74
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
78/100
13 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Hankook Kinergy 4S vs Kumho Ecsta 712 — 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
57
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
52/100
10 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Hankook Kinergy 4S — better wet, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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Category breakdown
7 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)
Kinergy 4S leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 70 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 69 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Kinergy 4S leads by 35
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 77 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 42 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 69 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Kinergy 4S leads by 27
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 50 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 95 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ecsta 712 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 72 | 74 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Kinergy 4S leads by 21
Why this score
| Source | Kinergy 4S | Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 47 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Kinergy 4S | Kumho Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 57 |
| Dry | 75 | 69 |
| Wet | 77 | 42 |
| Snow | 79 | – |
| Comfort | 77 | 50 |
| Noise | 95 | – |
| Treadwear | 72 | 74 |
| Handling | 68 | 47 |
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
74
/ 100
Tire A
57
/ 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 Hankook Kinergy 4S is generally regarded as a highly capable all-season tire, particularly praised for its impressive performance in wet, cold, and snowy conditions. While many users report excellent traction and safety in adverse weather, the tire receives mixed feedback regarding its tread longevity and consistency in dry-weather handling.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and stability in wet and torrential rain conditions
- Strong performance in snow and slush, often cited as a viable alternative to dedicated winter tires
- High value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Reliable emergency braking performance on slick surfaces
Cons
- Reports of premature tread wear and shorter-than-expected service life
- Inconsistent dry-road handling and feedback compared to dedicated summer tires
- Occasional reports of poor traction on greasy or specific wet road surfaces
- Increased road noise noted by some users
Observations
- Users of compact SUVs, such as the Honda CR-V, have reported significantly lower tread life than expected for the vehicle class.
- Drivers of performance-oriented vehicles, such as the Civic Type R, noted a trade-off in lateral grip and steering feedback when switching from dedicated summer tires.
The Kumho Ecsta 712 is widely regarded as a budget-oriented tire that offers acceptable performance in dry conditions but suffers from significant safety concerns in wet weather. While some users appreciate its value and longevity, the consensus among enthusiasts and daily drivers alike is that its unpredictable handling and poor traction in rain make it a subpar choice compared to premium alternatives.
Pros
- Highly competitive price point
- Better-than-average tread life compared to some premium performance tires
- Acceptable dry weather handling for casual driving
- Low road noise reported by some users
Cons
- Dangerous and unpredictable wet weather traction
- High levels of road noise and harsh ride quality
- Poor steering feedback and tendency for understeer/oversteer
- Reports of premature structural failure, such as tires going 'out of round'
Observations
- High-horsepower vehicles (e.g., R33 Skyline, 300+ bhp coupes) frequently report dangerous handling characteristics in wet conditions.
- Users noted a measurable drop in fuel economy immediately following installation.
- The tire compound appears to harden significantly as it wears, leading to a drastic reduction in performance over time.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Kinergy 4S | B · Kumho Ecsta 712 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season High Performance tires | All Season High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Hankook
57
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Hankook Kinergy 4S — better wet, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Kinergy 4S scores 77 vs 42 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Hankook Kinergy 4S scores 77 vs 50 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Kinergy 4S scores 68 vs 47 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Kinergy 4S scores 75 vs 69 on dry.
Tire A · Hankook Kinergy 4S
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta 712
More comparisons
Also compared with
Hankook Kinergy 4S also compared with
Kumho Ecsta 712 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.