Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 46 · 485 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2023 Sport Auto UHP Tyre Test (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”
Toyo NanoEnergy R38 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta PS91 vs Toyo NanoEnergy R38 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 6 + 0 road tests and 485 + 8 owner reviews. How we score
NanoEnergy R38 is ahead, 70–63
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Tests – · none yet Owners 70 · 8 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
68
Dry
NanoEnergy R38 +371Why this score
Source Ecsta PS91 NanoEnergy R38 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 76 ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 57 72 Ecsta PS91: 60% × 76.5 + 40% × 56.5 = 68
NanoEnergy R38: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 72.2 = 71
No road tests of dry for NanoEnergy R38. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
-
69
Wet
NanoEnergy R38 +372Why this score
Source Ecsta PS91 NanoEnergy R38 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 78 ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 55 73 Ecsta PS91: 60% × 78.4 + 40% × 55.3 = 69
NanoEnergy R38: 60% × 71.7 (est.) + 40% × 73.2 = 72
No road tests of wet for NanoEnergy R38. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
-
37
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Ecsta PS91 NanoEnergy R38 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 52 (est.) – Reviews found online 14 – Ecsta PS91: 60% × 51.5 (est.) + 40% × 14.3 = 37
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 0.33).
-
61
Comfort
NanoEnergy R38 +869Why this score
Source Ecsta PS91 NanoEnergy R38 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 52 69 Ecsta PS91: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 52.3 = 61
NanoEnergy R38: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 69.1 = 69
No road tests of comfort for Ecsta PS91 or NanoEnergy R38. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
64
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Ecsta PS91 NanoEnergy R38 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 70 – Reviews found online 55 – Ecsta PS91: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 54.7 = 64
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48
Treadwear
NanoEnergy R38 +1765Why this score
Source Ecsta PS91 NanoEnergy R38 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 57 (est.) ≈ 65 (est.) Reviews found online 36 65 Ecsta PS91: 60% × 56.6 (est.) + 40% × 36.2 = 48
NanoEnergy R38: 60% × 65.3 (est.) + 40% × 64.6 = 65
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 0.31).
No road tests of treadwear for NanoEnergy R38. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
-
57
Handling (owners)
NanoEnergy R38 +1471Why this score
Source Ecsta PS91 NanoEnergy R38 Reviews found online 57 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS91 | Toyo NanoEnergy R38 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 63 | 70 |
| Dry | 68 | 71 |
| Wet | 69 | 72 |
| Snow | 37 | – |
| Comfort | 61 | 69 |
| Noise | 64 | – |
| Treadwear | 48 | 65 |
| Handling (owners) | 57 | 71 |
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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
63
/ 100
Ecsta PS91
70
/ 100
NanoEnergy R38
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 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
Tire B NanoEnergy R38
Pros
- Reliable wet and dry grip with predictable handling limits
- Good value for money compared to premium brand alternatives
- Solid longevity and mileage, with respectable tread wear reported
Cons
- Slightly increased road noise reported by some users
- Limited size or availability challenges noted by consumers wanting replacements
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta PS91
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.
r/G37
·30 upvotes ·2026-03-21
“275/40 Square Can Fit on a Sedan Shout out to TireRack for having great information on actual tire size. Ecsta PS91 265/40 and ExtremeContact 275/40 has a tread width and section width difference of 0.1” and 0.2” respectively. Tires fit just about perfect. No rubbing so far, and don’t expect it to rub bc of the relatively minimal width change Really goes to show that tire brand matters for fitment Read more”
r/Wheels
·2020-10-06
“90% used Michelin super sports or New Kumho ecsta ps91. I am juggling between either getting a set of used 90% tread Michelin pss or 4s... or getting some new kumho ecsta ps91s. I’ve always thought Michelin had the best ride and profile appearance even in a high end sport tire but of course the price. If I go used they are about the same price as a set of new kumho. I have never tried the ps91 but they look like Michelin’s even the recessed rim guard looks similar and many reviews say performance and ride is similar.”
mbworld.org
“Iv gone threw so many tires and just a heads up... I will never get any other tire for the street other than a pss. smooth as silk all the way up to 160mph and redic grip in the corners for a street tire”
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
Toyo NanoEnergy R38
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS91 | B · Toyo NanoEnergy R38 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | 9.5/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 260 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
63
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PS91
70
/ 100
Toyo NanoEnergy R38
Winner: Toyo NanoEnergy R38 — better treadwear, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score. Toyo NanoEnergy R38 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 8 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Toyo NanoEnergy R38 scores 65 vs 48 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Toyo NanoEnergy R38 scores 71 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Toyo NanoEnergy R38 scores 69 vs 61 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Toyo NanoEnergy R38 scores 71 vs 68 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS91
Tire B · Toyo NanoEnergy R38
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Ecsta PS91 or NanoEnergy R38?
Which is better in the wet, Ecsta PS91 or NanoEnergy R38?
Toyo NanoEnergy R38, 72 vs 69 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta PS91 or NanoEnergy R38?
Toyo NanoEnergy R38, 71 vs 68 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Ecsta PS91 or NanoEnergy R38?
Toyo NanoEnergy R38, 69 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ecsta PS91 or NanoEnergy R38?
Toyo NanoEnergy R38, 65 vs 48 on our treadwear 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