Tests – · none yet Owners 70 · 125 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta KU39 vs Kumho Ecsta PS91 — 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 + 6 road tests and 125 + 485 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta KU39 is ahead, 71–60
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Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 42 · 485 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 (exterior noise)
“Putting some Kumho Ecsta PS91s on. Curious how they’ll do since my go to Falken rt660 doesn’t come in the oem 18” sizes”
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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72
Dry
Ecsta KU39 +666Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 70 (est.) 77 Reviews found online 74 51 Ecsta KU39: 60% × 70.2 (est.) + 40% × 73.5 = 72
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 50.9 = 66
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).
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73
Wet
Ecsta KU39 +568Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 72 (est.) 79 Reviews found online 74 52 Ecsta KU39: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 73.9 = 73
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 78.7 + 40% × 51.5 = 68
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).
-
–
Snow
No comparison38Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Professional tests (TWG score) – ≈ 53 (est.) Reviews found online – 15 Ecsta PS91: 60% × 52.9 (est.) + 40% × 15 = 38
No road tests of snow for Ecsta PS91. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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70
Comfort
Ecsta KU39 +1654Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 64 (est.) Reviews found online 71 48 Ecsta KU39: 40% × 69.1 (est.) + 60% × 70.8 = 70
Ecsta PS91: 40% × 64.4 (est.) + 60% × 47.7 = 54
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).
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta PS91. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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–
Noise
No comparison62Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests – 70 Reviews found online – 50 Ecsta PS91: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 49.6 = 62
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65
Treadwear
Ecsta KU39 +2144Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 53 (est.) Reviews found online 63 30 Ecsta KU39: 60% × 65.4 (est.) + 40% × 63.3 = 65
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 53.4 (est.) + 40% × 30.2 = 44
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).
No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta PS91. 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 KU39 +1853Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Reviews found online 71 53 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison47Why this score
Source Ecsta KU39 Ecsta PS91 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests – 47
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta KU39 | Kumho Ecsta PS91 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 60 |
| Dry | 72 | 66 |
| Wet | 73 | 68 |
| Snow | – | 38 |
| Comfort | 70 | 54 |
| Noise | – | 62 |
| Treadwear | 65 | 44 |
| Handling (owners) | 71 | 53 |
| Efficiency | – | 47 |
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
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
60
/ 100
Ecsta PS91
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 PS91 | 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 | #9/10 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | – | 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 PS91
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet grip providing high confidence during spirited driving
- Significantly more affordable than premium flagship alternatives while offering comparable performance
- Stiff sidewalls enhance steering response, cornering stability, and feedback
Cons
- Accelerated tread wear and shorter lifespan, particularly with aggressive driving or on heavier vehicles
- Stiff sidewalls result in a firmer, less comfortable ride that transmits road imperfections
- Tendency to tramline or follow road grooves on straight highways
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
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta PS91
The community views the Kumho Ecsta PS91 as an attractive, budget-friendly max performance summer tire that offers decent street traction, low noise, and a tread pattern resembling higher-end options like Michelin. However, opinions are split; while some drivers praise them as a great value alternative for daily driving and light spirited use, enthusiasts note limitations regarding rapid wear, subpar track endurance, and inferior grip compared to top-tier performance tires.
r/Porsche
·11 upvotes ·2022-02-12
“Putting some Kumho Ecsta PS91s on. Curious how they’ll do since my go to Falken rt660 doesn’t come in the oem 18” sizes”
r/E90
·180 upvotes ·2025-09-17
“New meaty tires set up installed, now I can order spacers Went up tire sizes and they definitely fill the gap a bit. First time running sticky kumhos on anytime so excited to see how they turn out.Specs are Kumho Ecsta Ps91 235/40/18 up front and 265/40/18 in the rear. Read more”
r/Autocross
·1 upvote ·2025-09-30
“You will get smoked if you go with the PS91. They also do not hold well under abuse. I feel that the RE-71RS would be a better value for you simply because they'll hold and remain consistent even as they wear very far down. I've used the RE-71RS at a track day before and even as the tires were chunking and melting, they still maintained their grip, as if they were just BEGGING to be abused, to see how far they could be pushed.”
Top themes
#Budget friendly pricing#Street performance and comfort#Tread wear and longevity#Track and grip limitations#Comparison to Michelin
Based on 46 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta KU39 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS91 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 4 | 1 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 19″ | 19″ |
| Tread depth | — | 9.5/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 260 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta KU39
60
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS91
Winner: Kumho Ecsta KU39 — better treadwear, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta KU39 scores 65 vs 44 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta KU39 scores 71 vs 53 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta KU39 scores 70 vs 54 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta KU39 scores 72 vs 66 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta KU39
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS91
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Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS91?
Which is better in the wet, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS91?
Kumho Ecsta KU39, 73 vs 68 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS91?
Kumho Ecsta KU39, 72 vs 66 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS91?
Kumho Ecsta KU39, 70 vs 54 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ecsta KU39 or Ecsta PS91?
Kumho Ecsta KU39, 65 vs 44 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