Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Better than 86% of the summer tires we score.
Owners 68 · 50 reviews analysed Road tests 83 · 4 tests
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Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 has a Relative Score of 73 out of 100 among summer tires. In 3 road tests with an overall ranking it finished first 1 times and in the top three 2 times. Testers rate it best for wet (88) and weakest for efficiency (53). 50 owner reviews rate it 68 out of 100. 78% would buy it again.
- Strength: Wet 88 — 2nd of 10 (2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer tire Test), 5th of 8 (2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer tire Test)
- Strength: Dry 86 — 2nd of 10 (2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer tire Test), 5th of 8 (2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer tire Test)
- Weak point: Efficiency 53 — 6th of 8 (2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer tire Test)
Owners rate it 15 points lower than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.
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
68/100From 50 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
83/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 50 owner reviews found online.
The Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 is widely regarded as a high-value performance summer tire that delivers grip, responsiveness and wet-weather confidence rivaling far costlier premium rivals such as Michelin Pilot Sport 4/4S, Pirelli P Zero and Continental. Owners praise its dry and wet traction, steering feel and price, while the main compromises are a stiff sidewall, somewhat higher road noise for some, and a few reports of fast tread wear. Overall sentiment is strongly favorable.
Pros
- Strong value: repeatedly described as performing on par with or better than premium tires (Michelin Pilot Sport 4/4S, Pirelli P Zero, Continental, Dunlop SportMaxx) at roughly half the price.
- Excellent dry grip and traction, including on a Stage 2+ Audi S3 with launches, and reports of improved braking, acceleration and steering over the OE Pirelli P Zero.
- Very good wet-weather performance, with several owners reporting confident grip in rain and one citing good wet and icy performance.
- Sharp, responsive handling and good road feedback, with sidewalls described as precise for cornering.
- Noise and ride quality are often judged comparable to premium tires, with some users calling them quiet or even quieter than a Michelin.
Cons
- Stiff sidewalls reduce comfort, especially on the S version; one owner said the Michelin PS4S is much more comfortable.
- Road noise is described as slightly higher than premium alternatives by several reviewers, though generally not intrusive.
- Tread wear concerns: one rear-fitted set was down to 4mm after 800 miles of sporty driving, and another owner reported two tires worn out after about 4,000 miles.
- Some reviewers noted cold-tire harshness or jiggling, and one reported a tire needing 150 g of balancing weight.
- Longevity is still unproven for many owners, with several saying they cannot yet rate wear.
Worth knowing
- Performance and sports cars (Audi S3, BMW Z4, Ford Mustang GT in 265/35R20 front and 275/35R20 rear) drew praise for grip and handling, with the Mustang owner noticing very stiff sidewalls.
- Large-wheel and low-profile applications were reported to ride better than expected: a Jaguar XJ on 20-inch wheels was described as having excellent ride quality, while a Mercedes S-Class on 245/40R19 front and 275/35R19 rear noted suspension working hard on cold tires due to hard sidewalls.
- Staggered setups were common, and a Tesla owner running them on the rear reported grip, noise and efficiency similar to Michelin and Continental tires. Another owner found that the standard PS72 fronts felt more comfort-oriented with sluggish turn-in next to the stiffer S rears.
4 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer tire Test · 255/35 R19
5th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Wet Circle | 6th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 8 | |
| Dry Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 6th of 8 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 5th of 8 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 5th of 8 | |
| Noise | 6th of 8 |
Source: Auto Bild
Top Tire Review 2026 UUHP tire Test · 255/35 R19
2nd of 3
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 3 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 3 | |
| Wet Circle | 3rd of 3 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 3 | |
| Dry Handling | 3rd of 3 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 3rd of 3 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 1st of 3 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 2nd of 3 | |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | 3rd of 3 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 1st of 3 | |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | 2nd of 3 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 3 |
Source: TopTireReview
2025 AutoView Sports tire Test · 275/35R19
3rd of 5
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 5 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 5 | |
| Dry Handling | 3rd of 5 | |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | 4th of 5 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 2nd of 5 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 5 |
Source: AutoView
2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer tire Test · 275/35 R19
1st of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Wet Circle | 2nd of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | 2nd of 10 | |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | 3rd of 10 | |
| Road Rating (tester's mark) | 1st of 10 |
Source: Tire Rack
Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Tread depth | 8.9/32″ |
| UTQG | 260 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | 30,000 mi |
| Sidewall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi |
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