Skip advert
Advertisement

Kumho Ecsta HS51 review

Kumho appears to have spent its time away from our tests well

Kumho appears to have spent its time away from our tests well

It’s been eight years since Kumho last graced our test. We were rating the same size, but back then it was only a distant ninth. It’s done far better this time, proving the best of the mid-range brands and a step ahead of arch rival Hankook.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The secret of its success is its wet weather performance, where it was third, giving best only to winner Continental and Bridgestone, with a clear gap to the chasing pack. It felt pretty good, too, with a decent balance through the long sweeper. It pushed wide in the tighter turns, but overall felt positive and progressive. That grip could be seen in the cornering result, which saw it take the win, and it finished third in wet braking, around three metres off the remarkable Continental but clear of the rest of the pack. It was down the results in aquaplaning, but the margin in the longitudinal test was relatively small.

The dry braking test was similarly close; the tyre took about three metres more to stop than our standout winner. On the dry track it was less composed than in the wet, feeling soft and sluggish compared with the best. That compliance paid dividends with second in the noise test. But its wet talents meant it was at the back of the midfield for rolling resistance.

Buy now from Black Circles

Price£53.00 
Dry handling 97.20%=10th
Dry braking 92.10%6th
Wet handling 95.60%=5th 
Wet braking 89.50%3rd
Wet cornering 100%1st
Straight aqua 97.20%=4th
Curved aqua 86.60%7th
Rolling resistance 81.10%8th
Cabin noise 99.90%=2nd 
Overall98.50%4th
Skip advert
Advertisement
Products editor

Kim has worked for Auto Express for more than three decades and all but a year of that time in the Products section. His current role as products editor involves managing the section’s content and team of testers plus doing some of the tests himself. 

New & used car deals

Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £1,676 off RRP*
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,261 off RRP*Used from £13,211
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,568 off RRP*Used from £12,295
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,721 off RRP*Used from £8,600
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025