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Kumho Ecsta 4X II KU22 Tire Review
Specifications:
- Dry 90%
- Wet 80%
- Snow 40%
- Comfort 80%
- Noise 80%
- Treadwear 70%
- Dry performance is excellent
- Excellent resistance to aquaplaning
- It has one of the best price-performance ratios
- Comfortable and refined
- Snow performance is practically nonexistent
- There is little traction on ice
- It’s not the longest-lasting
Kumho Ecsta 4X II KU22 features ?
The Korean brand Kumho offers excellent tires at an affordable price.
The Ecsta 4X, for instance, is an excellent tire that got a second version, Ecsta 4X II. The model seems to offer quite a few improvements and appears promising on paper.
Kumho advertises this tire as an all-season tire with excellent performance and no compromise on ride comfort. In order to achieve the all-season part of that marketing, the company used a special rubber compound. Despite freezing temperatures, it performs optimally in all weather conditions. I’m not a huge fan of tires that perform equally well in all weather conditions, mainly because that’s not entirely true. I’ll explain later in the review how the Ecsta 4X II performs similarly.
As a result of the tread’s maximum footprint, traction and cornering stability should be greatly improved. The company also used noise-canceling technology in its tread. As a result, the noise levels should be lower, which you’d find in touring tires.
Kumho’s ESCOT technology is used in the Ecsta 4X II to provide two advantages. Stability is improved in a straight line and at higher speeds, and longevity is improved.
In theory, the Ecsta 4X II looks promising, but is it as good as Kumho claims?
What is its behavior on dry tarmac?
Kumho delivered on everything it promised on dry pavement.
Even when accelerating or braking, the Ecsta 4X II maintains excellent traction.
In both cases, the tire will have plenty of grip and can even handle more powerful vehicles.
The corners are one area where it shines the most. In terms of responsiveness, it’s not a medal winner, but it’s more than adequate for most drivers’ needs. If you chug it into a corner, you’ll realize that you could have done it at a higher speed. You’ll be amazed at how much grip your car has.
Despite not being the most responsive tire, the Ecsta 4X II takes inputs well and provides plenty of feedback during cornering.
Although I wouldn’t compare it to premium tires, Kumho still managed to do an impressive job.
What is its behavior on wet and slick roads?
Tires do not stick to the road as well in wet conditions as they do in dry conditions. I was surprised to discover that the Ecsta 4X II is just as good on wet pavement as it is on dry pavement.
In wet conditions, people tend to drive more slowly and be extra careful with the throttle, brakes, and steering. With the Ecsta 4X II traction on wet pavements, you can push much harder than you would normally.
Even though you can push the tires to their limits more easily in wet conditions, the Ecsta 4X II is very easy to handle. You can get back on track very quickly even if you overdo it.
During heavy rain, tires lose traction due to the water between the rubber and the road. Fortunately, the Ecsta 4X II has excellent aquaplaning resistance, probably the best in its class.
What is its behavior on snow?
As all-season tires cannot perform well in all weather conditions, I wasn’t surprised by their poor performance in snow.
For an all-season tire, the Ecsta 4X II is not suited for driving on snow. The tire’s tread design makes acceleration difficult, as it is designed for it. For sure, it will struggle to find grip, but it may eventually succeed.
The Ecsta 4X II really disappoints when it comes to cornering. Flip everything I said about responsiveness in the dry and wet sections. Some front tires feel unresponsive – you add steering input, and the car doesn’t change direction.
It is not a good idea to go a bit faster, as the Ecsta 4X II is almost dangerous in such situations. As soon as your car starts skidding, you won’t be able to control it, which is a very unpleasant experience.
Does it feel comfortable and refined?
I can compare the Ecsta 4X II with some more expensive tires in this category, according to Kumho.
Kumho doesn’t sell this tire as a touring tire, so I didn’t have high expectations. However, it turns out that the Ecsta 4X II is more than capable of providing a smooth ride. The only thing you’ll feel are larger potholes because imperfections and holes in the road are smoothed out.
The sound quality is impressively quiet. It’s impressive because it’s not a touring tire. When you consider the price, the noise level is decently low.
What is its off-road behavior?
With a performance tire like the Ecsta 4X II, off-roading is unlikely.
The tire is not designed for that scenario, and it should be avoided. The rubber on your car may be damaged if you drive on a dirt road.
What about Kumho Ecsta 4X II KU22? Is it a sporty car?
I would encourage you to take the Ecsta 4X II on a track if you’re a driver who enjoys this kind of driving.
For an affordable tire, the dry and wet performance is outstanding, something I’d like to see in other tires of similar price. With excellent cornering grip and high-speed stability, the Ecsta 4X II will delight you. You may get some decent lap times when you combine the decent responsiveness with the talkative nature of the tire.
Video Review of Kumho Ecsta 4X II KU22 Tire
You should, because I know I would. However, I wouldn’t recommend it in every situation.
Its dry and wet performance is impressive, so I recommend the Ecsta 4X II. For not a lot of money, you’re looking at a decent option with decent ride quality.
It is not recommended if you live in an area with snow. It’s best to avoid it. Under those conditions, I would opt for a winter tire instead.
Warranty for Kumho Ecsta 4X II KU22
You should keep in mind that this is a mid-tier tire before attacking the warranty. For the price range, Kumho offers a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is not the highest I’ve seen.
Pricing of Kumho Ecsta 4X II KU22
I may even say that the Ecsta 4X II has one of the best price-to-performance ratios I’ve seen in this class. The price for a tire ranges from around $84 to $185, which is excellent for the performance you get.
Premium options perform better, but they are much more expensive, so the Ecsta 4X II is a great option. In this price range, it is uncommon to find tires with excellent dry and wet traction, responsiveness, and refinement.
Final thoughts
The Ecsta 4X II surprised me. The first version, which was already good, was improved by Kumho.
The tire performs well in both dry and wet conditions. Yes, it is not the most responsive one on the market, but you should expect some compromises at that price point. While it may sound bad, the tire responds well and keeps you informed through the steering wheel what each tire is doing.
Again, keep the price in mind when considering the 40,000-mile warranty. There are some competitors who offer less or no warranty at all.
Snow performance was the biggest downside. Although all-season tires should perform well in all conditions, the Ecsta 4X II failed to deliver.
The Ecsta 4X II is an excellent tire, which you shouldn’t avoid.
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