Kumho Ecsta HS52 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — 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 7 + 23 road tests and 2,387 + 6,510 owner reviews. How we score
Best test result: #1 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
“I have kuhmo ecsta hs52's on my renault megane during spring and summer and they are really good. No complaints at all. My milage did go up a little bit but that's it”
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling (tester's mark))
“Put some 235/45 R17 ps5’s on my 9-5 They fill up the arches quite nice!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
84
Dry
Pilot Sport 5 +8
92
Why this score
Source
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 23 tests
86
93
Reviews found online
80
90
Ecsta HS52:60% × 86.4 + 40% × 80.1 = 84
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 93.2 + 40% × 90.2 = 92
84
Wet
Pilot Sport 5 +10
94
Why this score
Source
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 23 tests
89
94
Reviews found online
78
93
Ecsta HS52:60% × 89.2 + 40% × 77.5 = 84
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 93.7 + 40% × 93.3 = 94
67
Comfort
Pilot Sport 5 +11
78
Why this score
Source
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests
≈ 68 (est.)
71
Reviews found online
66
83
Ecsta HS52:40% × 68.1 (est.) + 60% × 65.9 = 67
Pilot Sport 5:40% × 70.9 + 60% × 83.4 = 78
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta HS52. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
65
Noise
Ecsta HS52 +18
47
Why this score
Source
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 15 tests
64
33
Reviews found online
≈ 66 (est.)
≈ 66 (est.)
Ecsta HS52:60% × 63.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 65
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 33.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 47
No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta HS52 or Pilot Sport 5. 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.
76
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 5 +10
86
Why this score
Source
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 6 tests
80
92
Reviews found online
70
78
Ecsta HS52:60% × 79.7 + 40% × 69.6 = 76
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 92 + 40% × 77.9 = 86
77
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 5 +12
89
Why this score
Source
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Reviews found online
77
89
43
Efficiency
Pilot Sport 5 +20
63
Why this score
Source
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 17 tests
43
63
Scores at a glance
Kumho Ecsta HS52 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: scores by category (0–100)
Category
Kumho Ecsta HS52
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score
79
86
Dry
84
92
Wet
84
94
Comfort
67
78
Noise
65
47
Treadwear
76
86
Handling (owners)
77
89
Efficiency
43
63
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.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
79
/ 100
± 5
Ecsta HS52
86
/ 100
± 4
Pilot Sport 5
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
Ecsta HS52
Pilot Sport 5
Δ
Head-to-head
Dry Braking
Dry
95%#9/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
95%#10/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking?
–
Different tests
Dry Handling
Dry
100%#3/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test
99%#4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning
Wet
86%#12/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
87%#6/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning
Wet
97%#5/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
94%#6/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers
–
Different tests
Wet Braking
Wet
97%#3/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
91%#9/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking?
–
Different tests
Wet Braking (concrete)
Wet
90%#3/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
97%#3/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wet Circle
Wet
91%#15/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test
97%#5/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wet Handling
Wet
99%#2/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test
98%#3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers
–
Different tests
Noise
Noise
96%#16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
99%#2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Abrasion
Treadwear
59%#12/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
83%#5/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wear
Treadwear
75%#8/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
93%#2/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Fuel Consumption
Efficiency
93%#15/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
95%#8/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Rolling Resistance
Efficiency
88%#16/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test
92%#3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers
–
Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price
Cost
77%#5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
56%#13/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership
Cost
#12/202024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test
#13/202026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Value
Cost
100%#1/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
71%#15/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Overall Ranking
Overall
#9/162026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
#9/502026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking?
–
Different tests
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ecsta HS52
Pros
Excellent wet and dry weather traction
Low road noise and quiet operation
Smooth and comfortable ride quality
Cons
A few reports of accelerated or abnormal tread wear
Slightly sensitive to tire pressure regarding comfort
Occasional complaints of high-speed vibration or imbalance early on
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Kumho Ecsta HS52
Mixed
The Kumho Ecsta HS52 receives a polarized mix of reviews from the community, praised by many for its rigid sidewalls, strong dry grip, sharp steering responsiveness, and great value compared to premium alternatives. However, some users report disappointing wet weather performance, potential issues with aquaplaning resistance, and inconsistent test results across different sizes. Overall, it is viewed as a solid mid-range option, though experiences with wet traction and longevity vary significantly among drivers.
#Dry grip and handling#Wet weather performance#Sidewall stiffness#Price and value#Comparison with competitors#Fuel economy and weight#Tread wear and durability
Based on 17 community posts
Tire B
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Positive
Community sentiment towards the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is largely positive, with drivers frequently praising its outstanding wet grip, daily driving comfort, and impressive tread life. While widely recommended as a dependable, premium all-round performance tire, some enthusiasts criticize it for having a slightly numb steering feel, softer sidewalls, and poor heat resistance during track use compared to more aggressive alternatives.
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