Kumho Ecsta HS52
WatchThe Kumho Ecsta HS52 is a strong mid-range premium-touring summer tyre that consistently impresses for safe, confidence-inspiring performance, especially in the dry. Drivers and independent tests agree it delivers very strong dry braking and predictable handling, with wet braking and general wet grip also typically competitive for the class. It stands out as good value for money, often pairing its performance with encouraging longevity, although results can vary by vehicle and usage.
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View Test ResultsAlternative Tyres
| Size | Fuel | Wet | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 inch | |||
| 185/60 R14 82 H | D | B | 70 |
| 175/65 R14 82 H | D | B | 70 |
| 175/65 R14 82 H | D | B | 70 |
| 185/60R14 82 H | D | B | 70 |
| 15 inch | |||
| 185/65 R15 88 H | C | B | 70 |
| 195/55 R15 85 V | D | A | 71 |
| 195/65 R15 91 V | C | A | 71 |
| 185/65 R15 88 H | C | B | 70 |
| 195/55 R15 85 H | D | A | 71 |
| 195/65 R15 91 H | C | A | 71 |
| 195/65 R15 91 H | C | A | 71 |
| 195/55 R15 85 V | D | A | 71 |
| 185/65 R15 88 H | A | B | 70 |
| 195/65R15 91 V | C | A | 71 |
| 195/65R15 91 H | C | A | 71 |
| 195/55R15 85 H | D | A | 71 |
| 195/55R15 85 V | D | A | 71 |
| 16 inch | |||
| 205/55 R16 91 V | C | A | 71 |
| 215/60 R16 95 V | A | A | 70 |
| 215/60 R16 95 V | A | A | 70 |
| 205/55 R16 91 V | C | A | 71 |
| 205/55 R16 94 V XL | C | A | 72 |
| 205/55 R16 94 V XL | C | A | 72 |
| 205/55R16 91 H | A | B | 69 |
| 205/55R16 91 V | A | A | 71 |
| 205/55R16 91 V | A | A | 71 |
| 205/55R16 91 V | A | A | 71 |
| 17 inch | |||
| 225/60 R17 99 V | B | A | 71 |
| 205/50R17 89 V | B | A | 70 |
| 205/50R17 89 V | B | A | 70 |
| 18 inch | |||
| 225/40R18 92 Y XL | B | A | 72 |
| 225/40R18 92 Y XL | B | A | 70 |
Questions and Answers for the Kumho Ecsta HS52
Ask a questionDoes this tyre have Alloy Wheel Rim protection built into the sidewall?
Review Summary
Based on 21 user reviews
Drivers generally rate the Kumho Ecsta HS52 highly, praising its strong dry grip, confident handling/steering response and secure braking, with many also calling it excellent value for money. Wet performance is usually described as good and stable for a mid-class touring tyre, though not always premium-tyre level. Most feedback on refinement is positive to mixed, but a noticeable minority mention a firmer ride and some extra noise/vibration compared with other tyres. Wear is often reported as good, though there are several reports of premature or uneven wear on some vehicles.
Strengths
- Strong dry grip and predictable handling
- Confident braking and stability (dry and often wet)
- Good value for money
- Generally low road noise for the class
- Often reported as good wear/longevity
Areas for Improvement
- Ride can feel firm/harsh; comfort sensitive to pressures
- Some reports of increased noise or vibration (including flat-spotting/initial imbalance)
- Several reports of premature or uneven wear
Top 3 Kumho Ecsta HS52 Reviews
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Latest Kumho Ecsta HS52 Reviews
Some reviews say that they feel a bit of an imbalance when doing 110-130km/h and I can confirm got that as well, though it did clear up as they are driven(broken in).
You do feel the bumps and imperfections in the road a lot(but Bulgarian roads are harsh no matter the tyre really).
First impressions are that this tyre is definitely worth the money, especially for the price point they are at, 50 euro a tyre is incredible.
Dry grip is excellent, I have not hit the ABS in the dry yet. Also cornering is absolutly fine.
Wet grip is also quite good, although I have hit the ABS a few times and broke the tires loose once when having to merge onto the Autobahn from a standstill. They outperform the (8 year old) Goodyears that were on the car before by quite some margine.
Comfort is fine, although they seem to be a bit louder than the goodyears.
The tires tend to get slightly flatspotted when parking for a few days. This causes a bit of a vibration that goes away after driving for a few kilometers. Neither the goodyears or the wintertires that are on the car now (Vredestein) do that.
The wear on these tires seems to be relativly low. I ran them for 15.000km this summer and they still have 6-6,5mm left. They had a bit more than 7.5mm when new. I expect them to last for another 30-40k km before needing to be replaced due to wear.
As I am working in forestry, I also drive these tires on forest dirt and gravel roads. On there, they are absolutly fine as long as its dry but get very slippery on dirt as soon as it gets wet. On some kinds of gravel, it feels like driving on ice when its wet, however thats more related to the kind of gravel (limestone) and not so much the tire. Every summertire I had so far showed this behavior. This part off the review has not been taken into account when rating the tire.
But I'm extremely disappointed in the wet - in lateral support. On changes of surface in turns, or in roundabouts, I have to take it easy on the roads where I ride. So, it's not catastrophic, but it slips where I don't have problems with a Continental (the kumho is supposedly at the same level in the "tests" ).
When braking in a straight line, it didn't bother me.
It's better than Chinese, but I wouldn't buy it again for myself. I regularly and easily reach the limit of grip in corners when it's raining, even when I think I'm going slowly enough, I don't like it.
I came across these after the owner of my local tyre shop (who I know well) recommended them to me. I was a little skeptical at first, since I origninally wanted a set of Bridgestone’s, but he said these would do the same job for approx £200 less.
Straight away I was surprised by how different the car felt after the change. The steering felt more responsive, and the car felt more compliant over bumps. The handling is very predictable and compared to previous tyres there's virtually no tyre squeal, even if I really push. I've only driven with them a few times in the rain, but they feel perfectly fine and stable even in heavy downpours. I guess the big question for me is if I regret not buying the Bridgestone’s? And I'm happy to report that I don't. For my type of driving, they do everything I ask, and I've never found myself wishing I had more grip even on some spirited drives.
The negatives: Compared to the previous set of Yokohama’s I had on the car, there's not quite as much feel through the steering wheel. It's not a big problem for me, as my car has adjustable shocks, so a few more clicks of rebound and that feel comes back. But it's worth mentioning for those who are looking for a sportier tyre. The only other negative I would mention is the looks. I feel a bit daft for saying that, as I've never really cared how my tyres look on the car, but after coming from other brands, these look like economy tyres by comparison. But this is hardly a big issue, just a small note. Overall, these tyres are the best I've experienced on the car yet, which is high praise from me, so I would absolutely buy them again.
I've never seen that in 27 years of driving with my other tires.
First of all sound; l would say all 3 have a similar level of road sound, which is remarkably low. And that reminds me when l tried Kumho KU31 back in 2015 which was so hard & loud, so that’s a huge improvement for Kumho in that section.
Then comes the comfort, and l believe that the HS52 is midway between being too soft+ comfortable & too hard+tough. And that suits my driving on a combination of different roads and conditions.
Being in the summer, I haven’t tried the wet grip yet but the dry grip is decent and l feel safe driving the car near it’s limits.
It’s too early for me to comment on the longevity but l will update that later on.
Overall, l’m satisfied with my purchase and l believe that the HS52 is an excellent value for money amongst most competitors.
