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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP — 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 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.

VS
Tire B Nexen

Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP

Summer High Performance tires

Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
30/100
1 owner review
Dry
60
Wet
30
Comfort
30
Noise
–
Treadwear
–
Handling
10

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better handling, wet and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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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) Ecsta PS71 leads by 21
A — Kumho Ecsta PS71
81
B — Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
60
Why this score
SourceEcsta PS71ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
Professional tests (TWG score) 79 –
Tyre Reviews owners 85 60

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Ecsta PS71 leads by 53
A — Kumho Ecsta PS71
83
B — Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
30
Why this score
SourceEcsta PS71ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
Professional tests (TWG score) 85 –
Tyre Reviews owners 80 30

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta PS71 leads by 44
A — Kumho Ecsta PS71
74
B — Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
30
Why this score
SourceEcsta PS71ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
Professional tests (TWG score) 74 –
Tyre Reviews owners 73 30

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Kumho Ecsta PS71
92
B — Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
–
Why this score
SourceEcsta PS71ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
Professional tests (TWG score) 92 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100)
A — Kumho Ecsta PS71
71
B — Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
–
Why this score
SourceEcsta PS71ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
Tyre Reviews owners 71 –

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta PS71 leads by 69
A — Kumho Ecsta PS71
79
B — Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
10
Why this score
SourceEcsta PS71ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
Tyre Reviews owners 79 10
DriverReviews owners 82 –

Scores at a glance

Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta PS71Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
Relative Score 80 32
Dry 81 60
Wet 83 30
Comfort 74 30
Noise 92 –
Treadwear 71 –
Handling 79 10

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

Tire A

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.

Tire A 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.
Tire B Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP

The Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP receives highly critical feedback, with users reporting significant deficiencies in handling, traction, and structural integrity. The consensus suggests that the tire fails to meet the performance expectations of an Ultra High Performance category, leading to a poor driving experience and safety concerns.

Cons

  • Severe lack of traction and grip
  • Excessive road noise
  • Poor structural integrity and sidewall stability
  • Unpredictable handling and excessive understeer

Observations

  • Users reported significant instability and swaying during direction changes when the tires were mounted on the rear axle.
  • The tire's soft construction was noted to cause handling issues even at moderate speeds, requiring electronic stability control intervention.
Community buzz

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

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

Tire B

Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP

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

Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta PS71 B · Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP
CategorySummer Ultra High Performance tiresSummer High Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
SidewallBlackwall—
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho

Nexen

Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS71 — better handling, wet and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 79 vs 10 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 83 vs 30 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 74 vs 30 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 81 vs 60 on dry.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire B · Nexen ArrowSpeed Performance UHP

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.