Head-to-head Updated

General G-MAX AS-03 vs Kumho Ecsta PA51 — 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 + 1 road tests and 23 + 165 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta PA51 is ahead, 69–51

Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

General G-MAX AS-03
Tire AGeneral

G-MAX AS-03

All Season Ultra High Performance tires

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 41 · 23 reviews

Kumho Ecsta PA51
Tire BKumho

Ecsta PA51

All Season

± 8

Tests – · 1 test Owners 70 · 165 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 53

    Dry

    Ecsta PA51 +16
    69
    Why this score
    SourceG-MAX AS-03Ecsta PA51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 58 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online4570

    G-MAX AS-03: 60% × 58.4 (est.) + 40% × 44.8 = 53

    Ecsta PA51: 60% × 68.8 (est.) + 40% × 69.9 = 69

    No road tests of dry for G-MAX AS-03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for Ecsta PA51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 57

    Wet

    Ecsta PA51 +14
    71
    Why this score
    SourceG-MAX AS-03Ecsta PA51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 60 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online5271

    G-MAX AS-03: 60% × 60.3 (est.) + 40% × 51.7 = 57

    Ecsta PA51: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 71.3 = 71

    No road tests of wet for G-MAX AS-03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Ecsta PA51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 43

    Snow

    Ecsta PA51 +21
    64
    Why this score
    SourceG-MAX AS-03Ecsta PA51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 56 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online2459

    G-MAX AS-03: 60% × 55.7 (est.) + 40% × 24.1 = 43

    Ecsta PA51: 60% × 67 (est.) + 40% × 59.4 = 64

    No road tests of snow for G-MAX AS-03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for Ecsta PA51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 45

    Comfort

    Ecsta PA51 +21
    66
    Why this score
    SourceG-MAX AS-03Ecsta PA51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online3465

    G-MAX AS-03: 40% × 61.7 (est.) + 60% × 33.9 = 45

    Ecsta PA51: 40% × 67.8 (est.) + 60% × 64.6 = 66

    No road tests of comfort for G-MAX AS-03. 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 PA51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 55

    Noise

    Ecsta PA51 +14
    69
    Why this score
    SourceG-MAX AS-03Ecsta PA51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online3974

    G-MAX AS-03: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 39.1 = 55

    Ecsta PA51: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 73.7 = 69

    No road tests of noise for G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 49

    Treadwear

    Ecsta PA51 +23
    72
    Why this score
    SourceG-MAX AS-03Ecsta PA51
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 56 (est.)70
    Reviews found online3774

    G-MAX AS-03: 60% × 56.1 (est.) + 40% × 37.2 = 49

    Ecsta PA51: 60% × 69.9 + 40% × 74.4 = 72

    No road tests of treadwear for G-MAX AS-03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 47

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta PA51 +20
    67
    Why this score
    SourceG-MAX AS-03Ecsta PA51
    Reviews found online4767
Scores at a glance
General G-MAX AS-03 vs Kumho Ecsta PA51: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryGeneral G-MAX AS-03Kumho Ecsta PA51
Relative Score 51 69
Dry 53 69
Wet 57 71
Snow 43 64
Comfort 45 66
Noise 55 69
Treadwear 49 72
Handling (owners) 47 67

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

G-MAX AS-03

± 8

Ecsta PA51

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A G-MAX AS-03

Pros

  • Excellent wet and dry traction and grip
  • Surprising and capable performance in snow and winter weather
  • Aggressive tread pattern and sporty handling feel

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls leading to a bouncy ride and body roll
  • Develops loud humming or road noise over time
  • Prone to uneven wear such as cupping
All owner themes in the G-MAX AS-03 review

Tire B Ecsta PA51

Pros

  • Excellent price-to-performance ratio
  • Strong dry pavement traction and cornering grip
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality

Cons

  • Inconsistent performance in heavy rain or standing water
  • Some reports of increased road noise over time
  • Limited availability in certain niche sizes
All owner themes in the Ecsta PA51 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General G-MAX AS-03 B · Kumho Ecsta PA51
CategoryAll Season Ultra High Performance tiresAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—13
Rim diameters—16″ – 19″
Tread depth10/32″10.5/32″
UTQG480 A A500 A A
Treadwear warranty40,000 mi45,000 mi
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure51 psi51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

General G-MAX AS-03

Kumho Ecsta PA51

Winner: Kumho Ecsta PA51 — better treadwear, snow and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 72 vs 49 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 64 vs 43 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 66 vs 45 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 67 vs 47 on handling.

Tire A · General G-MAX AS-03
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PA51

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51?

Which is better in the wet, G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51?

Kumho Ecsta PA51, 71 vs 57 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51?

Kumho Ecsta PA51, 69 vs 53 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51?

Kumho Ecsta PA51, 64 vs 43 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51?

Kumho Ecsta PA51, 69 vs 55 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51?

Kumho Ecsta PA51, 66 vs 45 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, G-MAX AS-03 or Ecsta PA51?

Kumho Ecsta PA51, 72 vs 49 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