Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend LX tires

Kumho is a South Korean tire manufacturer established in 1960 and supplies OE tires to many vehicle manufacturers across the world. In the US region, Kumho’s portfolio stretches to use on passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs, pickup trucks, EVs, and commercial vehicles. Kumho’s portfolio includes all-season, all-weather, UHP all-season, UHP summer, mud-terrain, rugged-terrain, winter, performance, and highway tires.

The Solus TA51a is Kumho’s capable all-season tire that we have picked as the first tire for comparison here. This tire is suitable for drivers looking for quieter and more comfortable rides year-round. It is optimized for reliable traction, handling, and long-lasting service.

Yokohama is a renowned tire manufacturer from Japan, founded in 1917. Since its introduction in the US market, the brand has focused on offering quality tires for use on passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs, light trucks, and commercial vehicles. The different types of tires offered by Yokohama in the US include all-season, all-terrain, winter, all-weather, rugged-terrain, mud-terrain, UHP all-season, UHP summer, highway, and performance tires.

The Avid Ascend LX is Yokohama’s great offering to compete with the Kumho’s Solus TA51a. This Yokohama tire is designed and engineered for exceptional touring year-round in dry, wet, and light winter weather, and offers quieter rides, long-lasting use, and strong traction.

Both the Solus TA51a and the Avid Ascend LX tires don’t need to be swapped with a new set of tires with the change in season, offering the convenience of driving with a single set throughout the year.

To help you pick the best choice out of the two, let’s get into the detailed analysis in this Solus TA51a vs Avid Ascend LX tires comparison and find out which of the two is better when it comes to overall service, traction, handling, and longevity using our tire rating system, SimpleScore.

Kumho Solus TA51a tires

Introduced in February 2023, the Kumho Solus TA51a offers solid traction and performance in rain, shine, and light winter weather. This all-season tire, with its 8.7 overall SimpleScore, assures quieter and more comfortable rides, sharper handling, strong grip, and great traction year-round. It also comes with a tread life warranty, offering better value on tire purchase. This tire is good for use on passenger cars, coupes, sedans, CUVs, and SUVs.

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

Yokohama Avid Ascend LX tires

Introduced in September 2019, the Yokohama Avid Ascend LX is now considered a tried and tested touring all-season tire and secures an exceptional 9.0 overall SimpleScore. Offering year-round service, the Avid Ascend LX is optimized for long-lasting tread life, quieter rides, hydroplaning resistance, and dependable light winter traction. The Avid Ascend LX can be used on passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs, and minivans, and ensures a great ownership experience with an excellent tread life warranty.

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

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend LX tires on traction

The traction comparison of both tires will help us determine which tire is better when it comes to maintaining grip and offering traction year-round. So, let’s do it and find out the winner in this section!

Starting with the Kumho Solus TA51a, the SimpleScore in traction for this tire stands at 8.6, assuring superior surface-biting ability year-round. It utilizes an optimized rubber compound for solid traction in dry and wet conditions, and the placement of interlocking 3D sipes along with circumferential grooves additionally boosts grip and control in wet and slick conditions. Both the wide circumferential and lateral grooves prevent the tire from hydroplaning.

On the other hand, the Avid Ascend LX also achieves an 8.6 SimpleScore in traction because of its superior traction performance abilities in dry, wet, and light winter weather. There are 3D wavy sipes and notches in the intermediate ribs for increased grip in winter weather conditions. The wide circumferential grooves and lateral grooves optimize water channelling for hydroplaning resistance. Additionally, the advanced L-2 compound also boosts wet grip.

In traction, we see that both tires stand equally well and promise a solid grip throughout the year. Thus, we conclude this section with a tie!

ADVANTAGE: Tie

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend LX tires on handling

Handling relates to steering response, stability, cornering, lane changes, braking efficiency, and overall ride control. So, let’s find out which of the two tires is better on the handling front?

First, let’s talk about the Kumho Solus TA51a, which scores an 8.4 in handling, confirming its responsive handling and dependable steering performance. Its tread features 3D interlocking sipes for increased stability and better braking performance, whereas the advanced rubber compound focuses on reducing stopping distance on dry and wet conditions. The tire’s solid casing, inner construction, and sturdy sidewalls provide optimum durability to help maintain the original shape and ensure smooth lane-changing and turning.

On the contrary, the Avid Ascend LX is rated an 8.7 in handling and is better at steering response and ride control. Its flat footprint is tuned to maintain exceptional stability and ride control, whereas the sipes across the blocks and ribs boost braking efficiency. There are ribs for extra stability and confidence during lane changes, while the multi-pitch tread pattern takes care of ride comfort and noise levels.

In handling, it is the Yokohama tire that takes a lead and stands as a winner; however, the margin is not too much to declare the Solus TA51a inefficient on the controllability front.

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Avid Ascend LX

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Yokohama Avid Ascend LX tires on longevity

Now, let’s talk about longevity and learn how both tires fare when it comes to long-lasting abilities and resisting wear.

The Solus TA51a earns an excellent 9.1 SimpleScore and assures a long-lasting wear. The tire is also backed by an up to 75,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. This tire’s overall construction with robust rubber compound boosts resistance to wear and helps in long-lasting service, whereas the high-strength belt package and 3D chamfer block edges improve tread life and protect from premature wear.

The Avid Ascend LX is rated a whopping 9.7 for its superior wear resistance and long-lasting performance year-round. It comes with an excellent tread life warranty of up to 85,000 miles, which also denotes its ability to last longer. Likewise, the tire’s ability to resist wear is also enhanced by a uniform tread compound (advanced L-2 compound) and an optimized shape.

Both the tires look excellent in terms of longevity; however, the showstopper is the Avid Ascend LX, which beats the Kumho tire by a margin of 0.6.

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Avid Ascend LX

When to use each

Both the Solus TA51a and the Avid Ascend LX tires are all-season specific tires, and they are both suitable for use in dry, wet, and light winter weather. However, the Ascend LX gets better touring abilities. It is to be noted that none of these tires is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, and therefore, they shouldn’t be preferred if you live in an area that witnesses moderate to severe winter for over 6 months in a year, or in a region that witnesses over a few inches of snowfall for most months in a year.

Talking about rim sizes, the Solus TA51a comes in 13- to 20-inch options, while the Avid Ascend LX is available in 15- to 18-inch choices.

Which one should you choose?

Looking at SimpleScore, the Avid Ascend LX outperforms the Solus TA51a (9.0 vs 8.7). However, it is worth noting that both tires have their positives and distinct features; therefore, choose the tire that better aligns with your driving preferences and budget.

As far as the prices are concerned, the Solus TA51a is offered at a starting price of at least $85 per tire, while the Avid Ascend LX is available at a starting price of at least $125 per tire. This means a set of four Kumho Solus TA51a tires will cost you at least $340, whereas a set of four Yokohama Avid Ascend LX tires will cost you at least $500.

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

• Drive vehicles like the Honda Accord, Kia Optima, or Toyota Corolla
• Need an affordable tire
• Need a tire that’s equally good in traction (8.6 vs 8.6)
• Need a tire that’s backed by an up to 75,000 miles limited manufacturer tread life warranty
• Want a tire in the rim size range of 13- to 20-inch

Contrarily, you can consider the Avid Ascend LX if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Sonata, or Nissan Quest
• Want a tire that’s better in handling (8.7 vs 8.4)
• Prefer a tire that’s better in longevity (9.7 vs 9.1)
• Can pay more to buy an overall better 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.