Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 6 + 0 road tests and 485 + 20 owner reviews. How we score
Potenza S-02 is ahead, 64–57
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Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 42 · 485 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 (exterior noise)
“Putting some Kumho Ecsta PS91s on. Curious how they’ll do since my go to Falken rt660 doesn’t come in the oem 18” sizes”
Tests – · none yet Owners 60 · 20 reviews
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests | 77 | ≈ 68 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 52 | 68 |
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 51.6 = 67
Potenza S-02: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 68.2 = 68
No road tests of dry for Potenza S-02. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests | 79 | ≈ 67 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 52 | 65 |
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 79 + 40% × 51.9 = 68
Potenza S-02: 60% × 67.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.7 = 66
No road tests of wet for Potenza S-02. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 50 (est.) | ≈ 65 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 16 | 55 |
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 50.2 (est.) + 40% × 15.7 = 36
Potenza S-02: 60% × 64.8 (est.) + 40% × 54.7 = 61
No road tests of snow for Ecsta PS91. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
No road tests of snow for Potenza S-02. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 65 (est.) | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 49 | 52 |
Ecsta PS91: 40% × 65.3 (est.) + 60% × 48.5 = 55
Potenza S-02: 40% × 66 (est.) + 60% × 52.3 = 58
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta PS91 or Potenza S-02. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests | 70 | ≈ 67 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 50 | 54 |
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 50.2 = 62
Potenza S-02: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 54.3 = 62
No road tests of noise for Potenza S-02. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 54 (est.) | ≈ 61 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 30 | 51 |
Ecsta PS91: 60% × 53.5 (est.) + 40% × 29.9 = 44
Potenza S-02: 60% × 60.8 (est.) + 40% × 50.9 = 57
No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta PS91. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
No road tests of treadwear for Potenza S-02. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 54 | 71 |
| Source | Ecsta PS91 | Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests | 48 | – |
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS91 | Bridgestone Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 57 | 64 |
| Dry | 67 | 68 |
| Wet | 68 | 66 |
| Snow | 36 | 61 |
| Comfort | 55 | 58 |
| Noise | 62 | 62 |
| Treadwear | 44 | 57 |
| Handling (owners) | 54 | 71 |
| Efficiency | 48 | – |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Ecsta PS91
Potenza S-02
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
The Kumho Ecsta PS91 is widely praised as an affordable, budget-friendly summer tire with attractive styling and respectable wet or daily street performance compared to pricier rivals like Michelin. However, several users express frustration with poor tread life, rapid wear, and insufficient grip or heat endurance under hard driving and track conditions. Others also note issues with sketchy handling, flat-spotting, or vibration when cold.
“They are actually good tires. I used to have them, they have decent wet/dry traction which is good right now since its raining.”
“They were good enough for 1:46.708 at Mazda Laguna Seca 285/35ZR-19 Actually, thats better than I thought”
“Follow up on new wheels/tires for ZHP Well new wheels and tires are on aswell as aligned. I love the tire and fitment setup but really do not like the gunmetal grey color especially on imola. I will feel it out for a while but probably eventually powder coat to OEM silver. Wheels specs are 18 x 8.5 x ET50 with 255/35/18 Kuhmo Ecsta PS91 all around. -2.5 camber in the front and -2.8 in the rear.”
Based on 45 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS91 | B · Bridgestone Potenza S-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | 9.5/32″ | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 260 A A | 140 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Kumho Ecsta PS91
Bridgestone Potenza S-02
Winner: Bridgestone Potenza S-02 — better snow, handling and treadwear. Where the Kumho Ecsta PS91 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Bridgestone Potenza S-02 scores 61 vs 36 on snow.
Bridgestone Potenza S-02 scores 71 vs 54 on handling.
Bridgestone Potenza S-02 scores 57 vs 44 on treadwear.
Bridgestone Potenza S-02 scores 58 vs 55 on comfort.
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Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 66 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 68 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Bridgestone Potenza S-02, 61 vs 36 on our snow score.
Neither, by our numbers: 62 vs 62 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Bridgestone Potenza S-02, 58 vs 55 on our comfort score.
Bridgestone Potenza S-02, 57 vs 44 on our treadwear score.
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
