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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Hankook Ventus R-S4 vs Kumho Ecsta V730 — Compared (May 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.

Tire A Hankook

Hankook Ventus R-S4

Hankook Ventus R-S4 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
81/100
20 owner reviews
Dry
87
Wet
72
Snow
–
Comfort
61
Noise
–
Treadwear
86
Handling
88
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Kumho

Kumho Ecsta V730

Summer Extreme Performance tires

Kumho Ecsta V730 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
84/100
187 owner reviews
Dry
92
Wet
53
Snow
65
Comfort
73
Noise
85
Treadwear
75
Handling
88
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Hankook Ventus R-S4 — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Ecsta V730 if comfort and dry matter most to you.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta V730 leads by 5
A
87
B
92
Why this score
SourceVentus R-S4Ecsta V730
Tire Rack owners 91 91
Tyre Reviews owners 87 94
SimpleTire owners – 98

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Ventus R-S4 leads by 19
A
72
B
53
Why this score
SourceVentus R-S4Ecsta V730
Tire Rack owners 71 53
Tyre Reviews owners 72 48
SimpleTire owners – 55

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
–
B
65
Why this score
SourceVentus R-S4Ecsta V730
SimpleTire owners – 65

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta V730 leads by 12
A
61
B
73
Why this score
SourceVentus R-S4Ecsta V730
Tire Rack owners 75 73
Tyre Reviews owners 61 66
SimpleTire owners – 84

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
–
B
85
Why this score
SourceVentus R-S4Ecsta V730
SimpleTire owners – 85

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Ventus R-S4 leads by 11
A
86
B
75
Why this score
SourceVentus R-S4Ecsta V730
Tire Rack owners 87 75
Tyre Reviews owners 86 64
SimpleTire owners – 84

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
88
B
88
Why this score
SourceVentus R-S4Ecsta V730
Tyre Reviews owners 88 88

Scores at a glance

CategoryHankook Ventus R-S4Kumho Ecsta V730
Relative Score 79 73
Dry 87 92
Wet 72 53
Snow – 65
Comfort 61 73
Noise – 85
Treadwear 86 75
Handling 88 88

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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Important
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

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.

DisciplineCategoryTire ATire BΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 25% #4/8 · 2021 Track Day 200TW Tyre Test 17% #6/8 · 2021 Track Day 200TW Tyre Test +8.3 Same test
From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Hankook Ventus R-S4

The Hankook Ventus RS4 is widely regarded as the industry benchmark for endurance-focused extreme performance summer tires. While it may not offer the absolute peak grip of specialized autocross tires, it is highly praised for its exceptional tread life, heat consistency, and value, making it a favorite for HPDE participants and endurance racers.

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability under heavy track abuse
  • High value-to-performance ratio compared to more expensive competitors
  • Consistent dry grip and performance throughout the tire's lifespan
  • Predictable handling and excellent steering feedback
  • Strong heat resistance during long track sessions

Cons

  • Requires significant time and effort to reach optimal operating temperatures
  • Increased road noise and harsh ride quality compared to standard tires
  • Reduced traction in cold or wet conditions
  • Potential fitment issues due to narrow section width relative to nominal size

Observations

  • Lightweight FWD vehicles report excellent handling characteristics and high confidence with this tire.
  • Users note that the tire's sidewall width runs narrow, which may leave rims exposed if sized based on standard tire width expectations.
Tire B Kumho Ecsta V730

The Kumho Ecsta V730 is widely regarded as a high-value, 'budget-friendly' 200TW tire that excels in dry track and autocross environments. While it may not reach the absolute peak lap times of top-tier 'Super 200' competitors, it offers exceptional consistency, heat tolerance, and longevity, making it a favorite for HPDE enthusiasts and budget-conscious racers.

Pros

  • Excellent dry grip and predictable handling characteristics at the limit.
  • High heat tolerance with minimal 'greasy' drop-off during long track sessions.
  • Superior tread life and durability compared to many direct 200TW competitors.
  • Highly competitive price point offering significant value for money.
  • Stiff sidewalls provide sharp, responsive turn-in and steering precision.

Cons

  • Poor wet weather performance, particularly with standing water or worn tread.
  • Requires significant heat to reach optimal operating temperature, making them poor for cold-weather street use.
  • Harsh ride quality and high road noise due to the stiff sidewall construction.
  • Inconsistent performance when cold, leading to potential traction loss on street starts.

Observations

  • Users with camber-limited vehicles (e.g., stock-class FWD cars) report that the stiff sidewalls and shoulder design handle limited negative camber well, resulting in even wear.
  • Heavy vehicles (3500lbs+) note that while the tire handles the weight well, it requires careful pressure management to avoid overheating or premature shoulder wear.
  • Drivers of lightweight platforms (e.g., Miata) report exceptional longevity, often getting an entire season of track and autocross use from a single set.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Ventus R-S4 B · Kumho Ecsta V730
Category—Summer Extreme Performance tires
Sizes available—6
Rim diameters—15″ – 19″
Tread depth—8.5/32″
UTQG—200 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook

Kumho

Winner: Hankook Ventus R-S4 — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Ecsta V730 if comfort and dry matter most to you.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Hankook Ventus R-S4 scores 72 vs 53 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta V730 scores 73 vs 61 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Hankook Ventus R-S4 scores 86 vs 75 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta V730 scores 92 vs 87 on dry.

Tire A · Hankook Ventus R-S4
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta V730
Check price on Amazon

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.