87
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
88/100
18 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Firestone Firehawk AS vs Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 — 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.
VS
83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
86/100
15 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Firestone Firehawk AS — better handling, treadwear and wet. Pick the Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 if snow matters 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
Score (0–100)
Firehawk AS leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk AS | Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 97 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Firehawk AS leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk AS | Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 50 | 47 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 90 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Ecsta STX KL12 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk AS | Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 45 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Firehawk AS leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk AS | Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 92 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Ecsta STX KL12 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk AS | Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 92 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Firehawk AS leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk AS | Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Firehawk AS leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Firehawk AS | Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 60 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Firehawk AS | Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 87 | 83 |
| Dry | 94 | 91 |
| Wet | 87 | 81 |
| Snow | 79 | 87 |
| Comfort | 94 | 89 |
| Noise | 90 | 92 |
| Treadwear | 92 | 83 |
| Handling | 70 | 60 |
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
87
/ 100
Tire A
83
/ 100
Tire B
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Firestone FireHawk AS is generally regarded as a high-value, sporty all-season tire that offers impressive dry grip and handling characteristics. While many users praise its longevity and aesthetic appeal, there is a notable divide regarding its wet-weather performance, with some users reporting significant concerns regarding hydroplaning.
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and durability
- Strong dry traction and cornering stability
- Attractive aesthetic design
- High value-to-price ratio
- Responsive steering feedback and sidewall stiffness
Cons
- Significant concerns regarding hydroplaning in heavy rain
- Potential for tread cracking after extended high-mileage use
- Availability issues at local retail outlets
Observations
- Owners of RWD performance vehicles like the Ford Mustang and Infiniti G35 report high satisfaction with cornering and handling.
- The tire demonstrates robust durability on high-torque FWD vehicles, effectively resisting belt shifting compared to other brands.
- Drivers of heavy, body-on-frame sedans appreciate the increased sidewall stiffness for improved steering feedback.
The Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 is widely regarded as a high-value tire that offers impressive longevity and reliable grip for the price point. While most users report high satisfaction with its performance and durability, a minority of drivers have experienced issues with traction, particularly on specific luxury SUV platforms.
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- High tread life and durability
- Strong wet weather grip and cornering stability
- Deep initial tread depth
Cons
- Potential for increased road noise over time
- Inconsistent traction performance on certain vehicle chassis
- Accelerated wear on poor road surfaces
Observations
- Users driving the BMW X3 reported significant traction issues, suggesting the tire may not be well-suited for the handling characteristics of certain performance-oriented SUVs.
- Drivers report high mileage longevity, with some users claiming up to 75,000 miles of service.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Firestone Firehawk AS | B · Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season High Performance tires | Summer High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 4 | 7 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 18″ | 18″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | 11.5/32″ |
| UTQG | 480 A A | 420 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | 50,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
87
/ 100
Firestone
83
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Firestone Firehawk AS — better handling, treadwear and wet. Pick the Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Firestone Firehawk AS scores 70 vs 60 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Firestone Firehawk AS scores 92 vs 83 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 scores 87 vs 79 on snow.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Firestone Firehawk AS scores 87 vs 81 on wet.
Tire A · Firestone Firehawk AS
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta STX KL12
More comparisons
Also compared with
Firestone Firehawk AS also compared with
Kumho Ecsta STX KL12 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.