantly accelerated tread wear compared to standard commuting.
- Drivers maintaining specific tire pressure protocols, such as nitrogen filling and slightly elevated PSI, reported better-than-average longevity on mid-sized vehicles like the Volvo V50.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Nexen N Blue HD | B · Sumitomo H/TR Z |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer High Performance tires | Summer Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Nexen
67
/ 100
Sumitomo
Winner: Nexen N Blue HD — better treadwear and wet. Pick the Sumitomo H/TR Z if handling, comfort and dry matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Nexen N Blue HD scores 74 vs 50 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Nexen N Blue HD scores 83 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Sumitomo H/TR Z scores 70 vs 62 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Sumitomo H/TR Z scores 68 vs 62 on comfort.
Tire A · Nexen N Blue HD
Tire B · Sumitomo H/TR Z
More comparisons
Also compared with
Nexen N Blue HD also compared with
Sumitomo H/TR Z 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.