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Summer tire Summer High Performance tires Updated September 2026

Nexen N Blue HD review

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.

Relative score
77/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
74/100
20 reviews
Road tests
73/100
6 published tests
Nexen N Blue HD
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

74.3%
Would buy again 49%
Dry
Overall dry
81.3%
Corner stability
61%
Dry traction
76%
Steering response
67%
Wet
Overall wet
81.1%
Wet traction
72%
Snow & ice
Overall snow & ice
100%
Comfort
Overall comfort
72%
Noise
Overall noise
96.7%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
74.1%
Handling
Overall handling
62%

By road tests

72.5%
Dry
79%
Wet
83.7%
Comfort
55.9%
Noise
59.1%
By discipline (% of best in test)
Dry Braking
57.1%
Dry Handling
52.6%
Subj. Dry Handling
52.6%
Wet Braking
48%
Subj. Wet Handling
27.3%
Wet Handling
43.5%
Straight Aquaplaning
43.5%
Curved Aquaplaning
68.8%
Side G-Force on Wet surface
68.8%
Inside Noise level
68.2%
Outside Noise
100%
Subjective Comfort
63.6%
Rolling Resistance
46.3%
Wear
81.3%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 20 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

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

Worth knowing

  • 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.
Test results

6 published test appearances

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer tire Test · 205/55 R16

20th of 20
Best: Noise · 8th Weakest: Straight Aqua · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking16th of 20
Wet Handling19th of 20
Dry Braking10th of 20
Dry Handling13th of 20
Rolling Resistance16th of 20
Straight Aqua20th of 20
Noise8th of 20
Value9th of 20
Wear15th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership16th of 20

2021 53 Summer tire Braking Test · 205/55 R16

15th of 53
Best: Dry Braking · 10th Weakest: Wet Braking · 16th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking16th of 53
Dry Braking10th of 53

2019 AMS Summer SUV tire Test · 215/55 R17

10th of 11
Best: Subj. Comfort · 5th Weakest: Wet Handling · 10th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking9th of 11
Wet Handling10th of 11
Dry Braking8th of 11
Dry Handling8th of 11
Rolling Resistance8th of 11
Straight Aqua10th of 11
Subj. Dry Handling9th of 11
Subj. Comfort5th of 11
Subj. Wet Handling9th of 11
Noise8th of 11

2018 Gute Fahrt Summer tire Test · 205/55 R16

11th of 12
Best: Wet Braking · 4th Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 11th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking4th of 12
Dry Braking9th of 12
Rolling Resistance11th of 12
Straight Aqua5th of 12

2018 AutoBild Summer tire Overview · 195/65 R15

31st of 47
DisciplinePlacementField position

2018 ADAC Summer tire Test - 205/55 R16 · 205/55 R16

13th of 16
DisciplinePlacementField position
Head-to-head

Nexen N Blue HD compared

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