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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Kumho Ecsta V730 vs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect — 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 V730

Summer Extreme Performance tires

Kumho Ecsta V730 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
84/100
187 owner reviews
Dry
92
Wet
53
Snow
65
Comfort
73
Noise
85
Treadwear
75
Handling
88

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Michelin

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect

Summer Trackday and Competition tires

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect tread pattern
Objective (60%)
77/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
94/100
1,994 owner reviews
Dry
94
Wet
88
Snow
–
Comfort
94
Noise
97
Treadwear
90
Handling
96

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect — better wet, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect leads by 2
A — Kumho Ecsta V730
92
B — Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
94
Why this score
SourceEcsta V730Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
Professional tests (TWG score) – 92
Tire Rack owners 91 –
Tyre Reviews owners 94 93
SimpleTire owners 98 –

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect leads by 35
A — Kumho Ecsta V730
53
B — Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
88
Why this score
SourceEcsta V730Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
Professional tests (TWG score) – 86
Tire Rack owners 53 –
Tyre Reviews owners 48 70
SimpleTire owners 55 –

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Kumho Ecsta V730
65
B — Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
–
Why this score
SourceEcsta V730Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
SimpleTire owners 65 –

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect leads by 21
A — Kumho Ecsta V730
73
B — Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
94
Why this score
SourceEcsta V730Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
Tire Rack owners 73 –
Tyre Reviews owners 66 76
SimpleTire owners 84 –

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect leads by 12
A — Kumho Ecsta V730
85
B — Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
97
Why this score
SourceEcsta V730Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
Professional tests (TWG score) – 100
SimpleTire owners 85 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect leads by 15
A — Kumho Ecsta V730
75
B — Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
90
Why this score
SourceEcsta V730Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
Tire Rack owners 75 –
Tyre Reviews owners 64 60
SimpleTire owners 84 –

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect leads by 8
A — Kumho Ecsta V730
88
B — Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
96
Why this score
SourceEcsta V730Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
Tyre Reviews owners 88 88

Scores at a glance

Kumho Ecsta V730 vs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta V730Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
Relative Score 75 92
Dry 92 94
Wet 53 88
Snow 65 –
Comfort 73 94
Noise 85 97
Treadwear 75 90
Handling 88 96

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.

Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Important
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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 17% #6/8 · 2021 Track Day 200TW Tyre Test 11% #9/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test +5.6 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 V730

The Kumho Ecsta V730 is widely regarded as a high-value, 'budget-friendly' 200TW tire that excels in dry track and autocross environments. While it may not reach the absolute peak lap times of top-tier 'Super 200' competitors, it offers exceptional consistency, heat tolerance, and longevity, making it a favorite for HPDE enthusiasts and budget-conscious racers.

Pros

  • Excellent dry grip and predictable handling characteristics at the limit.
  • High heat tolerance with minimal 'greasy' drop-off during long track sessions.
  • Superior tread life and durability compared to many direct 200TW competitors.
  • Highly competitive price point offering significant value for money.
  • Stiff sidewalls provide sharp, responsive turn-in and steering precision.

Cons

  • Poor wet weather performance, particularly with standing water or worn tread.
  • Requires significant heat to reach optimal operating temperature, making them poor for cold-weather street use.
  • Harsh ride quality and high road noise due to the stiff sidewall construction.
  • Inconsistent performance when cold, leading to potential traction loss on street starts.

Observations

  • Users with camber-limited vehicles (e.g., stock-class FWD cars) report that the stiff sidewalls and shoulder design handle limited negative camber well, resulting in even wear.
  • Heavy vehicles (3500lbs+) note that while the tire handles the weight well, it requires careful pressure management to avoid overheating or premature shoulder wear.
  • Drivers of lightweight platforms (e.g., Miata) report exceptional longevity, often getting an entire season of track and autocross use from a single set.
Tire B Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect is widely regarded as a premier track-focused tire that offers a sophisticated balance between extreme dry-weather performance and surprising street-legal usability. While users praise its exceptional grip, communicative feedback, and heat tolerance during high-performance driving, it remains a specialized product that demands careful management of expectations regarding tread life and wet-weather limitations.

Pros

  • Exceptional dry traction and consistent performance during track sessions.
  • Improved heat tolerance and durability compared to previous generation track tires.
  • Surprisingly high levels of comfort and lower noise levels for a tire in this performance category.
  • Predictable and progressive breakaway characteristics at the limit.
  • Stronger wet-weather performance than traditional track-only rubber.

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear, particularly when subjected to aggressive track use.
  • High price point, compounded by the additional cost of the optional Track Connect sensor kit.
  • Sticky compound prone to picking up road debris and throwing it against the vehicle body.
  • Performance significantly degrades as the tire approaches the wear bars.
  • Not suitable for cold weather or heavy snow conditions.

Observations

  • Users noted that vehicle-specific OE specifications (e.g., Porsche vs. BMW vs. standard) can result in noticeable differences in steering feel and grip levels.
  • Drivers of lighter, agile platforms (like the Honda Fit or Subaru) reported excellent rotation and track performance, while heavier vehicles may experience faster shoulder wear.
  • The 'Connect' system compatibility varies by vehicle, with some users reporting difficulty integrating the sensor kit with non-supported car models.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta V730 B · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect
CategorySummer Extreme Performance tiresSummer Trackday and Competition tires
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6—
Rim diameters15″ – 19″—
Tread depth8.5/32″—
UTQG200 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure51 psi—
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho

Michelin

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect — better wet, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect scores 88 vs 53 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect scores 94 vs 73 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect scores 90 vs 75 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect scores 97 vs 85 on noise.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta V730
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect

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.