AutoView's latest tire test takes a deliberate aim at the middle of the Korean market. With prices for premium summer and all-season tires climbing, plenty of drivers are looking for something that costs less than a Michelin or Continental but isn't a no-name budget product. AutoView selected five mid-range comfort tires, fitted them to a Kia K5 in 215/55R17, and ran them through the publication's standard battery of dry braking, wet braking, cornering, noise, comfort and handling tests.
The line-up reflects what is actually on Korean shelves at that price: three Korean home-market tires (Hankook Kinergy ST AS, Nexen Primus AS T1 and the Kumho Solus TA51+), the British Davanti DX640, and the American Atlas Force HP. The Kumho Solus TA51+ wins the test outright on AutoView's combined scoring, with the best subjective ride comfort, the quietest cabin and the highest cornering limit of the five.
Test Publication:
215/55R17
5 tires
3 categories
Test Publication:
Unknown
Test Size:
215/55R17
Tires Tested:
5 tires
The two value imports take very different paths: the Atlas Force HP wins wet braking by a clear margin and has the deepest tread, while the Davanti DX640 has the shortest dry braking distance and the best rolling resistance but trails the rest on comfort, handling and cornering grip. The Korean trio splits along intuitive lines - Kumho for comfort, Nexen for low weight and balance, Hankook for steering feel.
Dry Braking
Stops are measured from 100 km/h to a standstill on dry tarmac. The Davanti DX640 is the surprise winner here at 42.49 m, with the Kumho a few centimetres behind and the Hankook third. The Nexen Primus AS T1 and Atlas Force HP are joint last at 43.42 m - still respectable for the segment, with less than a metre covering all five tires.
- Davanti DX640
- Kumho Solus TA51 plus
- Hankook Kinergy ST AS
- Atlas Force HP
- Nexen Primus AS T1
Wet Braking
Measured from 80 km/h on a wet surface, this is where the test really separates the field. The Atlas Force HP stops shortest at 31.95 m, half a metre clear of the Kumho, with the Hankook and Davanti within reach. The Nexen Primus AS T1 is well off the pace at 37.35 m - over five metres further than the Atlas - and is the one obvious weakness in an otherwise tidy tire.
- Atlas Force HP
- Kumho Solus TA51 plus
- Hankook Kinergy ST AS
- Davanti DX640
- Nexen Primus AS T1
Cornering Limit
A note on methodology: AutoView measure cornering grip as the maximum sustainable speed around a fixed-radius circle, rather than a lap time on a full handling track. It is a clean comparison of pure lateral grip but it doesn't capture transient behaviour the way a proper handling course would. The Kumho leads at 71.16 km/h, narrowly ahead of the Atlas at 71.05, with the Davanti last at 69.76 - only 1.4 km/h covers the entire field.
- Kumho Solus TA51 plus
- Atlas Force HP
- Nexen Primus AS T1
- Hankook Kinergy ST AS
- Davanti DX640
Cabin Noise
Interior noise measured at 80 km/h. Only the Kumho dips into the high-58 / low-59 dBA band that buyers expect from a true comfort tire; the Nexen is close behind. The Atlas and Hankook are both above 61 dBA, which is audibly noisier inside the K5 than the top two.
- Kumho Solus TA51 plus
- Nexen Primus AS T1
- Davanti DX640
- Atlas Force HP
- Hankook Kinergy ST AS
Subjective Ride Comfort
AutoView's testers score each tire on impact absorption and overall ride quality. The Kumho's flexible sidewall takes the sting out of the K5's firm suspension and leads the field at 8.10. The Davanti, by contrast, transmits sharp impacts almost unfiltered and scores worst at 6.95.
- Kumho Solus TA51 plus
- Nexen Primus AS T1
- Hankook Kinergy ST AS
- Atlas Force HP
- Davanti DX640
Subjective Handling
Limit handling is scored on steering linearity, predictability and balance. The Hankook Kinergy ST AS feels the most natural through the wheel and tops the category at 7.5. The Davanti is marked down for an abrupt rear-axle break-away at the limit - the tire with the lowest cornering grip and the least warning before it lets go.
- Hankook Kinergy ST AS
- Nexen Primus AS T1
- Kumho Solus TA51 plus
- Atlas Force HP
- Davanti DX640
Results
Combining objective measurements and subjective scores, AutoView make the Kumho Solus TA51+ a clear winner of this mid-range comfort tire test, with the Nexen Primus AS T1 second on the strength of its low weight and balance - provided buyers can live with the longer wet braking distance.
2026 AutoView Mid-Range Comfort Tire TestWatch the full video of this test on YouTube Watch on YouTube
The Kumho Solus TA51+ is the most well-rounded tire in this test. It records the best subjective ride comfort score (8.10), the quietest cabin noise at 80 km/h (59.3 dBA) and the highest cornering limit on the circle (71.16 km/h). It is also the joint-best built tire, with weight variation within 80 g between samples, and posts the second-shortest dry (42.88 m) and wet (32.19 m) braking distances.
The Kumho Solus TA51+ is third on subjective handling (7.3) — it never feels evasive but the steering is less precise than the Hankook or Nexen. Dry braking is good but not class-leading, trailing the Davanti by a few tenths of a metre.
AutoView overall score: 99.5 points. The Kumho Solus TA51+ wins this comfort tire comparison by combining the best comfort and noise scores with strong braking and the highest cornering limit. AutoView call it the best choice for cars with firm suspension such as the K5 or Sonata, where the tire's compliant sidewall can take the edge off the ride.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
2nd |
42.88 M |
42.49 M |
+0.39 M |
99.09% |
| Dry Handling |
1st |
71.16 Km/H |
|
|
100% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
3rd |
7.3 Points |
7.5 Points |
-0.2 Points |
97.33% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
2nd |
32.19 M |
31.95 M |
+0.24 M |
99.25% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
1st |
8.1 Points |
|
|
100% |
| Noise |
1st |
59.3 dB |
|
|
100% |
The Nexen Primus AS T1 is the lightest tire in the test at 9.59 kg, which helps both fuel economy and unsprung mass. It scores well on subjective comfort (7.80, second) and cabin noise (59.9 dBA, second), and subjective dry handling is a strong 7.4 — the predictability is close to the class-leading Hankook.
Wet braking is the standout weakness of the Nexen Primus AS T1: 37.35 m from 80 km/h, four metres longer than the next-worst tire and over five metres behind the Atlas Force HP. Dry braking is also joint-last at 43.42 m. The tread pattern moves around a little in normal driving, which costs it some subjective comfort points.
AutoView overall score: 89.5 points. The Nexen Primus AS T1 takes a clear second place on the strength of its low weight, good comfort and tidy handling. The poor wet braking distance is the one thing buyers should be aware of — on a wet motorway it gives away meaningful stopping distance to its rivals.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
4th |
43.42 M |
42.49 M |
+0.93 M |
97.86% |
| Dry Handling |
3rd |
70.14 Km/H |
71.16 Km/H |
-1.02 Km/H |
98.57% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
2nd |
7.4 Points |
7.5 Points |
-0.1 Points |
98.67% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
5th |
37.35 M |
31.95 M |
+5.4 M |
85.54% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
2nd |
7.8 Points |
8.1 Points |
-0.3 Points |
96.3% |
| Noise |
2nd |
59.9 dB |
59.3 dB |
+0.6 dB |
99% |
The Atlas Force HP records the shortest wet braking distance in the test at 31.95 m from 80 km/h, beating even the Kumho. It is also the joint-best on build consistency (within 80 g across samples) and has the deepest tread of the group at 7.44 mm, and cornering grip is strong at 71.05 km/h on the circle.
Cabin noise on the Atlas Force HP is poor at 61.3 dBA, second-worst in the test, and the subjective comfort score of 7.60 puts it fourth. Dry braking is joint-last with the Nexen at 43.42 m, and subjective handling at 7.1 is fourth — not unsafe, just less informative through the wheel than the Korean trio.
AutoView overall score: 85.0 points. The Atlas Force HP is the wet-weather specialist of the group and offers good cornering grip and a deep new tread, but it gives back ground on comfort, cabin noise and dry braking. A reasonable budget choice for drivers who do a lot of rainy-day miles.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
4th |
43.42 M |
42.49 M |
+0.93 M |
97.86% |
| Dry Handling |
2nd |
71.05 Km/H |
71.16 Km/H |
-0.11 Km/H |
99.85% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
4th |
7.1 Points |
7.5 Points |
-0.4 Points |
94.67% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
1st |
31.95 M |
|
|
100% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
4th |
7.6 Points |
8.1 Points |
-0.5 Points |
93.83% |
| Noise |
4th |
61.3 dB |
59.3 dB |
+2 dB |
96.74% |
The Hankook Kinergy ST AS posts the best subjective handling score in the test (7.5). AutoView describes the steering as the most consistent and predictable at the limit. It is third on subjective comfort (7.70) and third on both dry (43.13 m) and wet (32.96 m) braking, so the safety fundamentals are all in the upper half.
The Hankook Kinergy ST AS is the heaviest tire on test at 10.56 kg, which works against rolling resistance and unsprung mass. Cabin noise is the loudest of the five at 61.5 dBA, and the ride is choppy at lower speeds even though it settles down nicely above 100 km/h.
AutoView overall score: 84.5 points. The Hankook Kinergy ST AS is the driver's pick of this comfort tire group — the best steering feel, solid braking — but it loses ground on the things comfort buyers actually care about: it is the noisiest and the heaviest, and the ride is fidgety in town.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
3rd |
43.13 M |
42.49 M |
+0.64 M |
98.52% |
| Dry Handling |
4th |
69.97 Km/H |
71.16 Km/H |
-1.19 Km/H |
98.33% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
1st |
7.5 Points |
|
|
100% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
3rd |
32.96 M |
31.95 M |
+1.01 M |
96.94% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
3rd |
7.7 Points |
8.1 Points |
-0.4 Points |
95.06% |
| Noise |
5th |
61.5 dB |
59.3 dB |
+2.2 dB |
96.42% |
The Davanti DX640 records the shortest dry braking distance in the test at 42.49 m from 100 km/h. AutoView also rate it best on rolling resistance, alongside the Kumho, which translates to better real-world fuel economy.
The Davanti DX640 is last on subjective comfort (6.95), last on subjective handling (6.80), last on cornering limit (69.76 km/h) and second-worst on wet braking (34.09 m). AutoView note that the rear axle breaks away abruptly at the cornering limit, with little warning. The tire passes sharp impacts through to the cabin rather than absorbing them.
AutoView overall score: 78.5 points. The Davanti DX640 wins on dry braking and efficiency but trails the field on comfort, handling balance and cornering grip — the areas that matter most for a comfort tire. The abrupt limit-handling behaviour is the most concerning finding and is worth a careful test drive before buying.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
1st |
42.49 M |
|
|
100% |
| Dry Handling |
5th |
69.76 Km/H |
71.16 Km/H |
-1.4 Km/H |
98.03% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
5th |
6.8 Points |
7.5 Points |
-0.7 Points |
90.67% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
4th |
34.09 M |
31.95 M |
+2.14 M |
93.72% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
5th |
6.95 Points |
8.1 Points |
-1.15 Points |
85.8% |
| Noise |
3rd |
61 dB |
59.3 dB |
+1.7 dB |
97.21% |
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