2026 AutoView Value Sport Tire Test

AutoView has tested four of the mid-range sport summer tires that have quietly taken over the performance market in Korea. As the old budget sport tires have been retired, makers have pushed this middle tier much closer to their flagship products, so a buyer no longer has to spend premium money to get genuinely capable summer rubber. To find out how close these value options really get, AutoView fitted each tire to a Hyundai Avante N Line in 235/40 R18 and ran a full programme of dry braking, cornering, circuit lap, wet braking, rolling resistance and noise tests, backed up by subjective handling and comfort scoring.

The Continental MaxContact MC7 was the clear performance winner. It posted the shortest dry and wet braking distances, set the fastest lap of the day and had the most composed, informative handling of the group, which is enough to make it the tire to beat in this class. The surprises came further down the order: the cheapest tire on test, the Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72, recorded the highest outright cornering grip and the lowest cabin noise, while the well-known Michelin Pilot Sport 5 took the best subjective handling score and was by far the most efficient, yet set the slowest lap.

A note on timing and scoring: AutoView gathered this data in 2025 and has published it under a revised 2026 scoring system that is more forgiving of small measurement gaps and weighs price more heavily. Under those 2026 rules the running order behind the Continental shifts, with the bargain-priced Kumho climbing ahead of the more expensive Michelin into second place. It is worth adding that the Kumho has since become hard to buy in its home market after a factory fire halted domestic production, which tempers an otherwise strong value story.

Two of the dry tests need a quick explanation. The circuit lap rolls braking, cornering and acceleration into a single time and is the best guide to all-round pace, though AutoView notes that ambient temperature and the test car's cooling can move the figures. Cornering grip was measured separately as the highest average speed the car could hold on a fixed 40 metre radius skidpad before sliding, which we record here as Dry Circle Speed.

Dry Braking

The Continental was the only tire to stop from 100 km/h in under 34 metres, and it also felt the most positive under the brake pedal. The Michelin and Hankook followed within striking distance, while the Kumho needed noticeably more road to pull up, the weakest result of an otherwise grippy tire.

Dry Cornering and Handling

On the skidpad the order was turned on its head: the Kumho held the highest cornering speed, narrowly ahead of the Continental and Michelin, with the Hankook some way back. The catch is how that grip is delivered, as the Kumho lets go sharply once the limit is passed, where the Continental and Michelin slide progressively and give the driver time to react.

That difference is reflected in the subjective handling scores, where the Michelin's predictable, consistently weighted steering earned top marks just ahead of the Continental, and the Kumho and Hankook trailed for their vaguer or snappier responses.

Pulling braking, grip and acceleration together over a full lap, the Continental was clearly quickest. The Hankook took second on lap time, helped by strong corner exit, with the Kumho and Michelin close behind, the Michelin paying for its road-biased setup with the slowest time of the four.

Wet Braking

Wet stopping power separated the leaders by the smallest of margins. The Continental stopped shortest from 80 km/h, with the Michelin so close behind that AutoView treats the two as effectively equal. The Kumho and Hankook were a step back, the Hankook giving up the most road in the wet.

Comfort and Noise

For a set of sport tires these are all reasonably refined, but the Kumho was the quietest on the move, with the Michelin and Continental level a touch behind and the Hankook the most vocal of the four.

Subjectively, the Hankook rode the best, with the Continental and Kumho close together and the Michelin judged the firmest of the group.

Efficiency and Value

Rolling resistance was measured by coasting in neutral and seeing how far each tire carried the car. We have not charted that result here because the units do not map onto our rolling-resistance scale, but the order is worth knowing: the Michelin rolled furthest by a clear margin, the Hankook was close behind, and the grippier Continental and Kumho gave up the most energy, so the first two would be the kinder choices for fuel economy or electric range. On price the Kumho was the cheapest tire by a wide margin and the Michelin the dearest, which is what lifts the Kumho up the order and pushes the Michelin down once value is part of the sum.

Results

The Continental MaxContact MC7 wins this test on merit, leading the braking, lap and wet tests and backing that with the most trustworthy handling. The Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 is the value standout and the surprise of the group for outright grip and quietness, the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 remains the polished, efficient all-rounder that asks a premium, and the Hankook Ventus Evo is the comfort choice that needs more work on grip and wet safety. The full programme, including the rolling-resistance figures and AutoView's own scoring tables, is on the original article at autoview.co.kr.

1^st

Continental MaxContact MC7

235/40 R18

• Weight: 10.71 kgs
• Tread: 6.88 mm

The Continental MaxContact MC7 was the standout performer of this test on the objective measures. It recorded the shortest dry and wet braking distances of the four tires and set the quickest lap of the circuit, combining strong outright grip with brake performance that held up under repeated stops. Its steering was the most informative of the group, with consistent weight and predictable behaviour as the car was pushed beyond the limit, which made it the tire to trust for hard or sustained cornering.

The main weakness of the MaxContact MC7 is rolling resistance. It coasted less far than the efficiency-focused tires here, so on an electric or economy-minded car it would give up some range and fuel economy. That is the trade-off for its high grip, but it is the one area where it clearly trails the field.

The Continental MaxContact MC7 is the overall winner of this test. It leads or sits near the top in almost every dry and wet test and pairs that with the most composed handling balance, which makes it the tire to beat in this value sport segment. Drivers who want maximum performance, and do not mind paying a little more or losing a little efficiency, will be very well served.

Dry

99.3%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	1st	33.91 M			100%
Dry Handling	1st	95.69 s			100%
Subj. Dry Handling	2nd	7.9 Points	8 Points	-0.1 Points	98.75%
	2nd	72.53 km/h	73.75 km/h	-1.22 km/h	98.35%

Wet

100%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	1st	23.65 M			100%

Comfort

98.3%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Subj. Comfort	2nd	7.6 Points	7.8 Points	-0.2 Points	97.44%
Noise	2nd	62.7 dB	62.2 dB	+0.5 dB	99.2%

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2^nd

Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72

235/40 R18

• Weight: 9.97 kgs
• Tread: 7.40 mm

The Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 posted the highest cornering grip of the test and was also the quietest tire on the move, a useful pairing for a car that spends most of its life on the road rather than a track. It is the cheapest tire here by a clear margin, which makes it the value pick of the group and explains much of its strong showing once price is taken into account.

The Kumho's limitations show up when it is pushed hard. It had the longest dry braking distance of the four, and its behaviour past the grip limit is abrupt, breaking away quickly and leaving the driver little time to react, which undermines the confidence its high peak grip should inspire. Rolling resistance is also poor, so efficiency is not a strong point.

The Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 is the value champion of this test and finishes a close second once price is weighed in. It offers genuine cornering grip and good refinement for the money, held back mainly by long braking and a snappy limit that needs more development. Its appeal is further blunted by supply problems following a factory fire, which has made it hard to buy.

Dry

95.5%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	4th	35.41 M	33.91 M	+1.5 M	95.76%
Dry Handling	3rd	97.05 s	95.69 s	+1.36 s	98.6%
Subj. Dry Handling	4th	7 Points	8 Points	-1 Points	87.5%
	1st	73.75 km/h			100%

Wet

98.3%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	3rd	24.07 M	23.65 M	+0.42 M	98.26%

Comfort

98.7%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Subj. Comfort	2nd	7.6 Points	7.8 Points	-0.2 Points	97.44%
Noise	1st	62.2 dB			100%

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3^rd

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

235/40 R18

• Weight: 10.36 kgs
• Tread: 7.21 mm

The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 earned the best subjective handling score of the test, with steering that stays weighted and predictable regardless of speed and a limit that is easy to read, so the driver always knows what the car is about to do. It was also comfortably the most efficient tire here, rolling furthest in the coasting test, and its braking in both the dry and the wet was among the best of the group. As the established benchmark, it set the reference the others were measured against.

Despite its polished feel, the Pilot Sport 5 set the slowest lap of the four, where outright pace counts for more than finesse, and it scored lowest for ride comfort in this company. It is also the most expensive tire on test, which counts against it heavily once value is part of the equation.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is a balanced and confidence-inspiring all-rounder that does almost everything well, with class-leading efficiency and the most natural handling feel of the group. Its weakness here is value rather than ability: strong on the road but priced above its rivals, it slips behind the cheaper tires once cost is taken into account.

Dry

98.6%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	2nd	34.53 M	33.91 M	+0.62 M	98.2%
Dry Handling	4th	97.11 s	95.69 s	+1.42 s	98.54%
Subj. Dry Handling	1st	8 Points			100%
	3rd	71.93 km/h	73.75 km/h	-1.82 km/h	97.53%

Wet

99.5%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	2nd	23.76 M	23.65 M	+0.11 M	99.54%

Comfort

94.5%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Subj. Comfort	4th	7 Points	7.8 Points	-0.8 Points	89.74%
Noise	2nd	62.7 dB	62.2 dB	+0.5 dB	99.2%

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4^th

Hankook Ventus Evo

235/40 R18

• Weight: 9.67 kgs
• Tread: 7.14 mm

The Hankook Ventus Evo was the most comfortable tire of the test and turned in a competitive lap time, helped by composed behaviour on corner exit and a willingness to put its power down on the way out of bends. Its everyday manners are good, with a supple ride that suits a road-biased sport tire.

The Ventus Evo gives up ground when grip matters most. It held the lowest cornering speed and the longest wet braking distance of the four, and it was the noisiest tire on the move. The steering is slow to respond as a corner is set up and lightens as speed builds, and the rear can let go abruptly, all of which point to handling that would benefit from further development.

The Hankook Ventus Evo is a comfortable, road-friendly tire that is competitive on lap time but trails the leaders where ultimate grip and wet safety are concerned. It is a reasonable choice for a driver who values refinement over outright cornering performance, though its vaguer steering and weaker wet braking keep it at the back of this particular field.

Dry

95.4%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	3rd	34.77 M	33.91 M	+0.86 M	97.53%
Dry Handling	2nd	96.77 s	95.69 s	+1.08 s	98.88%
Subj. Dry Handling	3rd	7.2 Points	8 Points	-0.8 Points	90%
	4th	70.16 km/h	73.75 km/h	-3.59 km/h	95.13%

Wet

96.7%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	4th	24.45 M	23.65 M	+0.8 M	96.73%

Comfort

98.8%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Subj. Comfort	1st	7.8 Points			100%
Noise	4th	63.7 dB	62.2 dB	+1.5 dB	97.65%

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