The Nankang Ice Activa 2 is a studless winter tire designed primarily for passenger vehicles. Released in 2020, it aims to improve upon its predecessor, the Ice Activa 1, in multiple facets including drainage, noise reduction, and braking performance. The tire excels in icy and snowy conditions, promising efficient water and snow discharge along with enhanced traction. With the application of a new tread compound and innovative design elements, the Ice Activa 2 is engineered to deliver optimized safety and performance on winter roads.

Features & Benefits

• Enhanced Drainage and Snow Traction: The tire's directional and multi-pitch tread pattern design—featuring 152 circumferential lateral grooves—enables effective water and snow evacuation, improving drainage and traction.
• Reduced Noise: Staggered lateral grooves in the tread center both aid straight-line driving on snowy roads and feature a sound-wave disturbing effect to lower road noise.
• Improved Ice/Snow Performance: The tire employs a wave surface design at the groove bottom and wall, allowing ice and snow to be effectively grasped and embedded, which improves traction.
• Early-Life Friction: Micro vein design on the blocks amplifies friction in the initial stages of tire life while adding aesthetic value to the tread surface.
• Footprint and Traction: The tire's profile and irregular tread shoulder block design closely resemble off-road tire attributes, maximizing the footprint and further enhancing snow traction.
• Enhanced Center and Shoulder Performance: The tire incorporates two different sipe designs at its center and shoulder to improve ice/snow performance and cornering respectively.

Technologies

• Directional and Multi-Pitch Tread Pattern Design: Increases circumferential lateral groove quantity to 152 pieces for enhanced drainage and snow traction.
• Staggered Lateral Groove Design: Provides straight-line driving benefits and reduced noise.
• Wave Surface Design: Increases traction in icy and snowy conditions.
• Micro Vein Design: Enhances early-life friction and aesthetics.
• New Tread Compound: Results in almost 20% improvement in dry and wet braking compared to its predecessor, ICE-1.

Year Released

The Nankang Ice Activa 2 was released in 2020, aiming to offer an improved experience over its predecessor, the ICE-1, in multiple performance metrics.

Regions Availability

This tire is primarily available in Europe.

Final Thoughts

The Nankang Ice Activa 2 offers a number of advantages, such as noise reduction and improved drainage capabilities, over its predecessor, the ICE-1. However, it also has areas where it performs less well, notably in terms of longitudinal grip on ice and steering response on dry pavement. While its 7.3 score in "Test World" professional test indicates a decent performance, potential buyers should consider these limitations when making a purchase. Overall, the tire is a reasonable choice for those looking for specific improvements in drainage, noise reduction, and enhanced snow traction.