Kumho: test success demonstrates strength of UHP Ecsta range

The electric Kia EV6 ‘Air’ on Kumho Ecsta PS71 EV tyres on the Driven To Extremes Euro EV Marathon (Photos: Kumho)

Kumho’s Ecsta ultra-high performance tyre range for cars and SUVs has been making an impression on independent tyre testers in 2024. The manufacturer was also lauded for the new specialist electric vehicle tyre in the Ecsta range, winning an International Forum (iF) Design Award 2024 for its Ecsta PS71 EV.

The Kumho Ecsta HS52 achieved a leading position in the recent test of tyre performance by Europe’s largest automobile association ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club). The tyre was one of only three products to receive a ‘Good’ rating. The HS52, a summer tyre designed for European roads and climatic conditions, finished third behind only products from Continental and Michelin.

The test compared the performance of summer tyres (size 215/55R17) from 16 manufacturers including Kumho Tyre. Using a Volkswagen T-Roc, the test disciplines encompassed two key areas: ‘driving safety’ which included wet and dry road performance and ‘environmental balance’ covering mileage, wear resistance, efficiency, noise levels and sustainability.

With a range covering sizes to fit models from superminis and small family saloons to large executive cars and CUVs, the Ecsta HS52’s tread features a robust block pattern which allows the tyre to maintain consistently high levels of grip, whilst delivering a quiet, smooth, and comfortable ride. In addition, the tyre’s rigid, powerful shoulder blocks enhance steering performance for maximum driving safety.

Featuring an innovative high-grip tread compound, asymmetric tread design and 3D interlocking sipes, the HS52 offers superior braking on wet and dry surfaces, better wet grip, and increased mileage when compared to its predecessor. It is now available in as many as 46 sizes to fit rim widths from 14 to 18 inches in diameter.

UHP range also scores highly in SUV test

Kumho Ecsta PS71 SUV (Image: Kumho)

In AutoBild’s separate test of SUV tyres, Kumho’s flagship Ecsta PS71 SUV in size 235/55R19 was ranked fourth overall, garnering a coveted ‘Good’ rating.

In the wet the PS71 SUV received the same ranking as that of the top three tyres in the test and handled safely in all conditions earning AutoBild’s praise for its “very good traction on sand, short braking distances (and) moderate price.”

PS71 SUV has been specially developed for the powerful SUV models offered by the likes of Land Rover, BMW and Audi. Its pattern is closely related to that of the company’s much-praised Ecsta PS71 high-performance passenger car tyre, and features the High Dispersible Micro Silica (HDMS) and fifth generation Solution Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (S-SBR) that have been so effectively employed for the passenger car tyre’s tread compound. The pattern’s handling on both dry and wet roads and the sporty and precise steering that also results ensure that it meets the ever-increasing demand for SUVs to ride and perform like their passenger car counterparts.

The Ecsta PS71 SUV is currently available in some 54 sizes including several in the increasingly popular 21 and 22-inch bracket, with more due later this year.

UHP tyre for electric vehicles impresses iF judges

Kumho is a frequent winner of design accolades, and the manufacturer has picked up another in 2024, this time for its UHP electric vehicle tyre. The Ecsta PS71 EV electric vehicle tyre won an International Forum (iF) Design Award 2024. The tyre joins the aforementioned Ecsta HS52 in claiming an iF Design Award; the conventional UHP tyre won the award back in 2022.

The PS71 EV utilises high strength cords for optimum cornering ability, while the level of High Dispersible Micro Silica ensures high wet grip and low wear rates. The zig-zag tread pattern prevents ‘sloping’ – a phenomenon caused by the high torque loadings of which electric vehicles can be capable during initial acceleration. A lack of sidewall protrusion minimizes air resistance.

The PS71 EV is now available in the UK in a total of 20 V to Y speed rated sizes to fit rims up to 20 inch. Together with 12 other fitments, the tyre is homologated for Europe’s ‘2022 Car of the Year’, the KIA EV6, featuring Kumho’s patented ‘K-Silent’ technology that minimises resonant noise via a layer of polyurethane foam within the carcass.