Tests 61 · 4 tests Owners 71 · 17 reviews
Best test result: #16 of 50 in 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (wear)
Head-to-head
Updated
General Altimax One S vs Kumho Ecsta HS52 — 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 4 + 7 road tests and 17 + 2,387 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta HS52 is ahead, 80–65
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Tests 83 · 7 tests Owners 75 · 2,387 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
“I have kuhmo ecsta hs52's on my renault megane during spring and summer and they are really good. No complaints at all. My milage did go up a little bit but that's it”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
59
Dry
Ecsta HS52 +2584Why this score
Source Altimax One S Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 7 tests 50 86 Reviews found online 71 80 Dry Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 90% 99% Altimax One S: 60% × 50.2 + 40% × 71.3 = 59
Ecsta HS52: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 80.1 = 84
-
64
Wet
Ecsta HS52 +2084Why this score
Source Altimax One S Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 7 tests 60 89 Reviews found online 72 78 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 90% 95% Wet Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 81% 93% Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 81% 94% Altimax One S: 60% × 59.7 + 40% × 71.7 = 64
Ecsta HS52: 60% × 89.2 + 40% × 77.5 = 84
-
67
Comfort
Level67Why this score
Source Altimax One S Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 66 66 Altimax One S: 40% × 68 (est.) + 60% × 65.6 = 67
Ecsta HS52: 40% × 68.1 (est.) + 60% × 65.9 = 67
No road tests of comfort for Altimax One S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta HS52. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
–
Noise
No comparison65Why this score
Source Altimax One S Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests – 64 Reviews found online – ≈ 66 (est.) Ecsta HS52: 60% × 63.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 65
No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta HS52. 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.
-
72
Treadwear
Ecsta HS52 +476Why this score
Source Altimax One S Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests 72 80 Reviews found online 72 70 Abrasion (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 46% 44% Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 57% 61% Altimax One S: 60% × 72 + 40% × 72.4 = 72
Ecsta HS52: 60% × 79.7 + 40% × 69.6 = 76
-
69
Handling (owners)
Ecsta HS52 +877Why this score
Source Altimax One S Ecsta HS52 Reviews found online 69 77 -
73
Efficiency
Altimax One S +3043Why this score
Source Altimax One S Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests 73 43 Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 97% 93%
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax One S | Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 65 | 80 |
| Dry | 59 | 84 |
| Wet | 64 | 84 |
| Comfort | 67 | 67 |
| Noise | – | 65 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 76 |
| Handling (owners) | 69 | 77 |
| Efficiency | 73 | 43 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
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Less important
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Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Important
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
65
/ 100
Altimax One S
80
/ 100
Ecsta HS52
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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.
In the overall rankings of 2 tests that ran both, General Altimax One S finished ahead 0 times and Kumho Ecsta HS52 2 times.
| Discipline | Category | Altimax One S | Ecsta HS52 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 90% | 99% | −8.8 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 90% | 95% | −4.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 81% | 93% | −11.9 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 81% | 94% | −12.3 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 46% | 44% | +2.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 57% | 61% | −3.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 97% | 93% | +3.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Value | Cost | 66% | 55% | +11.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #28/50 | #8/50 | – | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Altimax One S
Pros
- Exceptional wet-weather grip and high driver confidence in the rain
- High level of ride comfort and quietness for most daily driving conditions
- Good tread wear longevity and overall value for money compared to premium brands
Cons
- Notable tire and road noise reported by multiple users
- Unresponsive steering feel and lack of sporty handling characteristics
- Very soft sidewalls that are vulnerable to punctures from minor hazards like thorns
Tire B Ecsta HS52
Pros
- Excellent wet and dry weather traction
- Low road noise and quiet operation
- Smooth and comfortable ride quality
Cons
- A few reports of accelerated or abnormal tread wear
- Slightly sensitive to tire pressure regarding comfort
- Occasional complaints of high-speed vibration or imbalance early on
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
General Altimax One S
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta HS52
The Kumho Ecsta HS52 receives a polarized mix of reviews from the community, praised by many for its rigid sidewalls, strong dry grip, sharp steering responsiveness, and great value compared to premium alternatives. However, some users report disappointing wet weather performance, potential issues with aquaplaning resistance, and inconsistent test results across different sizes. Overall, it is viewed as a solid mid-range option, though experiences with wet traction and longevity vary significantly among drivers.
r/TyreReviews
·1 upvote ·2026-01-22
“Bad i have hs52 on my audi a3 8l quattro 1.8t i have no grip with rain.. Like cant corner fast it just goes straight... Dry its fine but wet forget it. My oncle has the same experience with kuhmo on his bmw 118 diesel he got some rims and they had pretty good threats kumho on it. He said all it wanted was to drift and spin out. He said a couple of times it did a 180 he said never again i said same don't trust my car with these tyres. Im gonna get some new rim 17" and Goodyear asymmetric 6. To replace my 16" stock rims with kumho... I have had bad tyres but never this bad. Like 1 ere prix were even better in my Mercedes even doh they became ovals.”
r/CarTalkUK
·1 upvote ·2025-01-11
“I have kuhmo ecsta hs52's on my renault megane during spring and summer and they are really good. No complaints at all. My milage did go up a little bit but that's it”
r/tires
·3 upvotes ·2025-09-23
“What’s up with these tyres? Kumho ectsa hs52 date code 3923, tyres are (UK) legal regards tread but I can’t imagine this damage is normal. Both front tyres have this, looks like the tread is tearing apart in multiple places. I did not fit these tyres but it was mot’d 3 months ago and has done 2k miles since. I’ve owned the car 11 months but only noticed this very recently. I am getting them replaced on Monday with little use before then but I’m curious how this has happened. Is it just a shit brand? Wear is even across the face so I don’t think it would be the alignment or anything to do with the car and the damage is random across the contact patch. It’s a Peugeot 508 2l diesel so quite a bit of weight on the nose. Fitting Bridgestone Turanza 6. Rear tyres are good, but a different brand (horizon horace 2122 date)”
Top themes
#Dry grip and handling#Wet weather performance#Sidewall stiffness#Price and value#Comparison with competitors#Fuel economy and weight#Tread wear and durability
Based on 17 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax One S | B · Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 81 | 53 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 20″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 34 | 34 |
Which one should you actually buy?
65
/ 100
General Altimax One S
80
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta HS52
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS52 — better dry, wet and handling. Pick the General Altimax One S if efficiency matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
General Altimax One S scores 73 vs 43 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 84 vs 59 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 84 vs 64 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 77 vs 69 on handling.
Tire A · General Altimax One S
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta HS52
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Altimax One S or Ecsta HS52?
Which is better in the wet, Altimax One S or Ecsta HS52?
Kumho Ecsta HS52, 84 vs 64 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Altimax One S or Ecsta HS52?
Kumho Ecsta HS52, 84 vs 59 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Altimax One S or Ecsta HS52?
Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 67 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Altimax One S or Ecsta HS52?
Kumho Ecsta HS52, 76 vs 72 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Altimax One S or Ecsta HS52?
General Altimax One S, 73 vs 43 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