Tests – · none yet Owners 70 · 125 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta KU39 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71 — 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 0 + 14 road tests and 125 + 8,191 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta PS71 leads, 73–71 Narrow edge
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Tests 68 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,191 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 18 in 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)
“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
72
Dry
Ecsta PS71 +375Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 12 tests ≈ 70 (est.) 78 Reviews found online 74 72 Ecsta KU39: 60% × 70.2 (est.) + 40% × 73.5 = 72
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.6 + 40% × 71.7 = 75
No road tests of dry for Ecsta KU39. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
-
73
Wet
Ecsta PS71 +1285Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests ≈ 72 (est.) 92 Reviews found online 74 75 Ecsta KU39: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 73.9 = 73
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 91.8 + 40% × 74.6 = 85
No road tests of wet for Ecsta KU39. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
70
Comfort
Ecsta KU39 +169Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 69 (est.) 75 Reviews found online 71 65 Ecsta KU39: 40% × 69.1 (est.) + 60% × 70.8 = 70
Ecsta PS71: 40% × 74.6 + 60% × 65.3 = 69
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta KU39. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
–
Noise
No comparison36Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests – 16 Reviews found online – ≈ 66 (est.) Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 36
No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71. 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.
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65
Treadwear
Ecsta KU39 +1352Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 65 (est.) 46 Reviews found online 63 60 Ecsta KU39: 60% × 65.4 (est.) + 40% × 63.3 = 65
Ecsta PS71: 60% × 46 + 40% × 59.8 = 52
No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta KU39. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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71
Handling (owners)
Ecsta PS71 +273Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS71 Reviews found online 71 73 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison48Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests – 48
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta KU39 | Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 73 |
| Dry | 72 | 75 |
| Wet | 73 | 85 |
| Comfort | 70 | 69 |
| Noise | – | 36 |
| Treadwear | 65 | 52 |
| Handling (owners) | 71 | 73 |
| Efficiency | – | 48 |
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
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
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
Ecsta KU39
73
/ 100
Ecsta PS71
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 KU39 | Ecsta PS71 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #13/49 2014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tyre Shootout | #4/52 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ecsta KU39
Pros
- Exceptional value for money compared to premium competitors
- Strong wet and dry traction
- Outstanding ride comfort and low road noise
Cons
- Inconsistent tread life, with some users reporting premature wear
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a lack of steering sharpness or 'squirm' under heavy load
- Performance can drop off noticeably as tread depth approaches 3mm
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 KU39
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Community members generally view the Kumho Ecsta PS71 as a capable and reliable mid-range ultra-high performance tire offering solid grip and value for money compared to premium alternatives. While perceived as good once warmed up, some drivers note that it does not quite reach the ultimate grip level of top-tier brands and question its tread wear longevity.
z4-forum.com
·2023-01-29
“Steve; have a look at Kuhmo Ecsta PS71s. I just fitted a set on my new wheels for my 440i. Weapon of choice for the 'non tyre snob' IMHO. Much cheaper than the 'big' brands, heat up quickly and they also look really nice (for a black round tyre). Can't comment on noise, as the exhaust on mine is so noisy I can't hear the radio, let alone tyres!”
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?”
bimmerforums.co.uk
·1 upvote ·2024-05-05
“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.”
Top themes
#value for money#wet and dry grip#tire wear longevity#sporty handling performance#warm up temperature behavior#mid-range alternative comparison
Based on 23 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta KU39 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 4 | 133 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 19″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Sizes in common | 1 | 1 |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta KU39
73
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Narrow edge: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet and dry. Pick the Kumho Ecsta KU39 if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta KU39 scores 65 vs 52 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 85 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 75 vs 72 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta KU39
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
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Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS71?
Which is better in the wet, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS71?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 85 vs 73 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS71?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS71?
Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 69 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS71?
Kumho Ecsta KU39, 65 vs 52 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