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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Kumho Solus KH17 — 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 14 + 0 road tests and 8,191 + 56 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 73–59

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Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire AKumho

Ecsta PS71

Summer

± 5

Tests 68 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,191 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 18 in 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”

Kumho Solus KH17
Tire BKumho

Solus KH17

Summer

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 55 · 56 reviews

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 75

    Dry

    Ecsta PS71 +17
    58
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Solus KH17
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / – tests78≈ 62 (est.)
    Reviews found online7253

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.6 + 40% × 71.7 = 75

    Solus KH17: 60% × 61.9 (est.) + 40% × 53.2 = 58

    No road tests of dry for Solus KH17. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 85

    Wet

    Ecsta PS71 +22
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Solus KH17
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / – tests92≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online7560

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 91.8 + 40% × 74.6 = 85

    Solus KH17: 60% × 65 (est.) + 40% × 60.3 = 63

    No road tests of wet for Solus KH17. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 69

    Comfort

    Ecsta PS71 +10
    59
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Solus KH17
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests75≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6554

    Ecsta PS71: 40% × 74.6 + 60% × 65.3 = 69

    Solus KH17: 40% × 65.8 (est.) + 60% × 54.4 = 59

    No road tests of comfort for Solus KH17. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 36

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Solus KH17
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests16–
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)–

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 36

    No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  5. 52

    Treadwear

    Solus KH17 +5
    57
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Solus KH17
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests46≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online6051

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 46 + 40% × 59.8 = 52

    Solus KH17: 60% × 61 (est.) + 40% × 51.3 = 57

    No road tests of treadwear for Solus KH17. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  6. 73

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta PS71 +17
    56
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Solus KH17
    Reviews found online7356
  7. 48

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Solus KH17
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / – tests48–
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Ecsta PS71Kumho Solus KH17
Relative Score 73 59
Dry 75 58
Wet 85 63
Comfort 69 59
Noise 36 –
Treadwear 52 57
Handling (owners) 73 56
Efficiency 48 –

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
± 5

Ecsta PS71

± 8

Solus KH17

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.

DisciplineCategoryEcsta PS71Solus KH17ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #4/52 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout #14/54 2013 54 Tyre Braking Test – 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
All owner themes in the Ecsta PS71 review

Tire B Solus KH17

Pros

  • Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
  • Strong dry weather traction and road feedback
  • Generally quiet and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life with reports of premature wear
  • Mixed performance in wet conditions
  • Susceptibility to sidewall bubbles and structural issues
All owner themes in the Solus KH17 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Positive

Community members generally view the Kumho Ecsta PS71 as a capable and reliable mid-range ultra-high performance tire offering solid grip and value for money compared to premium alternatives. While perceived as good once warmed up, some drivers note that it does not quite reach the ultimate grip level of top-tier brands and question its tread wear longevity.

z4-forum.com ·2023-01-29

“Steve; have a look at Kuhmo Ecsta PS71s. I just fitted a set on my new wheels for my 440i. Weapon of choice for the 'non tyre snob' IMHO. Much cheaper than the 'big' brands, heat up quickly and they also look really nice (for a black round tyre). Can't comment on noise, as the exhaust on mine is so noisy I can't hear the radio, let alone tyres!”
r/tires ·5 upvotes ·2022-10-17

“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
bimmerforums.co.uk ·1 upvote ·2024-05-05

“On Blackcircles all the 245/40 R19 ditch finders cost around £100 and have a poor wet grip & all the decent mid range cost around £170 and have A rated wet grip. Would you risk it for £240? I know I wouldn't. The cheapest A wet rated is a Kuhmo Ecsta PS71 at £136 if you really want to keep the cost down. If you want a relatively soft comfortable tyre then a Hankook S1 Evo 3 is an excellent choice.”
Top themes
#value for money#wet and dry grip#tire wear longevity#sporty handling performance#warm up temperature behavior#mid-range alternative comparison

Based on 23 community posts

Tire B

Kumho Solus KH17

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta PS71 B · Kumho Solus KH17
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available13311
Rim diameters16″ – 22″13″ – 18″
SidewallBlackwall—
Sizes in common55

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Kumho Solus KH17

Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, dry and handling. Pick the Kumho Solus KH17 if treadwear matters most to you.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 85 vs 63 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 75 vs 58 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 73 vs 56 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 69 vs 59 on comfort.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS71
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Tire B · Kumho Solus KH17
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Ecsta PS71 or Solus KH17?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta PS71 or Solus KH17?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 85 vs 63 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta PS71 or Solus KH17?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 58 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta PS71 or Solus KH17?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 69 vs 59 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta PS71 or Solus KH17?

Kumho Solus KH17, 57 vs 52 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