Hankook Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 vs Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72
Ahead in each discipline
The Hankook Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 and the Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 have met in one independent test so far, and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 finished ahead. The Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 was stronger in dry, comfort and value, the Ecsta Sport S PS72 in wet.
Performance profile
9 measurements from the one shared test, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
Ventus S1 Evo Z K129
Ecsta Sport S PS72
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 97%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Ventus S1 Evo Z K129
Ecsta Sport S PS72
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
Ventus S1 Evo Z K129
Ecsta Sport S PS72
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 81% from 5 reviews and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 83% from 9. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tyres' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tyre that did better.
| Measurement | Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 | Gap | Ecsta Sport S PS72 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 ahead | |||
| Dry Braking m | 35.4 | = | 35.4 |
| Dry Handling km/h | 106.9 | 0.8% | 106.1 |
| Wet Ecsta Sport S PS72 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking m | 46 | 2.1% | 47 |
| Wet Handling km/h | 70.4 | 2.3% | 72 |
| Wet Circle s | 14 | = | 14 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 87.9 | 0.5% | 88.3 |
| Comfort Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 ahead | |||
| Subj. Comfort pts | 8 | = | 8 |
| Noise dB | 72 | 1.4 dB | 73.4 |
| Value Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 ahead | |||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.29 | 14.1% | 9.65 |
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 1 test 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 | Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 | Field | Ecsta Sport S PS72 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test | P7 of 8 | P5 of 8 |
Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 vs Ecsta Sport S PS72: your questions
Is the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 or the Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 the better tyre?
The Hankook Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 and the Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 have met in one independent test so far, and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 finished ahead. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 scores 8.9 and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 9.3 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 or the Ecsta Sport S PS72?
The Ecsta Sport S PS72 led 2 of the 4 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 led 1 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.5/10 for the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 and 6.7/10 for the Ecsta Sport S PS72.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 81% from 5 reviews and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 83% from 9. 80% of Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 owners would buy it again, against 78% for the Ecsta Sport S PS72.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 is made in 39 sizes (18 to 22 inch) and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 in 60 (18 to 22 inch). 30 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ecsta Sport S PS72 A and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Ecsta Sport S PS72 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2024, the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 in 2021. The Ecsta Sport S PS72 replaced the Kumho Ecsta PS71.
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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.
Review the Ventus S1 Evo Z K129 Review the Ecsta Sport S PS72
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.