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Summer tire Updated November 2026

Kumho Ecsta PS71 review

± 6

Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners

Better than 68% of the summer tires we score.

Owners 69 · 8,191 reviews analysed Road tests 68 · 14 tests

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Kumho Ecsta PS71 has a Relative Score of 68 out of 100 among summer tires. In 16 road tests with an overall ranking it finished first 0 times and in the top three 2 times. Testers rate it best for wet (92) and weakest for noise (16). 8,191 owner reviews rate it 69 out of 100. 64% would buy it again.

Projected tread life in 6 wear tests: about 33,000 km (21,000 miles) on average, newest 2025.

  • Strength: Wet 92 — 1st of 18 (2025 ADAC Summer tire Test), 1st of 9 (2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18)
  • Weak point: Efficiency 48 — 19th of 20 (2019 Auto Bild Summer tire Test), 17th of 18 (2025 ADAC Summer tire Test)
  • Weak point: Treadwear 46 — 20th of 20 (2019 Auto Bild Summer tire Test), 20th of 20 (2020 Auto Bild Summer tire Test)
  • Weak point: Noise 16 — 20th of 20 (2023 AutoBild UHP Summer tire Test), 10th of 10 (2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18)
Community sentiment Positive Read the buzz
#value for money#wet and dry grip#tire wear longevity#sporty handling performance#warm up temperature behavior
Kumho Ecsta PS71

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

How scores work
Relative score
0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
Road tests
0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
Owner reviews
0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.

Full methodology

By owner reviews

69/100

From 8,191 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.

Would buy again 64%
Dry
Overall dry
72
Wet
Overall wet
75
Comfort
Overall comfort
65
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
60
Handling
Overall handling
73

Own these tires? Write a review →

By road tests

68/100

Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.

Dry
78
Wet
92
Comfort
75
Noise
16
Treadwear
46
Efficiency
48
By discipline (% of best in test)
Dry Braking
43%
Dry Handling
44%
Subj. Dry Handling
63%
Wet Braking
77%
Wet Handling
68%
Straight Aquaplaning
82%
Curved Aquaplaning
75%
Side G-Force on Wet surface
75%
Inside Noise level
40%
Subjective Comfort
90%
Rolling Resistance
35%
Price
90%
Wear
33%

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 8,191 owner reviews found online.

The Kumho Ecsta PS71 is widely regarded by users as an exceptional mid-range performance tire that punches well above its price point, offering wet-weather confidence and solid dry handling comparable to more expensive premium alternatives. While the vast majority of drivers praise its cost-to-performance ratio, comfort, and grip, a minority of reviews note issues with road noise at higher speeds and occasional balancing or manufacturing inconsistencies.

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
  • Good wear life and durability for a high-performance tire
  • Smooth and comfortable ride quality over road imperfections

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
  • Rapid tread wear reported by a small number of aggressive drivers

Worth knowing

  • Owners of heavier performance saloons and rear-wheel-drive BMWs and Jaguars appreciated the strong traction and predictability under heavy torque.
  • Drivers running larger rim sizes (such as 19-inch and 20-inch setups) occasionally noted increased cabin noise compared to smaller profiles.
  • Some drivers of lightweight sports cars found the softer sidewalls reduced immediate turn-in sharpness compared to dedicated track-focused or top-tier tires.

16 published test appearances (14 in the score)

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance tire Test · 225/40 R18

6th of 20
Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Noise · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 20
Wet Handling2nd of 20
Wet Circle5th of 20
Dry Braking9th of 20
Dry Handling12th of 20
Rolling Resistance15th of 20
Straight Aquaplaning2nd of 20
Curved Aquaplaning11th of 20
Comfort (tester's mark)10th of 20
Noise20th of 20
Value2nd of 20
Wear5th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership7th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

2025 ADAC Summer tire Test · 225/40 R18

13th of 18
Best: Dry Braking · 1st Weakest: Noise · 17th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 18
Dry Braking1st of 18
Straight Aquaplaning1st of 18
Curved Aquaplaning6th of 18
Noise17th of 18
Value11th of 18
Wear14th of 18
Fuel Consumption17th of 18
Abrasion14th of 18
Wet Braking (concrete)5th of 18

Source: ADAC

2025 Summer tire Test Shootout · 225/40 R18

4th of 52
Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Dry Braking · 9th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 52
Dry Braking9th of 52

Source: Auto Bild

2023 AutoBild UHP Summer tire Test · 225/45 R18

6th of 20
Best: Rolling Resistance · 5th Weakest: Noise · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking9th of 20
Wet Handling8th of 20
Dry Braking15th of 20
Dry Handling9th of 20
Rolling Resistance5th of 20
Straight Aquaplaning15th of 20
Noise20th of 20
Value8th of 20
Price6th of 20
Wear12th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership7th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

2023 Summer tire Market Overview · 225/45 R18

12th of 48
Best: Wet Braking · 9th Weakest: Dry Braking · 15th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking9th of 48
Dry Braking15th of 48

Source: Auto Bild

2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 · 245/45R18

8th of 10
Best: Straight Aquaplaning · 1st Weakest: Dry Braking · 10th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking8th of 10
Wet Handling6th of 10
Dry Braking10th of 10
Dry Handling7th of 10
Exterior Noise10th of 10
Rolling Resistance2nd of 10
Straight Aquaplaning1st of 10
Curved Aquaplaning2nd of 10
Dry Handling (tester's mark)2nd of 10
Wet Handling (tester's mark)4th of 10
Wet4th of 10
Dry10th of 10

Source: ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023

2021 ADAC Summer tire Test - 225/50 R17 · 225/50 R17

3rd of 17
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking7th of 17

Source: ADAC

2020 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 245/45 R18

17th of 20
Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Wear · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 20
Wet Handling5th of 20
Dry Braking16th of 20
Dry Handling17th of 20
Rolling Resistance18th of 20
Straight Aquaplaning2nd of 20
Noise13th of 20
Value16th of 20
Price2nd of 20
Wear20th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership19th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer tire Test · 225/40 R18

10th of 16
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wear14th of 16

Source: ADAC

2020 tire Market Overview Braking Test · 245/45 R18

5th of 49
Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Dry Braking · 18th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 49
Dry Braking18th of 49

Source: Auto Bild

2020 TCS Summer Tire Test R18 · 225/40R18

10th of 15

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: TCS

2019 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17

20th of 20
Best: Straight Aquaplaning · 6th Weakest: Dry Braking · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking13th of 20
Wet Handling12th of 20
Dry Braking20th of 20
Dry Handling12th of 20
Rolling Resistance19th of 20
Straight Aquaplaning6th of 20
Comfort (tester's mark)10th of 20
Noise19th of 20
Value19th of 20
Price4th of 20
Wear20th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership20th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

2019 Summer 53 tire Braking Shootout · 225/45 R17

18th of 45
Best: Wet Braking · 13th Weakest: Dry Braking · 28th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking13th of 45
Dry Braking28th of 45

Source: Auto Bild

2018 Ace 235/45 R18 Summer tire Test · 235/45 R18

2nd of 11

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: ACE

2018 Test World Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17

10th of 16
Best: Straight Aquaplaning · 3rd Weakest: Wet Handling (tester's mark) · 13th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking4th of 16
Wet Handling9th of 16
Dry Braking12th of 16
Straight Aquaplaning3rd of 16
Dry Handling (tester's mark)7th of 16
Wet Handling (tester's mark)13th of 16
Noise7th of 16

Source: Test World

2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP tire Test · 245/30 R20

7th of 8
Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st Weakest: Wet Handling · 7th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking6th of 8
Wet Handling7th of 8
Dry Braking6th of 8
Dry Handling7th of 8
Rolling Resistance1st of 8
Straight Aquaplaning2nd of 8
Noise7th of 8

Source: Auto Bild

Kumho Ecsta PS71 specs & sizes

Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.

Specifications
SidewallBlackwall
EU label: wet gripA in 71% of sizes
EU label: energyC in 41% of sizes
EU label: external noise68–75 dB
SizeRetailer
195/55 R16 Amazon
205/45 R16 Amazon
205/55 R16 Amazon
205/60 R16 Amazon
205/65 R16 Amazon
205/40 R17 Amazon
205/45 R17 Amazon
205/50 R17 Amazon
205/55 R17 Amazon
215/40 R17 Amazon
215/45 R17 Amazon
215/50 R17 Amazon
215/55 R17 Amazon
215/60 R17 Amazon
215/65 R17 Amazon
225/45 R17 Amazon

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What owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of the scores above.

Community members generally view the Kumho Ecsta PS71 as a capable and reliable mid-range ultra-high performance tire offering solid grip and value for money compared to premium alternatives. While perceived as good once warmed up, some drivers note that it does not quite reach the ultimate grip level of top-tier brands and question its tread wear longevity.

r/TyreReviews ·2 upvotes

“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.”

2024-10-25

z4-forum.com

“Steve; have a look at Kuhmo Ecsta PS71s. I just fitted a set on my new wheels for my 440i. Weapon of choice for the 'non tyre snob' IMHO. Much cheaper than the 'big' brands, heat up quickly and they also look really nice (for a black round tyre). Can't comment on noise, as the exhaust on mine is so noisy I can't hear the radio, let alone tyres!”

2023-01-29

r/tires ·5 upvotes

“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”

2022-10-17

bimmerforums.co.uk ·1 upvote

“On Blackcircles all the 245/40 R19 ditch finders cost around £100 and have a poor wet grip & all the decent mid range cost around £170 and have A rated wet grip. Would you risk it for £240? I know I wouldn't. The cheapest A wet rated is a Kuhmo Ecsta PS71 at £136 if you really want to keep the cost down. If you want a relatively soft comfortable tyre then a Hankook S1 Evo 3 is an excellent choice.”

2024-05-05

r/TyreReviews ·1 upvote

“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.”

2026-06-17

z4-forum.com

“Not exactly helpful but I've got Hankook winter tyres on my 330i and they're really good. mr wilks on here recommend Kumho Ecstas a couple of times so I got a set for my MC and I've been very pleased with them. And I got a set for £400 from Black Circles! ETA My Kumho Ecstas are also PS71.”

2023-01-29

Sentiment breakdown
Positive22%
Mixed9%
Negative9%
Neutral61%
Top themes
#value for money#wet and dry grip#tire wear longevity#sporty handling performance#warm up temperature behavior#mid-range alternative comparison

From 23 threads and comments.

Reviews from our readers

Drivers who have these tires on their car, in their own words. We check every review before it goes live.

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Kumho Ecsta PS71 compared

Kumho Ecsta PS71VSMichelin Pilot Sport 5
Continental ContiMaxContact MC6VSKumho Ecsta PS71
Kumho Ecsta PS71VSYokohama BluEarth Es ES32
Kumho Ecsta PS71VSMichelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
Kumho Ecsta PS71VSPirelli Cinturato P7 C2
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2VSKumho Ecsta PS71
Kumho Ecsta PA51VSKumho Ecsta PS71
Kumho Ecsta PS31VSKumho Ecsta PS71
Hankook Ventus Prime 4VSKumho Ecsta PS71
Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSVSKumho Ecsta PS71

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