Semperit SpeedLife 2 vs Kumho Ecsta PS71
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Kumho Ecsta PS71 finished ahead 3 times and the SpeedLife 2 not once. The Ecsta PS71 was stronger in dry and wet.
Performance profile
Their shared tests recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart starts from each tyre's Tyre Reviews Score categories: its whole record, not shared tests.
Where each scores higher
SpeedLife 2
Ecsta PS71
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
SpeedLife 2
Ecsta PS71
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the SpeedLife 2 91% from 4 reviews and the Ecsta PS71 77% from 94. 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 | SpeedLife 2 | Gap | Ecsta PS71 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Ecsta PS71 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 36.7 | 1.9% | 36 | 0-2 |
| Wet Ecsta PS71 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 33.45 | 9.4% | 30.3 | 0-2 |
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 3 tests, 2018 to 2020
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 | SpeedLife 2 | Field | Ecsta PS71 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test | P23 of 50 | P5 of 50 | |
| 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | P30 of 53 | P18 of 53 | |
| 2018 Ace 235/45 R18 Summer Tyre Test | P10 of 11 | P2 of 11 |
SpeedLife 2 vs Ecsta PS71: your questions
Is the Semperit SpeedLife 2 or the Kumho Ecsta PS71 the better tyre?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Kumho Ecsta PS71 finished ahead 3 times and the SpeedLife 2 not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the SpeedLife 2 scores 6.3 and the Ecsta PS71 8.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the SpeedLife 2 or the Ecsta PS71?
The Ecsta PS71 led 2 of the 2 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 9.4% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Ecsta PS71 led 2 of the 2 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?
Owners rate comfort 8.8/10 for the SpeedLife 2 and 7.4/10 for the Ecsta PS71.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the SpeedLife 2 91% from 4 reviews and the Ecsta PS71 77% from 94.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The SpeedLife 2 is made in 60 sizes (15 to 21 inch) and the Ecsta PS71 in 133 (16 to 22 inch). 47 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the SpeedLife 2 is graded C for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ecsta PS71 A and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Ecsta PS71 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2016, the SpeedLife 2 in 2014. The SpeedLife 2 replaced the Semperit Speed Life.
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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.