A leading German tyre industry website has judged Kumho Tyre’s brand new Ecsta PS72 Sport as amongst the three top tyres in a wide spread performance tyre comparison test in Europe.

Die Reifentester, which is a major German tyre website, whose name translates to “The Tyre Testers” used identical Volkswagen Golf GTIs to judge critical performance, safety and handling of eight of Europe’s best selling 225/40 ZR18 size performance tyres.

The tests were overseen by leading tyre tester and former tyre developer Dirk Vincken, along with experienced motoring journalist Joachim Fischer, with the team comparing the tyres at the ATP proving ground at Papenburg in Germany.

The Kumho Ecsta PS72 Sport was one of only three tyres, and the only non-European tyre in the comparison to be badged as “very good”. The testers said the Kumho performed well across the board, earning it the “very good” overall rating.

Four of the seven tyres in the comparison were European manufactured, while there were two from Korean makers and one from Japan.

The Kumho Ecsta PS72 Sport shared the winners’ podium with two European tyres, as the Kumho impressed in all disciplines, with good to very good results, and despite being amongst the least expensive tyres in the test.



The Kumho was listed as being 25 per cent less expensive than the most expensive tyre in the test, a leading European tyre that only ranked sixth in the comparison.

The Kumho Ecsta PS72 was also only 10 per cent more expensive than the cheapest tyre in the tests, a well-known European brand that ranked last in the field.

The tests authors said the Kumho Ecsta PS72 Sport featured the best wet braking performance, excellent dry and wet handling, and great value for performance at an affordable price.

As the testers pointed out, choosing the right tyre for sporty compact cars such as the VW Golf GTI is crucial for performance, safety, and driving pleasure. The latest test from Die Reifentester evaluates eight tyres in the popular 225/40 ZR18 size. 

The Die Reifentester test involved the dry and wet handling which each accounted for 15 per cent each, while wet and dry braking each accounted for 20 per cent, longitudinal and straight aquaplaning tests made up 10 per cent of the results each, lateral aquaplaning tests accounted for 5 per cent, while the measurement of rolling resistance, comfort, and noise levels counted for the final 5 per cent.

The judges said Kumho has learned its lessons in Europe and is now unashamedly challenging the throne of the seemingly invincible established Euro brands.

“Very capable cars like the Golf GTI also need very capable tyres, because without perfectly tailored, well-selected rubber, even a cornering artist like the GTI would only deliver mediocre driving dynamics,” said tester Joachim Fischer.

For reference, the veteran Conti SportContact 7, along with the Bridgestone Potenza Sport, the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport, the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 (now replaced by the Hankook Ventus Evo), the brand-new Kumho Ecsta PS72 Sport, the Maxxis Victra Sport 5, the Michelin Pilot Sport 5, and the Vredestein Ultrac Pro.

“In the somewhat surprising wet-braking test, while the Kumho is coming to a stop, some of the more highly fancied European tyres, including the one we named as the benchmark before we commenced, were still rolling along at 19.1 km/h,” said Fischer.

“From a physical perspective, that's quite a lot but there were other tyres in the test that performed even less impressively, with the last paced brand still travelling at 30km/h when the Kumho was securely stopped,” he said.

“The Kumho is almost impossible to shake off – either in the rearview mirror or in terms of driving dynamics while the Kumho's rubber compound clearly works excellently on wet asphalt,” Fischer added.

The brand-new Kumho, can be considered the winner in terms of value for money, earning its overall rating of "Very Good," Fischer concluded.