Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ecsta HS52 is ahead, 76–63
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Tests 61 · 14 tests Owners 64 · 411 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (curved aquaplaning)
“I have vredestein ultrac pro’s on my golf R currently in 245/40r18 - I have been very pleased with the performance for the price. They’ve taken over 1G in corners with no issues. Wearing pretty well about 5k miles in as well. I’d say they’re about 85-90% as good as a PS4S or EC02. Been surprisingly good in the rain too”
Tests 82 · 7 tests Owners 71 · 2,328 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 55 in 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview (dry braking)
“Yup, noticed that on my car too, went from a dot 2023 225/45/r17 PS5 to 205/50/r17 Kumho ecsta hs52 and while i went down in width, speed went up about 5-7km/h during a tight hairpin i always frequent, i feel a lot more confident chucking it towards the apex and not fear understeer ( my car is FWD).”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Ultrac | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 83 | 85 |
| Reviews found online | 66 | 75 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 95% | 100% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 99% | 100% |
| Source | Ultrac | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 90 | 88 |
| Reviews found online | 69 | 72 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 97% | 97% |
| Wet Braking - Concrete (% of best) | 88% | 90% |
| Wet Circle (% of best) | 98% | 91% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 25% | 97% |
| Source | Ultrac | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 65 | 60 |
| Source | Ultrac | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | 64 |
| Source | Ultrac | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 10 | 78 |
| Reviews found online | 56 | 66 |
| Source | Ultrac | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 65 | 75 |
| Category | Vredestein Ultrac | Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 63 | 76 |
| Dry | 76 | 81 |
| Wet | 81 | 82 |
| Comfort | 67 | 65 |
| Noise | 67 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 28 | 73 |
| Handling | 65 | 75 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Ultrac
Ecsta HS52
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 | Ultrac | Ecsta HS52 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 95% #3/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 82% #18/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +12.8 | Same test |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #6/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | 100% #2/55 · 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview | −4.7 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #7/8 · 2024 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 100% #3/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | −0.8 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 84% #5/10 · 2025 Autobild SUV Off-Road Summer Tyre Test | 88% #16/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | −4.8 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 97% #7/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 93% #46/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +3.4 | Different tests |
| Abrasion | Other | 47% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 44% #30/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +3.0 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 96% #21/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 98% #8/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −2.1 | Same test |
| Price | Other | 68% #10/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 77% #5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −8.9 | Same test |
| Value | Other | 38% #20/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | 98% #2/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −60.3 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 53% #19/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 77% #5/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −23.8 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 25% #7/8 · 2023 Autoklub ČR Premium Summer Tire Test R16 | 40% #4/6 · 2023 Autoklub ČR Budget Summer Tire Test R16 | −15.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 98% #6/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 94% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +3.9 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #20/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0% #7/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #3/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | +0.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | Wet | 88% #3/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 90% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −1.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 98% #4/8 · 2024 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 91% #15/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +6.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 25% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | 97% #14/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −71.9 | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community members generally view the Vredestein Ultrac and Ultrac Pro as a compelling, budget-friendly alternative to premium high-performance summer tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. Users frequently highlight significant cost savings alongside comparable dry and wet performance, comfort, and noise levels, though a few note trade-offs in extreme cornering stiffness.
“The Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta are probably the best sport tyres ever made. Ive sold tyres for a living since I was 16, I've tried and tested hundreds of different tyres so i can give my customers the best advice, so I class myself as somewhat of an expert. The Sessantas are brilliant. I had them on an X5 for 8,000 miles, they couldn't have performed all round any better. EDIT: Oh and they wear so evenly it's unbelievable!”
“Need new tires... Anyone have Vredestein Ultrac Pro tires? Need new tires on my 2023 Model 3 Performance with 235/45R20 size. I noticed the Vredestein Ultrac Pro tires have great reviews from a couple UK tests, but they are new and not yet popular in the US. Does anyone have any thoughts on them? They are HALF the price of Michelin PS4S. I don't care at all about snow or rain performance (no CrossClimates), as I'm in warm Southern California. I mainly care about rolling resistance, having good steering feel, and not needing to replace them every 20k miles.”
“I'm currently on Vredestein Ultrac Pros and I'm very happy with them. I would say they're 90% of PS4S for 50% of the price. They're quieter and more comfortable than the stock Pzeros. I highly recommend them. Like you, I run summers year round.”
Based on 17 community posts
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.
“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)”
“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”
“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.”
Based on 17 community posts
| Attribute | A · Vredestein Ultrac | B · Kumho Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 65 | 53 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 21″ | 14″ – 20″ |
Vredestein Ultrac
Kumho Ecsta HS52
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS52 — better treadwear, handling and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 73 vs 28 on treadwear.
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 75 vs 65 on handling.
Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 81 vs 76 on dry.
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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.
