Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires

When it comes to selecting a grand touring all-season tire that balances refinement with value, Kumho and Yokohama brands have a vast lineup of capable tires in this segment. While Kumho Tire is a South Korean tire manufacturer that rolls out tires for coupes, sedans, minivans, CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks, Yokohama is a Japanese tire maker that has a large portfolio of capable tires under different categories like all-season, all-terrain, rugged-terrain, mud-terrain, winter, UHP, and rugged terrain.

Two of the most compelling all-season options on the market are the Kumho Solus TA51a and Yokohama Avid Ascend GT. The Solus TA51a, a relatively recent addition to their lineup, was designed specifically to provide a quiet cabin experience and confident year-round grip for sedans and CUVs. In the other corner, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT is a seasoned veteran from a Japanese brand known for its precision engineering.

Both tires are designed to handle the daily grind—from rain-slicked highways to light snow—while maintaining the smooth ride quality that long-distance commuters demand. So, which one is the best deal? Let’s try to answer the question by doing the Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend GT comparison based on their performance in SimpleScore. It’s our proprietary mechanism that rates each tire on traction, handling, and longevity performance.

Kumho Solus TA51a tires

The Kumho Solus TA51a is an all-season tire launched in 2023, designed for passenger cars, CUVs, and SUVs. Designed to provide a "luxuriously quiet" experience, it features specialized noise-canceling ribs and an optimized footprint that reduces cabin noise. To ensure confident year-round traction, the Solus TA51a utilizes four wide circumferential grooves for water drainage and a high-dispersion silica compound for enhanced winter grip.

Its advanced 3D interlocking sipes and chamfered block edges improve rigidity, resulting in crisp handling and shorter braking distances. Backed by a up to 75,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, a 30-day satisfaction trial, and road hazard assistance, this tire earns an 8.7 overall SimpleScore, delivering exceptional value and reliable performance in diverse climatic conditions.

Get Kumho Solus TA51a tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires

Introduced in 2018, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT is a touring all-season tire best suited for sedans, coupes, and CUVs. This all-season tire stands out for its unique asymmetric tread design and advanced TriBLEND compound, which provides extraordinary grip on wet and snowy roads.

Designed to maximize compatibility with a wide range of vehicles, including performance cars and minivans, the Avid Ascend GT excels in offering a quiet, refined ride through its multi-pitch tread design. It is backed by a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, ensuring that drivers receive long-lasting service and exceptional value. Whether you are navigating heavy rain or light winter conditions, this tire provides the steering response and stability needed for a confident daily drive.

With an impressive 8.6 overall SimpleScore, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT returns great grip, traction, and longevity.

Get Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires on traction

Belonging to the same segment, both tires are great when it comes to offering solid grip and traction on paved roads. While the competition is tough, one of the tires manages to nudge ahead of the other. Let’s check their traction performance.

The Kumho Solus TA51a achieves a superb 8.6 traction score, delivering reliable surface-biting ability in different driving conditions. Its advanced silica-infused compound ensures a firm grip on both wet and dry roads, while the four wide circumferential grooves are designed to enhance water outflow. Combined with interlocking 3D sipes, the Solus TA51a significantly boosts wet control and effectively mitigates the risk of hydroplaning for a secure year-round drive.

On the contrary, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT earns a solid 8.4 traction score, thanks to the Yokohama’s proprietary TriBlend rubber compound that enhances grip in slick weather, while the computer-tuned tread features 3D sipes and notch blocks for increased surface contact. Additionally, four deep circumferential grooves effectively resist hydroplaning, ensuring improved wet braking year-round.

With a marginally better score, the Kumho Solus TA51a wins the traction round.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires on handling

The Kumho and Yokohama all-season tires are fantastic in delivering reassuring control and lane-changing capability on paved roads. Let’s have a look at their handling performance.

Boasting an 8.4 in handling, the Kumho Solus TA51a offers precise steering feedback and control in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions. Powered by 3D interlocking sipes, the Kumho features increased tread block rigidity, creating essential biting edges needed for accurate steering, control, and stability. Additionally, its reinforced inner construction and tough sidewalls ensure the tire maintains its shape under pressure, allowing for confident cornering and effortless lane changes in diverse weather.

Securing an 8.7 in handling, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT delivers precise steering and high-speed stability on paved roads. Its asymmetric tread and wide, flat contact patch provide a larger footprint for aggressive grip in wet conditions. Combined with a silica-rich TriBlend compound and solid shoulder blocks, the Yokohama tire delivers great cornering and maneuverability, giving drivers of performance cars a confident, connected-to-the-road feel year-round.

The Yokohama Avid Ascend GT offers superior handling performance, beating the Kumho Solus TA51a.

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Avid Ascend GT

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires on longevity

All-season tires offer a longer service life. Both tires – the Solus TA51a and Avid Ascend GT – offer great tread life, but one is way better than the other. Let’s do the longevity analysis.

Achieving an exceptional longevity score of 9.1, the Kumho Solus TA51a returns an outstanding wearability that assures long-term service. This durability is achieved by combining high-dispersion silica with multi-functionalized polymers to maximize tread wear and service life. Backed by a solid 75,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Kumho all-season tire features high-strength reinforcement and 3D chamfer block edges that prevent irregular wear and boost a reliable and long-lasting driving experience.

Scoring an 8.6 in longevity, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT features an optimized design for an extended service life. Backed by a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, it utilizes triple 3D sipes and an ultra-square contact patch to effectively distribute rolling pressure and prevent irregular wear. Furthermore, its reinforced internal structure with twin steel belts ensures the durability needed to provide slow, even wear throughout the tire's lifespan.

The Kumho Solus TA51a performs exceptionally well in the longevity department, pinning the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT comprehensively.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a

When to use each

All-season tires are the "jack-of-all-trades" of the tire world, designed to provide a smooth, reliable ride in rain, shine, and light snow. They feature a specialized rubber compound that stays flexible across a wide temperature range and a balanced tread pattern for long-lasting durability and everyday commuting comfort.

For drivers wanting great handling and control, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT is a good option, while those preferring a longer service life and better traction, the Kumho Solus TA51a is the one to go for.

Which one should you choose?

To sum up, the Kumho Solus TA51a wins the comparison 2-1 as it beats the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT in traction and longevity. However, the latter has an advantage in the handling section. As the loss margin isn’t much, you can choose either tire without worrying. Let’s have a look at its price to know which one is a good value product.

Comparing the prices of the 215/60R16 95H tire size, the Kumho Solus TA51a costs around $127 per tire, and four such tires cost $508, while the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT costs around $149 per tire, and four such tires cost $596 (a difference of $88).

Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Kumho Solus TA51a if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Carnival, and Ford Fusion
• Want great grip and traction (8.6 vs 8.4)
• Prefer a long-lasting all-season tire (9.1 vs 8.6) with longer mileage (75,000 vs 65,000 miles)
• Want a superb all-season at an affordable price

Conversely, you should choose the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Honda Accord, Subaru Outback, and Toyota Prius
• Want an all-season tire that offers great handling (8.7 vs 8.4)
• Are comfortable paying more for a reliable all-season tire

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.