Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta PS91 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71 — 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 6 + 14 road tests and 485 + 8,204 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 70–61

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Kumho Ecsta PS91
Tire AKumho

Ecsta PS91

Summer

± 5

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”

Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire BKumho

Ecsta PS71

Summer

± 5

Tests 68 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,204 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?”

Category by category

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

  1. 66

    Dry

    Ecsta PS71 +9
    75
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 12 tests7778
    Reviews found online5172

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 51 = 66

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 77.6 + 40% × 71.9 = 75

  2. 68

    Wet

    Ecsta PS71 +17
    85
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 13 tests7992
    Reviews found online5275

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 78.8 + 40% × 51.5 = 68

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 91.9 + 40% × 74.7 = 85

  3. 38

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 53 (est.)–
    Reviews found online15–

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 53 (est.) + 40% × 15.1 = 38

    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 0.32).

  4. 54

    Comfort

    Ecsta PS71 +15
    69
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 64 (est.)74
    Reviews found online4865

    Ecsta PS91: 40% × 64.5 (est.) + 60% × 47.7 = 54

    Ecsta PS71: 40% × 74.5 + 60% × 65.3 = 69

    No road tests of comfort for Ecsta PS91. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 62

    Noise

    Ecsta PS91 +26
    36
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 8 tests7016
    Reviews found online50≈ 66 (est.)

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 49.5 = 62

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 15.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 36

    No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta PS71. 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.

  6. 44

    Treadwear

    Ecsta PS71 +8
    52
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 53 (est.)46
    Reviews found online3060

    Ecsta PS91: 60% × 53.5 (est.) + 40% × 30 = 44

    Ecsta PS71: 60% × 46 + 40% × 59.9 = 52

    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 0.36).

  7. 53

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta PS71 +20
    73
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Reviews found online5373
  8. 47

    Efficiency

    Ecsta PS71 +1
    48
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PS91Ecsta PS71
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 7 tests4748
Scores at a glance
Kumho Ecsta PS91 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta PS91Kumho Ecsta PS71
Relative Score 61 70
Dry 66 75
Wet 68 85
Snow 38 –
Comfort 54 69
Noise 62 36
Treadwear 44 52
Handling (owners) 53 73
Efficiency 47 48

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

Ecsta PS91

± 5

Ecsta PS71

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 PS91Ecsta PS71ΔHead-to-head
Dry Dry 80% #8/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 87% #10/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 80% #5/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 95% #9/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #7/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 98% #12/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 70% #8/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 92% #2/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 90% #3/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 86% #6/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 80% #7/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 100% #1/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Wet 82% #8/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 94% #4/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 70% #9/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 100% #2/52 · 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 70% #4/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 99% #5/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #5/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 100% #2/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 78% #6/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 89% #4/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Exterior Noise Noise 100% #1/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 43% #10/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Noise Noise 94% #8/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 97% #17/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 70% #5/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 83% #15/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 100% #1/10 · 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test 83% #6/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #9/10 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 #4/52 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout – 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 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

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Kumho Ecsta PS91

Mixed

The community views the Kumho Ecsta PS91 as an attractive, budget-friendly max performance summer tire that offers decent street traction, low noise, and a tread pattern resembling higher-end options like Michelin. However, opinions are split; while some drivers praise them as a great value alternative for daily driving and light spirited use, enthusiasts note limitations regarding rapid wear, subpar track endurance, and inferior grip compared to top-tier performance tires.

rennlist.com

“my turbo came with a set of Kumho Ecsta PS91 in the OEM widebody sizes that were around a year old and had maybe lost 15% wear. coming from someone who loves PS4S, i hated them. grip was subpar. it felt wasteful to toss them though since they were relatively new and had decent tread left so i toughed them out. i got maybe 2k miles out of the rears before they needed replacement just from normal street / occasional spirited driving. they are not a great handling tire and they are quite bad from a wear perspective as well. just buy michelin or even continental and don't look back.”

r/CarTrackDays ·1 upvote ·2026-07-20

“Pretty terrible idea, the PS91 will not have the same heat capacity as the V730, so your front/rear grip balance will change wildly during a session. With the non-200s on the front, at least you’ll understeer instead of oversteer/spin, but not ideal. An experienced driver might be able to work around this, if you’re new, this would be a dangerous situation. Similarly, I wouldn’t mix something like a yokohama AO52, which delivers all of its grip from cold and tends to overheat within a couple laps, with something like a hankook RS4, which famously takes some time to warm up and then delivers consistent grip for a long time”

s197forum.com ·2017-03-29

“I've only got a couple thousand on them and just spirited driving in the mountains. I think they will easily go over 10k even with a few track events. I am thinking about getting a set for my SVT focus as I autoX with that car, much easier to drive at the limit than a turbocharged S197.”

Top themes
#Budget friendly pricing#Street performance and comfort#Tread wear and longevity#Track and grip limitations#Comparison to Michelin

Based on 46 community posts

Tire B

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Positive

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.

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta PS91 B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1133
Rim diameters19″16″ – 22″
Tread depth9.5/32″—
UTQG260 A A—
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure50 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta PS91

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better handling, wet and comfort. Pick the Kumho Ecsta PS91 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Kumho Ecsta PS91 scores 62 vs 36 on noise.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 73 vs 53 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 85 vs 68 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 69 vs 54 on comfort.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS91
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71

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Ecsta PS91 or Ecsta PS71?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta PS91 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 85 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta PS91 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 75 vs 66 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Ecsta PS91 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS91, 62 vs 36 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta PS91 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 69 vs 54 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta PS91 or Ecsta PS71?

Kumho Ecsta PS71, 52 vs 44 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Ecsta PS91 or Ecsta PS71?

Neither, by our numbers: 47 vs 48 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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