Tests 75 · 6 tests Owners 69 · 1,662 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta HS51 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ecsta HS51 leads, 72–68 Narrow edge
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Tests 67 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,166 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 9 in 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 (rolling resistance)
“On Blackcircles all the 245/40 R19 ditch finders cost around £100 and have a poor wet grip & all the decent mid range cost around £170 and have A rated wet grip. Would you risk it for £240? I know I wouldn't. The cheapest A wet rated is a Kuhmo Ecsta PS71 at £136 if you really want to keep the cost down. If you want a relatively soft comfortable tyre then a Hankook S1 Evo 3 is an excellent choice.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
74
Dry
Ecsta PS71 +175Why this score
Source Ecsta HS51 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) 76 78 Reviews found online 71 71 Dry Braking (% of best) 92% 86% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 98% -
76
Wet
Ecsta PS71 +884Why this score
Source Ecsta HS51 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) 79 90 Reviews found online 73 73 Wet Braking (% of best) 97% 88% Wet Handling (% of best) 92% 96% -
69
Comfort
Ecsta PS71 +271Why this score
Source Ecsta HS51 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) – 75 Reviews found online 69 65 -
66
Noise
Ecsta HS51 +2838Why this score
Source Ecsta HS51 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) 65 18 -
70
Treadwear
Ecsta HS51 +1852Why this score
Source Ecsta HS51 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) 73 45 Reviews found online 65 63 -
68
Handling
Ecsta PS71 +371Why this score
Source Ecsta HS51 Ecsta PS71 Reviews found online 68 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta HS51 | Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 68 |
| Dry | 74 | 75 |
| Wet | 76 | 84 |
| Comfort | 69 | 71 |
| Noise | 66 | 38 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 52 |
| Handling | 68 | 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 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
72
/ 100
Ecsta HS51
68
/ 100
Ecsta PS71
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Ecsta HS51 | Ecsta PS71 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% #19/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 86% #10/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | +6.2 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 98% #12/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | +1.4 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 85% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 95% #2/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | −9.9 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 97% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 95% #20/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | +1.5 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 82% #2/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 83% #6/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | −1.8 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 99% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 70% #8/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | +28.5 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 71% #12/12 · 2020 ADAC SUV Summer Tyre Test | 49% #20/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +22.5 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 10% #10/12 · 2020 ADAC SUV Summer Tyre Test | 17% #6/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | −6.7 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 97% #2/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test | +3.0 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #9/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 0% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 88% #6/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test | +9.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 92% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 96% #12/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −3.8 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
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
Kumho Ecsta HS51
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/TyreReviews
·1 upvote ·2026-06-17
“Kumho PS71 Question Replaced an older (2021 or 2022 production) set of ps71 with a new set (production 39-42 week of 2024) and noticed something on the new sidewalls I hadn't seen on the old ones. The new ones have ps71 with either a 1 or a 2 under it right above the bead in very small text. I'm curious what they mean if anything at all.”
r/TeslaUK
·2 upvotes ·2026-08-28
“go with Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV around £140 – £165. Good value for money”
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?”
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 · Kumho Ecsta HS51 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 27 | 133 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 18″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta HS51
68
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better noise and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Ecsta PS71 if wet and handling matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 66 vs 38 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 70 vs 52 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 84 vs 76 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 68 on handling.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta HS51
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.