78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
67/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
81/100
32 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
General Altimax Sport vs Kumho Ecsta HS51 — 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
82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
78/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
80/100
38 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better dry, wet and comfort. Pick the General Altimax Sport if treadwear matters most to you.
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 HS51 leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Sport | Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 64 | 89 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 87 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 92% | 92% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 14
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Sport | Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 65 | 86 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 83 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 88% | 75% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Sport | Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 84 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Sport | Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 70 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Altimax Sport leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Sport | Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 77 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Sport | Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 80 |
| DriverReviews owners | – | 82 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Sport | Kumho Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 78 | 82 |
| Dry | 70 | 88 |
| Wet | 71 | 85 |
| Comfort | 80 | 84 |
| Noise | – | 70 |
| Treadwear | 87 | 77 |
| Handling | 78 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
78
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
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 | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% #33/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | 92% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | -0.1 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 4% #23/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | 13% #8/16 · 2018 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 | -8.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 88% #19/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | 75% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | +13.1 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The General Altimax Sport is widely regarded as a high-value, mid-range tire that offers a compelling balance of longevity and reliable daily performance. While most users praise its durability and dry-weather handling, opinions on noise levels and wet-weather confidence are polarized, with some drivers finding them excellent and others noting a decline in performance as the tread wears.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
- Impressive tread life and durability
- Reliable dry-weather handling and responsiveness
- Consistent performance as a mid-range alternative to Continental
Cons
- Increased road noise as the tire ages
- Inconsistent wet-weather grip for some users
- Performance degradation noted after significant mileage
- Struggles to maintain traction under high-torque acceleration
Observations
- Users with high-torque, front-wheel-drive vehicles reported difficulty with traction during hard acceleration.
- Drivers of smaller hatchbacks, such as the Skoda Fabia and VW Golf, frequently cited the tire as a quiet and long-lasting upgrade over budget alternatives.
The Kumho Ecsta HS51 is widely regarded as a high-value, budget-friendly tire that offers performance comparable to premium brands for daily driving. While most users praise its wet and dry grip, comfort, and longevity, a subset of reviewers reports inconsistent experiences regarding sidewall stiffness and rapid tread wear.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium competitors
- Strong wet and dry traction for daily commuting
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Impressive tread life for many users, often exceeding 30,000 miles
Cons
- Reports of soft sidewalls leading to handling 'wobble' or lack of feedback
- Inconsistent tread wear, with some users reporting premature failure
- Occasional issues with aquaplaning in heavy rain
- Not recommended for high-performance or aggressive cornering
Observations
- Users with heavier vehicles or those driving at high speeds noted concerns regarding sidewall stability and cornering precision.
- Drivers of compact and mid-sized sedans generally report the highest satisfaction regarding noise levels and overall comfort.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Sport | B · Kumho Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Summer Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
78
/ 100
General
82
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better dry, wet and comfort. Pick the General Altimax Sport if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 88 vs 70 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 85 vs 71 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
General Altimax Sport scores 87 vs 77 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 84 vs 80 on comfort.
Tire A · General Altimax Sport
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta HS51
More comparisons
Also compared with
General Altimax Sport also compared with
Kumho Ecsta HS51 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.