Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta PS91 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Ventus S1 evo3 is ahead, 69–62

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Tire AKumho

Ecsta PS91

Summer

Tests 76 · 6 tests Owners 47 · 485 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test (price)

“Mine are 275/40/18, but I had them on 10" wheels. IMO, that's the ideal daily driver size, particularly if you run them on 9.5's.”

Tire BHankook

Ventus S1 evo3

Summer

Tests 76 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,355 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test (noise)

“That would tally with what this person found with the 127 variant that preceded it “Hi just for information,I asked Hankook what tread depth when new was on their Ventus S1 Evo 3 K127 tyre, the reply was 6.6 mm””

Category by category

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

  1. 68

    Dry

    Ventus S1 evo3 +8
    76
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)7684
    Reviews found online5763
  2. 69

    Wet

    Ventus S1 evo3 +12
    81
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)7788
    Reviews found online5569
  3. 38

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ventus S1 evo3
    Reviews found online17–
  4. 61

    Comfort

    Ventus S1 evo3 +1
    62
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–65
    Reviews found online5359
  5. 66

    Noise

    Ventus S1 evo3 +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)7574
    Reviews found online54–
  6. 49

    Treadwear

    Ventus S1 evo3 +6
    55
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ventus S1 evo3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–61
    Reviews found online3746
  7. 57

    Handling

    Ventus S1 evo3 +3
    60
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ventus S1 evo3
    Reviews found online5760
Scores at a glance
Kumho Ecsta PS91 vs Hankook Ventus S1 evo3: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta PS91Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Relative Score 62 69
Dry 68 76
Wet 69 81
Snow 38 –
Comfort 61 62
Noise 66 71
Treadwear 49 55
Handling 57 60

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

Ecsta PS91

Ventus S1 evo3

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 PS91Ventus S1 evo3ΔHead-to-head
Price Cost 100% #1/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 74% #6/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test +26.3 Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 80% #5/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 96% #7/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test −16.1 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #7/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 98% #7/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test −0.8 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Dry 70% #8/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 60% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test +10.0 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 70% #5/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 97% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test −27.1 Different tests
Interior Noise Noise 90% #2/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 94% #6/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test −4.0 Different tests
Noise Noise 94% #8/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test −5.6 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #9/10 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 #6/8 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Longitudinal Aquaplaning Wet 80% #7/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 98% #3/7 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test −18.2 Different tests
Straight Aqua Wet 96% #4/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 98% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test −1.9 Different tests
Subj. Wet Handling Wet 78% #6/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 80% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test −2.2 Different tests
Transverse Aquaplaning Wet 90% #3/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 87% #6/7 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test +3.2 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 70% #9/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 94% #6/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test −24.0 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 70% #4/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 98% #5/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test −28.3 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #5/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 100% #2/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test −3.0 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Ecsta PS91

Pros

  • Exceptional dry and wet grip providing high confidence during spirited driving
  • Significantly more affordable than premium flagship alternatives while offering comparable performance
  • Stiff sidewalls enhance steering response, cornering stability, and feedback

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear and shorter lifespan, particularly with aggressive driving or on heavier vehicles
  • Stiff sidewalls result in a firmer, less comfortable ride that transmits road imperfections
  • Tendency to tramline or follow road grooves on straight highways
All owner themes in the Ecsta PS91 review

Tire B Ventus S1 evo3

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and confidence in wet and dry conditions
  • Low road noise and high ride comfort
  • Competitive pricing compared to premium tier-one brands

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on rear axles or heavy vehicles
  • Soft sidewalls leading to reduced steering feedback and precision
  • Vulnerability to sidewall damage or bubbling from potholes
All owner themes in the Ventus S1 evo3 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Kumho Ecsta PS91

Mixed

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.

Top themes
#budget performance value#rapid tread wear#wet and dry traction#track and heat limitations#ride quality and appearance#Michelin alternative comparison

Based on 45 community posts

Tire B

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Mixed

Community sentiment toward the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 is mixed, with users frequently praising its strong dry and wet grip, comfort, and competitive pricing. However, notable drawbacks include relatively fast tread wear, reports of increasing road noise over time, and mixed experiences with OEM specs versus premium competitors like Michelin.

Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Value for money#Road noise levels#Tread wear and longevity#OEM fitments and EV variants#Run-flat identification confusion#Ride comfort

Based on 33 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta PS91 B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1110
Rim diameters19″17″ – 22″
Tread depth9.5/32″—
UTQG260 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta PS91

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Winner: Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 — better wet, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 81 vs 69 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 76 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 55 vs 49 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 scores 71 vs 66 on noise.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS91
Tire B · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

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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.

69

Leads

Ventus S1 evo3

Amazon