Hankook Kinergy ST AS vs Kumho Solus TA51+
- TR Score
- 6.9/10
- Owners say
- 80% · 2
- TR Score
- 8.2/10
- Owners say
- -
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Kumho Solus TA51+ finished ahead 2 times and the Kinergy ST AS not once. The Solus TA51+ stopped 3.8% shorter in the wet.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Kumho Solus TA51+ for the best all-round touring pick-shorter wet/dry braking, better comfort and lower noise, plus strong grip and strong value. Choose the Hankook Kinergy ST AS if your priority is steering feel and predictable, communicative handling and you're willing to accept more noise/firmness and weaker wet-stopping performance.
Where the Kinergy ST AS is stronger
- Best subjective steering/handling feel in both shared tests (wins subjective dry handling 2/2), described as consistent and predictable at the limit
- Respectable objective performance baseline (upper-half braking in the comfort test; competent grip around the circle in the all-season test)
- Efficiency-related traits noted in the all-season test (lightest tyre there and good coasting/rolling efficiency)
Where the Solus TA51+ is stronger
- Dry 4/6 Stopped 1.9% shorter in the dry (2 tests)
- Wet 2/2 Stopped 3.8% shorter in the wet (2 tests)
- Comfort 5/5 Was 1.2 dB quieter (2 tests)
The measured tallies (wins out of measurements in the shared tests) come straight from the tables below. The written verdict and bullet points are analysis of those tests and of owner reviews; where they and the figures disagree, the figures are right.
Kinergy ST AS vs Solus TA51+ at a glance
| Category | Kinergy ST AS | Gap | Solus TA51+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won2 shared tests | 0 | 2 | |
| Dry6 measurements | 2 | The Solus TA51+ stopped 1.9% shorter in the dry (2 tests) | 4 |
| Wet2 measurements | 0 | The Solus TA51+ stopped 3.8% shorter in the wet (2 tests) | 2 |
| Comfort5 measurements | 0 | The Solus TA51+ was 1.2 dB quieter (2 tests) | 5 |
| Tyre Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 6.9/10 | The Solus TA51+ by 1.3 | 8.2/10 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tyres; a tick marks the tyre ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 2 tests in 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Kinergy ST AS | Field | Solus TA51+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is Expensive Better? 2026 AutoView Korean All-Season Tyre Test | P8 of 9 | P5 of 9 | |
| 2026 AutoView Mid-Range Comfort Tyre Test | P4 of 5 | P1 of 5 |
Performance profile
5 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Kinergy ST AS
Solus TA51+
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. 3 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Kinergy ST AS
Not ahead in any category
Solus TA51+
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Kinergy ST AS | Gap | Solus TA51+ | Wins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42.66 | 1.9% | 41.85 | 0-2 | |||||||||
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| 69.97 | 1.7% | 71.16 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| scored | 2.4% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||
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| 72.76 | 1.1% | 73.53 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 35.15 | 3.8% | 33.79 | 0-2 | |||||||||
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| scored | 4.3% | scored | 0-2 | |||||||||
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| scored | 4% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 57.05 | 1.2 dB | 55.89 | 0-2 | |||||||||
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Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Kinergy ST AS scores 6.9 and the Solus TA51+ 8.2 out of 10.
| Kinergy ST AS | Category | Solus TA51+ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Dry | 53 | ||
| 37 | Wet | 51 | ||
| 38 | Comfort | 50 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| Kinergy ST AS | Category | Solus TA51+ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dry Grip | - | ||
| 7 | Wet Grip | - | ||
| 7.5 | Road Feedback | - | ||
| 7 | Handling | - | ||
| 8.5 | Wear | - | ||
| 8 | Comfort | - | ||
Owners rate the Kinergy ST AS 80% from 2 reviews; the Solus TA51+ has no owner reviews yet. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Hankook Kinergy ST AS
- 80%from 2 reviews
- 105,000 milesdriven by reviewers
All 2 Kinergy ST AS reviewsBought these after a horrible experience with some Tiger Paws (avg rating in all categories about a 5) Got them over 5 years ago and have been very satisfied with all aspects of this tire. Even with over 60k miles, they handle very well (for a moderately spirited, mostly highway driver--at least as spirited as my old KIA Soul w/ 250+k miles will allow) and are pretty quiet. Traction in wet is excellent and in snow (we get a lot in MN) is really pretty good. OEM tires were Nexen Premier and these were better. Although I still have some tread left, I can see the wear bars sprouting and since I am somewhat elderly, am about to replace them with something else. Why? Because I want to.
Kumho Solus TA51+
No owner reviews yet. Be the first to review it →
Sizes, EU label and lineage
| Category | Kinergy ST AS | Solus TA51+ |
|---|---|---|
| Season | All Season | All Season |
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Hankook's Kinergy ST AS and Kumho's Solus TA51+ sit in the same mainstream space: touring-focused, all-season passenger tyres aimed at everyday comfort, low running costs and safe, predictable handling rather than outright sportiness. On paper they look like direct alternatives, but the two AutoView group tests (in different sizes and even different test themes) reveal two distinct personalities.
Across both shared tests, the Kumho repeatedly comes out as the more complete “set-and-forget” option-stronger objective braking (especially in the wet), better refinement, and higher measured cornering limits-while the Hankook consistently scores better for subjective steering/handling feel. In other words: Kinergy ST AS appeals more to the driver's hands; Solus TA51+ tends to win on the stopwatch and in daily comfort metrics.
Conclusion
The clearest, most repeatable advantage belongs to the Kumho Solus TA51+ in safety-critical braking and day-to-day refinement. It beats the Hankook in wet braking in both tests (35.386 m vs 37.333 m in 245/45 R19; 32.19 m vs 32.96 m in 215/55 R17) and also leads dry braking both times (40.813 m vs 42.18 m; 42.88 m vs 43.13 m). It's also consistently quieter and more comfortable in the AutoView scoring, and it topped both overall comparisons (5/9 vs 8/9 in the all-season group; 1/5 vs 4/5 in the comfort test).
The Hankook Kinergy ST AS's main counterpunch is steering character: it wins subjective dry handling in both tests (6.75 vs 6.62; 7.5 vs 7.3) and is described as more consistent and predictable at the limit. However, the same reports repeatedly flag drawbacks that matter to touring buyers-higher noise, a firmer/“choppier” low-speed ride, and (in the all-season test) notably weaker wet braking plus grip that fades under repeated hard cornering. The practical takeaway is simple: if you want the most well-rounded touring tyre with strong measured performance and comfort, the Kumho is the safer bet; choose the Hankook mainly if steering feel and progressive breakaway matter more to you than ultimate wet stopping distance and cabin refinement.
Kinergy ST AS vs Solus TA51+: your questions
Is the Hankook Kinergy ST AS or the Kumho Solus TA51+ the better tyre?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Kumho Solus TA51+ finished ahead 2 times and the Kinergy ST AS not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Kinergy ST AS scores 6.9 and the Solus TA51+ 8.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Kinergy ST AS or the Solus TA51+?
The Solus TA51+ led 2 of the 2 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.8% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Solus TA51+ led 4 of the 6 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.9% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The Solus TA51+ was 1.2 dB quieter (2 tests).
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Kinergy ST AS 80% from 2 reviews; the Solus TA51+ has no owner reviews yet.
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.
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