Kumho Ecsta PS71 Reviews - Page 5

Had SEAT Alhambra 2006 nearly 10 years. Had previously Dunlop Blue response, Nokian and Semperit winter tires. By comparison the Kumhos represent good value. They seem to grip well in the wet and OK in the dry compared with the others. The SEAT biggest weakness in my eyes, well ears is the lack of isolation from road 'noise'. The Kumhos do not seem any better or worse in transmitting this din. However the Kumhos do seem to affect the steering now that I have moved them to the front. I feel like I have lost steering sensitivity. The SEATs have a delicacy around straight ahead position that few modern cars can match but this has been lost slightly. It's as if the is a stiffness in the tire tread that makes them reluctant to change direction. Unfortunately this also seems to me more aware of the tires wanting to 'follow' camber too with conscious corrections I didn't notice with the Nokians on.

I have driven around 2000 km of mixed conditions with these tires, mostly on motorways and a little bit of country roads and I can now rate them quite accurately. I mostly drive at speed limit, and sometimes spirited on empty roads. When I got them, I noticed they are made in Korea and the product quality is good regarding the reasonable price. Firstly I would like to mention the strengths of these tires. I would rate them as quite comfortable as they really smooth out sharper irregularities of the road. Noticeably better than my old Vredestein Sportrac 5 tires. Grip on dry is very good and excellent in wet, they always feel secure and predictable. Progressiveness is very good and even on Astra J, where the steering feel is numb, you get good road feedback. As with all tires there are some downsides. I was really expecting the tires to be sportier as they are in the UHP category and they do have a decent sidewall thickness, but when you start to push through the corners, they let you know they are more touring tires. At hard cornering they get loud and sidewalls give in a bit too much to be regarded a fun tire. Maybe they suit more sportier and lighter vehicles. On rough roads they can also be a little loud, but it is not an annoying sound. I have also noticed that in cold weather (around 0-5 Celsius), they get a bit egg shaped overnight and need a few kilometers for them to become round again. Never experienced that so far and it is somewhat annoying. To sum things up, if you can get them much cheaper than premium brands (like I did), I would recommend them. I think for mostly sporty driving there are better options, but they do a very good job for a daily driver.