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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Michelin Energy — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 14 + 0 road tests and 8,168 + 42 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 73–60

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Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire AKumho

Ecsta PS71

Summer

Tests 67 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,168 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?”

Michelin Energy
Tire BMichelin

Energy

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 57 · 42 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 +20
    55
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / – tests77≈ 60 (est.)
    Reviews found online7148

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.3 + 40% × 71 = 75

    Energy: 60% × 60 (est.) + 40% × 48.4 = 55

    No road tests of dry for Energy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).

  2. 84

    Wet

    Ecsta PS71 +23
    61
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / – tests91≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online7357

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 90.9 + 40% × 73.1 = 84

    Energy: 60% × 62.9 (est.) + 40% × 57.4 = 61

    No road tests of wet for Energy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. 71

    Comfort

    Ecsta PS71 +6
    65
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests75≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online6560

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 75.2 + 40% × 64.8 = 71

    Energy: 60% × 67.6 (est.) + 40% × 60.2 = 65

    No road tests of comfort for Energy. 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 PS71Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests15–
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)–

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.5 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 36

    No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71. 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.

  5. 52

    Treadwear

    Energy +15
    67
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests45≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6367

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 45.1 + 40% × 62.5 = 52

    Energy: 60% × 66.1 (est.) + 40% × 67.3 = 67

    No road tests of treadwear for Energy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).

  6. 71

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta PS71 +20
    51
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS71Energy
    Reviews found online7151
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Ecsta PS71Michelin Energy
Relative Score 73 60
Dry 75 55
Wet 84 61
Comfort 71 65
Noise 36 –
Treadwear 52 67
Handling (owners) 71 51

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
Recomputed
Headline score

Ecsta PS71

Energy

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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 Energy

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability
  • Noticeable improvements in fuel economy
  • Low road noise and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Lack of steering feedback and road feel
  • Inconsistent or poor grip in wet conditions
  • High price point relative to competitors
All owner themes in the Energy review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Positive

Community sentiment towards the Kumho Ecsta PS71 is generally positive, with drivers viewing it as an affordable, high-value mid-range/UHP tire that performs reliably compared to premium brands. Users praise its wet grip rating, competitive pricing, and overall road manners once warmed up, though some note it provides adequate rather than top-tier grip and raise questions regarding cold performance and tread life.

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?”
z4-forum.com ·2023-01-29

“Not exactly helpful but I've got Hankook winter tyres on my 330i and they're really good. mr wilks on here recommend Kumho Ecstas a couple of times so I got a set for my MC and I've been very pleased with them. And I got a set for £400 from Black Circles! ETA My Kumho Ecstas are also PS71.”
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
#Value for money#Wet grip performance#UHP budget alternative#Tread wear durability#Warm-up temperature behavior#Tire pressure specifications

Based on 24 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Energy

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta PS71 B · Michelin Energy
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available133—
Rim diameters16″ – 22″—
SidewallBlackwall—

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Michelin Energy

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

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 84 vs 61 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 75 vs 55 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 51 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Energy scores 67 vs 52 on treadwear.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS71
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Tire B · Michelin Energy
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Ecsta PS71 or Energy?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta PS71 or Energy?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 84 vs 61 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta PS71 or Energy?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 55 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta PS71 or Energy?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 71 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta PS71 or Energy?

Michelin Energy, 67 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