Continental SportContact 7 vs Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72
- TR Score
- 9.7/10
- Owners say
- 84% · 134
- TR Score
- 9.2/10
- Owners say
- 84% · 41
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 finished ahead 2 times and the SportContact 7 once. The SportContact 7 stopped 3.4% shorter in the dry.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Continental SportContact 7 if you prioritise maximum dry braking/precision and want a premium-feeling UHP tyre-just be cautious if you often drive fast through standing water, given the curved-aquaplaning weakness noted in ACE. Choose the Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 if you want the best performance-per-euro with strong wet handling, better refinement, and competitive overall ability for daily sporty driving.
Where the SportContact 7 is stronger
- Stronger dry braking across shared tests (e.g., 34.9 m vs 36.8 m in Auto Express; 34.09 m vs 34.64 m in Die Reifentester)
- High-end dry dynamics and steering precision; joint-best dry handling marks in ACE and strong dry safety score (54, joint highest)
- Can deliver class-leading wet braking in the right conditions (ACE: 29/30 points; 24.51 m shortest in test)
Where the Ecsta Sport PS72 is stronger
- Outstanding value proposition in group tests (ACE: second-cheapest at €69 while still 'recommended')
- Strong wet handling capability relative to its price (Auto Express wet handling win; competitive balance/traction reported)
- Refinement advantage: lower noise and good comfort noted; wins subjective noise in Auto Express
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
SportContact 7 vs Ecsta Sport PS72 at a glance
| Category | SportContact 7 | Gap | Ecsta Sport PS72 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won3 shared tests | 1 | 2 | |
| Dry4 measurements | 3 | The SportContact 7 stopped 3.4% shorter in the dry (2 tests) | 0 |
| Wet8 measurements | 4 | The SportContact 7 resisted straight aquaplaning at a 0.8% higher speed (2 tests) | 2 |
| Comfort3 measurements | 0 | 1 | |
| Value2 measurements | 1 | Level between the two. | 1 |
| Tyre Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 9.7/10 | The SportContact 7 by 0.5 | 9.2/10 |
| Owner rating134 and 41 reviews | 84% | Too close to call | 84% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 80% | The Ecsta Sport PS72 by 2 points | 82% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 123 | 37 sizes made in both | 86 |
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 3 tests, 2025 to 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 | SportContact 7 | Field | Ecsta Sport PS72 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ACE Summer Tyre Test | P2 of 10 | P7 of 10 | |
| 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | P3 of 8 | P1 of 8 | |
| 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | P8 of 9 | P5 of 9 |
Performance profile
5 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
SportContact 7
Ecsta Sport 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 96%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 7 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
SportContact 7
Ecsta Sport 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
SportContact 7
Ecsta Sport PS72
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the SportContact 7 84% from 134 reviews and the Ecsta Sport PS72 84% from 41. 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. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | SportContact 7 | Gap | Ecsta Sport PS72 | Wins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34.5 | 3.4% | 35.72 | 2-0 | |||||||||
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| 82.5 | 0.4% | 82.8 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||||||
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| 29.75 | 1.6% | 29.49 | 1-1 | |||||||||
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| 91.8 | 1% | 90.9 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||||||
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| 28.4 | 0.7% | 28.6 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 81.45 | 0.8% | 80.75 | 2-0 | |||||||||
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| 0.7 | = | 0.7 | 0-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | 7.5% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 8.26 | 0.5% | 8.25 | 1-1 | |||||||||
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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 SportContact 7 scores 9.7 and the Ecsta Sport PS72 9.2 out of 10.
| SportContact 7 | Category | Ecsta Sport PS72 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | Dry | 92 | ||
| 98 | Wet | 88 | ||
| 29 | Comfort | 35 | ||
| 39 | Value | 49 | ||
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
| SportContact 7 | Category | Ecsta Sport PS72 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.5 | Dry Grip | 9 | ||
| 9.1 | Wet Grip | 8.8 | ||
| 8.7 | Road Feedback | 8.6 | ||
| 9 | Handling | 8.6 | ||
| 6.7 | Wear | 8.3 | ||
| 7.7 | Comfort | 7.7 | ||
Owners rate the SportContact 7 84% from 134 reviews and the Ecsta Sport PS72 84% from 41. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Continental SportContact 7
- 84%from 134 reviews
- 80%would buy again
- 1,308,502 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Continental SportContact 7 very highly overall (average 83%), with the strongest agreement around outstanding dry and wet grip, backed up by confident handling and strong steering response. Comfort and noise are often described as better than expected for a UHP summer tyre, though experiences vary by car and set-up. The main recurring drawback is wear: around a third of owners who mention tread life report rapid wear, meaning running costs can be high if you drive hard or run a heavier, high-torque car.
- Exceptional dry grip and traction
- Very strong wet grip and confidence in rain
- Sharp, secure dry handling
- Good steering feel and feedback
- Rapid tread wear and short life for many drivers
- Ride can feel harsh or uncomfortable on some set-ups
- Road noise can be intrusive on rough surfaces
Summarised by AI from 117 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 134 SportContact 7 reviewsIn comparison with non sport tyres like the Continental PremiumContact 6 the grip in dry conditions is outstanding and better like other tyres I have driven (e.g. Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetric). The Wet-Grip is surprisingly good and did not fade with lower tread depth (yet). No disturbing noise while driving.
Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72
- 84%from 41 reviews
- 82%would buy again
- 160,312 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 highly overall (average 81.6%), most often praising its strong value for money and genuinely impressive dry performance, with confident handling and high-speed stability. Wet grip also comes through as a notable strength for around a third of reviewers, helping it feel safe and predictable in poor weather. Comfort and road noise are generally seen as good for a performance tyre, though a smaller but meaningful group find it noisier or less refined than expected. The main recurring downside is vibration or balancing/out-of-round issues mentioned by around one in six owners, with tread life only getting mixed, limited commentary so far.
- Excellent value for money versus premium rivals
- Strong dry grip with lots of confidence
- Sharp, capable dry handling through corners
- Stable and planted at motorway/high speeds
- Vibration/balancing or out-of-round issues at speed
- Can be noisy on some surfaces or at higher speeds
- Tread life concerns from a minority (seems to wear quickly for some)
Summarised by AI from 38 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 41 Ecsta Sport PS72 reviewsBought them to replace Hankook ventus prime 4 (Touring type of tyres), did a bunch of research before buying, they were really cheap ! So i bought them, you notice the difference in handling and cornering immediately, yes they are UHP and they deliver on that, not that the hankook's were inferior but the Kumhos are a different experience during fast cornering. I drive mainly on mountain passes, they stick like glue on the tarmac they hold well on the wet, haven't drove hard yet on really heavy rain but they seem to do great, no aquaplaning as of now. Sidewalls are not hard as a rock but they aren't soft, they don't deform during cornering, riding on them is nice and comfortable. The only negative as a first impression is this, went from a 68db tyre to a 71db on the highway noise is significant worse with those Kumho, you can feel and hear every imperfection of the road, if you care about the noise buy the version with the foam inside I think they call it K version or something.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tyre: 123 sizes of the SportContact 7 and 86 of the Ecsta Sport PS72, 37 of them made in both.
| Category | SportContact 7 | Ecsta Sport PS72 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 123 sizes, 18 to 24 inch | 86 sizes, 17 to 21 inch |
| Made in both | 37 sizes 215/40 R18225/40 R18225/45 R18235/40 R18245/40 R18245/45 R18255/35 R18265/35 R18225/40 R19235/35 R19235/40 R19235/45 R19and 25 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A85%B15% | A95%B5% |
| EU label rolling resistance | C61%D16%A14%B9% | C77%B10%A8%D5% |
| EU label noise | 70-75 dB B98%A2% | 70-74 dB B100% |
| Replaced | Continental Sport Contact 6 (2015) | Kumho Ecsta PS91 |
| Awards | Highly Recommended: Best Tyres for High Performance Cars (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Highly Recommended: Best Tyres for Hot Hatches (Compact Sports Cars) (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Commended: Best Tyres for High Performance Cars (DriverReviews, 2024/25) Highly Recommended: Best Tyres for Hot Hatches (DriverReviews, 2024/25) Winner: Best Tyres for Large Family Cars (DriverReviews, 2024/25) Winner: Supersports Tyre of the Year (WhatTyre, 2024) Winner: Supersports Tyre of the Year (WhatTyre, 2023) Winner: Supersports Tyre of the Year (WhatTyre, 2022) Winner: Tyre of the Year (WhatTyre, 2022) | Winner: Summer Value Performer (17in and above) (WhatTyre, 2026/27) |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
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.
This is a head-to-head between two modern max-performance summer tyres that target the same fast-road market from very different positions: the premium benchmark Continental SportContact 7 versus the value-focused challenger Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72. Across three shared 225/40 R18 group tests (Auto Express 2025, Die Reifentester 2025, ACE 2026), both tyres show genuine UHP capability-but they achieve it with different emphases.
The Continental repeatedly shows “headline” performance in core safety metrics like dry braking and (in one test) best-in-field wet braking, plus sharp steering and high dry safety scores. The Kumho's story is broader balance and refinement for the money: it can run with (and sometimes beat) premium tyres on wet handling and even wet braking in one test, while also standing out for low noise/comfort and occasionally strong rolling resistance. The deciding factors tend to be how much you value absolute braking/precision versus overall value and day-to-day refinement-and how often you drive in standing water where aquaplaning behaviour matters.
Conclusion
Taken across the three tests, the Continental SportContact 7 is the more “specialist” performance tyre: it more consistently wins the hard, confidence-building metrics in the dry (2/2 dry-braking wins in the shared data, e.g., 34.09 m vs 34.64 m in Die Reifentester; 34.9 m vs 36.8 m in Auto Express) and it can deliver top-tier wet stopping when conditions suit it (ACE: best wet braking score, 24.51 m). It also posts strong straight-line aquaplaning speeds in the shared results. The caveat is that its wet behaviour is not universally bulletproof: Auto Express found it relatively weak in wet performance overall, and ACE highlighted a clear vulnerability in curved aquaplaning (only 4/10; earliest loss of grip at 68.3 km/h), which is a meaningful real-world risk when hitting pooled water mid-corner.
The Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 is the better “all-round value” pick. It won Die Reifentester overall and placed ahead of the Continental in Auto Express, combining competitive lap-time/handling traits in the wet (Auto Express wet handling: 90.9 s vs 91.8 s) with notably strong refinement (Auto Express noise win) and a compelling price position (ACE noted it as the second-cheapest at €69). Its main limitation is that it's less likely to top the absolute safety charts-ACE had it mid-pack for wet/dry safety versus the leaders-and its wet braking/aquaplaning results can swing by test, so it's more “good everywhere” than “best when it matters most.”
Practical takeaway: if you want the highest probability of elite dry performance and premium steering/braking feel, the SportContact 7 is still the safer bet-provided you're mindful of its occasional standing-water weakness. If you want near-premium performance with better comfort/refinement and typically better value per euro, the PS72 is the smart buy, especially for daily-driven hot hatches and sporty commuters.
SportContact 7 vs Ecsta Sport PS72: your questions
Is the Continental SportContact 7 or the Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 the better tyre?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 finished ahead 2 times and the SportContact 7 once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the SportContact 7 scores 9.7 and the Ecsta Sport PS72 9.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the SportContact 7 or the Ecsta Sport PS72?
The SportContact 7 led 4 of the 8 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it resisted straight aquaplaning at a 0.8% higher speed across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The SportContact 7 led 3 of the 4 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.4% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.7/10 for the SportContact 7 and 7.7/10 for the Ecsta Sport PS72.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the SportContact 7 84% from 134 reviews and the Ecsta Sport PS72 84% from 41. 80% of SportContact 7 owners would buy it again, against 82% for the Ecsta Sport PS72.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The SportContact 7 is made in 123 sizes (18 to 24 inch) and the Ecsta Sport PS72 in 86 (17 to 21 inch). 37 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the SportContact 7 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ecsta Sport PS72 A and C.
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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.
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