Tests – · none yet Owners 41 · 10 reviews
Kumho Ecsta 712 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta 712 vs Vredestein Quatrac 5 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 6 road tests and 10 + 662 owner reviews. How we score
Quatrac 5 is ahead, 72–48
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Tests 73 · 6 tests Owners 70 · 662 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test (dry handling)
“A guy on YouTube vlogged his experience with the quatrac 5 in his mirage. It's a good all weather tire for the occasional blast of snow but is by no means a substitute for actual snow tires.”
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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48
Dry
Quatrac 5 +2371Why this score
Source Ecsta 712 Quatrac 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 55 (est.) 72 Reviews found online 37 68 Ecsta 712: 60% × 55.4 (est.) + 40% × 37.1 = 48
Quatrac 5: 60% × 72 + 40% × 68.4 = 71
No road tests of dry for Ecsta 712. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
-
44
Wet
Quatrac 5 +3074Why this score
Source Ecsta 712 Quatrac 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 50 (est.) 75 Reviews found online 35 73 Ecsta 712: 60% × 50.2 (est.) + 40% × 34.8 = 44
Quatrac 5: 60% × 75.1 + 40% × 72.9 = 74
No road tests of wet for Ecsta 712. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
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–
Snow
No comparison69Why this score
Source Ecsta 712 Quatrac 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 5 tests – 70 Reviews found online – 67 Quatrac 5: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 67.3 = 69
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51
Comfort
Quatrac 5 +1970Why this score
Source Ecsta 712 Quatrac 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 33 71 Ecsta 712: 60% × 62.9 (est.) + 40% × 33.2 = 51
Quatrac 5: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 71 = 70
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta 712 or Quatrac 5. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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–
Noise
No comparison71Why this score
Source Ecsta 712 Quatrac 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests – 73 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) Quatrac 5: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 71
No owner ratings of noise for Quatrac 5. 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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59
Treadwear
Quatrac 5 +1271Why this score
Source Ecsta 712 Quatrac 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 62 (est.) 73 Reviews found online 54 69 Ecsta 712: 60% × 62.1 (est.) + 40% × 54.1 = 59
Quatrac 5: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 68.5 = 71
No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta 712. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
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34
Handling (owners)
Quatrac 5 +3771Why this score
Source Ecsta 712 Quatrac 5 Reviews found online 34 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta 712 | Vredestein Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 48 | 72 |
| Dry | 48 | 71 |
| Wet | 44 | 74 |
| Snow | – | 69 |
| Comfort | 51 | 70 |
| Noise | – | 71 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 71 |
| Handling (owners) | 34 | 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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
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
48
/ 100
Ecsta 712
72
/ 100
Quatrac 5
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ecsta 712
Pros
- Highly competitive price point
- Better-than-average tread life compared to some premium performance tires
- Acceptable dry weather handling for casual driving
Cons
- Dangerous and unpredictable wet weather traction
- High levels of road noise and harsh ride quality
- Poor steering feedback and tendency for understeer/oversteer
Tire B Quatrac 5
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in wet conditions and winter weather (snow and ice)
- Low road noise and high ride comfort
- Good year-round versatility eliminating the need for seasonal tire swaps
Cons
- Faster or uneven tread wear reported by some users, particularly on the outer edges
- Softer sidewalls can induce a 'squishy' feel or slight loss of steering feedback
- Less aggressive dry-pavement handling compared to dedicated summer tires
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Kumho Ecsta 712
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Vredestein Quatrac 5
Community sentiment toward the Vredestein Quatrac 5 is largely positive, with owners highlighting strong value, quiet comfort, and capable year-round traction. While recognized as a solid 3PMSF-rated all-weather tire, several users note that it cannot match dedicated winter tires in heavy snow and that tread wear can be rapid due to soft rubber compounds.
hellcat.org
·2018-11-22
“They're on my Hellcat now and it's an amazing tire. Surprisingly good traction in the dry. Hope you can get em as well!”
forum.miata.net
“They "look" like a full blown winter tire (ala Blizzak or XIce). But of course the rubber plays into it. We have Vredestein Quatrac 5 on our Sienna AWD van. These were sold as a true 4 season tire and we have driven them in 4 seasons. I didn't want to change tires on that vehicle, although for a Miata is would be a must. While they handle fine for the van, I don't drive the van like the Miata.”
civicx.com
·1 upvote ·2020-11-11
“I think Vredestein was more popular in Europe but Tire Rack has been expanding their presence in the US. Some of their tires are kinda unique bridging capabilities of different tire categories. There's another model they have called the Quatrac 5 which is an all-season sportier touring tire that has the severe snow duty rating like winter tires, but can be driven year round unlike winter tires. So they were on my radar because of that. (I'm "that car guy" who most of my friends and family consult when buying car stuff like tires so I find myself researching too many categories of tires. ?) This Hypertrac AS is a newer model and more focused on performance, but it seems to be a UHPAS option with more comfort than similar tires. If you're experiencing that lack of performance from the OE Goodyears you should look at those Falken FK510s. They're a summer tire but the sidewalls are pretty soft. They're supposed to be comfier than usual for a summer tire. You'll get more grip than the stock tires. They might not be much quieter or smoother riding but probably won't be any worse.”
Top themes
#Snow and winter traction#Tread wear and longevity#Affordable price and value#Wet and dry handling#Road noise and comfort#All-weather 3PMSF performance
Based on 93 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta 712 | B · Vredestein Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 63 |
| Rim diameters | — | 13″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
48
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta 712
72
/ 100
Vredestein Quatrac 5
Winner: Vredestein Quatrac 5 — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score. Kumho Ecsta 712 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Vredestein Quatrac 5 scores 71 vs 34 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Vredestein Quatrac 5 scores 74 vs 44 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Vredestein Quatrac 5 scores 71 vs 48 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Vredestein Quatrac 5 scores 70 vs 51 on comfort.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta 712
Tire B · Vredestein Quatrac 5
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Ecsta 712 or Quatrac 5?
Which is better in the wet, Ecsta 712 or Quatrac 5?
Vredestein Quatrac 5, 74 vs 44 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta 712 or Quatrac 5?
Vredestein Quatrac 5, 71 vs 48 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Ecsta 712 or Quatrac 5?
Vredestein Quatrac 5, 70 vs 51 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ecsta 712 or Quatrac 5?
Vredestein Quatrac 5, 71 vs 59 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