77
/ 100
Objective (60%)
84/100
13 professional tests
User signal (40%)
77/100
84 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho Ecsta PS71 vs Vredestein Sportrac 2 — 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
81
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
78/100
7 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Vredestein Sportrac 2 — better treadwear and wet. Pick the Kumho Ecsta PS71 if comfort and dry matter 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
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS71 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS71 | Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 76 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Sportrac 2 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS71 | Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 86 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS71 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS71 | Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 74 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 66 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS71 | Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 92 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Sportrac 2 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS71 | Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 71 | 87 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS71 | Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 79 |
| DriverReviews owners | 82 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS71 | Vredestein Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 81 |
| Dry | 81 | 76 |
| Wet | 83 | 86 |
| Comfort | 74 | 66 |
| Noise | 92 | – |
| Treadwear | 71 | 87 |
| Handling | 79 | 79 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
77
/ 100
Tire A
81
/ 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 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.
The Vredestein Sportrac 2 receives a polarized reception, with many users praising its exceptional wet weather performance, predictable handling, and impressive longevity. However, a segment of users reports significant dissatisfaction regarding road noise and a lack of steering precision, suggesting that the tire's performance characteristics may vary depending on driving style and vehicle application.
Pros
- Excellent wet weather grip and braking performance
- High durability and long tread life
- Predictable and responsive handling characteristics
- Good value for the price point
Cons
- Noticeable road noise, particularly during deceleration
- Lack of steering feedback and precision for spirited driving
- Inconsistent performance reports among different users
Observations
- Long-term users on older, heavier sedans like the Ford Granada reported excellent traction across various weather conditions, including ice and snow.
- Some users noted that the tire's comfort-oriented construction may lead to a 'soft' feel that sacrifices handling precision.
Community buzz
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Mixed
Kumho Ecsta PS71
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.
r/tires
·5 upvotes ·2022-10-17
“Those are Kumho Ecsta PS71s, thread width is supposed to be 245mm, the actual one is hardly 235. How so?”
r/TyreReviews
·3 upvotes ·2026-03-08
“Between those I'd go with the Premiumcontact 7 or the ZE320 if you want to save some money. The continental seems to be serious competition for premium UHP tyres, afaik it gets similar results to the PS5 in tests. I wouldn't touch any of the sporty tyres mentioned, except for the PS71 which I still wouldn't take over the Continental.”
r/TyreReviews
·2 upvotes ·2024-10-25
“I've had the PS71 several years ago - it was ok, nothing spectacular. They might have changed the compound now, so it may be better. Its a good tire, I don't remember any real weaknesses, it just never felt like "yeah, this sticks like glue to the road". Edit: I just remembered - it was mediocre in the city - when the tire was not warmed up, but I reckon this is shared between most sport tires with high speed rating. Once warmed up was good.”
r/TeslaUK
·2 upvotes ·2026-08-28
“go with Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV around £140 – £165. Good value for money”
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
Vredestein Sportrac 2
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS71 | B · Vredestein Sportrac 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Summer High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Kumho
81
/ 100
Vredestein
Winner: Vredestein Sportrac 2 — better treadwear and wet. Pick the Kumho Ecsta PS71 if comfort and dry matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Vredestein Sportrac 2 scores 87 vs 71 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 74 vs 66 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta PS71 scores 81 vs 76 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Vredestein Sportrac 2 scores 86 vs 83 on wet.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS71
Tire B · Vredestein Sportrac 2
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho Ecsta PS71 also compared with
Vredestein Sportrac 2 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.