Tests – · none yet Owners 58 · 33 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta LE Sport 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 0 + 10 road tests and 33 + 39 owner reviews. How we score
Primacy 4+ is ahead, 78–62
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Tests 85 · 10 tests Owners 70 · 39 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.
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61
Dry
Primacy 4+ +1778Why this score
Source Ecsta LE Sport Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests ≈ 63 (est.) 82 Reviews found online 57 71 Ecsta LE Sport: 60% × 63.3 (est.) + 40% × 56.6 = 61
Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.3 + 40% × 70.6 = 78
No road tests of dry for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
-
65
Wet
Primacy 4+ +1479Why this score
Source Ecsta LE Sport Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 83 Reviews found online 63 74 Ecsta LE Sport: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 62.9 = 65
Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.6 + 40% × 73.8 = 79
No road tests of wet for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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62
Comfort
Primacy 4+ +971Why this score
Source Ecsta LE Sport Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 73 Reviews found online 59 69 Ecsta LE Sport: 40% × 67.3 (est.) + 60% × 58.9 = 62
Primacy 4+: 40% × 73.3 + 60% × 69 = 71
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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–
Noise
No comparison73Why this score
Source Ecsta LE Sport Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests – 77 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 73
No owner ratings of noise for Primacy 4+. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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60
Treadwear
Primacy 4+ +2585Why this score
Source Ecsta LE Sport Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests ≈ 62 (est.) 95 Reviews found online 55 69 Ecsta LE Sport: 60% × 62.3 (est.) + 40% × 55.3 = 60
Primacy 4+: 60% × 95.3 + 40% × 68.9 = 85
No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta LE Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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60
Handling (owners)
Primacy 4+ +565Why this score
Source Ecsta LE Sport Primacy 4+ Reviews found online 60 65 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison78Why this score
Source Ecsta LE Sport Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests – 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta LE Sport | Michelin Primacy 4+ |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 62 | 78 |
| Dry | 61 | 78 |
| Wet | 65 | 79 |
| Comfort | 62 | 71 |
| Noise | – | 73 |
| Treadwear | 60 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 60 | 65 |
| Efficiency | – | 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 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
62
/ 100
Ecsta LE Sport
78
/ 100
Primacy 4+
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 LE Sport | Primacy 4+ | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #10/11 2018 Auto Review 225/45 R17 Tyre Test | #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 LE Sport
Pros
- Exceptional value compared to premium tier brands
- Strong dry and wet road grip when relatively new
- Predictable and progressive handling limits near the edge
Cons
- Rapid and uneven tread wear, particularly on front or driven wheels
- Fragile sidewalls prone to bubbling or damage from minor impacts
- Noticeable drop-off in performance and increased tramlining as the tread wears down
Tire B Primacy 4+
Pros
- Excellent ride comfort and a smooth, compliant 'limousine-like' feel over bumps
- Strong and reliable grip in both wet and dry conditions, inspiring confidence
- Noticeable improvement in quietness and traction compared to predecessor tires or factory options
Cons
- Loud road noise and a harsh drone on rough or coarse asphalt surfaces
- Soft sidewalls can reduce steering agility and initial responsiveness compared to dedicated sport tires
- High premium price point relative to competitors
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta LE Sport | B · Michelin Primacy 4+ |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 66 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 21″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
62
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
78
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 4+
Winner: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better treadwear, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 60 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 78 vs 61 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 79 vs 65 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 71 vs 62 on comfort.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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Ecsta LE Sport or Primacy 4+?
Which is better in the wet, Ecsta LE Sport or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 79 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta LE Sport or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 61 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Ecsta LE Sport or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 71 vs 62 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ecsta LE Sport or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 60 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