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Head-to-head Updated

Firestone Firehawk SZ90 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 2 + 14 road tests and 25 + 8,191 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 70–55

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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. 55

    Dry

    Ecsta PS71 +20
    75
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 12 tests5878
    Reviews found online5172

    Firehawk SZ90: 60% × 57.9 + 40% × 51.3 = 55

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

  2. 53

    Wet

    Ecsta PS71 +32
    85
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 13 tests5192
    Reviews found online5675

    Firehawk SZ90: 60% × 50.8 + 40% × 56 = 53

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

  3. 52

    Comfort

    Ecsta PS71 +17
    69
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 64 (est.)75
    Reviews found online4565

    Firehawk SZ90: 40% × 63.8 (est.) + 60% × 44.7 = 52

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

    No road tests of comfort for Firehawk SZ90. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  4. 58

    Noise

    Firehawk SZ90 +22
    36
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 8 tests5316
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Firehawk SZ90: 60% × 52.8 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 58

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

    No owner ratings of noise for Firehawk SZ90 or 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. 57

    Treadwear

    Firehawk SZ90 +5
    52
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 61 (est.)46
    Reviews found online5160

    Firehawk SZ90: 60% × 61 (est.) + 40% × 51.2 = 57

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

    No road tests of treadwear for Firehawk SZ90. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  6. 53

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta PS71 +20
    73
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71
    Reviews found online5373
  7. 62

    Efficiency

    Firehawk SZ90 +14
    48
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 7 tests6248
Scores at a glance
CategoryFirestone Firehawk SZ90Kumho Ecsta PS71
Relative Score 55 70
Dry 55 75
Wet 53 85
Comfort 52 69
Noise 58 36
Treadwear 57 52
Handling (owners) 53 73
Efficiency 62 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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 9

Firehawk SZ90

± 5

Ecsta PS71

The professional test results behind the scores

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.

DisciplineCategoryFirehawk SZ90Ecsta PS71ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 91% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test 95% #9/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 97% #9/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test 98% #12/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 82% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test 100% #2/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 95% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test 100% #2/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 95% #9/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test 97% #17/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 85% #8/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test 83% #15/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #8/9 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test #4/52 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Firehawk SZ90

Pros

  • Strong dry and wet surface grip
  • Effective water displacement and braking performance
  • Competitive price point

Cons

  • Excessive road noise
  • Rapid or uneven tread wear
  • Unpredictable handling and stability issues
All owner themes in the Firehawk SZ90 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

Firestone Firehawk SZ90

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 · Firestone Firehawk SZ90 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?

Firestone Firehawk SZ90

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, dry and handling. Pick the Firestone Firehawk SZ90 if noise, efficiency and treadwear matter most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 85 vs 53 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Firestone Firehawk SZ90 scores 58 vs 36 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 75 vs 55 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 73 vs 53 on handling.

Tire A · Firestone Firehawk SZ90
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Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
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Firehawk SZ90 or Ecsta PS71?

Which is better in the wet, Firehawk SZ90 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 85 vs 53 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Firehawk SZ90 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 55 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Firehawk SZ90 or Ecsta PS71?

Firestone Firehawk SZ90, 58 vs 36 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Firehawk SZ90 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 69 vs 52 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Firehawk SZ90 or Ecsta PS71?

Firestone Firehawk SZ90, 57 vs 52 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Firehawk SZ90 or Ecsta PS71?

Firestone Firehawk SZ90, 62 vs 48 on our efficiency 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