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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Solus KH16 vs Kumho Solus KL21 — 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 0 + 0 road tests and 34 + 14 owner reviews. How we score

Solus KH16 is ahead, 59–53

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Kumho Solus KH16
Tire AKumho

Solus KH16

All-Season

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 55 · 34 reviews

Kumho Solus KL21
Tire BKumho

Solus KL21

All Season

± 8Provisional

Tests – · none yet Owners 46 · 14 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 59

    Dry

    Solus KH16 +7
    52
    Why this score
    SourceSolus KH16Solus KL21
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 58 (est.)
    Reviews found online5444

    Solus KH16: 60% × 62.1 (est.) + 40% × 53.7 = 59

    Solus KL21: 60% × 57.9 (est.) + 40% × 43.6 = 52

    No road tests of dry for Solus KH16. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for Solus KL21. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 63

    Wet

    Solus KH16 +7
    56
    Why this score
    SourceSolus KH16Solus KL21
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 65 (est.)≈ 60 (est.)
    Reviews found online6051

    Solus KH16: 60% × 64.9 (est.) + 40% × 60 = 63

    Solus KL21: 60% × 60 (est.) + 40% × 51.1 = 56

    No road tests of wet for Solus KH16. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Solus KL21. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 55

    Snow

    Solus KH16 +3
    52
    Why this score
    SourceSolus KH16Solus KL21
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 60 (est.)
    Reviews found online4539

    Solus KH16: 60% × 62.2 (est.) + 40% × 44.5 = 55

    Solus KL21: 60% × 60.5 (est.) + 40% × 39.1 = 52

    No road tests of snow for Solus KH16. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for Solus KL21. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 62

    Comfort

    Solus KH16 +11
    51
    Why this score
    SourceSolus KH16Solus KL21
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online5943

    Solus KH16: 40% × 66.8 (est.) + 60% × 59.3 = 62

    Solus KL21: 40% × 63.5 (est.) + 60% × 42.8 = 51

    No road tests of comfort for Solus KH16 or Solus KL21. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 65

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceSolus KH16Solus KL21
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)–
    Reviews found online63–

    Solus KH16: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 63 = 65

    No road tests of noise for Solus KH16. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 58

    Treadwear

    Solus KH16 +2
    56
    Why this score
    SourceSolus KH16Solus KL21
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online5450

    Solus KH16: 60% × 61.8 (est.) + 40% × 53.5 = 58

    Solus KL21: 60% × 60.5 (est.) + 40% × 49.9 = 56

    No road tests of treadwear for Solus KH16. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Solus KL21. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 58

    Handling (owners)

    Solus KH16 +15
    43
    Why this score
    SourceSolus KH16Solus KL21
    Reviews found online5843
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Solus KH16Kumho Solus KL21
Relative Score 59 53
Dry 59 52
Wet 63 56
Snow 55 52
Comfort 62 51
Noise 65 –
Treadwear 58 56
Handling (owners) 58 43

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
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
± 8

Solus KH16

± 8

Solus KL21

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 Solus KH16

Pros

  • Low noise levels providing a quiet and comfortable ride
  • Good handling and reliable grip in both wet and dry conditions
  • Affordable pricing and good overall value compared to original equipment or premium alternatives

Cons

  • Some users reported soft sidewalls causing a vague handling sensation
  • Occasional reports of rapid tread wear or shorter lifespan under specific conditions
  • A few concerns regarding wet weather performance from isolated reviewers
All owner themes in the Solus KH16 review

Tire B Solus KL21

Pros

  • Impressive treadwear and longevity reported by many users, with several achieving over 30,000 to 40,000 miles
  • Good ride comfort and low road noise under normal driving conditions
  • Affordable replacement pricing compared to premium tier brands

Cons

  • Extremely poor grip and significantly increased braking distances on fresh or compact snow and ice
  • Isolated reports of extreme premature wear or complete tread failure under 20,000 miles
  • Structural deformation issues reported by at least one user
All owner themes in the Solus KL21 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Solus KH16 B · Kumho Solus KL21
CategoryAll-SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available25
Rim diameters17″ – 19″17″ – 20″
Tread depth9.5/32″—
UTQG440 A A—
Treadwear warranty60,000 mi—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Solus KH16

Kumho Solus KL21

Winner: Kumho Solus KH16 — better handling, comfort and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score. Kumho Solus KL21 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Solus KH16 scores 58 vs 43 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Solus KH16 scores 62 vs 51 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Solus KH16 scores 59 vs 52 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Solus KH16 scores 63 vs 56 on wet.

Tire A · Kumho Solus KH16
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Tire B · Kumho Solus KL21
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Solus KH16 or Solus KL21?

Which is better in the wet, Solus KH16 or Solus KL21?

Kumho Solus KH16, 63 vs 56 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Solus KH16 or Solus KL21?

Kumho Solus KH16, 59 vs 52 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Solus KH16 or Solus KL21?

Kumho Solus KH16, 55 vs 52 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Solus KH16 or Solus KL21?

Kumho Solus KH16, 62 vs 51 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Solus KH16 or Solus KL21?

Neither, by our numbers: 58 vs 56 on the treadwear 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