Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 19 + 0 road tests and 3,366 + 33 owner reviews. How we score
Ventus S1 evo3 is ahead, 70–62
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Tests 78 · 19 tests Owners 56 · 3,366 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (wet braking)
“Tire preferences? My MK8 has a little over 18,000 miles now and the stock tires look like they’ve already gone to sh*t? Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 aren’t as good as they advertise? What do you recommend for tires?”
Tests – · none yet Owners 58 · 33 reviews
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / – tests | 86 | ≈ 63 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 60 | 57 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 85.5 + 40% × 60 = 75
Ecsta LE Sport: 60% × 63.3 (est.) + 40% × 56.6 = 61
No road tests of dry for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / – tests | 90 | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 68 | 63 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 90.2 + 40% × 67.5 = 81
Ecsta LE Sport: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 62.9 = 65
No road tests of wet for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests | 65 | ≈ 67 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 56 | 59 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 40% × 64.7 + 60% × 55.5 = 59
Ecsta LE Sport: 40% × 67.3 (est.) + 60% × 58.9 = 62
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 14 / – tests | 77 | – |
| Reviews found online | ≈ 67 (est.) | – |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 77.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 73
No owner ratings of noise for Ventus S1 evo3. 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 S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests | 61 | ≈ 62 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 40 | 55 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 60.7 + 40% × 40.3 = 53
Ecsta LE Sport: 60% × 62.3 (est.) + 40% × 55.3 = 60
No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 58 | 60 |
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 15 / – tests | 68 | – |
| Category | Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 | Kumho Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 62 |
| Dry | 75 | 61 |
| Wet | 81 | 65 |
| Comfort | 59 | 62 |
| Noise | 73 | – |
| Treadwear | 53 | 60 |
| Handling (owners) | 58 | 60 |
| Efficiency | 68 | – |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Ventus S1 evo3
Ecsta LE Sport
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 S1 evo3 | Ecsta LE Sport | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/8 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | #10/11 2018 Auto Review 225/45 R17 Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community sentiment toward the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 is mixed, with users frequently praising its strong dry and wet grip, comfort, and competitive pricing. However, notable drawbacks include relatively fast tread wear, reports of increasing road noise over time, and mixed experiences with OEM specs versus premium competitors like Michelin.
“You will love the Ventus S1 EVO3's, I purchased a set back in May 2020 for $473 delivered. In your climate driving at Texas speeds (75-85) efficiency is gonna be about 270-295 Wh/m. I just ordered a set of the iON EVO AS to try out as I have a need for snow use but not bad enough for snow tires.”
“Which tire should I choose? I’m currently looking for new summer tires, but this time I’m finding it surprisingly difficult to choose. My previous set were Bridgestone T005s, which honestly didn’t impress me much. On my earlier car I’ve driven on Michelin PS4S, Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3, and Pirelli (don’t remember the exact model). The Michelins were by far my favorite — excellent grip and overall a fantastic tire. The Hankooks were above average and perfectly fine, but the Pirellis were a big disappointment. This time I’m considering the following three options: • Michelin Pilot Sport 5 • Continental SportContact 7 • Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 If I hadn’t done any research, I would have gone for the Michelins without hesitation. However, after digging a bit deeper, I added the Continentals as a strong competitor, and the Kumhos because they’re significantly cheaper while still getting quite positive reviews. I drive a Cupra Formentor 2.0 AWD with around 430 hp. I never take the car to the track, but I do enjoy sporty driving and quick launches at traffic lights. Now I’m finding the final decision harder than expected. Taking both price and performance into account, which of these three would you recommend? Read more”
“F/S Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 235/35 R19 Hi Guys Selling a full set (4) Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 235/35 R19 summer tires, with 9/32 tread depth which is exactly the same depth when these ultra high performance tires are new. No punctures anywhere. Tires came of my 2024 VW GTI with less than 3k miles on the odometer. The production date on the tires is 3324 which means 33rd week of 2024.This translates to late August 2024. $500/obo but no shipping. Local pick up only. I am in Long Island NY. Message if interested. Read more”
Based on 33 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 | B · Kumho Ecsta LE Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 110 | — |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 22″ | — |
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
Winner: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — better wet and dry. Pick the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport if treadwear and comfort matter most to you.
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 81 vs 65 on wet.
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 75 vs 61 on dry.
Kumho Ecsta LE Sport scores 60 vs 53 on treadwear.
Kumho Ecsta LE Sport scores 62 vs 59 on comfort.
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Hankook Ventus S1 evo3, 81 vs 65 on our wet score.
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3, 75 vs 61 on our dry score.
Kumho Ecsta LE Sport, 62 vs 59 on our comfort score.
Kumho Ecsta LE Sport, 60 vs 53 on our treadwear 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
