Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 14 road tests and 300 + 8,168 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 73–64
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Tests – · none yet Owners 60 · 300 reviews
“I have the Maxx TT on my car for about 1000 Km which included two slalom sessions. I am very pleased with the ride quality and dry traction. It is much quieter than the OEM tires. I have not had a chance to drive in wet road yet.”
Tests 67 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,168 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?”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 12 tests | ≈ 66 (est.) | 77 |
| Reviews found online | 65 | 71 |
SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 64.6 = 66
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.3 + 40% × 71 = 75
No road tests of dry for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests | ≈ 67 (est.) | 91 |
| Reviews found online | 64 | 73 |
SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 64 = 66
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 90.9 + 40% × 73.1 = 84
No road tests of wet for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests | ≈ 66 (est.) | 75 |
| Reviews found online | 53 | 65 |
SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 53.3 = 61
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 75.2 + 40% × 64.8 = 71
No road tests of comfort for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests | – | 15 |
| Reviews found online | – | ≈ 67 (est.) |
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.5 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 36
No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests | ≈ 62 (est.) | 45 |
| Reviews found online | 53 | 63 |
SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 61.8 (est.) + 40% × 53.2 = 58
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 45.1 + 40% × 62.5 = 52
No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 61 | 71 |
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT | Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 73 |
| Dry | 66 | 75 |
| Wet | 66 | 84 |
| Comfort | 61 | 71 |
| Noise | – | 36 |
| Treadwear | 58 | 52 |
| Handling (owners) | 61 | 71 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
SP Sport Maxx TT
Ecsta PS71
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | SP Sport Maxx TT | Ecsta PS71 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #3/14 2011 Auto Zeitung Max Performance Tyre Test | #4/52 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community members generally praise the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT for its quiet road manners, respectable dry and wet grip, and solid track and cold-weather road performance compared to stock competition-oriented tires. Some drivers note relatively soft sidewalls during aggressive slalom events on heavier vehicles or limited grip before coming up to temperature. Overall, drivers find it to be a capable, comfortable summer tire that balances performance and daily drivability.
“We have these tires on my 18 Grand Sport and my wife’s 17 Z51 Convertible driving in Ohio. Very pleased with these tires! Probably should be OEM for these cars. Handle very well. Doesn’t throw gravel up on the cars like stock tires. Cold weather grip is very good! Stock MPSS are scary below 50 degrees. We have had good success with Discount Tire for purchase and install.”
“In Hong Kong, if your style is aggresive, sport maxx is not enough, i am using AD08 and RE11 is not bad”
“After 3 sessions of autoslalom, I can say that the sidewall is too soft for this heavy car. I have the front tires set at 39 psi cool. I may try higher pressure next time to see if it can reduce the tire roll and maintain traction. In term of day to day driving, this is a great quiet summer tire. It performs well in wet too.”
Based on 19 community posts
Community sentiment towards the Kumho Ecsta PS71 is generally positive, with drivers viewing it as an affordable, high-value mid-range/UHP tire that performs reliably compared to premium brands. Users praise its wet grip rating, competitive pricing, and overall road manners once warmed up, though some note it provides adequate rather than top-tier grip and raise questions regarding cold performance and tread life.
“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
“Not exactly helpful but I've got Hankook winter tyres on my 330i and they're really good. mr wilks on here recommend Kumho Ecstas a couple of times so I got a set for my MC and I've been very pleased with them. And I got a set for £400 from Black Circles! ETA My Kumho Ecstas are also PS71.”
“I've had the PS71 several years ago - it was ok, nothing spectacular. They might have changed the compound now, so it may be better. Its a good tire, I don't remember any real weaknesses, it just never felt like "yeah, this sticks like glue to the road". Edit: I just remembered - it was mediocre in the city - when the tire was not warmed up, but I reckon this is shared between most sport tires with high speed rating. Once warmed up was good.”
Based on 24 community posts
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT | B · Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 5 | 133 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 18″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Sizes in common | 3 | 3 |
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, comfort and handling. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT if treadwear matters most to you.
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 84 vs 66 on wet.
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 61 on comfort.
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 61 on handling.
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 75 vs 66 on dry.
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Kumho Ecsta PS71, 84 vs 66 on our wet score.
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 66 on our dry score.
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 71 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT, 58 vs 52 on our treadwear score.
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
