Tests 67 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,166 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 9 in 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 (rolling resistance)
“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Kumho Ecsta HS51 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ecsta HS51 leads, 72–68 Narrow edge
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Tests 75 · 6 tests Owners 69 · 1,662 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
75
Dry
Ecsta PS71 +174Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 76 Reviews found online 71 71 Dry Braking (% of best) 86% 92% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
84
Wet
Ecsta PS71 +777Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) 90 79 Reviews found online 73 73 Wet Braking (% of best) 88% 97% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 92% -
71
Comfort
Ecsta PS71 +269Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) 75 – Reviews found online 65 69 -
35
Noise
Ecsta HS51 +3166Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) 15 65 -
52
Treadwear
Ecsta HS51 +1870Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 Ecsta HS51 Professional tests (TWG score) 45 73 Reviews found online 63 65 -
71
Handling
Ecsta PS71 +368Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 Ecsta HS51 Reviews found online 71 68
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS71 | Kumho Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 72 |
| Dry | 75 | 74 |
| Wet | 84 | 77 |
| Comfort | 71 | 69 |
| Noise | 35 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 52 | 70 |
| Handling | 71 | 68 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
Ecsta PS71
72
/ 100
Ecsta HS51
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Ecsta PS71 | Ecsta HS51 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 86% #10/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 92% #19/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −6.2 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #12/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | 99% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | −1.4 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 95% #2/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 85% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | +9.9 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 95% #20/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 97% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | −1.5 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 83% #6/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 82% #2/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | +1.8 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 70% #8/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 99% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | −28.5 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 49% #20/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 71% #12/12 · 2020 ADAC SUV Summer Tyre Test | −22.5 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 17% #6/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 10% #10/12 · 2020 ADAC SUV Summer Tyre Test | +6.7 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 97% #2/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | −3.0 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0% #9/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 88% #6/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test | 97% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | −9.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #12/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 92% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | +3.8 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
Tire B Ecsta HS51
Pros
- Impressive wet and dry weather traction
- Excellent value for money compared to tier-one premium brands
- Low road noise and enhanced ride comfort
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can cause a wobbly or loose feeling during aggressive cornering
- Some users experienced faster-than-expected tread wear on the front axle
- Occasional complaints regarding poor steering feedback and high-speed handling at the limit
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Community discussions regarding the Kumho Ecsta PS71 generally present it as a solid, budget-friendly ultra-high-performance (UHP) summer tire offering good value, though opinions on its limits vary. Some users praise its handling transformations and decent wet/dry grip for spirited driving, while others note it feels merely adequate or mediocre until warmed up, preferring premium alternatives when budget permits.
r/TeslaUK
·2 upvotes ·2026-08-28
“go with Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV around £140 – £165. Good value for money”
r/TyreReviews
·1 upvote ·2026-06-17
“Kumho PS71 Question Replaced an older (2021 or 2022 production) set of ps71 with a new set (production 39-42 week of 2024) and noticed something on the new sidewalls I hadn't seen on the old ones. The new ones have ps71 with either a 1 or a 2 under it right above the bead in very small text. I'm curious what they mean if anything at all.”
r/TyreReviews
·2 upvotes ·2024-10-25
“I've had the PS71 several years ago - it was ok, nothing spectacular. They might have changed the compound now, so it may be better. Its a good tire, I don't remember any real weaknesses, it just never felt like "yeah, this sticks like glue to the road". Edit: I just remembered - it was mediocre in the city - when the tire was not warmed up, but I reckon this is shared between most sport tires with high speed rating. Once warmed up was good.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Value for money#Tire wear and longevity#UHP performance characteristics#Comparison with premium brands#Sidewall width and markings#Tire pressure management
Based on 19 community posts
Tire B
Kumho Ecsta HS51
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS71 | B · Kumho Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 133 | 27 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | 14″ – 18″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS71
72
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta HS51
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better noise and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Ecsta PS71 if wet and handling matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 66 vs 35 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 70 vs 52 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 84 vs 77 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 68 on handling.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta HS51
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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.