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Head-to-head Updated

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 14 road tests and 44 + 8,191 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: ContiMaxContact MC5 74, Ecsta PS71 73.

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Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire BKumho

Ecsta PS71

Summer

± 5

Tests 68 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,191 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 18 in 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 74

    Dry

    Ecsta PS71 +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceContiMaxContact MC5Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 12 tests≈ 72 (est.)78
    Reviews found online7872

    ContiMaxContact MC5: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 78 = 74

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.6 + 40% × 71.7 = 75

    No road tests of dry for ContiMaxContact MC5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 76

    Wet

    Ecsta PS71 +9
    85
    Why this score
    SourceContiMaxContact MC5Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests≈ 74 (est.)92
    Reviews found online7875

    ContiMaxContact MC5: 60% × 74.4 (est.) + 40% × 77.5 = 76

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 91.8 + 40% × 74.6 = 85

    No road tests of wet for ContiMaxContact MC5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 74

    Comfort

    ContiMaxContact MC5 +5
    69
    Why this score
    SourceContiMaxContact MC5Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 70 (est.)75
    Reviews found online7665

    ContiMaxContact MC5: 40% × 70.2 (est.) + 60% × 76.4 = 74

    Ecsta PS71: 40% × 74.6 + 60% × 65.3 = 69

    No road tests of comfort for ContiMaxContact MC5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  4. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    36
    Why this score
    SourceContiMaxContact MC5Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests–16
    Reviews found online–≈ 66 (est.)

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 36

    No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  5. 69

    Treadwear

    ContiMaxContact MC5 +17
    52
    Why this score
    SourceContiMaxContact MC5Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 68 (est.)46
    Reviews found online7060

    ContiMaxContact MC5: 60% × 67.8 (est.) + 40% × 70 = 69

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 46 + 40% × 59.8 = 52

    No road tests of treadwear for ContiMaxContact MC5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  6. 76

    Handling (owners)

    ContiMaxContact MC5 +3
    73
    Why this score
    SourceContiMaxContact MC5Ecsta PS71
    Reviews found online7673
  7. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    48
    Why this score
    SourceContiMaxContact MC5Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests–48
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental ContiMaxContact MC5Kumho Ecsta PS71
Relative Score 74 73
Dry 74 75
Wet 76 85
Comfort 74 69
Noise – 36
Treadwear 69 52
Handling (owners) 76 73
Efficiency – 48

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

ContiMaxContact MC5

± 5

Ecsta PS71

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A ContiMaxContact MC5

Pros

  • Exceptional cabin noise reduction and quiet operation
  • High level of ride comfort and bump absorption
  • Strong value-for-money proposition compared to premium performance rivals

Cons

  • Tread wear can be rapid when subjected to aggressive or spirited driving
  • Sidewalls are relatively soft, which may feel less progressive at the absolute limit
  • Reports of increased puncture susceptibility once tread depth decreases
All owner themes in the ContiMaxContact MC5 review

Tire B Ecsta PS71

Pros

  • Outstanding wet weather grip and aquaplaning resistance
  • High value for money compared to tier-one premium brands
  • Predictable handling and solid cornering stability in both dry and wet conditions

Cons

  • Noticeable road noise or droning at motorway speeds on certain vehicles
  • Occasional reports of balancing difficulties or out-of-round/egg-shaped tires
  • Softer sidewalls can lead to slightly vague steering response around center or tread block movement
All owner themes in the Ecsta PS71 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Positive

Community members generally view the Kumho Ecsta PS71 as a capable and reliable mid-range ultra-high performance tire offering solid grip and value for money compared to premium alternatives. While perceived as good once warmed up, some drivers note that it does not quite reach the ultimate grip level of top-tier brands and question its tread wear longevity.

z4-forum.com ·2023-01-29

“Steve; have a look at Kuhmo Ecsta PS71s. I just fitted a set on my new wheels for my 440i. Weapon of choice for the 'non tyre snob' IMHO. Much cheaper than the 'big' brands, heat up quickly and they also look really nice (for a black round tyre). Can't comment on noise, as the exhaust on mine is so noisy I can't hear the radio, let alone tyres!”
r/tires ·5 upvotes ·2022-10-17

“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
bimmerforums.co.uk ·1 upvote ·2024-05-05

“On Blackcircles all the 245/40 R19 ditch finders cost around £100 and have a poor wet grip & all the decent mid range cost around £170 and have A rated wet grip. Would you risk it for £240? I know I wouldn't. The cheapest A wet rated is a Kuhmo Ecsta PS71 at £136 if you really want to keep the cost down. If you want a relatively soft comfortable tyre then a Hankook S1 Evo 3 is an excellent choice.”
Top themes
#value for money#wet and dry grip#tire wear longevity#sporty handling performance#warm up temperature behavior#mid-range alternative comparison

Based on 23 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental ContiMaxContact MC5 B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—133
Rim diameters—16″ – 22″
Sidewall—Blackwall

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Too close to call: Continental ContiMaxContact MC5 and Kumho Ecsta PS71 are within 2 points overall. Continental ContiMaxContact MC5 is stronger on treadwear and comfort. Kumho Ecsta PS71 is stronger on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5 scores 69 vs 52 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 85 vs 76 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5 scores 74 vs 69 on comfort.

Tire A · Continental ContiMaxContact MC5
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Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
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ContiMaxContact MC5 or Ecsta PS71?

Which is better in the wet, ContiMaxContact MC5 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 85 vs 76 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, ContiMaxContact MC5 or Ecsta PS71?

Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 75 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, ContiMaxContact MC5 or Ecsta PS71?

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5, 74 vs 69 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, ContiMaxContact MC5 or Ecsta PS71?

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5, 69 vs 52 on our treadwear score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology