Kumho Ecsta PS71 review
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.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
77%By road tests
83.7%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 84 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
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
Worth knowing
- 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.
15 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance tire Test · 225/40 R18
6th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 20 | |
| Wet Circle | 5th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 9th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 12th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 15th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 2nd of 20 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 11th of 20 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 10th of 20 | |
| Noise | 20th of 20 | |
| Value | 2nd of 20 | |
| Wear | 5th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 7th of 20 |
2025 ADAC Summer tire Test · 225/40 R18
13th of 18
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 18 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 18 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 18 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 6th of 18 | |
| Noise | 17th of 18 | |
| Value | 11th of 18 | |
| Wear | 14th of 18 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 17th of 18 | |
| Abrasion | 14th of 18 | |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | 5th of 18 |
2025 Summer tire Test Shootout · 225/40 R18
4th of 52
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 52 | |
| Dry Braking | 9th of 52 |
2023 AutoBild UHP Summer tire Test · 225/45 R18
6th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 8th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 15th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 9th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 15th of 20 | |
| Noise | 20th of 20 | |
| Value | 8th of 20 | |
| Price | 6th of 20 | |
| Wear | 12th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 7th of 20 |
2023 Summer tire Market Overview · 225/45 R18
12th of 48
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 48 | |
| Dry Braking | 15th of 48 |
2022 Tyre Reviews UUHP Summer tire Test · 255/35 R19
6th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 7th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 10 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 1st of 10 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 8th of 10 | |
| Noise | 9th of 10 |
2021 ADAC Summer tire Test - 225/50 R17 · 225/50 R17
3rd of 17
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 17 |
2020 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 245/45 R18
17th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 16th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 17th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 18th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 2nd of 20 | |
| Noise | 13th of 20 | |
| Value | 16th of 20 | |
| Price | 2nd of 20 | |
| Wear | 20th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 19th of 20 |
2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer tire Test · 225/40 R18
10th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wear | 14th of 16 |
2020 tire Market Overview Braking Test · 245/45 R18
5th of 49
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 49 | |
| Dry Braking | 18th of 49 |
2019 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17
20th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 13th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 12th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 12th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 19th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 6th of 20 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 10th of 20 | |
| Noise | 19th of 20 | |
| Value | 19th of 20 | |
| Price | 4th of 20 | |
| Wear | 20th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 20th of 20 |
2019 Summer 53 tire Braking Shootout · 225/45 R17
18th of 45
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 13th of 45 | |
| Dry Braking | 28th of 45 |
2018 Ace 235/45 R18 Summer tire Test · 235/45 R18
2nd of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 Test World Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17
10th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 12th of 16 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 16 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 7th of 16 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 13th of 16 | |
| Noise | 7th of 16 |
2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP tire Test · 245/30 R20
7th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 7th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 8 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 2nd of 8 | |
| Noise | 7th of 8 |
Kumho Ecsta PS71 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Sidewall | Blackwall |
| Size | Retailer |
|---|---|
| 195/55 R16 | Amazon |
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What owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of the scores above.
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.
From 19 threads and comments.