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Winter tire Winter Touring tires Updated May 2026

Nankang S600 review

The Nankang S600 is widely regarded as a budget-tier tire that frequently fails to meet modern safety and comfort standards. While a small subset of users reported acceptable performance in specific conditions, the overwhelming consensus points to significant issues with road noise, wet-weather traction, and long-term structural integrity.

Relative score
49/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
46/100
11 reviews
Nankang S600
Scores

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

By owner reviews

46%
Would buy again 44%
Dry
Overall dry
60%
Corner stability
47%
Dry traction
60%
Steering response
47%
Wet
Overall wet
39%
Wet traction
39%
Snow & ice
Overall snow & ice
40%
Ice
30%
Comfort
Overall comfort
39%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
65%
Handling
Overall handling
47%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 11 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

The Nankang S600 is widely regarded as a budget-tier tire that frequently fails to meet modern safety and comfort standards. While a small subset of users reported acceptable performance in specific conditions, the overwhelming consensus points to significant issues with road noise, wet-weather traction, and long-term structural integrity.

Pros

  • Low initial purchase price
  • Adequate dry grip for casual driving
  • High tread longevity due to a very hard rubber compound

Cons

  • Excessive road noise often mistaken for failing wheel bearings
  • Dangerous wet-weather performance and significant understeer
  • Premature structural degradation including cracking and deformation
  • Poor overall ride quality and lack of driver confidence

Worth knowing

  • Users reported that the high noise levels are particularly intrusive in passenger vehicles like the Toyota Celica.
  • Some users noted that the tire's large block design provided surprising stability during track-day use on 17-inch wheels, despite poor wet-weather performance.