Is Expensive Better? 2026 AutoView Korean All-Season Tire Test
The Kumho Solus TA51 plus finished fifth overall and was the best of the mid-grade tires. For a buyer weighing efficiency and grip against price, it is the rational pick of the nine.
Is Expensive Better? 2026 AutoView Korean All-Season Tire Test P5 of 9
The Kumho Solus TA51 plus finished fifth overall and was the best of the mid-grade tires. For a buyer weighing efficiency and grip against price, it is the rational pick of the nine.
Where the Kumho Solus TA51+ finished in each measured discipline, across every test that measured it against at least two other tires. Field beaten is the share of the other tires it outranked in that measurement.
| Discipline | Tests | Avg finish | Field beaten | Firsts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | ||||
| Dry Braking | 2 | P3.5 of 7 | 63% | - |
| Dry Handling | 1 | P1 of 5 | 100% | 1 |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 2 | P4.5 of 7 | 44% | - |
| Dry Circle Speed | 1 | P2 of 9 | 88% | - |
| Wet | ||||
| Wet Braking | 2 | P3.5 of 7 | 63% | - |
| Comfort | ||||
| Subj. Comfort | 2 | P4 of 7 | 63% | 1 |
| Subj. Noise | 1 | P6 of 9 | 38% | - |
| Noise | 2 | P3.5 of 7 | 69% | 1 |
Drawn from 2 tests. Updated October 29, 2026.
The Kumho Solus TA51 plus combines high cornering grip with less convincing steering precision across two AutoView tests in 2026. It won the Mid-Range Comfort Tire Test, ranking first out of five for cornering limit, comfort and cabin noise. Dry braking was second, 0.9% behind the best, and wet braking was second, 0.8% behind. In the Korean All-Season Tire Test it finished fifth of nine overall and won the mid-grade group, with second place for dry circle speed and the longest coasting distance, indicating the best efficiency in that comparison.
Steering feel was criticised in both tests: less precise than some rivals in the mid-range comparison and numb around the straight-ahead in the nine-tire field. Braking also fell to fifth of nine on both surfaces in the Korean All-Season test. Its comfort result there was unusually weak compared with its other test, seventh of nine with a firmer ride, while noise was sixth. The comfort and quietness win therefore needs the context of the smaller mid-range field and different size. High cornering grip is more consistent than either refinement or braking performance.
beat several premium rivals for cornering grip- Is Expensive Better? 2026 AutoView Korean All-Season Tire Test (2026)
records the best subjective ride comfort score (8.10),- 2026 AutoView Mid-Range Comfort Tire Test (2026)
the quietest cabin noise at 50 mph (59.3 dBA)- 2026 AutoView Mid-Range Comfort Tire Test (2026)
coasted the furthest of anyone, marking it out as the most efficient tire here- Is Expensive Better? 2026 AutoView Korean All-Season Tire Test (2026)
the highest cornering limit on the circle (44.2 mph)- 2026 AutoView Mid-Range Comfort Tire Test (2026)
the steering is less precise than the Hankook or Nexen- 2026 AutoView Mid-Range Comfort Tire Test (2026)
felt numb to small steering inputs on the straight- Is Expensive Better? 2026 AutoView Korean All-Season Tire Test (2026)
Strong = top two of the field in that measurement. Weak = bottom two.
The Kumho Solus TA51 plus finished fifth overall and was the best of the mid-grade tires. For a buyer weighing efficiency and grip against price, it is the rational pick of the nine.
AutoView overall score: 99.5 points. The Kumho Solus TA51+ wins this comfort tire comparison by combining the best comfort and noise scores with strong braking and the highest cornering limit. AutoView call it the best choice for cars with firm suspension such as the K5 or Sonata, where the tire's compliant sidewall can take the edge off the ride.
Owner reviews, sizes and EU label data, comparisons and the Tire Reviews score. All Kumho tires