Tests – · 1 test Owners 70 · 165 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta PA51 vs Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 — 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 1 + 1 road tests and 165 + 234 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta PA51 is ahead, 70–61
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests – · 1 test Owners 55 · 234 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 19 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires (tested tread life (miles))
“Treated my land yacht to some new rubber to keep it anchored in the snow. Cooper Zeon RS3-G1”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
70
Dry
Ecsta PA51 +664Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 Zeon RS3-G1 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 70 62 Ecsta PA51: 60% × 69 (est.) + 40% × 70.3 = 70
Zeon RS3-G1: 60% × 65.7 (est.) + 40% × 62.3 = 64
No road tests of dry for Ecsta PA51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
No road tests of dry for Zeon RS3-G1. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
-
71
Wet
Ecsta PA51 +665Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 Zeon RS3-G1 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 72 63 Ecsta PA51: 60% × 71.2 (est.) + 40% × 71.6 = 71
Zeon RS3-G1: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 63.3 = 65
No road tests of wet for Ecsta PA51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
No road tests of wet for Zeon RS3-G1. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
64
Snow
Ecsta PA51 +1153Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 Zeon RS3-G1 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 60 (est.) Reviews found online 60 42 Ecsta PA51: 60% × 66.7 (est.) + 40% × 59.8 = 64
Zeon RS3-G1: 60% × 60.1 (est.) + 40% × 42.1 = 53
No road tests of snow for Ecsta PA51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
No road tests of snow for Zeon RS3-G1. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
-
67
Comfort
Ecsta PA51 +661Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 Zeon RS3-G1 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 65 57 Ecsta PA51: 40% × 68.4 (est.) + 60% × 65.4 = 67
Zeon RS3-G1: 40% × 66.8 (est.) + 60% × 56.6 = 61
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
70
Noise
Ecsta PA51 +664Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 Zeon RS3-G1 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 74 60 Ecsta PA51: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 74.2 = 70
Zeon RS3-G1: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 60.2 = 64
No road tests of noise for Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
72
Treadwear
Ecsta PA51 +1161Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 Zeon RS3-G1 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 70 73 Reviews found online 74 45 Tested Tread Life (Miles) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 67% 73% Ecsta PA51: 60% × 69.8 + 40% × 74.2 = 72
Zeon RS3-G1: 60% × 72.5 + 40% × 44.7 = 61
-
68
Handling (owners)
Ecsta PA51 +1553Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 Zeon RS3-G1 Reviews found online 68 53
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PA51 | Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 61 |
| Dry | 70 | 64 |
| Wet | 71 | 65 |
| Snow | 64 | 53 |
| Comfort | 67 | 61 |
| Noise | 70 | 64 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 61 |
| Handling (owners) | 68 | 53 |
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Ecsta PA51
61
/ 100
Zeon RS3-G1
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.
In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Kumho Ecsta PA51 finished ahead 1 times and Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Ecsta PA51 | Zeon RS3-G1 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Treadwear | 67% | 73% | −6.6 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires · 225/40R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #7/19 | #8/19 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires · 225/40R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ecsta PA51
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Strong dry pavement traction and cornering grip
- Quiet and smooth ride quality
Cons
- Inconsistent performance in heavy rain or standing water
- Some reports of increased road noise over time
- Limited availability in certain niche sizes
Tire B Zeon RS3-G1
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Strong dry and wet pavement traction
- Low road noise levels and high ride comfort
Cons
- Inconsistent tread life with reports of premature wear
- Limited performance in heavy snow or ice
- Potential for slight decrease in fuel economy
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Kumho Ecsta PA51
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Cooper Zeon RS3-G1
Community sentiment toward the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 is generally very positive, with owners highlighting strong wet and dry traction, quiet operation, and exceptional value for money compared to premium rivals. It is frequently considered as a budget-friendly alternative to the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 for high-performance and daily driving needs. Minor caveats noted by drivers include potential initial flatspotting, firmer ride compliance, and differences in steering feel.
r/ShopCanada
·3 upvotes ·2020-03-02
“[Canadian Tire] [Canadian Tire] Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 All Season Tire $109.73 Certain Sizes YMMV Deal Link Price: $109.73 Savings: 40% Expiry: March 26, 2020 Retailer: Canadian Tire Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 All Season Tire CLEARANCE (ON SELECT STYLES/SIZES) Copper Zeon RS3-G1 is a high-performance tire tuned for three-season and light snow conditions providing exceptional grip, handling and durability to your sports sedan or coupe. FEATURES Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 All Season Tire is for high performance vehicles and enthusiast drivers The tread compound and design features great grip, stability and durability Delivers great performance on dry and wet pavement 3-D Micro Gauge sipes improve the stability of tread elements providing enhanced handling in wet and dry roads Asymmetrical tread pattern provides grip and stability during cornering maneuvers and reduced tire noise Made with a silica tread compound that is specially formulated to provide maximum dry and wet traction Cooper’s trademarked visual wear indicator provides peace of mind through informing drivers how worn their tires are ... 80013.html CLEARANCE (ON SELECT STYLES/SIZES) 225/40/18 for example, $109.73 EACH Stocktrack for 225/40/18 TireRack Review ... eon+RS3-G1 Stack with the SDM Can Tire $300 for $325 GC for more savings! Happy Hunting”
corvetteforum.com
“Quote: Originally Posted by Krusty84 Yea... and in my personal opinion Cooper sucks. They are hands down the worst tires I have ever purchased. I dislike them so much I wouldn't even consider putting them on a car I was selling even if their price would save me money. 3 cars, a truck and probably the Zeon RS3-G1 All seasons on the vette....I'm very happy with them (my opinion)”
r/Mustang
·2021-08-04
“Are Cooper ZEON RS3-G1 - SIZE: 275/40R19 enough for an ecoboost? I got a flat rear tire and only changed 1 tire. I ended up with a cooper zeon RS3. The other 3 tires are fairly worn Michelin pillot sports of the same size. No one near me had the pilot sports and I needed to get this done fast as I had to go to work still. Now my car veers to the left when accelerating and to the right when I left off the pedal. Would replacing the other rear tire with the same cooper zeon solve the issue or do I need to change all 4 tires? Are the coopers good enough? The guy at ford said he'd never put a cooper on a mustang but maybe he though I had a GT?”
Top themes
#Value and pricing#Wet and dry grip#Comparison to Continental DWS06#Quiet ride and road noise#Wide size availability#Cold weather performance
Based on 26 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PA51 | B · Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 13 | 8 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 19″ | 17″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10.5/32″ | 10 - 11/32″ |
| UTQG | 500 A A | 500 AA A |
| Treadwear warranty | 45,000 mi | 45,000 mi |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 50 - 51 psi |
| Sizes in common | 3 | 3 |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PA51
61
/ 100
Cooper Zeon RS3-G1
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PA51 — better handling, snow and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 68 vs 53 on handling.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 64 vs 53 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 72 vs 61 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta PA51 scores 70 vs 64 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PA51
Tire B · Cooper Zeon RS3-G1
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1?
Which is better in the wet, Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1?
Kumho Ecsta PA51, 71 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1?
Kumho Ecsta PA51, 70 vs 64 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1?
Kumho Ecsta PA51, 64 vs 53 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1?
Kumho Ecsta PA51, 70 vs 64 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1?
Kumho Ecsta PA51, 67 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ecsta PA51 or Zeon RS3-G1?
Kumho Ecsta PA51, 72 vs 61 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