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?”
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Yokohama BluEarth AE50 — 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 + 2 road tests and 8,191 + 37 owner reviews. How we score
Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 70–61
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Tests 72 · 2 tests Owners 50 · 37 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 20 in 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)
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 +1362Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 BluEarth AE50 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 2 tests 78 72 Reviews found online 72 48 Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.6 + 40% × 71.7 = 75
BluEarth AE50: 60% × 71.6 + 40% × 48.4 = 62
-
85
Wet
Ecsta PS71 +1966Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 BluEarth AE50 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 2 tests 92 72 Reviews found online 75 56 Ecsta PS71: 60% × 91.8 + 40% × 74.6 = 85
BluEarth AE50: 60% × 71.7 + 40% × 56.4 = 66
-
69
Comfort
Ecsta PS71 +1059Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 BluEarth AE50 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests 75 72 Reviews found online 65 51 Ecsta PS71: 40% × 74.6 + 60% × 65.3 = 69
BluEarth AE50: 40% × 72.2 + 60% × 50.8 = 59
-
36
Noise
BluEarth AE50 +3369Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 BluEarth AE50 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 2 tests 16 71 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 36
BluEarth AE50: 60% × 71.1 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 69
No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50. 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.
-
52
Treadwear
Level52Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 BluEarth AE50 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 46 ≈ 58 (est.) Reviews found online 60 43 Ecsta PS71: 60% × 46 + 40% × 59.8 = 52
BluEarth AE50: 60% × 58.1 (est.) + 40% × 43.1 = 52
No road tests of treadwear for BluEarth AE50. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
73
Handling (owners)
Ecsta PS71 +2053Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 BluEarth AE50 Reviews found online 73 53 -
48
Efficiency
BluEarth AE50 +3078Why this score
Source Ecsta PS71 BluEarth AE50 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 2 tests 48 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS71 | Yokohama BluEarth AE50 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 61 |
| Dry | 75 | 62 |
| Wet | 85 | 66 |
| Comfort | 69 | 59 |
| Noise | 36 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 52 | 52 |
| Handling (owners) | 73 | 53 |
| Efficiency | 48 | 78 |
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Ecsta PS71
61
/ 100
BluEarth AE50
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.
| Discipline | Category | Ecsta PS71 | BluEarth AE50 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #9/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | 92% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #12/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | 99% #6/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 92% #2/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 80% #8/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 100% #1/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 86% #16/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #2/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | 88% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #2/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | 91% #14/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 89% #4/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 29% #13/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 94% #10/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | 88% #6/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 97% #17/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 99% #8/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 83% #15/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | 87% #3/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 83% #6/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 55% #16/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/52 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | #11/20 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre 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
Tire B BluEarth AE50
Pros
- Strong wet and dry road grip for daily commuting
- High levels of ride comfort and smoothness
- Good value for money compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Rapid and premature tread wear reported by many users
- Significant increase in road noise as the tire ages
- Soft sidewalls leading to vague steering feedback and poor cornering stability
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Positive
Kumho Ecsta PS71
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
Yokohama BluEarth AE50
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS71 | B · Yokohama BluEarth AE50 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 133 | 28 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | 14″ – 18″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Sizes in common | 15 | 15 |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS71
61
/ 100
Yokohama BluEarth AE50
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Yokohama BluEarth AE50 if noise and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Yokohama BluEarth AE50 scores 69 vs 36 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Yokohama BluEarth AE50 scores 78 vs 48 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 73 vs 53 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 85 vs 66 on wet.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire B · Yokohama BluEarth AE50
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Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50?
Which is better in the wet, Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 85 vs 66 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 62 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50?
Yokohama BluEarth AE50, 69 vs 36 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50?
Kumho Ecsta PS71, 69 vs 59 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50?
Neither, by our numbers: 52 vs 52 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
Which rolls more easily, Ecsta PS71 or BluEarth AE50?
Yokohama BluEarth AE50, 78 vs 48 on our efficiency 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