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Head-to-head Updated

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring vs Kumho Ecsta PS91 — 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 + 6 road tests and 776 + 485 owner reviews. How we score

CS5 Grand Touring is ahead, 74–57

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Cooper CS5 Grand Touring
Tire ACooper

CS5 Grand Touring

All Season Touring tires

± 7

Tests – · none yet Owners 76 · 776 reviews

“I put Cooper CS5 Grand Tourings on my Sienna after having gone through several sets of Michelins, I am happy with them so far. Regardless of what tire you purchase, they will not get to their warranty mileage on a Sienna. The Sienna is notoriously hard on tires. A word of advice, run them at 40 to 42 PSI and rotate them regularly if you want to get reasonable wear. The Sienna's 35 PSI recommendation is FAR too low for the weight the tires carry and the front tires wear 3x faster than the rears.”

Kumho Ecsta PS91
Tire BKumho

Ecsta PS91

Summer

± 5

Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 42 · 485 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 (exterior noise)

“Putting some Kumho Ecsta PS91s on. Curious how they’ll do since my go to Falken rt660 doesn’t come in the oem 18” sizes”

Category by category

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

  1. 77

    Dry

    CS5 Grand Touring +10
    67
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 74 (est.)77
    Reviews found online8252

    CS5 Grand Touring: 60% × 73.9 (est.) + 40% × 81.9 = 77

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 51.6 = 67

    No road tests of dry for CS5 Grand Touring. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 77

    Wet

    CS5 Grand Touring +9
    68
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 75 (est.)79
    Reviews found online7952

    CS5 Grand Touring: 60% × 75.5 (est.) + 40% × 79.3 = 77

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 79 + 40% × 51.9 = 68

    No road tests of wet for CS5 Grand Touring. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 67

    Snow

    CS5 Grand Touring +31
    36
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 50 (est.)
    Reviews found online6416

    CS5 Grand Touring: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 64.1 = 67

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 50.2 (est.) + 40% × 15.7 = 36

    No road tests of snow for CS5 Grand Touring. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

    No road tests of snow for Ecsta PS91. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 74

    Comfort

    CS5 Grand Touring +19
    55
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online7749

    CS5 Grand Touring: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 76.6 = 74

    Ecsta PS91: 40% × 65.3 (est.) + 60% × 48.5 = 55

    No road tests of comfort for CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 72

    Noise

    CS5 Grand Touring +10
    62
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 67 (est.)70
    Reviews found online8150

    CS5 Grand Touring: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 81 = 72

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 50.2 = 62

    No road tests of noise for CS5 Grand Touring. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 70

    Treadwear

    CS5 Grand Touring +26
    44
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 54 (est.)
    Reviews found online7330

    CS5 Grand Touring: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 72.6 = 70

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 53.5 (est.) + 40% × 29.9 = 44

    No road tests of treadwear for CS5 Grand Touring. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta PS91. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 73

    Handling (owners)

    CS5 Grand Touring +19
    54
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Reviews found online7354
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    48
    Why this score
    SourceCS5 Grand TouringEcsta PS91
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests–48
Scores at a glance
CategoryCooper CS5 Grand TouringKumho Ecsta PS91
Relative Score 74 57
Dry 77 67
Wet 77 68
Snow 67 36
Comfort 74 55
Noise 72 62
Treadwear 70 44
Handling (owners) 73 54
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
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
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
± 7

CS5 Grand Touring

± 5

Ecsta PS91

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 CS5 Grand Touring

Pros

  • Excellent wet and dry traction with strong hydroplaning resistance
  • High value for the price compared to premium competitors
  • Smooth, comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Some drivers experienced noticeable road noise, particularly on specific lighter vehicles like hybrids
  • Mediocre performance in heavy winter snow, ice, or deep mud
  • Cornering grip in emergency maneuvers is considered average by some drivers
All owner themes in the CS5 Grand Touring review

Tire B Ecsta PS91

Pros

  • Exceptional dry and wet grip providing high confidence during spirited driving
  • Significantly more affordable than premium flagship alternatives while offering comparable performance
  • Stiff sidewalls enhance steering response, cornering stability, and feedback

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear and shorter lifespan, particularly with aggressive driving or on heavier vehicles
  • Stiff sidewalls result in a firmer, less comfortable ride that transmits road imperfections
  • Tendency to tramline or follow road grooves on straight highways
All owner themes in the Ecsta PS91 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring

Positive

Community sentiment toward the Cooper CS5 Grand Touring is largely positive, with owners highlighting its smooth ride, low road noise, and reliable all-season traction in rain and light snow. While praised as a strong value compared to premium competitors like Michelin, several users note that treadwear often falls short of the advertised 80,000-mile warranty, particularly on heavier minivans or under high-heat conditions.

subaruoutback.org ·1 upvote ·2023-02-05

“My wife and I have been running Cooper CS5 Grand Touring on Outback and Impreza for many years. (the Outback is on its 2nd set) For us, having a QUIET tire is primary importance... followed closely with winter-traction here in Vermont winters. We do NOT want to have 2nd set of dedicated snow-tires for the winter. The CS5 have met our requirements. At the very least, I would suggest you consider the CS5 Ultra as you make a decision.”
r/cars ·1 upvote ·2017-09-01

“I have the Cooper cs5 grand touring on my Odyssey and love them. Very quiet and snoot riding. Fwiw, I'm in Southern California so we have little cold/wet weather let alone snow, but they did great when I drove up to Sequoia and had cables on during the snow storm. Much better than the Michelin Defenders I had before.”
subaruoutback.org ·2017-01-08

“I too was looking for quiet tires when it came time to replace. Have been very happy with COOPER CS5 GRAND TOURING ==> The CS5 has many modern technologies which improve longevity and traction AND they are M+S rated. I run them all year in Vermont and the snow traction is acceptable with Subaru AWD.”
Top themes
#ride comfort and low noise#winter and wet traction#treadwear vs warranty mileage#competitive pricing and rebates#comparison to Michelin tires#tire pressure sensitivity#speed rating differences

Based on 38 community posts

Tire B

Kumho Ecsta PS91

Mixed

The Kumho Ecsta PS91 is widely praised as an affordable, budget-friendly summer tire with attractive styling and respectable wet or daily street performance compared to pricier rivals like Michelin. However, several users express frustration with poor tread life, rapid wear, and insufficient grip or heat endurance under hard driving and track conditions. Others also note issues with sketchy handling, flat-spotting, or vibration when cold.

mustang6g.com ·1 upvote ·2017-01-05

“They were good enough for 1:46.708 at Mazda Laguna Seca 285/35ZR-19 Actually, thats better than I thought”
r/Mustang ·1 upvote ·2024-01-31

“no more Kumho Ecsta PS91 for me I have 2015 Mustang GT Premium with 20" wheels. I bought the car new, and it has just over 155k, and the only thing I have replaced is the water pump. However, tire wear is a problem. The alignment is good, and I had the camber adjusted (front and rear) so that the tire has less negative camber than it had when it left the factory. Despite that, I'm only getting about 15k miles out of a set, and I drive it very gently. I've been buying Kumho Ecsta PS91, but I'd like to try something different. What do you recommend?”
chargerhellcat.org ·2020-06-08

“I have the XTS variant of this tyre on my Ram srt10 and the drive nicely and don’t tramline.”
Top themes
#budget performance value#rapid tread wear#wet and dry traction#track and heat limitations#ride quality and appearance#Michelin alternative comparison

Based on 45 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Cooper CS5 Grand Touring B · Kumho Ecsta PS91
CategoryAll Season Touring tiresSummer
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Tread depth11 - 12/32″9.5/32″
UTQG780 A A260 A A
Treadwear warranty80,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side WallBlackwall
Max pressure44 psi50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring

Kumho Ecsta PS91

Winner: Cooper CS5 Grand Touring — better snow, treadwear and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring scores 67 vs 36 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring scores 70 vs 44 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring scores 74 vs 55 on comfort.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring scores 73 vs 54 on handling.

Tire A · Cooper CS5 Grand Touring
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Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS91
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CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91?

Which is better in the wet, CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91?

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, 77 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91?

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, 77 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91?

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, 67 vs 36 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91?

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, 72 vs 62 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91?

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, 74 vs 55 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, CS5 Grand Touring or Ecsta PS91?

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, 70 vs 44 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