Tests 59 · 1 test Owners 73 · 2 reviews
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 1 + 14 road tests and 2 + 8,168 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 73–67
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Tests 67 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,168 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.
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72
Dry
Ecsta PS71 +375Why this score
Source Ventus RS3 Z222 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 12 tests 67 77 Reviews found online 79 71 Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 67 + 40% × 79 = 72
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.3 + 40% × 71 = 75
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60
Wet
Ecsta PS71 +2484Why this score
Source Ventus RS3 Z222 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 13 tests 52 91 Reviews found online 72 73 Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 51.9 + 40% × 71.8 = 60
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 90.9 + 40% × 73.1 = 84
-
67
Comfort
Ecsta PS71 +471Why this score
Source Ventus RS3 Z222 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 68 (est.) 75 Reviews found online 65 65 Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 65.1 = 67
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 75.2 + 40% × 64.8 = 71
No road tests of comfort for Ventus RS3 Z222. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
–
Noise
No comparison36Why this score
Source Ventus RS3 Z222 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests – 15 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.5 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 36
No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71. 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.
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67
Treadwear
Ventus RS3 Z222 +1552Why this score
Source Ventus RS3 Z222 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 45 Reviews found online 68 63 Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 67.9 = 67
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 45.1 + 40% × 62.5 = 52
No road tests of treadwear for Ventus RS3 Z222. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
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77
Handling (owners)
Ventus RS3 Z222 +671Why this score
Source Ventus RS3 Z222 Ecsta PS71 Reviews found online 77 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 | Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 73 |
| Dry | 72 | 75 |
| Wet | 60 | 84 |
| Comfort | 67 | 71 |
| Noise | – | 36 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 52 |
| Handling (owners) | 77 | 71 |
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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Ventus RS3 Z222
73
/ 100
Ecsta PS71
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.
| Discipline | Category | Ventus RS3 Z222 | Ecsta PS71 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 91% #4/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | 95% #9/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #4/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | 98% #12/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 70% #5/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | 92% #2/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 82% #5/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | 100% #2/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #3/5 2019 17 inch Track Day 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 Ventus RS3 Z222
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip with minimal warm-up time required
- Predictable and progressive handling characteristics
- Superior wet weather performance compared to typical semi-slick tires
Cons
- Limited suitability for snow or freezing conditions
- Performance is highly dependent on achieving optimal operating temperature
- Stiff sidewall construction may impact ride comfort for some users
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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Community sentiment towards the Kumho Ecsta PS71 is generally positive, with drivers viewing it as an affordable, high-value mid-range/UHP tire that performs reliably compared to premium brands. Users praise its wet grip rating, competitive pricing, and overall road manners once warmed up, though some note it provides adequate rather than top-tier grip and raise questions regarding cold performance and tread life.
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?”
z4-forum.com
·2023-01-29
“Not exactly helpful but I've got Hankook winter tyres on my 330i and they're really good. mr wilks on here recommend Kumho Ecstas a couple of times so I got a set for my MC and I've been very pleased with them. And I got a set for £400 from Black Circles! ETA My Kumho Ecstas are also PS71.”
r/TyreReviews
·2 upvotes ·2024-10-25
“I've had the PS71 several years ago - it was ok, nothing spectacular. They might have changed the compound now, so it may be better. Its a good tire, I don't remember any real weaknesses, it just never felt like "yeah, this sticks like glue to the road". Edit: I just remembered - it was mediocre in the city - when the tire was not warmed up, but I reckon this is shared between most sport tires with high speed rating. Once warmed up was good.”
Top themes
#Value for money#Wet grip performance#UHP budget alternative#Tread wear durability#Warm-up temperature behavior#Tire pressure specifications
Based on 24 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 133 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 22″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222
73
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, comfort and dry. Pick the Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 if treadwear and handling matter most to you. Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 2 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 84 vs 60 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 scores 67 vs 52 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 scores 77 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 67 on comfort.
Tire A · Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
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Ventus RS3 Z222 or Ecsta PS71?
Which is better in the wet, Ventus RS3 Z222 or Ecsta PS71?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 84 vs 60 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ventus RS3 Z222 or Ecsta PS71?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Ventus RS3 Z222 or Ecsta PS71?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 71 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ventus RS3 Z222 or Ecsta PS71?
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222, 67 vs 52 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