Tests 77 · 14 tests Owners 75 · 126 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 53 in 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 vs Kumho Ecsta HS51 — 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 14 + 6 road tests and 126 + 1,667 owner reviews. How we score
Ventus Prime 3 K125 leads, 76–72 Narrow edge
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Tests 75 · 6 tests Owners 68 · 1,667 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test (wet handling)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
Key facts
- In 4 tests that measured wear for both, Ventus Prime 3 K125 won 2 and Ecsta HS51 won 2 (average 68% vs 73% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured dry braking for both, Ventus Prime 3 K125 won 3 and Ecsta HS51 won 0 (average 100% vs 96% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured wet braking for both, Ventus Prime 3 K125 won 3 and Ecsta HS51 won 0 (average 99% vs 95% of the best).
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85
Dry
Ventus Prime 3 K125 +1174Why this score
Source Ventus Prime 3 K125 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 4 tests 89 77 Reviews found online 79 69 Dry Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 100% 96% Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 100% 98% Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 88.6 + 40% × 78.8 = 85
Ecsta HS51: 60% × 76.6 + 40% × 69 = 74
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80
Wet
Ventus Prime 3 K125 +476Why this score
Source Ventus Prime 3 K125 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 4 tests 81 79 Reviews found online 77 72 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 95% 99% Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 99% 95% Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 99% 98% Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 81.4 + 40% × 77 = 80
Ecsta HS51: 60% × 79.4 + 40% × 71.7 = 76
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73
Comfort
Ventus Prime 3 K125 +568Why this score
Source Ventus Prime 3 K125 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 75 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 72 67 Ventus Prime 3 K125: 40% × 75.1 + 60% × 71.9 = 73
Ecsta HS51: 40% × 68.3 (est.) + 60% × 67.1 = 68
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta HS51. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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74
Noise
Ventus Prime 3 K125 +866Why this score
Source Ventus Prime 3 K125 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 2 tests 80 65 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 99% 97% Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 79.8 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 74
Ecsta HS51: 60% × 65.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 66
No owner ratings of noise for Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51. 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.
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65
Treadwear
Ecsta HS51 +570Why this score
Source Ventus Prime 3 K125 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 4 tests 61 73 Reviews found online 72 65 Wear (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 2–2 68% 73% Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 61 + 40% × 71.8 = 65
Ecsta HS51: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 64.9 = 70
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75
Handling (owners)
Ventus Prime 3 K125 +768Why this score
Source Ventus Prime 3 K125 Ecsta HS51 Reviews found online 75 68 -
66
Efficiency
Ventus Prime 3 K125 +957Why this score
Source Ventus Prime 3 K125 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 2 tests 66 57 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 84% 75%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 | Kumho Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 72 |
| Dry | 85 | 74 |
| Wet | 80 | 76 |
| Comfort | 73 | 68 |
| Noise | 74 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 65 | 70 |
| Handling (owners) | 75 | 68 |
| Efficiency | 66 | 57 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
76
/ 100
Ventus Prime 3 K125
72
/ 100
Ecsta HS51
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 11 tests that ran both, Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 finished ahead 8 times and Kumho Ecsta HS51 3 times.
| Discipline | Category | Ventus Prime 3 K125 | Ecsta HS51 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% | 96% | +3.7 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% | 98% | +1.4 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 95% | 99% | −4.3 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% | 95% | +3.8 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% | 98% | +0.8 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Noise | Noise | 99% | 97% | +2.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 68% | 73% | −4.8 | 2–2 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2021 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 · 205/55 R16 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 84% | 75% | +8.4 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 59% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 82% #2/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #13/20 | #9/20 | – | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Value | Cost | 62% | 99% | −36.8 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #10/14 | #12/14 | – | 8–3 in 11 shared tests Newest: 2021 Test World Large Summer Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ventus Prime 3 K125
Pros
- Excellent dry road grip and braking performance
- High value-for-money ratio compared to premium competitors
- Comfortable ride quality with effective vibration absorption
Cons
- Increased risk of hydroplaning as tread depth decreases
- Accelerated tread wear on heavier vehicles or under high-torque conditions
- Noise levels can increase noticeably after several thousand miles
Tire B Ecsta HS51
Pros
- Impressive wet and dry weather traction
- Excellent value for money compared to tier-one premium brands
- Low road noise and enhanced ride comfort
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can cause a wobbly or loose feeling during aggressive cornering
- Some users experienced faster-than-expected tread wear on the front axle
- Occasional complaints regarding poor steering feedback and high-speed handling at the limit
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 | B · Kumho Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 60 | 27 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 20″ | 14″ – 18″ |
| UTQG | 240 - 500 A - AA A - B | — |
| Sizes in common | 21 | 21 |
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125
72
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta HS51
Narrow edge: Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 — better dry, efficiency and noise. Pick the Kumho Ecsta HS51 if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 scores 85 vs 74 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 scores 66 vs 57 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 scores 74 vs 66 on noise.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 scores 75 vs 68 on handling.
Tire A · Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta HS51
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Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51?
Which is better in the wet, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51?
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125, 80 vs 76 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51?
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125, 85 vs 74 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51?
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125, 74 vs 66 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51?
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125, 73 vs 68 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51?
Kumho Ecsta HS51, 70 vs 65 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Ecsta HS51?
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125, 66 vs 57 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