205/40 R17 Tires

brilliant tires when warm in the dry, don't try and be a hero when you haven't got them warmed up.
absolutely terrible in the wet on a lightweight civic with no ABS, very loose , very hard to keep traction on pull-away and have a tendency to lock up. Can't get much better for a dry weather track day tire however.

I put these tires on my Fiesta ST to replace worn and old Pirelli P Zero Nero on the back, and viking pro tech newgen on the front. I bought the car with these mismatched tires.

The Kumhos offer excellent dry and wet grip, okay comfort for a 40 sidewall. Still too jiggly for my liking, but that is not the tire's fault. Progressiveness at the limit dry and wet is amazing, very easy to correct, if you get it to break loose at all. You really have to throw the car into a sharp corner to get the back to come around. When you do, you feel the sidewall flex quite a bit, and then the tire progressively lets go. On my Fiesta ST, the car will also lift the inside rear wheel quite easily like this.

At Autoslalom (AutoX), the tire shows its soft carcass even more. I experienced a lot of low speed understeer, and the tire showed clear marks of rolling onto the sidewall multiple centimeters. The outer tread blocks showed diagonal wear on the outer edges of the blocks.

While the tire is great for grip and progressiveness, and noise isn't too intrusive, I am disappointed in the soft sidewall on this 40 series tire. Steering feel isn't great due to this either. To me this tire feels like a very good daily driver with buckets of grip, but without a real sporty edge at the limit.

The 17-Inch Market Gap:

For a long time, the 17-inch market has been frustrating. You were usually stuck choosing between excellent-but-street-focused tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport 5, heavy ultra-focused track rubber like the Yokohama A052, or generic eco/touring options.
This tire changes that. It successfully bridges the gap, acting as a genuine trackable street tire that proves there is serious value in bringing true UUHP compounds to smaller wheel sizes.

Track Durability & Wear:

The biggest flaw of the previous non-EVO Enliten Potenza Sport was its severe degradation and chunking on track. Bridgestone has absolutely sorted this with the EVO.
A word of warning: you will see fairly strong scrub wear over the first few aggressive miles. Don't panic. Once the tire heat-cycles and settles in, the durability is superb. After three hard 15-minute track sessions, the tread looked almost as fresh as new. The key here is pressure management - get your hot pressures dialed in for the track conditions, and they will reward you with consistency.

Driving Dynamics (Dry & Wet):

Steering & Handling: The steering reaction is razor-sharp. It provides a highly stable and fairly consistent platform mid-corner. For Fiesta ST owners, don't worry - it doesn't kill the fun. The rear end is still playfully lively on lift-off, but it feels predictably progressive rather than snappy.

Grip Levels: Dry grip is excellent and pushes well into track-tire territory. However, the wet performance is where it bends your mind. The sheer amount of grip it manages under heavy cornering in the wet is absolutely huge. Makes you push further and forget that that the asphalt is wet, and the breakaway is progressive.

Comfort & NVH:

As expected for a tire this capable, there is a trade-off. The sidewalls are incredibly hard and stable to support that crisp turn-in. Consequently, it is definitely not a comfortable tire on the street, and cabin noise is noticeably higher than a standard summer tire. If you want a plush ride, look elsewhere.

The Verdict:

For the performance on offer, this tire is an absolute bargain in this size. It delivers lap-after-lap consistency that breathes down the neck of dedicated track rubber, yet you can safely daily drive it in the pouring rain. In this particular small size, with such small load per corner, it is completely over-engineered.

If you have a compact hot hatch and want a tire that can handle the Monday commute and a Sunday track day without melting, the Potenza Sport EVO Enliten is highly recommended.

In the past, I drove on strictly sports-oriented tires like the Nankang NS-2R and Bridgestone Potenza Sport. Both of them were simply phenomenal in terms of absolute grip. I actually ended up choosing the summer Nankang AS-3s because of the winter season—after a very positive experience with the Nankang AW-6 winter model, I decided to give the AS-3 a chance after running the more aggressive NS-2R. The result? I am extremely satisfied with them.

What impressed me the most about the AS-3 is their refinement. They are exceptionally quiet and comfortable, yet responsiveness wasn't sacrificed at all. The sidewall is stiff enough to keep the steering really precise. During sharper cornering, you know exactly what is happening under the wheels; the tire doesn't roll over and reacts instantly.
Another huge surprise is their behavior on wet roads—they are downright excellent in this regard and provide immense confidence even in heavy rain.

Direct Comparison with Competitors
vs. Nankang NS-2R and Bridgestone Potenza Sport: Understandably, the AS-3 has slightly less absolute grip on dry tarmac, which was to be expected when moving away from the semi-slick / UHP category. However, in normal traffic or during spirited driving on backroads, it doesn't bother me at all.
vs. Michelin Pilot Sport 4: This is where the Nankang AS-3 really scores. In terms of driving feel, I actually find the AS-3 even better and, most importantly, quieter than the highly praised PS4. Given the price difference, that is a massive compliment.
Final Verdict
The Nankang AS-3 are budget-friendly tires that easily give much more expensive premium brands a run for their money. They offer a great mix of precise steering, top-tier wet performance, and everyday comfort. If you don't need to chase lap times with the NS-2R but are looking for a reliable, quiet, and superbly controllable tire, the AS-3 is a fantastic choice.