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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta HS51 vs Michelin Primacy 4+ — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 6 + 10 road tests and 1,667 + 40 owner reviews. How we score

Primacy 4+ is ahead, 78–72

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Kumho Ecsta HS51
Tire AKumho

Ecsta HS51

Summer

± 5

Tests 75 · 6 tests Owners 68 · 1,667 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test (wet handling)

Michelin Primacy 4+
Tire BMichelin

Primacy 4+

Summer

± 4

Tests 85 · 10 tests Owners 71 · 40 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (abrasion)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 74

    Dry

    Primacy 4+ +4
    78
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 9 tests7782
    Reviews found online6971

    Ecsta HS51: 60% × 76.6 + 40% × 69 = 74

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.4 + 40% × 71 = 78

  2. 76

    Wet

    Primacy 4+ +3
    79
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 9 tests7982
    Reviews found online7275

    Ecsta HS51: 60% × 79.4 + 40% × 71.7 = 76

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82 + 40% × 74.6 = 79

  3. 68

    Comfort

    Primacy 4+ +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 68 (est.)73
    Reviews found online6769

    Ecsta HS51: 40% × 68.3 (est.) + 60% × 67.1 = 68

    Primacy 4+: 40% × 72.9 + 60% × 69.4 = 71

    No road tests of comfort for Ecsta HS51. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 66

    Noise

    Primacy 4+ +6
    72
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 7 tests6576
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Ecsta HS51: 60% × 65.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 66

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.4 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 72

    No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  5. 70

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4+ +15
    85
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 4 tests7395
    Reviews found online6570

    Ecsta HS51: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 64.9 = 70

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 94.9 + 40% × 69.7 = 85

  6. 68

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta HS51 +1
    67
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Primacy 4+
    Reviews found online6867
  7. 57

    Efficiency

    Primacy 4+ +21
    78
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 8 tests5778
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Ecsta HS51Michelin Primacy 4+
Relative Score 72 78
Dry 74 78
Wet 76 79
Comfort 68 71
Noise 66 72
Treadwear 70 85
Handling (owners) 68 67
Efficiency 57 78

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
± 5

Ecsta HS51

± 4

Primacy 4+

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.

DisciplineCategoryEcsta HS51Primacy 4+ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 98% #3/53 · 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test 96% #3/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 98% #4/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 99% #2/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 82% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 97% #6/53 · 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test 91% #5/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 95% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 97% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 96% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 73% #4/15 · 2021 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 92% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 75% #20/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 90% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 82% #2/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 52% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #9/20 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test #5/8 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 99% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 67% #8/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #3/11 2021 Autonavigator Summer Tire Test R16 #4/8 2025 EV Tyre Test – 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
All owner themes in the Ecsta HS51 review

Tire B Primacy 4+

Pros

  • Strong wet and dry grip and braking confidence, often cited as a big improvement over Bridgestone, Dunlop and Nexen tyres, including on powerful cars and PHEVs that previously spun their tyres
  • Comfortable, compliant ride with soft sidewalls that suits softly sprung and family cars
  • Low and even tread wear, with several owners reporting little visible wear after 5,000–10,000 miles and one reporting about 60,000 km in hot climates

Cons

  • Road noise and drone, especially on rough asphalt, was described as severe by several owners (Skoda Yeti, Lexus), contradicting other reports of quiet running
  • Reduced grip and confidence in cold, damp conditions, with two UK owners saying the tyre behaves like a budget tyre
  • Premium pricing, with some owners questioning value when life fell short of expectations
All owner themes in the Primacy 4+ review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta HS51 B · Michelin Primacy 4+
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2766
Rim diameters14″ – 18″16″ – 21″
Sizes in common1616

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta HS51

Michelin Primacy 4+

Winner: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better efficiency, treadwear and noise. Where the Kumho Ecsta HS51 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 78 vs 57 on efficiency.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 70 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 72 vs 66 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 78 vs 74 on dry.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta HS51
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Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 79 vs 76 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 74 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 72 vs 66 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 71 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 70 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Ecsta HS51 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 57 on our efficiency 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