Michelin Primacy 3 vs Kumho Ecsta HS51
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Michelin Primacy 3 finished ahead 4 times and the Ecsta HS51 not once. The Primacy 3 was stronger in dry and value.
Performance profile
5 measurements from the 4 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Primacy 3
Ecsta HS51
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. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Primacy 3
Ecsta HS51
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.
Where owners rate each higher
Primacy 3
Not ahead in any category
Ecsta HS51
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Primacy 3 76% from 197 reviews and the Ecsta HS51 78% from 43. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
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. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | Primacy 3 | Gap | Ecsta HS51 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Primacy 3 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 34.6 | 6.2% | 36.9 | 1-0 |
| Dry Handling km/h | 115.3 | 1.2% | 113.9 | 1-0 |
| Wet Level | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 38.6 | 1.6% | 38 | 0-1 |
| Wet Handling km/h | 77.7 | 1% | 76.9 | 1-0 |
| Value Primacy 3 ahead | ||||
| Wear km | 33,221 | 40.5% | 23,646 | 1-0 |
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.
Head to head in 4 tests, 2016 to 2018
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 | Primacy 3 | Field | Ecsta HS51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 | P1 of 16 | P8 of 16 | |
| 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | P9 of 20 | P20 of 20 | |
| 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Shootout | P10 of 51 | P13 of 51 | |
| 2016 Market Overview - Braking Test | P10 of 50 | P17 of 50 |
Primacy 3 vs Ecsta HS51: your questions
Is the Michelin Primacy 3 or the Kumho Ecsta HS51 the better tyre?
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Michelin Primacy 3 finished ahead 4 times and the Ecsta HS51 not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Primacy 3 scores 8.3 and the Ecsta HS51 8 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Primacy 3 or the Ecsta HS51?
Across the shared tests the wet measurements are split 1-1 between the Primacy 3 and the Ecsta HS51.
Which is better in the dry?
The Primacy 3 led 2 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8/10 for the Primacy 3 and 8.2/10 for the Ecsta HS51.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Primacy 3 76% from 197 reviews and the Ecsta HS51 78% from 43. 57% of Primacy 3 owners would buy it again, against 65% for the Ecsta HS51.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Ecsta HS51 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2013, the Primacy 3 in 2012. The Primacy 3 replaced the Michelin Primacy HP.
More comparisons with these tyres
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.