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Nankang AS-2+ review

Sound test debut, but fuel economy is a concern.

Sound test debut, but fuel economy is a concern

The gap between the Far Eastern and premium brands is clearly shrinking as this performance from Chinese producer Nankang shows. While it’s down the results table in most tests, the margin is often small.

It provided a surprise on the wet handling track, where some budget makers struggled. The AS-2+ was under a couple of seconds off the winner’s pace and felt controlled and secure, with traction out of turns the only real problem. Less convincing was wet braking; it needed seven metres more than the Conti.

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Aquaplaning was good in a straight line, but those wide grooves held it back in the lateral test. A bit noisy, although its main problem is fuel economy; it uses around six per cent more than the frugal Dunlop.

Price £64.50 
Dry handling 98.40%=7th
Dry braking 88.10%=9th
Wet handling 96.10%4th 
Wet braking 82.30%9th
Wet cornering 94.50%6th
Straight aqua 96.90%6th
Curved aqua 84.20%8th
Rolling resistance 69.40%10th
Cabin noise 97.20%11th
Overall95.50%10th
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Products editor

Kim has worked for Auto Express for more than three decades and all but a year of that time in the Products section. His current role as products editor involves managing the section’s content and team of testers plus doing some of the tests himself. 

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