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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Kumho Ecsta LE Sport 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.

Tire A Kumho

Kumho Ecsta LE Sport

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Kumho Ecsta LE Sport tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
71/100
43 owner reviews
Dry
81
Wet
76
Comfort
78
Noise
–
Treadwear
72
Handling
72

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Kumho

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Kumho Ecsta PS71 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
84/100
13 professional tests
User signal (40%)
77/100
84 owner reviews
Dry
81
Wet
83
Comfort
74
Noise
92
Treadwear
71
Handling
79

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet and handling. Pick the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport if comfort matters most to you.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
81
B — Kumho Ecsta PS71
81
Why this score
SourceEcsta LE SportEcsta PS71
Professional tests (TWG score) – 79
Tyre Reviews owners 77 85

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Ecsta PS71 leads by 7
A — Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
76
B — Kumho Ecsta PS71
83
Why this score
SourceEcsta LE SportEcsta PS71
Professional tests (TWG score) – 85
Tyre Reviews owners 72 80

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta LE Sport leads by 4
A — Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
78
B — Kumho Ecsta PS71
74
Why this score
SourceEcsta LE SportEcsta PS71
Professional tests (TWG score) – 74
Tyre Reviews owners 74 73

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
–
B — Kumho Ecsta PS71
92
Why this score
SourceEcsta LE SportEcsta PS71
Professional tests (TWG score) – 92

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Ecsta LE Sport leads by 1
A — Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
72
B — Kumho Ecsta PS71
71
Why this score
SourceEcsta LE SportEcsta PS71
Tyre Reviews owners 70 71

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta PS71 leads by 7
A — Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
72
B — Kumho Ecsta PS71
79
Why this score
SourceEcsta LE SportEcsta PS71
Tyre Reviews owners 72 79
DriverReviews owners – 82

Scores at a glance

Kumho Ecsta LE Sport vs Kumho Ecsta PS71: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta LE SportKumho Ecsta PS71
Relative Score 75 77
Dry 81 81
Wet 76 83
Comfort 78 74
Noise – 92
Treadwear 72 71
Handling 72 79

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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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 10% #10/11 · 2018 Auto Review 225/45 R17 Tyre Test 14% #7/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test -4.3 Different tests
From owners

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Kumho Ecsta LE Sport

The Kumho Ecsta LE Sport is widely regarded as a high-value performance tire that punches above its price point, offering impressive dry and wet grip for spirited driving. While many users praise its handling characteristics and comfort, opinions are polarized regarding its long-term durability and road noise, with some reports of inconsistent tread wear and sidewall fragility.

Pros

  • Excellent price-to-performance ratio
  • Strong dry and wet traction
  • Predictable, progressive handling at the limit
  • Improved ride comfort compared to some OEM alternatives

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life across different vehicle setups
  • Reports of sidewall weakness and bubbling
  • Increased road noise on imperfect surfaces
  • Performance drop-off as the tire reaches the end of its tread life

Observations

  • Users with high-torque, front-wheel-drive vehicles frequently reported accelerated front-tire wear.
  • Drivers of heavier vehicles (e.g., Alfa Romeo 159) noted that the tire performs well initially but may struggle with the vehicle's weight over time.
  • Owners of performance-oriented cars (e.g., Golf R, Audi RS4) noted that the tire provides excellent value for rear-axle fitments.
Tire B Kumho Ecsta PS71

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

Kumho Ecsta LE Sport

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Mixed

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.

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 · Kumho Ecsta LE Sport B · Kumho Ecsta PS71
CategorySummer Ultra High Performance tiresSummer Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sidewall—Blackwall
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho

Kumho

Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better wet and handling. Pick the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport if comfort matters most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 83 vs 76 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 79 vs 72 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta LE Sport scores 78 vs 74 on comfort.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta LE Sport
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS71

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.