Kumho takes car tyre technology to the SUV market

In response to increasing demand for high-performance SUV products, Kumho has upgraded its SUV/4×4 line-up, bringing passenger car tyre technology to the SUV market.

Kumho’s new ECSTA PS71 SUV flagship product has been specially developed for the powerful SUV models offered by the likes of Land Rover, BMW and Audi. Its pattern is closely related to that of the company’s ECSTA PS71 high-performance passenger car tyre and features the High Dispersible Micro Silica (HDMS) and the fifth generation Solution Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (S-SBR) that has been employed for the passenger car tyre’s tread compound.

The SUV version of the ECSTA PS71 is currently available in some 32 sizes, with more due this year, including several in the increasingly popular 21 and 22-inch bracket. Progressively succeeding Kumho’s current mainstream on-road 4×4 product, the CRUGEN HP91, the new pattern meets the ever-increasing demand for general use 4x4s to ride and perform like their passenger car counterparts.

While the high-performance HP91 is being progressively phased out, Kumho reports that the tyre is still popular with SUV owners seeking “a quality driving experience from their prestige vehicles”. It features an asymmetric tread pattern combined with four wide circumferential grooves, while its silica-enhanced compound results in wet weather handling and braking and a rolling resistance comparable to that of most passenger car tyres. The product’s other major attributes include: strong high speed stability, low wear rates and outstanding resistance to aquaplaning. HP91 is manufactured in V, W and Y speed ratings and is available in 39 sizes up to 22 inches to fit, for example, the Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque, BMW X5 and X3, and Volvo XC90 and XC60.

The Crugen HP71 was recipient of a prestigious Red Dot design award in 2017 and is aimed squarely at the mid-sized line-up of SUVs currently constituting one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK vehicle market. Its symmetrical tread pattern features four circumferential grooves for optimum water displacement, reinforced shoulders for strong cut and chip resistance, and a zig-zag solid centre rib for maximum stability. It also boasts an “impressive” traction and low noise output. HP71 is currently available in some 19 sizes for rims from 16 to 19 inches in diameter and a mix of H and V speed ratings.

Debuted at The Tire Cologne 2022, Kumho’s Road Venture AT52 has been specifically designed for fitment to SUVs and pick-up trucks. It is Kumho’s first major European all-terrain offering for some years and comes with 3PMSF certification. AT52’s notable features include multi-angle sipes and zig-zag grooves for all-season and snow traction, rugged shoulder blocks with saw-tooth style edges for off-road driving, rugged side-biters for added protection from punctures, and a cut and chip resistant compound that’s moulded into the symmetric tread pattern in order to resist irregular wear. The first 16 sizes are now on sale in the UK and available in R, S and T speed ratings. Over time, it is planned to extend the range to a total of more than 50 sizes to fit wheels from 15 to 20 inches in diameter.

Meanwhile, the AT61 features: two-step sipes for improved snow performance; larger, stiffer tread blocks for increased mileage; and zig-zag grooves for enhanced traction. The sidewall offers strong resistance to penetration and a rim protector to safeguard the alloy wheels that are standard fit on most on-road vehicles these days. The AT61 is available in five sizes to fit 15, 16 and 17 inch rims.

According to the company, the Road Venture MT51 provides “the perfect combination of balanced on/off road driving and excellent off-road traction, while the braking performance is equally impressive on surfaces as diverse as tarmac and gravel.” At the same time, “eye-catching” sidewall livery purportedly conjures up images of the type of heavy plant MT51-shod vehicles may well rub shoulders with from time to time. It is currently available in 17 popular sizes to fit rims of 15 to 18 inches in diameter.