Kumho Tires Review: Affordable, High-Quality, and Long-Lasting
Kumho tires don’t weigh much on your pocket. But their low prices don’t translate into poor performance or lackluster durability. As anyone who has installed a set of Kumho tires on their vehicle can attest, the South Korean brand doesn’t compromise on quality.
Take, for instance, the Kumho Solus TA31. An all-season tire with excellent road manners, the Solus TA31 boosts great traction, handling, and road grip. This tire has everything passenger car drivers need for a comfortable and safe driving experience year-round.
The same could be said about the Solus KH16, a touring tire with a treadwear rating of 60,000 miles, which should translate into excellent performance for years to come. Both these all-season tires serve as proof that you can get decent performance on a budget.
However, Kumho tires aren’t just for everyday driving or paved roads. As the Road Venture AT51 (an all-terrain tire) and Ecsta PS91 (a high-performance one) prove, they can also handle various road conditions and driving preferences. Read on to learn more.
Kumho Tires Review
Here are the best Kumho tires currently on the market:
#1. Kumho Solus TA71 – Best Grand Touring Tire
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The Kumho Solus TA71 is a grand touring tire designed to enhance the drive quality of sporty coupes and luxury performance sedans.
An all-season compound featuring nano silica helps this model perform reliably year-round. The tread compound also features heat-dissipating properties to withstand high-speed driving. As such, there’s a minimal risk of blowouts with this tire.
Handling is boosted by an asymmetric tread design, which also increases this model’s road contact to make it highly responsive. Also, thanks to 4 circumferential grooves (channels designed to evacuate water), the risk of hydroplaning is minimum.
Pros
- Plenty of grip and traction on dry and wet roads
- Incredibly responsive for a grand touring tire
- Offers a comfortable and refined ride
Cons
- Ice traction could be better
#2. Kumho Crugen HP71 – Best Touring Tire for SUVs
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The Kumho Crugen HP71 is a luxury touring tire for SUVs, crossovers, and 4x4s. It is renowned for its excellent wet traction, high-speed stability, and ride comfort.
Start with wet performance. This model has almost everything – four circumferential grooves, multiple biting edges, aggressive shoulder blocks – to offer a sure-footed driving experience on slippery surfaces. However, its snow and ice traction could do with an improvement.
The HP71 is also supremely stable at high speeds, thanks to the four ribs on the shoulder and the wide rib running along the center. At the same time, it makes light work of minor road imperfections, which, when paired with your SUV’s suspension, should translate into a smooth ride.
Pros
- Offers a sure-footed driving experience in the rain
- Backed by an excellent 65,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Gives you plenty of size options to choose from
Cons
- Isn’t the most reliable tire for snow driving
#3. Kumho Road Venture AT51 – Best Tire for Bad Roads
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The Kumho Road Venture AT51 does what many of its competitors cannot: It doesn’t let bumpy roads damage its tread or hurt your car’s fuel efficiency.
Thanks to its aggressive tread design and larger grooves, the AT51 offers many points of road contact on bumpy surfaces. This enables this tire to smooth road disturbances and provide a comfortable ride, especially compared to what other tires offer on the same surface.
All in all, while most tires lose control on uneven surfaces, the AT51 remains on top of things regardless of how worse the road conditions are.
Pros
- Provides superior control on difficult surfaces
- Relatively affordable for an all-terrain tire
- Balanced on-road and off-road performance
Cons
- Noisy at higher speeds
#4. Kumho Solus TA11 – Best All-Season Tire for Passenger Cars
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The Kumho Solus TA11 ticks several boxes for passenger car drivers.
The first of which is that this model isn’t astronomically expensive, meaning you won’t have to break the bank to afford it. Secondly, the TA11 has a lower rolling resistance than other similarly priced tires. So, you can expect significant savings at the pump.
Throw its 75,000-mile treadwear warranty into the mix, and it gets clear that the TA11 is unlike any other budget tire. Such an extended guarantee means it can stay useful for 6 to 7 years, something you expect from Michelin, Bridgestone, or Continental tires.
Pros
- Available at a budget price point
- Price-tag defying 75,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Offers superb steering response and feedback
Cons
- Not the best at handling road imperfections
#5. Kumho Ecsta PA51 – Best Ultra-High-Performance Tire
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The Kumho Ecsta PA51 is an all-season ultra-high-performance tire that delivers exceptional handling regardless of the weather conditions.
A unique rubber compound and an asymmetric tread design help it do that. While the tread compound enhances its wet performance by staying flexible at sub-zero temperatures. The asymmetric tread design enhances this tire’s road grip in dry and wet conditions.
Cornering is another area where the Ecsta PA51 shines. Enthusiast drivers will also appreciate the fact that this tire is pretty generous when it comes to steering feedback.
Pros
- Excellent dry and wet performance
- Responsive and offers plenty of feedback
- Good dry handling for a budget-performance tire
Cons
- Average braking distances on wet roads
#6. Kumho Ecowing ES31 – Best Tire for Gas Mileage
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Kumho wants you to believe that the Ecowing ES31 is one of the most fuel-efficient tires on the market. Here’s why you may want to believe it.
Similar to other tires that enhance your vehicle’s fuel economy, the Ecowing ES31 rolls without putting much pressure on your engine. In technical language, this means that this tire has a low rolling resistance, which is always a recipe for excellent fuel economy.
As good as it’s for your pocket, the ES31 is even better for the environment. That is because it is built with eco-friendly compounds, which allow this tire to boast a lower carbon footprint than many of its rivals.
Pros
- Offers outstanding fuel economy
- Delivers superb traction on wet roads
- Built with eco-friendly compounds to reduce environmental impact
Cons
- No treadwear warranty
#7. Kumho Ecsta V720 – Best Summer Performance Tire
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Multiple features of the Ecsta V720 make it a must-have for enthusiast drivers.
This tire will stand up to models costing twice as much in terms of dry road responsiveness, high-speed stability, and cornering grip. Also, its carbon black tread compound minimizes heat build-up to guarantee high-speed durability.
Additionally, Kumho has reinforced this model’s sidewalls to help them better withstand everything enthusiast drivers can throw at this tire. So, the risk of sidewall flexing (which can destroy a tire’s road grip) is minimal.
Pros
- Superior cornering grip
- Delivers strong dry and wet performance
- Incredibly short braking distances on dry roads
Cons
- Only suitable for summer driving
#8. Kumho Road Venture MT KL71 – Best for Off-Roading
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The Road Venture MTKL71 has all the design elements that distinguish the best mud-terrain tires from the also-rans.
For example, its directional tread pattern features staggered tread blocks. These tread blocks not only enhance this tire’s off-road traction by creating more biting edges on its surface. They also reduce noise and vibration, especially when you’re driving at high speeds.
On top of that, Kumho has reinforced this tire’s rubber and sidewall. This has reduced the risk of sharp objects penetrating either and causing punctures or blow-outs.
Pros
- Staggered tread blocks keep the tread clean
- Reinforced sidewall lowers the risk of punctures
- Makes less noise than most off-road tires
Cons
- Not suitable for highway use
#9. Kumho Crugen HT51 – Best Highway Tire for SUVs
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The Kumho Crugen HT51 shows why highway tires have become so popular of late that many drivers now prefer them over all-season tires.
Apart from boasting the Three Peak Mountain and Snowflake (3PMSF) designation, this tire features 5 ribs and an ultra-stiff central block. The result? Reliable performance on the snow and excellent high-speed stability on the highway and paved roads.
Its tread design also features a fair few number of sipes to aid with water evacuation, an important aspect when driving in the rain. Also, combine this tire with the softer suspension most SUVs come with, and you can expect a pretty comfortable and quiet ride.
Pros
- Comes with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Comfortable on the highway and around town
- Stays stable even at higher speeds
Cons
- Isn’t the most responsive tire out there
Kumho Tires Buying Guide
What is there to like about Kumho tires? What is it that distinguishes these tires from the chasing pack? Are there areas where Kumho tires could or should have done better? Any shortcomings that could potentially be deal-breakers? This section has all the answers.
Why Should You Buy Kumho Tires?
Here’s why Kumho tires should be on your short list of tire brands to buy next:
1) Wide Range of Performance Tires
Busting the myth that mid-range brands only offer all-season tires, Kumho boasts five lineups of performance tires. These include extreme performance summer, max performance summer, UHP summer, UHP A/S, and high-performance all-season tires. This shows why Kumho is an incredibly popular tire brand among enthusiast drivers.
2) Respectable Treadwear Warranties
Premium tire brands want you to believe that only their models can stay useful for 6 to 7 years. However, as Kumho’s all-season tires show, budget tires, too, can go years before needing replacement. The Crugen HP51, for instance, comes with a 70,000-mileage warranty, which means at least 5 years of road life under regular use on normal driving conditions. What more can you ask for!
3) Affordable Asking Prices
Despite boasting the above qualities, Kumho tires won’t blow a hole in your pocket. Even high-performance and ultra-high-performance tires from this brand come at reasonable prices. Which is a huge surprise considering that such tires from other brands mostly cost an arm and a leg. So, if you’re on a budget but don’t want to compromise on tire quality, opt for Kumho.
Why Should You NOT Buy Kumho Tires?
Here’s why Kumho tires might not be right for you:
1) Not Many Great Winter Tire Options
While it’s true that Kumho offers many tires for snow driving, the brutal truth is that most of them cannot stand up to rivals from Bridgestone and Michelin for reliability and braking distances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes Kumho tires?
Kumho Tire Co., Inc manufactures Kumho tires. The Kumho Tire Company is a subsidiary of Doublestar, one of the largest tire conglomerates in China.
Where are Kumho tires made?
Kumho tires are being manufactured in its tire facilities in China, Vietnam, and South Korea. However, Kumho tires designed for the North American market are manufactured in the United States.
How long do Kumho tires last?
Most Kumho all-season tires last from 60,000 to 80,000 miles. However, a tire’s longevity cannot be accurately gauged from its tread wear warranty. The length of time a tire may last also depends on road conditions, driving style, and tire maintenance schedule.
Is Kumho a good brand?
Kumho is a world-renowned brand that offers high-quality tires on a budget. Its racetrack-ready and street-legal tires have won the trust of car racers all over the globe. Similarly, Kumho’s performance and ultra-high-performance tires have earned the trust of passenger car owners.
Are Kumho tires noisy?
Kumho tires designed for highway use aren’t usually loud at high speeds. However, its all-terrain and ultra-high-performance tires can make a fair bit of noise, especially when you push them to the limits.
Are Kumho tires good for snow?
Kumho tires aren’t as good for snow driving as rivals from premium brands. Winter tires from Michelin and Bridgestone fare better in inclement weather due to the use of high-end technologies and the latest construction materials.
Conclusion
Kumho tires strike an ideal balance between performance and budget. While not as pricey as their counterparts from premium brands, these tires last longer and perform better in various weather conditions than similarly priced models from mid-range tire manufacturers.
