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Kumho Ecsta V720 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — 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.
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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
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta V720 | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 90 |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta V720 | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 54 | 88 |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta V720 | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 45 | 82 |
Noise
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta V720 | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 50 | 73 |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta V720 | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 94 | 84 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta V720 | Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 90 |
| Dry | 93 | 88 |
| Wet | 54 | 88 |
| Comfort | 45 | 92 |
| Noise | – | 92 |
| Treadwear | 50 | 88 |
| Handling | 94 | 94 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Tire A
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Kumho Ecsta V720 is widely regarded as a high-value extreme performance tire that excels in dry-weather traction and steering feedback. While users appreciate its competitive pricing and capability for spirited street or casual track use, the trade-offs include rapid tread wear and significant road noise, which may deter those seeking a refined daily driving experience.
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip and traction for high-horsepower vehicles
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Precise steering feedback and firm sidewall construction
- Reliable performance for spirited street driving and casual track days
Cons
- High levels of road noise
- Rapid tread wear
- Inconsistent wet weather performance, with some reports of hydroplaning
- Lack of comfort for daily commuting
Observations
- High-horsepower rear-wheel-drive vehicles (350hp-500hp) report excellent straight-line and cornering traction.
- Lightweight vehicles (sub-1 ton) may experience more pronounced issues with wet-weather grip and road noise.
The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 (PS3) is widely regarded as a high-performance summer tire that excels in wet-weather confidence and ride comfort. While many users praise its ability to transform vehicle handling and provide a quiet, stable driving experience, a significant portion of the user base reports concerns regarding rapid tread wear and soft sidewalls that may feel less precise during aggressive cornering.
Pros
- Exceptional wet-weather grip and hydroplaning resistance
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Predictable and progressive handling characteristics
- Strong dry-weather traction for daily spirited driving
Cons
- Rapid tread wear, particularly on high-torque or front-wheel-drive vehicles
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a 'squishy' or vague feel during extreme cornering
- High price point relative to longevity
- Performance degradation as the tire reaches the end of its tread life
Observations
- Users with hot hatches and performance-oriented FWD vehicles frequently report faster-than-expected front tire wear.
- Drivers transitioning from run-flat tires to the PS3 consistently note a dramatic improvement in ride quality and noise reduction.
- Some owners of heavier, high-torque vehicles noted that the soft sidewalls can feel less stable under heavy load compared to dedicated track-focused tires.
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Kumho Ecsta V720
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 (PS3) is largely viewed as an older generation tire, often overshadowed by its successor, the PS4. While some users consider buying discounted warehouse stock for daily driving or note limited size availability, others strongly advise against choosing the PS3 when newer iterations are available. (Note: Several posts in the discussion confuse the tire with the PlayStation 3 gaming console.)
“Michelin PS3 MO1 vs Pirelli Pzero MO About to order 4 new tires for this 2012 Mercedes CLS500 SB (X218), but tire choices are quite limited. Sizes: 255/40R18 99Y front 285/35R18 97Y rear Currently running Pirelli Pzero MO on all corners, which are in desperate need of replacement. Unfortunately, Michelin PS4, PS5 or PS4S are not available in both these sizes in Europe. The PS4 has been quite an improvement over the PS3 iirc, so it feels wrong to go for the PS3. However, the Pirelli Pzero MO isn’t the newest PZ5 iteration nor the previous PZ4 I suppose. So… Should we go for another set of Pirelli Pzero or the Michelin PS3? (PFA) Read more”
“Is the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 a good choice for a daily driver? I've been considering changing my tires to Michelin Primacy 4 for my Mazda 2. I've been quoted with Michelin Pilot Sport 3 ones with manufacturing date of mid 2024 for 25% less, that the garage wants to clear from their warehouse. Is this an overkill? Edit: Thank you all for your help. I went with the PS3 and it seems that it was a good choice. Read more”
“~2000 miles into a set of PS3 all seasons, plug or leave in?”
Based on 10 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta V720 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Extreme Performance tires | Summer Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
Kumho
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — better comfort, treadwear and wet. Pick the Kumho Ecsta V720 if dry matters most to you.
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 92 vs 45 on comfort.
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 88 vs 50 on treadwear.
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 88 vs 54 on wet.
Kumho Ecsta V720 scores 93 vs 88 on dry.
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.