Compare
Free shipping
Best price guarantee
Special pricing
Financing with Resolve
Easy returns
Last updated 10/25/2024 - Originally published 10/25/2024
Written by SimpleTire
Hailing from South Korea, Kumho and Nexen tire brands offer dependable performances in different weather conditions along with increased durability and a longer service life depending on the tire type you choose. Both offer buyers a decent portfolio of tires for passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks under various categories like all-season, all-weather, all-terrain, mud-terrain, ultra-high-performance, and winter. Under all-season tires, we have the Solus TA51a and Aria AH7 from Kumho and Nexen that promise great performance throughout the year.
Engineered for coupes, sedans, and minivans, the Kumho Solus TA51a and Nexen Aria AH7 are capable all-season tires designed for touring-level comfort, reduced noise and vibrations, increased grip, traction, and handling, and a longer service life with high mileage warranties. While the Aria AH7 features a more appealing tread design with slightly bigger blocks, the Solus TA51a has a more dynamic design with zigzag sipes and busy block elements. To know which of these two is a better option, let’s compare Kumho Solus TA51a vs. Nexen Aria AH7 tires based on our proprietary SimpleScore.
Kumho Solus TA51a tires
Launched in 2023, the Kumho Solus TA51a replaced three Solus product lines in the US market. Developed for passenger cars, CUVs, and SUVs, the Kumho all-season tire features four wide circumferential grooves for effective water drainage to boost wet traction and reduce the risk of hydroplaning. While the high dispersion silica and multi-functionalized polymers used in the rubber compound improve winter grip and tread wear, the chamfered block edges and interlocking sipes of the Solus TA51a allow increased road contact and tread block rigidity for enhanced cornering and braking. With a 30-day satisfaction trial and road hazard assistance, the Kumho is backed by an up to 75,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for T-speed rated sizes and up to 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for H and above speed rated tires.
Boasting an 8.8 out of 10 SimpleScore, the Kumho Solus TA51a assures great performance in traction, grip, stability, handling, durability, and longevity.
Nexen Aria AH7 tires
The Nexen Aria AH7 has been around for a decade and has proved its great year-round performance over time. Thanks to increased block stiffness, the Aria AH7 returns enhanced grip and traction during high-speed cornering in dry, wet, and light snow. While the 5-optimal pitch arrangement allows noise to disperse before entering the cabin for you to enjoy a quiet and comfortable ride, the Nexen’s uniformly designed center patch ensures even tread wear throughout the tire’s life cycle. The circumferential grooves allow quick water evacuation to mitigate the risk of hydroplaning and improve wet performance. Promoted as a premium standard touring tire, the Aria AH7 comes with a superb 80,000 limited manufacturer tread life warranty for its T (118mph) and H (130mph) speed-rated tires. Lastly, Nexen’s Total Coverage Warranty offers a 45-day or 500-mile free trial, a 2-year limited road hazard warranty securing damages from potholes and punctures, and a 3-year roadside assistance program for free tire change or free tow when there’s no spare tire.
With an average score of 8.5, the Aria AH7’s 10-year run shows its grit and popularity in the US market.
Kumho Solus TA51a vs Nexen Aria AH7 tires on traction
Traction is the ability of a tire to hold the ground without skidding when the vehicle is in motion.
Without proper traction, the vehicle may skid, and you could end up compromising your safety.
With a traction score of 8.6, the Kumho Solus TA51a features four wide circumferential grooves that help clear water from the tread to avoid the risk of hydroplaning and boost wet traction. The special rubber compound and silica also aid in improving grip and traction in dry, wet, and light snow.
Boasting an 8.3 traction score, the Nexen Aria AH7 has stiff blocks that provide increased grip for effective traction in dry and wet, while the circumferential grooves with sipes boost wet performance by flushing water away from the tread and resisting hydroplaning.
With a better score, the Kumho races ahead of the Nexen in the traction tussle.
ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a
Kumho Solus TA51a vs Nexen Aria AH7 tires on handling
Whether all-season or all-terrain, handling plays a vital role in contributing to the vehicle's control. The better the steering response, the more enjoyable the ride.
The Kumho Solus TA51a scores 8.6 in handling thanks to the 3D interlocking sipes that provide extra biting edges for responsive handling and improved stability across different weather conditions.
Almost matching the Kumho, the Nexen’s handling ratings read 8.5 owing to the stiff tread blocks and solid center rib that boost steering response and stability on paved roads.
The Kumho beats the Nexen by a whisker (0.1), but a win is a win, even if by a small margin!
ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a
Kumho Solus TA51a vs Nexen Aria AH7 tires on longevity
Tire longevity is defined by the number of years or miles a tire can survive. All-season tires often come with long mileage warranties; the Nexen and the Kumho are tailored to suit touring purposes and feature solid tread life coverages.
Scoring a superb 9.3, the Solus TA51a features High Dispersion Silica and Multi Functionalized Polymers that not only boost grip but also help in returning improved tread wear. It gets an up to 75,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for T-speed rated sizes and up to 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for H-speed rated sizes.
Armed with an equally amazing longevity score of 9.1, the Nexen Aria AH7 features a uniformly designed center rib and solid shoulder blocks, which promote longer tread wear. The Nexen tire offers a stunning 80,000 mile limited manufacturer warranty.
While the Nexen ups its ante in the longevity section, the Kumho overpowers it with a better longevity score.
ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a
When to use each
All-season tires are developed to offer superior performance in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions with improved durability and a longer service life. Designed for year-round performance, they are the most popular tires in the US thanks to their ability to perform consistently in different weather conditions.
If the weather in your region is unpredictable with snow and ice often playing hide and seek, all-weather tires are custom-made as they carry the year-round performance of all-season tires while providing increased flexibility in moderate to severe winter conditions. However, if the low-temperature situation remains the same for most of the year, you should go for dedicated winter tires as they feature special rubber compounds that remains flexible in sub-freezing temperatures.
Which one should you choose?
In a nutshell, the Kumho Solus TA51a does a clean sweep with 3-0 in traction, handling, and longevity. However, the difference between the Kumho’s and Nexen’s scores is very low. Despite losing the longevity battle, the Nexen has a higher mileage warranty. Let’s have a look at their prices to seal the deal!
Comparing the prices of the 215/60R16 95T tire size, the Kumho Solus TA51a costs around $111 per tire, and four such tires cost $444, while the Nexen Aria AH7 costs around $115 per tire, and four such tires cost $460 (a difference of $16). Clearly there’s nothing much between the two tires in terms of prices, so we’ll have to take a closer look at the other parameters.
Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Kumho Solus TA51a if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Carnival, and Ford Fusion
- Prefer better traction (8.6 vs 8.3) and handling (8.6 vs 8.5)
- Want a long-lasting tire (9.3 vs 9.1)
Conversely, you should choose the Nexen Aria AH7 if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Buick Encore, Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Sonata
- Prefer a longer limited manufacturer tread life warranty (80,000 vs 75,000 miles)
- Want Nexen’s Total Coverage Warranty that includes a 45-day or 500-mile free trial, a two-year limited road hazard warranty, and a 3-year roadside assistance program
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, and our agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.