Kumho Ecsta KU39 vs Fulda SportControl
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Fulda SportControl finished ahead 5 times and the Ecsta KU39 not once.
Performance profile
Their shared tests recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart shows what owners rate each tire on every question.
Where owners rate each higher
Ecsta KU39
Not ahead in any category
SportControl
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Ecsta KU39 79% from 125 reviews and the SportControl 86% from 41. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Head to head in 5 tests, 2011 to 2014
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Ecsta KU39 | Field | SportControl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Auto Bild Top 15 Summer Tire Test | P8 of 15 | P4 of 15 | |
| 2014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tire Shootout | P13 of 50 | P9 of 50 | |
| 2012 Auto Bild Max Performance Tire Test | P15 of 15 | P10 of 15 | |
| 2012 Autobild 50 Tire Braking Test | P15 of 50 | P10 of 50 | |
| 2011 AMS Ultra High Performance Tire Test | P11 of 11 | P7 of 11 |
Ecsta KU39 vs SportControl: your questions
Is the Kumho Ecsta KU39 or the Fulda SportControl the better tire?
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Fulda SportControl finished ahead 5 times and the Ecsta KU39 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Ecsta KU39 scores 8.2 and the SportControl 8.6 out of 10.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.1/10 for the Ecsta KU39 and 8.6/10 for the SportControl.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Ecsta KU39 79% from 125 reviews and the SportControl 86% from 41. 78% of Ecsta KU39 owners would buy it again, against 90% for the SportControl.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Ecsta KU39 is made in 32 sizes (16 to 20 inch) and the SportControl in 3 (16 to 16 inch). 1 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Ecsta KU39 is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the SportControl B and D.
Which is the newer tire?
The SportControl is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the Ecsta KU39 in 2009.
More comparisons with these tires
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.