Tests 67 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,166 reviews
“go with Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV around £140 – £165. Good value for money”
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Nitto NT555 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 68–56
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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 +1857Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 NT555 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 – Reviews found online 71 51 -
84
Wet
Ecsta PS71 +3054Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 NT555 Professional tests (TWG score) 90 – Reviews found online 73 49 -
–
Snow
No comparison43Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 NT555 Reviews found online – 26 -
71
Comfort
Ecsta PS71 +1259Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 NT555 Professional tests (TWG score) 75 – Reviews found online 65 49 -
38
Noise
NT555 +2361Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 NT555 Professional tests (TWG score) 18 – Reviews found online – 53 -
52
Treadwear
NT555 +355Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 NT555 Professional tests (TWG score) 45 – Reviews found online 63 48 -
71
Handling
Ecsta PS71 +1754Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 NT555 Reviews found online 71 54
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS71 | Nitto NT555 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 56 |
| Dry | 75 | 57 |
| Wet | 84 | 54 |
| Snow | – | 43 |
| Comfort | 71 | 59 |
| Noise | 38 | 61 |
| Treadwear | 52 | 55 |
| Handling | 71 | 54 |
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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
Ecsta PS71
56
/ 100
NT555
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
Tire B NT555
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip and sticky, hot-tar-like road adhesion
- Enhanced handling and high-speed stability
- Sporty aesthetic and semi-slick feel favored by enthusiasts
Cons
- Subpar wet weather traction and dangerous in winter/cold conditions
- Can struggle to maintain traction on higher-horsepower vehicles (e.g., V8 setups)
- Notable road noise that increases as the tire wears
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/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/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?”
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
Nitto NT555
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS71 | B · Nitto NT555 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 133 | 53 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | 15″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10.3/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 300 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS71
56
/ 100
Nitto NT555
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, dry and handling. Pick the Nitto NT555 if noise and treadwear matter most to you.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 84 vs 54 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Nitto NT555 scores 61 vs 38 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 75 vs 57 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 54 on handling.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire B · Nitto NT555
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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.