Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum - initial opinion.
Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum - initial opinion.
http://www.kumhotireusa.com/pressrelease.do?newsId=205
Just picked up a set of these in the 235/40-18 flavor. Apparently these are Kumho's shoe-in to the luxury market. They're originally $205 each on tirerack, but they're on sale for $138 each right now (at least in this size...) so I jumped on the deal.
I'm changing out from my old set of noisy Ziex 512's that went bald after 15k miles. I was looking for a tire that I could commute 3 hours to and from college on. My priorities were great tread life, comfortable ride, and low noise, while still retaining a performance edge. I must say, these tires are absolutely spectacular in these regards.
The first thing I noticed with these tires is how incredibly quiet they are. I can literally hear the wind noise outside at 30 mph. While braking. They're as quiet as the stock tires on my parents' brand new Santa Fe.
They're very controlled for a grand touring tire, too. I heard that these tires actually have a bit of a break-in period where they seem slippery, but I haven't noticed. These grip every bit as well as my old Falkens and I haven't been able to get them to lose traction yet.
Being a grand touring tire, these are a MUCH more comfortable ride than a typical high performance or summer tire. I can still feel the road, but the bumps that jarred my teeth with the Falkens are now much more muted.
Also, these tires have a TON, and I mean a TON, of tread. I read 10/32 somewhere but that seems pretty conservative - these have as much tread as the tires on my dad's truck. Add onto that a 600 treadwear, and I can see why Kumho offers a 60k mile warranty on these tires. That's unheard of on this size of a tire, and I'm glad that I don't have to deal with rock hard tires just to be able to get this amount of life out of them.
Pros:
-Dead quiet
-Very comfortable without sacrificing road feel
-Grip well for a luxury tire
-60k mile warranty
Cons:
-None so far!
Verdict:
An EXCELLENT first impression. A great tire for a daily driver or for someone who wants a long-lasting, comfortable tire without sacrificing performance. Kumhos have a reputation for not lasting, but we'll see if this tire can beat the trend.
Just picked up a set of these in the 235/40-18 flavor. Apparently these are Kumho's shoe-in to the luxury market. They're originally $205 each on tirerack, but they're on sale for $138 each right now (at least in this size...) so I jumped on the deal.
I'm changing out from my old set of noisy Ziex 512's that went bald after 15k miles. I was looking for a tire that I could commute 3 hours to and from college on. My priorities were great tread life, comfortable ride, and low noise, while still retaining a performance edge. I must say, these tires are absolutely spectacular in these regards.
The first thing I noticed with these tires is how incredibly quiet they are. I can literally hear the wind noise outside at 30 mph. While braking. They're as quiet as the stock tires on my parents' brand new Santa Fe.
They're very controlled for a grand touring tire, too. I heard that these tires actually have a bit of a break-in period where they seem slippery, but I haven't noticed. These grip every bit as well as my old Falkens and I haven't been able to get them to lose traction yet.
Being a grand touring tire, these are a MUCH more comfortable ride than a typical high performance or summer tire. I can still feel the road, but the bumps that jarred my teeth with the Falkens are now much more muted.
Also, these tires have a TON, and I mean a TON, of tread. I read 10/32 somewhere but that seems pretty conservative - these have as much tread as the tires on my dad's truck. Add onto that a 600 treadwear, and I can see why Kumho offers a 60k mile warranty on these tires. That's unheard of on this size of a tire, and I'm glad that I don't have to deal with rock hard tires just to be able to get this amount of life out of them.
Pros:
-Dead quiet
-Very comfortable without sacrificing road feel
-Grip well for a luxury tire
-60k mile warranty
Cons:
-None so far!
Verdict:
An EXCELLENT first impression. A great tire for a daily driver or for someone who wants a long-lasting, comfortable tire without sacrificing performance. Kumhos have a reputation for not lasting, but we'll see if this tire can beat the trend.
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