Tests 73 · 5 tests Owners 68 · 34 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue vs Kumho Ecsta HS52 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ecsta HS52 is ahead, 76–70
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Tests 82 · 7 tests Owners 71 · 2,352 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (wear)
“Bad i have hs52 on my audi a3 8l quattro 1.8t i have no grip with rain.. Like cant corner fast it just goes straight... Dry its fine but wet forget it. My oncle has the same experience with kuhmo on his bmw 118 diesel he got some rims and they had pretty good threats kumho on it. He said all it wanted was to drift and spin out. He said a couple of times it did a 180 he said never again i said same don't trust my car with these tyres. Im gonna get some new rim 17" and Goodyear asymmetric 6. To replace my 16" stock rims with kumho... I have had bad tyres but never this bad. Like 1 ere prix were even better in my Mercedes even doh they became ovals.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
74
Dry
Ecsta HS52 +781Why this score
Source Cinturato P7 Blue Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 77 85 Reviews found online 69 75 Dry Braking (% of best) 93% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 100% -
69
Wet
Ecsta HS52 +1382Why this score
Source Cinturato P7 Blue Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 71 88 Reviews found online 67 72 Wet Braking (% of best) 87% 90% Wet Handling (% of best) 100% 99% -
74
Comfort
Cinturato P7 Blue +965Why this score
Source Cinturato P7 Blue Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 – Reviews found online 65 60 -
71
Noise
Cinturato P7 Blue +665Why this score
Source Cinturato P7 Blue Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 74 64 -
71
Treadwear
Ecsta HS52 +273Why this score
Source Cinturato P7 Blue Ecsta HS52 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 78 Reviews found online 71 66 -
64
Handling
Ecsta HS52 +1175Why this score
Source Cinturato P7 Blue Ecsta HS52 Reviews found online 64 75
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue | Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 76 |
| Dry | 74 | 81 |
| Wet | 69 | 82 |
| Comfort | 74 | 65 |
| Noise | 71 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 71 | 73 |
| Handling | 64 | 75 |
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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Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Cinturato P7 Blue
76
/ 100
Ecsta HS52
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.
| Discipline | Category | Cinturato P7 Blue | Ecsta HS52 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 82% #8/10 · 2021 Motor Summer Tyre Test | 82% #18/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +0.4 | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% #17/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 100% #2/44 · 2022 Summer Tyre Market Overview | −7.1 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 100% #3/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | +0.2 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 67% #14/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +33.1 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 96% #6/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test | 99% #7/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | −2.7 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 52% #17/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 77% #5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −25.0 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 72% #5/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −27.8 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 33% #3/15 · 2015 Test World Summer Tyre Test | 33% #3/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 92% #10/12 · 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test | 95% #16/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −2.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 87% #16/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 90% #17/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −2.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 99% #2/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | +0.7 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Cinturato P7 Blue
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and long mileage
- Noticeable improvements in fuel economy and low rolling resistance
- Strong dry grip and stable handling for touring
Cons
- Significantly reduced wet grip and tendency to slip in wet conditions as the tire wears
- Higher-than-desired road noise at certain speeds
- Prone to sidewall damage or bulges in some instances
Tire B Ecsta HS52
Pros
- Excellent wet and dry weather traction
- Low road noise and quiet operation
- Smooth and comfortable ride quality
Cons
- A few reports of accelerated or abnormal tread wear
- Slightly sensitive to tire pressure regarding comfort
- Occasional complaints of high-speed vibration or imbalance early on
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta HS52
The Kumho Ecsta HS52 receives a polarized mix of reviews from the community, praised by many for its rigid sidewalls, strong dry grip, sharp steering responsiveness, and great value compared to premium alternatives. However, some users report disappointing wet weather performance, potential issues with aquaplaning resistance, and inconsistent test results across different sizes. Overall, it is viewed as a solid mid-range option, though experiences with wet traction and longevity vary significantly among drivers.
r/Mazda323
·6 upvotes ·2026-06-14
“Mini review of the Kumho Ecsta HS52 I was running some Hankook's on my GT before and the tire wall not stiff enough. Now I've mounted these Kumho Ecsta HS52's and I highly recommend them: The tire wall is nicely rigid and they grip great in the dry, took quite some intent to make them loose traction. Additionally, I've accidentally ran over a pretty big sharp looking rock at decent speed that aimed right in a tread groove (thinnest part) and the thing shrugged it off no problem. And all of this for a damn good price too! So if anyone's looking for good tires, now you know.”
r/tires
·3 upvotes ·2025-09-23
“What’s up with these tyres? Kumho ectsa hs52 date code 3923, tyres are (UK) legal regards tread but I can’t imagine this damage is normal. Both front tyres have this, looks like the tread is tearing apart in multiple places. I did not fit these tyres but it was mot’d 3 months ago and has done 2k miles since. I’ve owned the car 11 months but only noticed this very recently. I am getting them replaced on Monday with little use before then but I’m curious how this has happened. Is it just a shit brand? Wear is even across the face so I don’t think it would be the alignment or anything to do with the car and the damage is random across the contact patch. It’s a Peugeot 508 2l diesel so quite a bit of weight on the nose. Fitting Bridgestone Turanza 6. Rear tyres are good, but a different brand (horizon horace 2122 date)”
r/CarTalkUK
·1 upvote ·2025-01-11
“I have kuhmo ecsta hs52's on my renault megane during spring and summer and they are really good. No complaints at all. My milage did go up a little bit but that's it”
Top themes
#Dry grip and handling#Wet weather performance#Sidewall stiffness#Price and value#Comparison with competitors#Fuel economy and weight#Tread wear and durability
Based on 17 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue | B · Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 17 | 53 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | 14″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
76
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta HS52
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS52 — better wet, handling and dry. Pick the Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue if comfort and noise matter most to you.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 82 vs 69 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 75 vs 64 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue scores 74 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 81 vs 74 on dry.
Tire A · Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta HS52
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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.