Nankang Launches the Sportnex AS-3, Its New UHP Summer Tire

Nankang launches the Sportnex AS-3

Nankang has introduced the Sportnex AS-3, an ultra high performance summer tire that takes over from the Sportnex AS-2+ at the sportier end of the company's passenger-car range. It is being sold across Europe in rim diameters from roughly 15 to 23 inches, covering everything from hot hatches to larger saloons and coupes.

Positioning

The AS-3 sits in the value UHP summer bracket, where Nankang has long undercut the premium brands on price. Nankang positions it as a step up from the AS-2+ rather than a clean-sheet design, with the same broad remit: dry and wet grip for spirited road driving, but with more attention paid to noise and comfort than an out-and-out track tire.

Key technical changes

• Nankang says the AS-3 uses a new-generation tread compound blended with upgraded nanomaterials, which it claims improves wet grip and steering response over the outgoing AS-2+.
• The company says the groove layout was developed with acoustic simulation software, using circumferential grooves and bevelled lateral grooves intended to cut airflow noise while keeping the tread blocks stiff.
• Nankang describes the asymmetric pattern as being aimed at stable high-speed handling and quicker water clearance, though these are the maker's own design goals rather than measured results.

Manufacturer performance claims

On the EU tire label, Nankang quotes wet grip grades as high as A across much of the AS-3 range, with rolling resistance typically in the B to D bands and external noise rated class B at around 70 to 73 dB depending on size. These are label figures and manufacturer claims; there is no independent test data for the AS-3 yet. For context, its predecessor the Nankang Sportnex AS-2+ has appeared in eight professional tests on this site with an average finish around 15th, its best result being 5th of 10 in a 2022 group test where it was praised for wet grip and comfort but marked down for dry grip. Whether the AS-3 moves that on is exactly what independent testing will need to show.

Sizes and availability

• Available in approximately 15 to 23 inch rim diameters, spanning common UHP fitments.
• Sold as a summer tire for the European market; a separate AS-3 EV version is offered for electric vehicles.
• EU labels vary by size, so wet grip, rolling resistance and noise grades should be checked per fitment.

What it means for drivers

On paper the AS-3 reads like a sensible update to a tire that already offered a lot of wet performance for the money, and the class-A wet grip labels on many sizes are encouraging. As always with a new launch, the claims are the manufacturer's until someone measures them, and Nankang's tires have historically been strong in the wet but more variable in the dry. We will test how the AS-3 holds up against its rivals, and its own predecessor, once tires are available to buy.