Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Kumho Ecsta HS52
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 100
- TR Score
- 9.0/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 31
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Ecsta HS52 finished ahead 5 times and the Ventus Prime 4 3 times. The Ventus Prime 4 had 8.2% lower rolling resistance; the Ecsta HS52 lasted 7.7% longer in the wear tests.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Pick the Kumho Ecsta HS52 for the best blend of wet-braking security, consistently strong rankings, and standout value for money. Pick the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 if your priority is lower rolling resistance (fuel/EV efficiency) and typically lower abrasion, and you're willing to accept that wet performance can be more variable depending on size and test.
Where the Ventus Prime 4 is stronger
- Lower rolling resistance / better fuel consumption across multiple tests (e.g., 5.4 vs 5.8 l/100 km in ADAC 2026; 7.65 vs 8.46 kg/t in AutoBild 2024)
- Often lower abrasion (e.g., 75 vs 91 mg/km/t in ADAC 2026; 67.6 vs 79.3 in ADAC 2023), supporting a better environmental balance
- Strong or competitive dry dynamics in several reports (e.g., AutoBild 2022 dry handling win; described as safe at the limit on dry roads)
Where the Ecsta HS52 is stronger
- Stronger wet braking in the most recent head-to-head evidence (ADAC 2026: 31.1 m vs 34.5 m; wet concrete 35.9 m vs 42.1 m) and often ahead in other wet metrics
- Frequently edges dry braking (wins 6/7 shared dry-braking comparisons), even when margins are small
- Usually better purchase price and cost-per-distance value (wins price and value categories across tests)
Conclusion
If your top priority is wet safety margins and strong all-round test placings, the Kumho Ecsta HS52 is the more consistent “performance-per-pound” choice. It beats Hankook in wet braking in key datasets-most strikingly in ADAC 2026 (31.1 m vs 34.5 m) and wet braking on concrete (35.9 m vs 42.1 m), and it regularly edges dry braking too. It also tends to be the cheaper tyre and repeatedly wins on value metrics (e.g., AutoBild 2024 value 9.94 vs 11.43 price/1000; ADAC 2024 value 1.77 vs 2.77 price/1000), which matters because both tyres are aimed at high-mileage daily driving.
Choose the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 if your priority is lower energy consumption and a cleaner environmental/efficiency profile over time. Hankook repeatedly wins rolling resistance / fuel consumption (e.g., ADAC 2026 5.4 vs 5.8 l/100 km; AutoBild 2024 rolling resistance 7.65 vs 8.46 kg/t) and often shows lower abrasion (e.g., ADAC 2026 75 vs 91 mg/km/t). The practical takeaway: HS52 is the better pick for drivers who want extra wet-braking confidence and strong value, while Prime 4 suits drivers who rack up miles and want to minimise fuel/EV consumption-provided you're comfortable with the fact that wet performance can be the limiting factor in some ADAC assessments.
Where to buy
Hankook Ventus Prime 4 Kumho Ecsta HS52Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy. It never changes our results.
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.
Ventus Prime 4 vs Ecsta HS52 at a glance
| Category | Ventus Prime 4 | Gap | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won8 shared tests | 3 | 5 | |
| Dry12 measurements | 2 | The Ecsta HS52 stopped 0.8% shorter in the dry (8 tests) | 9 |
| Wet30 measurements | 14 | The Ecsta HS52 resisted straight aquaplaning at a 2.5% higher speed (6 tests) | 15 |
| Comfort7 measurements | 2 | 3 | |
| Value11 measurements | 8 | The Ventus Prime 4 had 8.2% lower rolling resistance (3 tests) | 3 |
| Environment3 measurements | 2 | The Ventus Prime 4 shed 8.7% less rubber in the abrasion test (3 tests) | 1 |
| Tyre Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.8/10 | The Ecsta HS52 by 0.2 | 9.0/10 |
| Owner rating100 and 31 reviews | 82% | Too close to call | 82% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 73% | The Ecsta HS52 by 3 points | 76% |
| Pricein the 5 tests that listed prices | +10.9% | The Ventus Prime 4 was dearer in 5 of 5 | Cheaper |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 66 | 40 sizes made in both | 54 |
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 8 tests, 2022 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 | Ventus Prime 4 | Field | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | P11 of 16 | P9 of 16 | |
| 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test | P7 of 20 | P4 of 20 | |
| 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | P8 of 16 | P3 of 16 | |
| 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview | P4 of 55 | P2 of 55 | |
| 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | P9 of 50 | P8 of 50 | |
| Tyre Reviews Best Summer Touring Tyres | P7 of 13 | P8 of 13 | |
| 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | P2 of 21 | P6 of 21 | |
| 2022 Summer Tyre Market Overview | P2 of 50 | P3 of 50 |
Performance profile
20 measurements from the 8 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Ventus Prime 4
Ecsta HS52
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.
Where each scores higher
Ventus Prime 4
Ecsta HS52
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 Prime 4
Ecsta HS52
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 100 reviews and the Ecsta HS52 82% from 31. 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 | Ventus Prime 4 | Gap | Ecsta HS52 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36.36 | 0.8% | 36.08 | 1-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 51.78 | 0.4% | 51.58 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 105.8 | 0.5% | 105.4 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.6% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 34.94 | 1.1% | 34.61 | 4-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 38.9 | 5.9% | 36.43 | 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 86.47 | 0.6% | 87 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 74.4 | 0.4% | 74.15 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.6% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 6.33 | 1.8% | 6.22 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 11.71 | 0.3% | 11.68 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 77.33 | 2.5% | 79.2 | 2-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 3.41 | 2.7% | 3.47 | 3-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.6% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 71.6 | 0.3 dB | 71.32 | 1-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 9.1 | = | 9.1 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 40,770 | 7.7% | 44,518 | 2-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 7.79 | 8.2% | 8.48 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.63 | 4% | 5.87 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 67.1 | 8.7% | 75.1 | 2-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 Ventus Prime 4 scores 8.8 and the Ecsta HS52 9 out of 10.
| Ventus Prime 4 | Category | Ecsta HS52 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | Dry | 89 | ||
| 71 | Wet | 85 | ||
| 25 | Comfort | 22 | ||
| 78 | Value | 66 | ||
| 90 | Environment | 61 | ||
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
| Ventus Prime 4 | Category | Ecsta HS52 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | Dry Grip | 9 | ||
| 8.3 | Wet Grip | 8.1 | ||
| 8.1 | Road Feedback | 8.5 | ||
| 8.2 | Handling | 8.3 | ||
| 7.8 | Wear | 7.8 | ||
| 8 | Comfort | 7.1 | ||
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 100 reviews and the Ecsta HS52 82% from 31. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Hankook Ventus Prime 4
- 82%from 100 reviews
- 73%would buy again
- 1,111,536 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 highly overall (average 80.7%), most often praising its strong dry grip and confident, predictable dry handling, backed up by a comfortable, generally quiet ride. Wet grip is also widely seen as secure for a touring tyre, with many calling it reassuring in heavy rain, though a minority report some instability or weaker aquaplaning resistance. The main recurring drawback is longevity: wear and performance consistency split opinion, with around one in four owners mentioning tread life and around one in ten saying grip drops off noticeably as the tyre wears, sometimes accompanied by increased noise.
- Strong dry grip with plenty of traction
- Excellent dry handling and confidence in corners
- Comfortable, compliant ride quality
- Generally low road noise for a touring tyre
- Tread life can be disappointing for some drivers
- Grip drops off as the tyre wears
- Road noise can be noticeable on some surfaces
Summarised by AI from 87 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 100 Ventus Prime 4 reviewsDue to the larger 225/50R17, now the car has a slightly softer ride. However, the speedometer is only 2km/h fast against the GPS compared to original VW recommended 225/45R17 tyres
Kumho Ecsta HS52
- 82%from 31 reviews
- 76%would buy again
- 305,798 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners generally praise the Kumho Ecsta HS52 for its dry grip and handling, with many finding it direct and secure in corners. Most reviews are positive, and value for money is another frequent strength. Wet grip also earns more praise than criticism, although a few owners find it less reassuring. Tread life draws mixed views: some longer-term owners report good mileage, while others replace it relatively early. Road noise divides opinion too, with around one in eight owners finding it noisy, though more describe it as quiet.
- Strong dry grip
- Direct, confident dry handling
- Good value for money
- Generally good wet grip
- Variable tread life
Summarised by AI from 28 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 31 Ecsta HS52 reviewsIt's a nice a comfortable and quiet tyre for road trips, and higway use. But I think lacks the peak grip both in the dry and in the wet. It loses grip quite suddenly. But if your driving far from the edge, its a really nice tyre.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tyre: 66 sizes of the Ventus Prime 4 and 54 of the Ecsta HS52, 40 of them made in both.
| Category | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 66 sizes, 15 to 20 inch | 54 sizes, 14 to 20 inch |
| Made in both | 40 sizes 195/50 R15195/55 R15185/55 R16195/45 R16195/50 R16195/55 R16195/60 R16205/50 R16205/55 R16205/60 R16215/45 R16215/55 R16and 28 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A88%B12% | A80%B20% |
| EU label rolling resistance | B47%C39%A14% | C58%D16%A14%B12% |
| EU label noise | 68-71 dB A52%B48% | 68-72 dB B97%A3% |
| On the market since | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaced | Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 (2021) | Kumho Ecsta HS51 (2013) |
| Awards |
Tyre Reviews awards
Recommended Tyre Reviews Best Summer Touring Tyres (2022)
|
Tyre Reviews awards
Recommended Tyre Reviews Best Summer Touring Tyres (2022)
Rated by other publications
Recommended 1
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| Price in the shared tests | The Ventus Prime 4 was the dearer tyre in 5 of the 5 tests that listed prices, by 10.9% on average. Each test priced the tyres in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Prices by size
Lowest price per tyre at our partner shops, including delivery, in the sizes both are made in.
| Size | Ventus Prime 4 | Ecsta HS52 |
|---|---|---|
| 195/50 R15 | ||
| 195/55 R15 | ||
| 185/55 R16 | ||
| 195/45 R16 | ||
| 195/50 R16 | ||
| 195/55 R16 | ||
| 195/60 R16 | ||
| 205/50 R16 | ||
| 205/55 R16 | ||
| 205/60 R16 | ||
| 215/45 R16 | ||
| 215/55 R16 |
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy. It never changes our results.
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.
Hankook's Ventus Prime 4 and Kumho's Ecsta HS52 sit in the same “premium-touring summer” space: mainstream, comfort-oriented tyres that still aim for confident wet safety and predictable handling. Across 8 shared tests (ADAC, AutoBild and Tyre Reviews) they're repeatedly close enough that small differences in your priorities-wet stopping vs. running costs vs. steering feel-decide the better buy.
The pattern that emerges is a classic trade-off. The Kumho more often posts the sharper braking numbers (especially in the wet) and frequently ranks higher overall, while the Hankook tends to claw points back on operating costs with lower rolling resistance/fuel consumption and often lower abrasion. However, specific ADAC commentaries also highlight that each tyre can stumble in different places depending on size and test focus-Kumho with “only adequate” dry precision in one ADAC cycle, and Hankook with notable wet-performance deficits in another.
Ventus Prime 4 vs Ecsta HS52: your questions
Is the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 or the Kumho Ecsta HS52 the better tyre?
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Kumho Ecsta HS52 finished ahead 5 times and the Ventus Prime 4 3 times. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Ventus Prime 4 scores 8.8 and the Ecsta HS52 9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Ventus Prime 4 or the Ecsta HS52?
The Ecsta HS52 led 15 of the 30 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it resisted straight aquaplaning at a 2.5% higher speed across 6 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Ecsta HS52 led 9 of the 12 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 0.8% shorter in the dry across 8 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Ventus Prime 4 had 8.2% lower rolling resistance (3 tests) and used 4% less fuel (3 tests); the Ecsta HS52 lasted 7.7% longer in the wear tests (5 tests). Owners rate wear 7.8/10 for the Ventus Prime 4 and 7.8/10 for the Ecsta HS52.
Which sheds less rubber as it wears?
The Ventus Prime 4 shed 8.7% less rubber in the abrasion test (3 tests). Abrasion tests measure the rubber a tyre sheds as it wears.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8/10 for the Ventus Prime 4 and 7.1/10 for the Ecsta HS52.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 100 reviews and the Ecsta HS52 82% from 31. 73% of Ventus Prime 4 owners would buy it again, against 76% for the Ecsta HS52.
Which is more expensive?
In the 5 tests that listed prices, the Ventus Prime 4 was the dearer tyre in 5 of them, by 10.9% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Ventus Prime 4 is made in 66 sizes (15 to 20 inch) and the Ecsta HS52 in 54 (14 to 20 inch). 40 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Ventus Prime 4 is graded A for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ecsta HS52 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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