Tests – · none yet Owners 57 · 23 reviews
Kumho Ecsta PA31 vs Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Kinergy 4S2 is ahead, 70–61
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Tests 78 · 24 tests Owners 61 · 3,612 reviews
“Softer alternative to HANKOOK KINERGY 4S2? Searching for alternarive to HANKOOK KINERGY 4S2 Good day to you! I recently decided to move to all-season tires. After checking reviews, costs and availability I went for HANKOOK 4S2. But i find them VERY stiff and not comfortable at all. (245 40 18). Would you please recommend an alternative with a softer ride? I am in Europe. Cheers and thank you!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
61
Dry
Kinergy 4S2 +1172Why this score
Source Ecsta PA31 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 82 Reviews found online 57 57 -
66
Wet
Kinergy 4S2 +1278Why this score
Source Ecsta PA31 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 85 Reviews found online 64 67 -
59
Snow
Kinergy 4S2 +1372Why this score
Source Ecsta PA31 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 79 Reviews found online 52 63 -
62
Comfort
Kinergy 4S2 +870Why this score
Source Ecsta PA31 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 77 Reviews found online 54 61 -
66
Noise
Level66Why this score
Source Ecsta PA31 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 66 Reviews found online 65 – -
59
Treadwear
Kinergy 4S2 +867Why this score
Source Ecsta PA31 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 71 Reviews found online 55 60 -
53
Handling
Kinergy 4S2 +457Why this score
Source Ecsta PA31 Kinergy 4S2 Reviews found online 53 57
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PA31 | Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 61 | 70 |
| Dry | 61 | 72 |
| Wet | 66 | 78 |
| Snow | 59 | 72 |
| Comfort | 62 | 70 |
| Noise | 66 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 67 |
| Handling | 53 | 57 |
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.
Ecsta PA31
Kinergy 4S2
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ecsta PA31
Pros
- Affordable price and high overall value
- Smooth and quiet ride quality
- Strong wet-weather grip and confidence
Cons
- Tendency to develop temporary flat spots when parked for a few days
- Occasional durability issues such as sidewall bubbles reported by some users
- Not intended for high-performance track use or extreme grip
Tire B Kinergy 4S2
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather grip, braking, and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong performance and confidence in cold temperatures, light snow, and slush
- High overall value for money compared to premium tier alternatives
Cons
- Increased road noise and occasional highway 'whining' or howling between 120-140 km/h
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear or uneven inner tread deformation
- Softer sidewalls can induce initial steering delay or a slight floating feel during aggressive cornering
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Kumho Ecsta PA31
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
The Hankook Kinergy 4S2 is widely regarded by the community as an excellent, value-oriented all-weather (3PMSF) tire that punches above its weight, often compared favorably to premium alternatives like the Michelin CrossClimate 2 at a significantly lower price point. Users frequently praise its strong wet traction, balanced performance in mild-to-moderate winter conditions, and top ratings in independent tests, though some drivers report concerns regarding highway noise, a stiffer ride quality, or shorter-than-expected tread life depending on the vehicle and driving habits.
“Hankook Worn out after 15k miles Took my car in for a standard tire rotation and was informed all 4 tires only had 4/32 of tread remaining left. I was shocked. I've only put about 15k miles on in the 2.5 years I've had the tires. I don't drive aggressively at all. Mix of city and highway. Anyways, I got about a 75% credit on the Hankook Kinergy 4s2 all weather tires and only paid about $70 out of pocket towards my new tires (plus $90 balancing and mounting fee)! I went with the Falken Aklimate that were about $150 a tire. Just wanted to share my story. Can the softer rubber in all weather tires cause them to wear out faster in the summer? Only other thing I can think of is my car was parked outside for 2 summers in a south facing parking lot so maybe the sun just baked them and cause the tread to wear faster? But I would think that would be more dry rot related than tread wear. Read more”
“Tire recommendations E-class Hi all, I've been enjoying my first E-class for a couple months now. The only thing that has been bothering me is the loud noise the tires make at about 130 kph. I've ruled everything out so I'm really certain it is just the tires. They are hankook kinergy 4s2 h750 all seasons, so a bit of noise is to be expected but these really make a loud humming noise at highway speeds. Does anyone have recommendation for quiet all season tires? They do need to have the 3pmsf certifaction. My sizes are front: 245/40 R19 & back: 275/35 R19. Read more”
“New Tyres - Kia dealership recommend Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 H750 215/55R17 98W Just had my 40,000 service at my local Kia dealership for my ‘22 E Niro. I am going to get my tyres changed elsewhere to save a few £££’s but am just wondering if the Hankooks are a good tyre? I am looking at around £140-160 per tyre and wondering if this is a good tyre for the price or if anyone has better suggestion for similar price or cheaper?”
Based on 26 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PA31 | B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season Ultra High Performance tires | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 7 | 95 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 18″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 500 A A | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 50,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
Kumho Ecsta PA31
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Winner: Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — better snow, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 scores 72 vs 59 on snow.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 scores 78 vs 66 on wet.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 scores 72 vs 61 on dry.
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 scores 70 vs 62 on comfort.
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.