Tests – · none yet Owners 47 · 13 reviews
Nitto NT555 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ecsta PS71 is ahead, 68–56
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Tests 67 · 14 tests Owners 69 · 8,166 reviews
“go with Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV around £140 – £165. Good value for money”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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57
Dry
Ecsta PS71 +1875Why this score
Source NT555 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) – 78 Reviews found online 51 71 -
54
Wet
Ecsta PS71 +3084Why this score
Source NT555 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) – 90 Reviews found online 49 73 -
43
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source NT555 Ecsta PS71 Reviews found online 26 – -
59
Comfort
Ecsta PS71 +1271Why this score
Source NT555 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) – 75 Reviews found online 49 65 -
61
Noise
NT555 +2338Why this score
Source NT555 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) – 18 Reviews found online 53 – -
55
Treadwear
NT555 +352Why this score
Source NT555 Ecsta PS71 Professional tests (TWG score) – 45 Reviews found online 48 63 -
54
Handling
Ecsta PS71 +1771Why this score
Source NT555 Ecsta PS71 Reviews found online 54 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Nitto NT555 | Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 56 | 68 |
| Dry | 57 | 75 |
| Wet | 54 | 84 |
| Snow | 43 | – |
| Comfort | 59 | 71 |
| Noise | 61 | 38 |
| Treadwear | 55 | 52 |
| Handling | 54 | 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 and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
NT555
Ecsta PS71
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 NT555
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip and sticky, hot-tar-like road adhesion
- Enhanced handling and high-speed stability
- Sporty aesthetic and semi-slick feel favored by enthusiasts
Cons
- Subpar wet weather traction and dangerous in winter/cold conditions
- Can struggle to maintain traction on higher-horsepower vehicles (e.g., V8 setups)
- Notable road noise that increases as the tire wears
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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Nitto NT555
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Community discussions regarding the Kumho Ecsta PS71 generally present it as a solid, budget-friendly ultra-high-performance (UHP) summer tire offering good value, though opinions on its limits vary. Some users praise its handling transformations and decent wet/dry grip for spirited driving, while others note it feels merely adequate or mediocre until warmed up, preferring premium alternatives when budget permits.
“Kumho PS71 Question Replaced an older (2021 or 2022 production) set of ps71 with a new set (production 39-42 week of 2024) and noticed something on the new sidewalls I hadn't seen on the old ones. The new ones have ps71 with either a 1 or a 2 under it right above the bead in very small text. I'm curious what they mean if anything at all.”
“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
“I've had the PS71 several years ago - it was ok, nothing spectacular. They might have changed the compound now, so it may be better. Its a good tire, I don't remember any real weaknesses, it just never felt like "yeah, this sticks like glue to the road". Edit: I just remembered - it was mediocre in the city - when the tire was not warmed up, but I reckon this is shared between most sport tires with high speed rating. Once warmed up was good.”
Based on 19 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Nitto NT555 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 53 | 133 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 10.3/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 300 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
Nitto NT555
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, dry and handling. Pick the Nitto NT555 if noise and treadwear matter most to you.
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 84 vs 54 on wet.
Nitto NT555 scores 61 vs 38 on noise.
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 75 vs 57 on dry.
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 71 vs 54 on handling.
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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.