The Nexen N Blue HD Plus is a mid-range summer high-performance tire that stands out for quiet, comfortable everyday driving and strong value for money. Owners commonly praise its stable, predictable road manners and reassuring wet-weather behavior in normal use, alongside decent tread life. In professional testing, however, its results are more mixed: it can brake competitively, but tends to fall behind in more demanding wet handling and aquaplaning assessments.
The quick answer
Owners say79%from 83 owner reviews82% would buy againRead the reviews
Strengths & weaknessesDry, WetComfortRelative to its rivals across every test we hold
Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tire - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated October 2026.
In 205/55 R16, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus is projected to cost €28.86 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €722 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tire Test.
Tire purchase + fittingExtra fuel vs the most efficient tirecost per 1,000 miles
Assumes a typical car doing 29 mpg (rolling resistance causing 20% of fuel use), fuel at €6.25 per gallon and €70 fitting per set of four. Purchase prices are from the time of the 2021 test; financing costs are excluded.
Across the 5 wet-braking tests it has featured in, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus stops 3.1% longer than premium rivals, 1.3% shorter than mid-range rivals and 3.7% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews wet score of 53/100, and owners rate it 7.8/10 in the wet from 83 reviews.
How good is the Nexen N Blue HD Plus in the dry?
Across the 5 dry-braking tests it has featured in, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus stops 1% longer than premium rivals, 1.5% shorter than mid-range rivals and 1.7% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews dry score of 57/100, and owners rate it 8.3/10 in the dry from 83 reviews.
How fuel efficient is the Nexen N Blue HD Plus?
Across the 3 tests measuring rolling resistance, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus's rolling resistance is 11% higher than premium rivals, 1.9% higher than mid-range rivals and 8.4% higher than budget rivals.
How many miles does the Nexen N Blue HD Plus last?
Based on test and owner data, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus is expected to last around 21,239 miles (34,181 km).
What do owners say about the Nexen N Blue HD Plus?
Across 83 owner ratings the Nexen N Blue HD Plus averages 79%. Owners rate Dry Grip highest at 8.3 out of 10 and Handling lowest at 7.6. 29 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 79% of owners score it 70% or better.
More questions about the Nexen N Blue HD Plus(9)
How much does the Nexen N Blue HD Plus cost to run?
In 205/55 R16, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus is projected to cost €28.86 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €722 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tire Test. The cheapest to run in that test is the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2, at €12.98.
What is the Nexen N Blue HD Plus's EU tire label rating?
Across its range, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus most commonly carries EU label ratings of C for fuel efficiency, B for wet grip and 69 dB for noise.
How comfortable and quiet are the Nexen N Blue HD Plus?
Owners rate the Nexen N Blue HD Plus 8.3 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 72 reviews.
How well do the Nexen N Blue HD Plus wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Nexen N Blue HD Plus 7.8 out of 10 for wear across 72 reviews. 29 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 8,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Nexen N Blue HD Plus again?
82% of owners say they would buy the Nexen N Blue HD Plus again, based on the 78 owner reviews that answered the question. 42% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What do owners say about the Nexen N Blue HD Plus's wet grip?
Of the 71 owner reviews analyzed for the Nexen N Blue HD Plus, 32 mention wet grip: 27 praise it (confident wet grip) and 5 criticise it (weak wet grip). One owner wrote: "The grip on wet is what matters and it was very good". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Nexen N Blue HD Plus's road noise?
Of the 71 owner reviews analyzed for the Nexen N Blue HD Plus, 31 mention road noise: 25 praise it (quiet) and 6 criticise it (noisy). One owner wrote: "The tire has no sound and no noise". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Nexen N Blue HD Plus's dry grip?
Of the 71 owner reviews analyzed for the Nexen N Blue HD Plus, 28 mention dry grip: 25 praise it (strong dry grip) and 3 criticise it (limited dry grip). Read those reviews
What sizes does the Nexen N Blue HD Plus come in?
The Nexen N Blue HD Plus is available in 282 sizes, ranging from 145-235/45-80 R13-17.
Questions and Answers for the Nexen N Blue HD Plus
Hi I’ve just had these in 16” fitted to my combo van are these upto the job. As I asked the dealer for r16c’s as what was currently on the van.
November 30, 2018
As long as they meet the size and load rating specified by the vehicle they are legal to fit, usually C (cargo) tires have a higher load rating and stronger sidewalls so you might not have the right tires fitted, it's worth double checking.
Show all questions(3)
I am thinking of buying these Nexen tires for my 1 yr old Suzuki Vitara (new model) would you recommend buying XL or 'reinforced' types as opposed to the normal… Show moreI am thinking of buying these Nexen tires for my 1 yr old Suzuki Vitara (new model) would you recommend buying XL or 'reinforced' types as opposed to the normal tires. There is no indication in the car's handbook as to which to buy. I live in the north of England where it rains about half of the year. Also, is there a tire more suitable without spending a lot more as it is just used as a family runabout? Thought about Uniroyal as they seem to score higher for wet roads but wear out quite a lot faster and their dry performance is somewhat questionable. PS the car is the petrol model which has firmer suspension than the diesel (supported by Suzuki) Show less
May 15, 2017
As long as you meet the minimum load rating recommended by the manufacturer whether you order XL or not is down to preference, and whether to plan to carry heavy loads. In theory, the XL version of the Nexen N Blue HD+ will have a slightly better steering response while the non-XL version will have slightly better comfort.
I have just purchased the Nexen N Blue HD 255/55/R17 for my VW Tiguan to replace the worn out Purelli. I was told to keep both the front and back infalted at 32. Show moreI have just purchased the Nexen N Blue HD 255/55/R17 for my VW Tiguan to replace the worn out Purelli. I was told to keep both the front and back infalted at 32. However when I exceed a certain speed, say 60mph, they tend to become rather noisy, giving that 'unsafe' feeling. Moreover they give the impression that they are a bit 'flat'. I inflated them up to 36, both front and back, and the noise, though still audible, decreased a lot. Any idea whether it is ok to have them inflated at 36, and whether they can give a better performance if inflated a bit more, say 38 front and 40 back? Show less
December 26, 2016
While it's always advisable to start with the manufacturer's recommended pressures, there is scope to move tire pressures safely a few PSI in either direction depending on personal preference. That said, moving the tires, especially the rear up to 40 psi will reduce overall grip at the rear and likely give you uneven, center wear, which could result in noise as the tires wear down, so any extreme adjustments you make need to be carefully considered and monitored.
Across 70 reviews, the Nexen N Blue HD Plus is most often described as a strong value summer/touring tire with notably low road noise, good comfort, and stable, predictable handling for everyday driving. Many drivers report confident wet-weather performance (including heavy-rain stability and aquaplaning resistance) and respectable longevity, with several citing 40,000-80,000+ km of use. The main recurring drawbacks are soft sidewalls that can reduce steering precision and, for some users, wet grip/braking that worsens as the tire wears or when pushed hard (especially in standing water or high heat).
What owners mention most counted across 71 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 83 ratings
Owner score79%
Dry Grip83%
Comfort83%
Wet Grip78%
Wear78%
Road Feedback77%
Handling76%
Featured reviews
Most helpful 77%
“Fitted these tires after my stock hankooks got burned in a storage fire accident. Doing second season on them and find them pretty well-balanced in all summer conditions for non-performance car like mine. They were good...”
“Grip in both wet and dry seem acceptable but significant cracking on tire shoulder is a real worry. Tires have a date code that suggest they are 3.5 years old. They have covered about 10k miles and have about 4mm tread...”
“Came stock on my 2018 Kia Rio EX, so I've been on them for 5 years and 80,000km or 50,000mi. No complains so far, wet grip is as expected, never had a moment even though I like to drive fast, almost always above the...”
I wrote my impressions after about 10,000 km of use, and I confirm my good impressions. After about 25,000 km, I believe they can easily go another 20,000 (driving style mostly calm), and I think I would buy them again if I found a good price. Just like the ones I have on the front axle (Kleber Viaxer), another great purchase. Then I read about someone mentioning cracks on the sides of the tires, but I would like to know how the owners treat their tires. For example, when washing the car, some people put 'tire shine' on the tires, which we don't know what it's made of and could contain something that damages them instead of taking care of them? Personally, the sides of my tires are perfect considering they are about 5 years old and have around 25,000 km on them, but probably it's also because I bought a specific product to care for the rubber and rejuvenate it; evidently, it works? 10 euros for 1 liter isn't cheap, but maybe it's worth it? I give the same treatment to the scooter tires, and when I check them visually, they look like new... So I recommend everyone to treat their tires with products to keep them efficient and at the same time looking good, like the specific tire shines.
Check out how the BEST all seasons tires perform against premium summer and winter tires!
The Nexen tire is even quieter and more stable and comfortable than my previous Yokohama S306, New tires fitted last week so not a long experience with the tire but it is promising so far!
Which tires do you drive?
Researching the Nexen N Blue HD Plus? Rate the tires you actually drive - and help the next buyer choose.
I had already left a review on these Nexen tires but reading around I would like to integrate and reexamine some considerations: I have seen that some car manufacturers fit Nexen tires as standard and this means that at least they have done some testing and will respond adequately to stress, then always reading around I have seen that some "pairings" seem tested and functional, and even if these Nexens do not have the sipes and grooves that allow the dispersion of water directly in case of rain and puddles, by mounting a pair of Kleber Viaxer on the front axle, which instead have the structure of the sipes and grooves of the tread designed in such a way as to allow the water to flow directly, therefore even with a small and therefore relatively light car, the water planning effect can be mitigated in a way that I would say is good. By adopting this scheme, with the Kleber Viaxer in front and these Nexen HD Blues in the back, I can say that if you stay above 5°C the "system" works very well. I've done more than 10,000 km, and the last trip on the motorway, even in heavy rain, went very well with a 1242 cc Panda 169. I think the choice is quite wise, as I've tried other tires, even premium ones, and I can safely say that they are only slightly inferior in quality and performance to some better-known and best-selling brands. However, we must often recognize the superiority of Pirelli, Michelin (Kleber belongs to Michelin), GoodYear, and Uniroyal. Continental, Dunlop is real. I found these little Korean tires to be truly deficient, and I think they can easily last more than 30,000 km safely.
First of all, on the front drive axle I mounted a different brand that is just a little inferior to the more renowned ones but still very efficient. On the rear axle I have these 155-80-r13 Nexen tires that I consider really good for the car, which has modest performance, but the tire undoubtedly changes your ride and grip, and if you use reliable products, the difference is really noticeable! Absolutely positive opinion even if the tread has not adopted the system of grooves and cuts that allow the direct flow of water in case of rain as other brands do, in any case I think they work very well. I have traveled about 11,000 km and the wear is promising because they are less than 1/3 worn, so I expect them to easily reach over 30,000 km.
This review might not be a complete one because the car wasn't driven much and didn't have many chances to get the most out of them.
Grip/Response/Feedback: A couple of times i got the chance to push them a little the feedback on dry was good. You feel what they're rolling over and when they're close to their limit.
Steering response was crisp. No delays, no vagueness. Grip on the dry was good but so is for most tires of that price.
The grip on wet is what matters and it was very good. Much better than the Goodyear Excellence they replaced. ZERO aquaplaning, ZERO loss of grip even at heavy rainfall on the slippery roads of Greece. Very safe feeling.
Two or three times i had to do emergency braking and they performed good. Saved me from a couple of crashes but eventually the driver i share it with did crash the car at the rear of another car, but i don't know the circumstances because i wasn't there. He might have been tailgating him while being distracted. Old men shouldn't drive.
Wear: Like i said, didn't drive that much but after around 16000 miles (26000 kilometers) they still have PLENTY of tread left and despite their age (7 years old) they still feel safe. Still have short braking distance, good response and feeback. The tread doesn't feel hard. The sidewalls are still in good shape. The only cracks i noticed is on the very edges of the tread, at the very top of the sidewall, which i think is normal. No bits and pieces missing.
Comfort: This is where they kinda let me down, although maybe it was a mistake to fit them on a 7J rim. They were borderline stretched. But anyway, on spec pressure (car specs) the ride was rough. They felt more rough than the 45 profile Goodyears. But the response and feedback was better than the 45s. I used to run them on slightly lower pressures to get a better ride.
Would i buy them again? Maybe, but if i do i will go for the 205 or 215, although i'd much rather get rid of the 16x7J rims. Too wide for the car in general.
I have now replaced them with Kleber HP5s and let me tell you that the 205 Kleber is as wide as the 215 Goodyear was. Even the tire fitter was surprised at how wide they are for 205. Very beefy tires and more comfortable than the Nexens, even at spec pressures. We'll see how they will perform because i just fitted them so now they feel great, like all tires feel when brand new and fresh. But they're a PERFECT match for the 16x7J rims.
Fitted these tires after my stock hankooks got burned in a storage fire accident. Doing second season on them and find them pretty well-balanced in all summer conditions for non-performance car like mine. They were good in a heatwave 2024, also fitted them way too early when it was still few weeks of sub-zero night temperatures this spring, got in a heavy rain on a highway few times, everything went well. Long trips are comfortable and no punctures so far. I wish they were a bit stiffer to have better steering feedback and less sidewall roll.
I have a 2003 Seat Ibiza, I chose these tires in 2015 after using some Kumhos (which were quite decent). The handling is quite good, I occasionally drive in a more spirited way and only twice in 10 years have I heard them squealing in a corner and it was at a relatively low speed, 40-50 km/h, while still providing sufficient grip. So I'd say they give a good amount of confidence on dry roads and the grip limit is not low. They're far from the best in the wet, but its limits are more evident when there is a lot of standing water on the road, in which case I recommend to reduce your speed significantly. Comfort is decent but I can't say much because my car is not exactly comfortable and is a bit noisy as is so the tires don't really have much influence, but I'd say it's average.
Since I live in an area where it doesn't rain that much, I chose them again in 2022 after one of the tires got punctured. I would've had to change them anyway because of their age and low tread depth, I had covered 66k km with them so pretty satisfied with the wear. As of now, I've covered 19k km with them and all is fine. Definitely recommend them because of their high price/performance ratio, 4 tires were 210€ here in Italy.
For a factory-mounted (kia picanto 1.0 tgdi) it has really good grip and and response, they are lasting almost 50k km and still going, 1.5mm of rubber left.
The tire on dry road is average, so I give it a rating of 8. On a wet road, I rate it 6, because when there is water, the car does not have good traction and starts to become unstable.
Run on this tire for 50K+ KMs in total with 2 different cars, 2 different sizes. When I was using it on my Ford Fiesta, tires didn't lose it's characteristics after 2 years and 30K+ KMs. So I did buy another set for my new car, Opel Meriva. I will buy again when I need new tires.
Best choice for the price. Comfort is very good and noise is low. Wet grip is very good, dry grip is much better than its price range.
When its wet, I force the car on turns to test the limits, I can't even let it lose grip. I used to buy only premium tires like Continental or Michelin but after using those Nexens I don't think I will pay 2x more for premium tires ever again.
