Kumho Tire wins highest rating in German performance tests

Kumho Tire’s model ECSTA HS52 tire has garnered recognition from tire performance tests conducted by German automotive magazines ADAC and Auto Bild, the company said Wednesday.

In this year's comprehensive tire performance evaluations, the ECSTA HS52 model achieved third place with a "Good" rating from ADAC and fourth place, also rated as "Good," from Auto Bild. This made it the top-performing tire from a South Korean manufacturer.

ADAC’s testing was among 16 global tire manufacturers’ summer tires for Europe, with a size of 215/55 R17. The evaluation considered factors from driving satisfaction on dry and wet surfaces to environmental life cycles, such as mileage, wear, noise, and sustainability.

Auto Bild's assessment included 55 products in the 205/55 R16 size, one of the most frequently bought sizes in Europe for its size suiting compact to mid-size vehicles. The ECSTA HS52 came in second place for its short braking distances and stable handling under both wet and dry conditions.

Tailored for premium sedans and sports vehicles, ECSTA HS52 features a solid block tread pattern design that helps maintain consistent ground friction pressure, reducing shock and noise.

"The most effective way to enhance the value of our products in the European market is to secure excellent results through car specialty magazines, thereby proving Kumho Tire's competitiveness on the global stage. We will further dedicate ourselves to research and development of technology, contributing to the company's continuous sales increase,” said Song Seong-hak, senior vice president of PC tire development at Kumho Tire.

This year, Kumho Tire has set a target revenue of 4.56 trillion won ($3.39 billion), focusing on both quantitative and qualitative growth.