Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 13 + 7 road tests and 2,504 + 2,365 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta HS52 leads, 78–75 Narrow edge
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Tests 78 · 13 tests Owners 71 · 2,504 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)
“Simbolul cu mașina și fulgerul de pe Hankook Ventus Prime 4 arată că anvelopa e compatibilă și cu mașini electrice (EV), nu că e destinată exclusiv lor. Poate fi folosită fără probleme și pe mașini cu motor termic.”
Tests 84 · 7 tests Owners 74 · 2,365 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”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 7 tests | 84 | 86 |
| Reviews found online | 73 | 79 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) · 7 shared tests · wins 1–5 | 97% | 98% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 | 100% | 99% |
Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 84.2 + 40% × 73.4 = 80
Ecsta HS52: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 78.7 = 83
| Source | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 7 tests | 81 | 90 |
| Reviews found online | 75 | 77 |
| Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 | 82% | 83% |
| Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 2–3 | 93% | 95% |
| Wet Braking (% of best) · 7 shared tests · wins 3–3 | 94% | 95% |
| Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–2 | 86% | 91% |
| Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 98% | 91% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 | 99% | 98% |
Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 80.5 + 40% × 74.6 = 78
Ecsta HS52: 60% × 89.9 + 40% × 76.5 = 85
| Source | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests | 70 | ≈ 69 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 68 | 66 |
Ventus Prime 4: 40% × 70.3 + 60% × 67.8 = 69
Ecsta HS52: 40% × 68.6 (est.) + 60% × 66 = 67
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta HS52. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 3 tests | 58 | 64 |
| Reviews found online | ≈ 67 (est.) | ≈ 67 (est.) |
| Noise (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–1 | 98% | 98% |
Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 57.6 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 61
Ecsta HS52: 60% × 63.8 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 65
No owner ratings of noise for Ventus Prime 4 or Ecsta HS52. 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 | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 5 tests | 78 | 80 |
| Reviews found online | 67 | 67 |
| Abrasion (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 | 69% | 64% |
| Wear (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 2–3 | 69% | 75% |
Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 78.2 + 40% × 66.7 = 74
Ecsta HS52: 60% × 80.1 + 40% × 67.2 = 75
| Source | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 72 | 77 |
| Source | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 5 tests | 83 | 43 |
| Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 | 98% | 94% |
| Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 | 88% | 78% |
| Category | Hankook Ventus Prime 4 | Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 78 |
| Dry | 80 | 83 |
| Wet | 78 | 85 |
| Comfort | 69 | 67 |
| Noise | 61 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 74 | 75 |
| Handling (owners) | 72 | 77 |
| Efficiency | 83 | 43 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Ventus Prime 4
Ecsta HS52
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 7 tests that ran both, Hankook Ventus Prime 4 finished ahead 2 times and Kumho Ecsta HS52 5 times.
| Discipline | Category | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% | 98% | −0.9 | 1–5 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% | 99% | +0.5 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 82% | 83% | −1.5 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 93% | 95% | −2.0 | 2–3 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% | 95% | −1.2 | 3–3 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 86% | 91% | −5.1 | 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 98% | 91% | +6.4 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% | 98% | +0.4 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 98% | +0.4 | 1–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 69% | 64% | +4.9 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 69% | 75% | −5.3 | 2–3 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 98% | 94% | +4.0 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 88% | 78% | +10.0 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 69% | 77% | −8.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #4/20 | #12/20 | – | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Value | Cost | 67% | 82% | −15.0 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #11/16 | #9/16 | – | 2–5 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/50R17 |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community opinion on the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 is largely positive, with drivers viewing it as a comfortable, quiet, and capable touring tire. Users frequently praise its strong dry and wet performance alongside its compelling price-to-performance ratio compared to premium alternatives like Michelin. Some uncertainties exist regarding long-term tread wear and slight fuel economy impacts, but owners generally report satisfactory everyday reliability.
“MOT coming up on the 29th and the rear tyres won't make it. Front tyres have a bit of wear left but I'm wondering if I should do all four now or the rears now and then the fronts sometime in about 6 months or so. Better deals on 4 tyres though ... but then I'd be throwing away 2 decent tyres with some use still in them so ... Also, looking on KiwkFit... any reason why I wouldn't go for the Ventus Prime 4s over the Michelins?”
“Becsapós ez, nagyon kevés csapadék volt a nyáron, és nagyon könnyű megszokni a száraz tapadást. Aztan meglepődik az ember az esőben. Nekem is volt ilyen gumi az autón, előtte meg az volt rajta amivel vettem (valami noname), hát a Hankook egy nagyságrenddel jobb volt annál. Most VP4 van rajta, es rendben van az is szerintem.”
“Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Kumho Ecsta HS52? Hey there! Went to this reddit after reading a lot of reviews on the website, a bit of a newbie in general. I have read about many models and settled on 2 possible ones due to pricing and availability in my country (not looking for any other options). In my price range and requirements I've settled on Ventus Prime 4 initially (50% cheaper than Primacy that my car came stock with), but have also seen some good stuff said about HS52. I was quite settled on the first one since it scored very well in 2022 Autobild review, but now that 2024 came out a lot of numbers are completely different (predicted tread life alone took a huge dive) and Hankook is now 4 positions lower than Kumho. To add to this, Hankook was only 10% more expensive thank Kumho in my country, but now there was a price drop and and now there is 20% price difference, so set of Kumhos comes out noticeable cheaper. Spec wise they seems very similar with some trade-offs in different departments. I'm not really looking to save as much money as possible, but with latest reviews I'm not sure if there is any improvement worth paying for. Any thoughts? Thanks. Read more”
Based on 41 community posts
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.
“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.”
“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”
“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)”
Based on 17 community posts
| Attribute | A · Hankook Ventus Prime 4 | B · Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | — | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 66 | 53 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 20″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 39 | 39 |
Hankook Ventus Prime 4
Kumho Ecsta HS52
Narrow edge: Kumho Ecsta HS52 — better wet, noise and dry. Pick the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 if efficiency matters most to you.
Hankook Ventus Prime 4 scores 83 vs 43 on efficiency.
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 85 vs 78 on wet.
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 65 vs 61 on noise.
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 83 vs 80 on dry.
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Kumho Ecsta HS52, 85 vs 78 on our wet score.
Kumho Ecsta HS52, 83 vs 80 on our dry score.
Kumho Ecsta HS52, 65 vs 61 on our noise score.
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 67 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 75 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
Hankook Ventus Prime 4, 83 vs 43 on our efficiency 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
