68
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
67/100
25 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Firestone Firehawk SZ90 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
77
/ 100
Objective (60%)
84/100
13 professional tests
User signal (40%)
77/100
84 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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Category breakdown
6 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS71 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk SZ90 | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 79 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 85 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS71 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk SZ90 | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 80 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS71 leads by 14
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk SZ90 | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 74 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 73 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk SZ90 | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 92 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS71 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk SZ90 | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 71 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS71 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk SZ90 | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | 79 |
| DriverReviews owners | – | 82 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Firehawk SZ90 | Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 77 |
| Dry | 76 | 81 |
| Wet | 67 | 83 |
| Comfort | 60 | 74 |
| Noise | – | 92 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 71 |
| Handling | 69 | 79 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
68
/ 100
Tire A
77
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Firestone Firehawk SZ90 receives highly polarized feedback, with users divided between those who find it a capable, high-grip performer and those who report significant issues with noise, uneven wear, and unpredictable handling. While some drivers praise its wet and dry traction, others cite concerns regarding stability and rapid tread degradation, suggesting inconsistent quality control or performance variability across different vehicle applications.
Pros
- Strong dry and wet surface grip
- Effective water displacement and braking performance
- Competitive price point
- Good longevity for some users
Cons
- Excessive road noise
- Rapid or uneven tread wear
- Unpredictable handling and stability issues
- Susceptibility to aquaplaning in certain conditions
Observations
- Users with sport-oriented vehicles, such as the Mini Cooper S, reported significant issues with aquaplaning and lack of confidence in wet conditions.
- Run-flat variants were specifically noted for a harsh ride quality and difficulty in achieving proper balance.
- Some drivers experienced uneven shoulder wear despite having proper wheel alignment performed.
The Kumho Ecsta PS71 is widely regarded as a high-value, mid-range performance tire that offers impressive wet and dry grip, often rivaling more expensive premium brands. While most users praise its handling and affordability, a subset of owners reports significant issues with road noise, inconsistent manufacturing quality, and occasional balancing difficulties.
Pros
- Excellent wet and dry traction
- High value-for-money proposition
- Predictable handling and cornering feedback
- Strong aquaplaning resistance
Cons
- Reports of road noise and droning at highway speeds
- Inconsistent manufacturing quality (balancing issues and 'egg-shaped' tires)
- Soft sidewall construction leading to a 'floaty' or unstable feel for some drivers
- Variable tread life depending on vehicle type and driving style
Observations
- Users with high-torque RWD vehicles (e.g., BMW, Jaguar) generally report high satisfaction with grip levels, though some note faster rear-tire wear.
- Owners of smaller, lighter vehicles (e.g., MX-5) occasionally report a 'floaty' sensation due to tread block movement, which can be unsettling during spirited driving.
- Some users on larger rim sizes (19-20 inch) report increased road noise and sensitivity to road imperfections.
Community buzz
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Firestone Firehawk SZ90
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta PS71
Community discussions regarding the Kumho Ecsta PS71 generally present it as a solid, budget-friendly ultra-high-performance (UHP) summer tire offering good value, though opinions on its limits vary. Some users praise its handling transformations and decent wet/dry grip for spirited driving, while others note it feels merely adequate or mediocre until warmed up, preferring premium alternatives when budget permits.
r/tires
·5 upvotes ·2022-10-17
“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
r/TyreReviews
·3 upvotes ·2026-03-08
“Between those I'd go with the Premiumcontact 7 or the ZE320 if you want to save some money. The continental seems to be serious competition for premium UHP tyres, afaik it gets similar results to the PS5 in tests. I wouldn't touch any of the sporty tyres mentioned, except for the PS71 which I still wouldn't take over the Continental.”
r/TyreReviews
·2 upvotes ·2024-10-25
“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.”
r/TeslaUK
·2 upvotes ·2026-08-28
“go with Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV around £140 – £165. Good value for money”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Value for money#Tire wear and longevity#UHP performance characteristics#Comparison with premium brands#Sidewall width and markings#Tire pressure management
Based on 19 community posts
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Firestone Firehawk SZ90 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer High Performance tires | Summer Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Firestone
77
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 83 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 74 vs 60 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 79 vs 69 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 81 vs 76 on dry.
Tire A · Firestone Firehawk SZ90
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
More comparisons
Also compared with
Firestone Firehawk SZ90 also compared with
Kumho Ecsta PS71 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.