Summer tire Updated October 2026

Kumho Ecsta PS71 review

Name: Kumho Ecsta PS71
Brand: Kumho

Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners

Owners 69 · 8,166 reviews analysed Road tests 67 · 16 tests

How scores work

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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.

Community sentiment Positive Read the buzz

#Value for money#Wet grip performance#UHP budget alternative#Tread wear durability#Warm-up temperature behavior

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.

By owner reviews

69/100

From 8,166 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.

Would buy again 63%

Dry

Overall dry

70.8

Corner stability

68.9

Dry traction

72.9

Steering response

69.7

Wet

Overall wet

73.3

Wet traction

72.3

Comfort

Overall comfort

64.8

Treadwear

Overall treadwear

62.5

Handling

Overall handling

71.2

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By road tests

67/100

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

Dry

77.6

Wet

90.5

Comfort

75.2

Noise

18.3

Treadwear

45.1

By discipline (% of best in test)

Dry Braking

42.5%

Dry Handling

44.2%

Subj. Dry Handling

62.5%

Wet Braking

77.1%

Wet Handling

68.3%

Straight Aquaplaning

81.7%

Curved Aquaplaning

75%

Side G-Force on Wet surface

75%

Inside Noise level

39.6%

Subjective Comfort

90%

Rolling Resistance

35.4%

Price

90%

Wear

32.5%

Kumho Ecsta PS71 specs & sizes

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

Specifications
Sidewall	Blackwall

Size	Retailer
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
225/50 R17	Amazon
225/55 R17	Amazon
235/45 R17	Amazon
235/65 R17	Amazon
245/40 R17	Amazon
245/45 R17	Amazon
255/40 R17	Amazon
265/65 R17	Amazon
285/65 R17	Amazon
215/40 R18	Amazon
215/45 R18	Amazon
215/50 R18	Amazon
215/55 R18	Amazon
225/35 R18	Amazon
225/40 R18	Amazon
225/45 R18	Amazon
225/55 R18	Amazon
235/40 R18	Amazon
235/45 R18	Amazon
235/50 R18	Amazon
235/55 R18	Amazon
235/60 R18	Amazon
245/35 R18	Amazon
245/40 R18	Amazon
245/45 R18	Amazon
245/50 R18	Amazon
255/35 R18	Amazon
255/40 R18	Amazon
255/45 R18	Amazon
255/55 R18	Amazon
265/35 R18	Amazon
265/40 R18	Amazon
265/60 R18	Amazon
275/45 R18	Amazon
285/35 R18	Amazon
285/60 R18	Amazon
215/50 R19	Amazon
225/35 R19	Amazon
225/40 R19	Amazon
225/45 R19	Amazon
225/55 R19	Amazon
235/35 R19	Amazon
235/40 R19	Amazon
235/45 R19	Amazon
235/50 R19	Amazon
235/55 R19	Amazon
235/65 R19	Amazon
245/30 R19	Amazon
245/35 R19	Amazon
245/40 R19	Amazon
245/45 R19	Amazon
255/35 R19	Amazon
255/40 R19	Amazon
255/45 R19	Amazon
255/50 R19	Amazon
255/55 R19	Amazon
255/60 R19	Amazon
265/30 R19	Amazon
265/35 R19	Amazon
275/30 R19	Amazon
275/35 R19	Amazon
275/40 R19	Amazon
275/45 R19	Amazon
275/55 R19	Amazon
285/45 R19	Amazon
295/30 R19	Amazon
295/35 R19	Amazon
225/35 R20	Amazon
235/30 R20	Amazon
235/35 R20	Amazon
235/40 R20	Amazon
235/45 R20	Amazon
235/50 R20	Amazon
245/30 R20	Amazon
245/35 R20	Amazon
245/40 R20	Amazon
245/45 R20	Amazon
245/50 R20	Amazon
255/30 R20	Amazon
255/35 R20	Amazon
255/45 R20	Amazon
255/50 R20	Amazon
255/55 R20	Amazon
265/40 R20	Amazon
265/45 R20	Amazon
265/50 R20	Amazon
275/30 R20	Amazon
275/35 R20	Amazon
275/40 R20	Amazon
275/45 R20	Amazon
275/50 R20	Amazon
285/40 R20	Amazon
285/45 R20	Amazon
285/50 R20	Amazon
295/40 R20	Amazon
315/35 R20	Amazon
245/40 R21	Amazon
245/45 R21	Amazon
255/35 R21	Amazon
255/40 R21	Amazon
265/40 R21	Amazon
265/45 R21	Amazon
275/40 R21	Amazon
275/45 R21	Amazon
285/40 R21	Amazon
285/45 R21	Amazon
295/35 R21	Amazon
315/35 R21	Amazon
315/40 R21	Amazon
265/35 R22	Amazon
265/40 R22	Amazon
275/35 R22	Amazon
275/40 R22	Amazon
285/35 R22	Amazon
285/40 R22	Amazon
315/30 R22	Amazon
315/35 R22	Amazon

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What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 8,166 owner reviews found online.

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

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

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	2nd of 20
Wet Handling	2nd of 20
Wet Circle	5th of 20
Dry Braking	9th of 20
Dry Handling	12th of 20
Rolling Resistance	15th of 20
Straight Aqua	2nd of 20
Curved Aquaplaning	11th of 20
Subj. Comfort	10th of 20
Noise	20th of 20
Value	2nd of 20
Wear	5th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership	7th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

2025 ADAC Summer tire Test · 225/40 R18

13th of 18

Best: Dry Braking · 1st Weakest: Noise · 17th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	5th of 18
Dry Braking	1st of 18
Straight Aqua	1st of 18
Curved Aquaplaning	6th of 18
Noise	17th of 18
Value	11th of 18
Wear	14th of 18
Fuel Consumption	17th of 18
Abrasion	14th 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

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	2nd of 52
Dry Braking	9th of 52

Source: Auto Bild

2023 AutoBild UHP Summer tire Test · 225/45 R18

6th of 20

Best: Rolling Resistance · 5th Weakest: Noise · 20th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	9th of 20
Wet Handling	8th of 20
Dry Braking	15th of 20
Dry Handling	9th of 20
Rolling Resistance	5th of 20
Straight Aqua	15th of 20
Noise	20th of 20
Value	8th of 20
Price	6th of 20
Wear	12th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership	7th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

2023 Summer tire Market Overview · 225/45 R18

12th of 48

Best: Wet Braking · 9th Weakest: Dry Braking · 15th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	9th of 48
Dry Braking	15th of 48

Source: Auto Bild

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

8th of 9

Best: Longitudinal Aquaplaning · 1st Weakest: Dry Braking · 10th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	8th of 9
Wet Handling	6th of 9
Longitudinal Aquaplaning	1st of 9
Transverse Aquaplaning	2nd of 9
Dry Braking	10th of 9
Dry Handling	7th of 9
Exterior Noise	10th of 9
Rolling Resistance	2nd of 9
Subj. Dry Handling	2nd of 9
Subj. Wet Handling	4th of 9
Wet	4th of 9
Dry	10th of 9

Source: ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023

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

3rd of 17

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	7th of 17

Source: ADAC

2020 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 245/45 R18

17th of 20

Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Wear · 20th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	2nd of 20
Wet Handling	5th of 20
Dry Braking	16th of 20
Dry Handling	17th of 20
Rolling Resistance	18th of 20
Straight Aqua	2nd of 20
Noise	13th of 20
Value	16th of 20
Price	2nd of 20
Wear	20th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership	19th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

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

10th of 16

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wear	14th of 16

Source: ADAC

2020 tire Market Overview Braking Test · 245/45 R18

5th of 49

Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Dry Braking · 18th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	2nd of 49
Dry Braking	18th of 49

Source: Auto Bild

2020 TCS Summer Tire Test R18 · 225/40R18

10th of 14

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: Price · 4th Weakest: Dry Braking · 20th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	13th of 20
Wet Handling	12th of 20
Dry Braking	20th of 20
Dry Handling	12th of 20
Rolling Resistance	19th of 20
Straight Aqua	6th of 20
Subj. Comfort	10th of 20
Noise	19th of 20
Value	19th of 20
Price	4th of 20
Wear	20th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership	20th 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

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	13th of 45
Dry Braking	28th 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 Aqua · 3rd Weakest: Subj. Wet Handling · 13th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	4th of 16
Wet Handling	9th of 16
Dry Braking	12th of 16
Straight Aqua	3rd of 16
Subj. Dry Handling	7th of 16
Subj. Wet Handling	13th of 16
Noise	7th 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

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	6th of 8
Wet Handling	7th of 8
Dry Braking	6th of 8
Dry Handling	7th of 8
Rolling Resistance	1st of 8
Straight Aqua	2nd of 8
Noise	7th of 8

Source: Auto Bild

What owners are saying

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

Community sentiment towards the Kumho Ecsta PS71 is generally positive, with drivers viewing it as an affordable, high-value mid-range/UHP tire that performs reliably compared to premium brands. Users praise its wet grip rating, competitive pricing, and overall road manners once warmed up, though some note it provides adequate rather than top-tier grip and raise questions regarding cold performance and tread life.

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

r/TeslaUK ·2 upvotes

“go with Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV around £140 – £165. Good value for money”

2026-08-28

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

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/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

Sentiment breakdown

Positive25%

Mixed67%

Negative8%

Top themes

#Value for money#Wet grip performance#UHP budget alternative#Tread wear durability#Warm-up temperature behavior#Tire pressure specifications

From 24 threads and comments.