Head-to-head Updated

Nankang Sportnex AS-2+ vs Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 — Compared

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

Ecsta Sport PS72 is ahead, 79–55

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Tire ANankang

Sportnex AS-2+

Summer

Tests 59 · 4 tests Owners 50 · 983 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2021 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test (straight aqua)

Tire BKumho

Ecsta Sport PS72

Summer

Tests 77 · 8 tests Owners 80 · 1,031 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 50 in 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? (wet braking)

“Anyone else running these tires? Is it possible the tire(s) out of round? New hypergram wheels/new tires w/ aluminum hubcentric rings. Has vibrations, but most noticed front right. Balanced again same thing. Took the hub rings off with significant decrease but still there. Will try again with plastic rings followed by swapping wheels front to rear. If still going on will have to live with it”

Category by category

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

  1. 48

    Dry

    Ecsta Sport PS72 +36
    84
    Why this score
    SourceSportnex AS-2+Ecsta Sport PS72
    Professional tests (TWG score)4485
    Reviews found online5683
    Dry Braking (% of best)90%96%
    Dry Handling (% of best)97%98%
  2. 63

    Wet

    Ecsta Sport PS72 +22
    85
    Why this score
    SourceSportnex AS-2+Ecsta Sport PS72
    Professional tests (TWG score)7187
    Reviews found online5283
    Wet Braking (% of best)93%93%
    Wet Circle (% of best)94%96%
    Wet Handling (% of best)98%99%
  3. 58

    Comfort

    Ecsta Sport PS72 +7
    65
    Why this score
    SourceSportnex AS-2+Ecsta Sport PS72
    Professional tests (TWG score)–59
    Reviews found online4775
  4. 69

    Noise

    Sportnex AS-2+ +5
    64
    Why this score
    SourceSportnex AS-2+Ecsta Sport PS72
    Professional tests (TWG score)7162
  5. 53

    Treadwear

    Ecsta Sport PS72 +19
    72
    Why this score
    SourceSportnex AS-2+Ecsta Sport PS72
    Professional tests (TWG score)–70
    Reviews found online4474
  6. 50

    Handling

    Ecsta Sport PS72 +33
    83
    Why this score
    SourceSportnex AS-2+Ecsta Sport PS72
    Reviews found online5083
Scores at a glance
Nankang Sportnex AS-2+ vs Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryNankang Sportnex AS-2+Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72
Relative Score 55 79
Dry 48 84
Wet 63 85
Comfort 58 65
Noise 69 64
Treadwear 53 72
Handling 50 83

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.

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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Sportnex AS-2+

Ecsta Sport PS72

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategorySportnex AS-2+Ecsta Sport PS72ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 90% #13/13 · 2019 Swedish Summer Tyre Test 96% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test −5.3 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 97% #8/8 · 2021 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test 98% #3/9 · 2026 Summer SUV Tyre Test −1.1 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 92% #4/8 · 2021 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test 79% #6/9 · 2026 Motor Summer Tyre Test +13.3 Different tests
Noise Other 97% #16/16 · 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test 95% #18/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test +2.2 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 13% #8/13 · 2016 Test World Performance Tyre Test 50% #2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test −37.5 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 100% #1/8 · 2021 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test 95% #8/9 · 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test +5.0 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 70% #12/13 · 2019 Swedish Summer Tyre Test 85% #5/7 · 2026 AutoView Sport Tyre Test −15.3 Different tests
Subj. Wet Handling Subj 70% #11/13 · 2019 Swedish Summer Tyre Test 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test −30.0 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 93% #6/8 · 2021 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test 93% #4/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? 0.0 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 94% #7/8 · 2021 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test 96% #8/9 · 2026 Summer SUV Tyre Test −1.7 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #6/8 · 2021 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test 99% #4/9 · 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test −1.0 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Sportnex AS-2+

Pros

  • Exceptional value for money compared to premium brand tires
  • Strong grip and confident handling in both wet and dry conditions
  • Low road noise and a comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on heavier or rear-wheel-drive vehicles
  • Softer sidewalls causing slight squirm or lack of precision during aggressive cornering
  • Isolated reports of structural defects such as bulges, cracking, or premature failure
All owner themes in the Sportnex AS-2+ review

Tire B Ecsta Sport PS72

Pros

  • Excellent wet and dry grip with short braking distances
  • High value for money compared to Tier-1 premium brands
  • Stable, predictable handling and confident cornering

Cons

  • Reported instances of out-of-round tires causing high-speed steering vibrations
  • Occasional complaints about increased road noise on certain rough surfaces
  • Rapid tread wear reported by some users during aggressive, spirited driving
All owner themes in the Ecsta Sport PS72 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Nankang Sportnex AS-2+

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72

Positive

Community sentiment toward the Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 is largely positive, with drivers praising its impressive dry and wet grip, responsive handling, and low cabin noise compared to premium alternatives like the Michelin Pilot Sport series. Most owners view it as an outstanding value proposition, offering near-flagship performance at a significantly lower price point. Minor criticisms focus on potential treadwear longevity, lack of rim protection, mixed feedback on highway noise, and occasional wheel balance or vibration issues.

r/elektrischrijden ·1 upvote ·2026-09-02

“Ik heb nog een paar nieuwe banden liggen voor die maat. Continental PremiumContact 7. Had je voor heel weinig mogen hebben. Die zijn echt wel beter dan die Hankooks. Overigens hoeft een goede band niet heel duur te zijn. Ik was zelf niet tevreden mer Hankook. De laatste nieuwe banden die ik heb laten monteren waren Kumho's Ecsta sport PS72. Die zijn weliswaar goedkoop, maar komen uitstekend uit veel testen. Ze hebben ook echt meer grip dan de Hankooks en Vredesteins die ik hiervoor had.”

r/ElantraN ·4 upvotes ·2026-01-11

“Kumho Ecsta Sport S (PS72) vs PS4S (HN spec) If you are looking to switch to Ecsta Sport S from OE PS4S, go for it! Just switched to them based on Tirerack review. Can confirm they are indeed better at small bump absorption and tire noise (upto 2-3db). Steering feel is more natural and softer than OE PS4S. Can't comment on wear yet. Would still recommend the OE PS4S if your driving is mainly on track/canyons. PS72s are much better if your driving has more commute. The OEM PS4S lasted me ~28k miles. Read more”

r/TyreReviews ·73 upvotes ·2026-04-04

“New summer tires A while ago, I made a post during my search for a new set of summer tires. In the end, I chose the Kumho PS72 Ecsta Sport S. My previous tires included the Michelin PS4S, Bridgestone Turanza T005, Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3, and Toyo Proxes Sport 2. With the Michelins being my favorite in terms of driving feel. By now, I’ve driven around 1,000 km on the Kumhos, and I’m pleasantly surprised. They offer excellent grip on dry roads and in corners, and they still perform well in wet conditions. My car has over 300 hp and AWD, so grip is definitely important. I can highly recommend these tires, especially considering the price. In terms of feel and performance, they don’t seem to fall short of the Michelin PS4S I had before, yet they cost me about half as much.”

Top themes
#value for money#dry and wet grip#low road noise#Michelin PS4 comparison#balancing and vibration#ride comfort compliance#treadwear longevity

Based on 33 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Nankang Sportnex AS-2+ B · Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / Crossover—
Sizes available—50
Rim diameters—17″ – 21″
Tread depth—9.4/32″
UTQG—320 A A
Treadwear warranty—30,000 mi
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Nankang Sportnex AS-2+

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72

Winner: Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 — better dry, handling and wet. Pick the Nankang Sportnex AS-2+ if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 scores 84 vs 48 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 scores 83 vs 50 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 scores 85 vs 63 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 scores 72 vs 53 on treadwear.

Tire A · Nankang Sportnex AS-2+
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72

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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.

79

Leads

Ecsta Sport PS72

Amazon