81
/ 100
Objective (60%)
78/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
80/100
38 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho Ecsta HS51 vs Pirelli Cinturato P7 — 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
76
/ 100
Objective (60%)
81/100
6 professional tests
User signal (40%)
73/100
188 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better dry, treadwear and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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 HS51 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | 76 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 83 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 93 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 92% | 94% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 99% | 99% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 86 | 87 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 73 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 93 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 97% | 96% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 100% | 97% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Cinturato P7 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 92 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 81 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 74 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 94 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Cinturato P7 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 70 | 72 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 90 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 75 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 69 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 86 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Ecsta HS51 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta HS51 | Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 75 |
| DriverReviews owners | 82 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta HS51 | Pirelli Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 76 |
| Dry | 88 | 79 |
| Wet | 85 | 81 |
| Comfort | 84 | 85 |
| Noise | 70 | 72 |
| Treadwear | 77 | 69 |
| Handling | 80 | 75 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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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Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
81
/ 100
Tire A
76
/ 100
Tire B
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.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 94% #4/10 · 2020 Teknikens 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test | -2.4 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 99% #2/12 · 2023 Best SUV Tyres Tested | +0.1 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 75% #20/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 89% #7/12 · 2023 Best SUV Tyres Tested | -13.6 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 97% #5/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 98% #4/16 · 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test | -0.9 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 50% #2/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 97% #10/12 · 2023 Best SUV Tyres Tested | -46.3 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 88% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 72% #11/12 · 2020 ADAC SUV Summer Tyre Test | +15.5 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 17% #6/12 · 2023 Best SUV Tyres Tested | +83.3 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test | 0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 96% #5/16 · 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test | +0.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 97% #14/16 · 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test | +3.1 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Kumho Ecsta HS51 is widely regarded as a high-value, budget-friendly tire that offers performance comparable to premium brands for daily driving. While most users praise its wet and dry grip, comfort, and longevity, a subset of reviewers reports inconsistent experiences regarding sidewall stiffness and rapid tread wear.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium competitors
- Strong wet and dry traction for daily commuting
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Impressive tread life for many users, often exceeding 30,000 miles
Cons
- Reports of soft sidewalls leading to handling 'wobble' or lack of feedback
- Inconsistent tread wear, with some users reporting premature failure
- Occasional issues with aquaplaning in heavy rain
- Not recommended for high-performance or aggressive cornering
Observations
- Users with heavier vehicles or those driving at high speeds noted concerns regarding sidewall stability and cornering precision.
- Drivers of compact and mid-sized sedans generally report the highest satisfaction regarding noise levels and overall comfort.
The Pirelli Cinturato P7 is widely regarded as a competent, comfort-oriented touring tire that excels in dry weather conditions and offers a quiet, refined ride. While many users praise its longevity and road manners, a significant portion of the user base reports inconsistent performance in wet conditions, rapid tread wear, and susceptibility to sidewall damage, particularly with run-flat variants.
Pros
- Excellent dry weather grip and predictable handling
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Strong fuel efficiency and low rolling resistance
- Good overall durability for long-distance touring
Cons
- Inconsistent or poor wet weather traction
- Premature tread wear and rapid performance degradation over time
- Weak sidewall construction prone to bulges and punctures
- Noticeable drop in performance as the tire ages
Observations
- Users with run-flat versions frequently report a harsh, noisy ride and increased susceptibility to pothole damage compared to non-run-flat alternatives.
- Drivers of performance-oriented compacts (e.g., Mini Cooper, VW Golf) often find the sidewalls too soft for spirited driving, leading to excessive roll and lack of feedback.
- Owners of heavy SUVs and high-torque vehicles report significantly faster tread wear and occasional tire deformation.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta HS51 | B · Pirelli Cinturato P7 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Premium Touring tires | Premium Touring Summer tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 48 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 11/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 260 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 44 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
81
/ 100
Kumho
76
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better dry, treadwear and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 88 vs 79 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 77 vs 69 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 80 vs 75 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 85 vs 81 on wet.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta HS51
Tire B · Pirelli Cinturato P7
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho Ecsta HS51 also compared with
Pirelli Cinturato P7 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.