General G-MAX AS-07 vs Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 tires

Owned by Continental, General Tire is a century-old American tire manufacturer that requires no introduction in the US. Similarly, Kumho Tire was founded in 1960 and is a sub-brand of the Chinese tire company Doublestar. Both tire makers have been rolling out high-quality tires for SUVs, CUVs, light trucks, coupes, sedans, and electric vehicles under different categories like all-season, all-terrain, mud-terrain, rugged-terrain, all-weather, winter, and ultra-high-performance.

Under the UHP all-season tire category, the General G-MAX AS-07 and the Kumho Ecsta PA71 are great options for drivers who prefer spirited drives from their performance vehicles. Both tires are designed to deliver sharp steering response and solid grip in dry and wet conditions, while also providing reliable traction for light snow, allowing drivers seamless drives regardless of the season. The General and Kumho tires are backed by solid warranties and special rubber compounds that resist uneven wear and promote uniform wear throughout the year.

So, which one is the best for you? Let’s do General G-MAX AS-07 vs Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 tires comparison based on our proprietary scoring mechanism, SimpleScore, to know which one is better. SimpleScore analyzes different aspects of a tire, like traction, handling, and longevity, on a scale of 0-10.

General G-MAX AS-07 tires

Launched in August 2022, the General G-MAX AS-07 is a modern UHP all-season tire designed for performance sedans, coupes, and CUVs. Engineered to provide exhilarating performance and year-round usability, the G-MAX AS-07 delivers sharp steering response and strong grip in dry and wet conditions. Its advanced compound and unique tread patterns ensure reliable traction in light snow, making it a true all-season option. Known for offering premium performance at a great value, the G-MAX AS-07 provides an excellent balance of high-speed stability, longevity, and versatility for drivers who don't compromise on driving excitement regardless of the weather.

With an 8.9 overall SimpleScore, the General G-MAX AS-07 offers great year-round performance in different driving conditions.

Get General G-MAX AS-07 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 tires

Launched in 2025, the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 is a UHP all-season tire designed to deliver sporty handling for performance sedans and coupes year-round. Backed by a solid 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 excels in responsiveness and grip. Its asymmetric tread design, coupled with wide outer blocks and a high-grip resin, enhances cornering stability and grip in both dry and wet conditions. Additionally, zigzag grooves boost traction in light snow, ensuring reliable performance across seasons without sacrificing driving excitement.

Scoring an 8.8 in its overall SimpleScore, the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 offers great grip, traction, handling, and durability.

Get Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

General G-MAX AS-07 vs Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 tires on traction

Traction is defined as the ability of a tire to grip the surface without skidding. The General and Kumho tires provide great grip and traction in dry, wet, and light snow. Let’s analyse their traction performance.

The General G-MAX AS-07 scores a superb 8.9 in traction, thanks to an advanced asymmetric tread design and all-season rubber compound that ensures confident contact with the surface. The General tire features four circumferential grooves to mitigate the risk of hydroplaning and boost wet traction performance. Meanwhile, the tire’s flat and wider contact patch provides increased surefootedness for better grip and improved surface-biting ability in changing weather conditions.

On the other hand, the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 is at home with a superb 8.8 in traction. Thanks to the zigzag grooves, the Kumho tire bites into the surface to lend enhanced grip and traction while the high-resin grip and wide lateral grooves clear water from the tread to mitigate hydroplaning and boost wet performance. The asymmetric tread design with solid shoulders further aids in lending great grip in dry, wet, and light snow.

Although with a marginal edge, the General G-MAX AS-07 beats the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 in the traction segment.

ADVANTAGE: General G-MAX AS-07

General G-MAX AS-07 vs Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 tires on handling

The more precise the steering, the better control you have over your vehicle, making handling one of the important traits in tire selection. The G-MAX AS-07 and Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 return improved steering response, but one tire scores better than the other. Which one is it? Let’s find out.

With an 8.9 in handling, the G-MAX AS-07 features a wider profile with a large contact area, ensuring improved control during high-speed driving. The all-season rubber compound, combined with sipes and ribs, enables precise steering response and lane-changing ability across dry, wet, and light snowy conditions. Thanks to the solid shoulder design, the General tire maintains its shape under high-speed runs.

Achieving an exceptional 9.1 in handling, the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 features zigzag grooves, high-grip resin, and reinforced shoulder blocks that provide accurate steering feedback, stability, and control in wet and light snow. Meanwhile, the flatter profile puts more rubber on the surface for better grip and handling throughout the year.

With an incredible score, the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 wins the handling race.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71

General G-MAX AS-07 vs Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 tires on longevity

UHP all-season tires are preferred over summer tires due to their lasting tread life and limited mileage warranties. Both performance tires promise strong durability and wearability, whether driven on tracks or streets. Let’s check their longevity scores.

With an excellent 9.0 in longevity, the General G-MAX AS-07 demonstrates great resistance to cuts, chips, and wear while assuring a prolonged service life. Thanks to the sturdy construction utilizing steel belts, the General UHP all-season tire maintains its shape and evenly distributes the driving pressure across the contact patch. Backed by a solid 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the performance tire affirms a longer service life.

Contrarily, the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 is not behind and scores a formidable 8.6 in this department. Backed by the same 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Kumho UHP all-season tire confirms a longer tread life thanks to the special rubber compound and wide grooves that limit irregular wear and promote even wear throughout its life.

Despite putting in a brave effort, it’s the General UHP all-season that wins the longevity tussle.

ADVANTAGE: General G-MAX AS-07

When to use each

UHP all-season tires deliver the sharp handling and grip of a performance tire combined with year-round versatility. Designed for sports cars and performance vehicles, they use advanced rubber compounds to provide exceptional traction and responsive steering in dry and wet conditions, along with reliable performance in light snow.

The General G-MAX AS-07 and Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 perfectly balance grip, traction, braking, acceleration, performance, handling, cornering, and longevity. While the General tire is for those seeking longer tread life and a slightly better grip, the Kumho tire is for those wanting better control and handling in dry, wet, and light snow. Please note that both tires cannot be used in low temperature conditions, as they are not Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified for use in harsh winters.

Which one should you choose?

To sum up, the General G-MAX AS-07 wins the closely fought battle, beating the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 by 2-1. However, both tires have individual traits that should be considered before selecting one. Let’s hop on to the most critical aspect, and often the decider, their prices!

For the 205/45ZR17 88W XL size, the General tire costs $149 per tire, while four tires cost $596. Similarly, the Kumho tire costs $124 per tire, while four tires cost $496 (a difference of $100 on four tires).

Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the General G-MAX AS-07 if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, or Infiniti Q50
• Prefer a tire with a longer service life (9.0 vs 8.6)
• Want tires with better grip and traction (8.9 vs 8.8)

Contrarily, you should go for the Kumho Ecsta Sport A/S PA71 if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Tesla Model 3, BMW 3 Series, or Mazda Miata
• Prefer a highway tire with better handling (9.1 vs 8.9)
• Want a great UHP all-season tire at affordable prices

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.