Kumho Ecsta XS (KU36) review.
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:12 pm
Now that I have covered well over 1,500km on the road, and almost 200kms on the track, I now have a qualified opinion about them.
In short, well worth the money; about $170 for 205/50 R15 and only $15-$20 more for each size up.
On the road:
- quiet running, great dry-weather grip, very good wet-grip.
- compound may be too soft for some who uses their car as a daily-driver, thus will not get good mileage
- stable pressure retention, I never had to pump them up between initally installing them and first track day (4 months, 600kms)
- relatively soft side walls
On the track:
- at Queensland Raceway, I feld VERY comfortable with them. They had amazing grip, not a single squeal on any of the corners. I've done about 600km on the road prior to this track day
- the only time they slipped was at the last turn, which is a fairly open hair-pin (Clubman configuration at QR), but a simple quick counter-steer flick of the steering and she's back in line and you can immediately plant the accelerator expecting full grip
- Average ambient air temp that day was, I think, 25-27deg Celcius.
* at Lakeside yesterday, these really shine. They became "communicative", in other words, there was a fair bit of squealing whenever you take the wrong line and tried too hard to tighten the corner.
* once again, very confidence inspiring in that you can hear them, and feel them slide well before trouble happens, and it gives you plenty of time to back off the throttle or counter-steer.
* I had a couple of moments when I either braked(?) too hard or had a tyre, or two, off the tarmac, resulting in a bit of squirming, but the tyres held the car in-line.
* stable pressure retention, and very noticeable difference going up/down 2psi.
* average ambient air temp... not sure, what was it? high 20's?
* started with 37psi warm (after driving 40km to the track), got to 42psi, stable, hot.
Unless something better comes up within a similar price range, I shall definitely be getting these again.
In short, well worth the money; about $170 for 205/50 R15 and only $15-$20 more for each size up.
On the road:
- quiet running, great dry-weather grip, very good wet-grip.
- compound may be too soft for some who uses their car as a daily-driver, thus will not get good mileage
- stable pressure retention, I never had to pump them up between initally installing them and first track day (4 months, 600kms)
- relatively soft side walls
On the track:
- at Queensland Raceway, I feld VERY comfortable with them. They had amazing grip, not a single squeal on any of the corners. I've done about 600km on the road prior to this track day
- the only time they slipped was at the last turn, which is a fairly open hair-pin (Clubman configuration at QR), but a simple quick counter-steer flick of the steering and she's back in line and you can immediately plant the accelerator expecting full grip
- Average ambient air temp that day was, I think, 25-27deg Celcius.
* at Lakeside yesterday, these really shine. They became "communicative", in other words, there was a fair bit of squealing whenever you take the wrong line and tried too hard to tighten the corner.
* once again, very confidence inspiring in that you can hear them, and feel them slide well before trouble happens, and it gives you plenty of time to back off the throttle or counter-steer.
* I had a couple of moments when I either braked(?) too hard or had a tyre, or two, off the tarmac, resulting in a bit of squirming, but the tyres held the car in-line.
* stable pressure retention, and very noticeable difference going up/down 2psi.
* average ambient air temp... not sure, what was it? high 20's?
* started with 37psi warm (after driving 40km to the track), got to 42psi, stable, hot.
Unless something better comes up within a similar price range, I shall definitely be getting these again.
that's some good prices
