Kumho Solus TA51a vs Toyo Extensa A/S II tires

The South Korean tire maker, Kumho Tire, has been among the rapidly growing tire manufacturers in the United States, thanks to its wide range of quality tires for coupes, sedans, minivans, CUVs, SUVs, 4x4s, and light trucks. On the other hand, we’ve the Japanese tire major, Toyo, which rolls out tires under different categories, including all-season, all-terrain, all-weather, winter, rugged-terrain, mud-terrain, ultra-high-performance (UHP), and more.

When it comes to choosing the most dependable touring all-season tire for your sedan, coupe, or CUV, the priorities have to be maximum mileage, comfort, and safety across different conditions. Let’s bring together two strong contenders from these tire manufacturers, which are known for their longevity and reliability: the Kumho Solus TA51a and the Toyo Extensa A/S II.

The Kumho Solus TA51a emphasizes technological advancement, utilizing a specialized rubber compound and an intricate tread pattern to ensure excellent grip in wet, dry, and light snow conditions. It focuses on responsive handling and a quiet ride, backed by an exceptional warranty. Conversely, the Toyo Extensa A/S II is designed to provide maximized wear life and efficiency. Toyo utilizes a unique silica-based compound and multi-wave sipes to minimize irregular wear, enhance fuel economy, and improve wet performance. It too is backed by an equally impressive warranty, positioning the Extensa A/S II as a reliable, durable workhorse.

So, which one is the best? Let’s compare the two on the basis of their SimpleScores in traction, handling, and longevity traits. SimpleScore is our in-house tire rating system that rates each tire on a scale of 0 to 10. Without further ado, let’s do the Kumho Solus TA51a vs Toyo Extensa A/S II comparison.

Kumho Solus TA51a tires

The Kumho Solus TA51a, an all-season tire launched in 2023, replaced three Solus product lines and is developed for passenger cars, CUVs, and SUVs. To ensure confident year-round performance, the Solus TA51a features four wide circumferential grooves for effective water drainage to resist hydroplaning and boost wet traction. The advanced rubber compound, utilizing high dispersion silica and multi-functionalized polymers, improves winter grip and optimizes tread wear.

Furthermore, its chamfered block edges and interlocking sipes allow increased road contact and tread block rigidity for enhanced cornering and braking. Backed by a generous limited manufacturer tread life warranty of up to 75,000 miles for T-speed rated sizes (and 65,000 miles for H-rated and above). The tire includes a 30-day satisfaction trial and road hazard assistance for added peace of mind.

Securing an 8.7 overall SimpleScore, the Kumho Solus TA51a assures great performance on every front in different climatic conditions.

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

Toyo Extensa A/S II tires

The Toyo Extensa A/S II is a high-mileage all-season tire, launched in 2014, designed for passenger cars, minivans, and CUVs. It is engineered to maximize wear life and efficiency, providing dependable performance for everyday driving. Backed by an impressive 75,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty (for T and H-rated sizes), the Extensa A/S II focuses on longevity. Its silica compound and multi-wave sipes enhance wet performance and minimize irregular wear, ensuring a smooth, quiet ride and consistent grip in dry, wet, and light snow conditions.

With an 8.8 overall SimpleScore, the Toyo Extensa A/S II returns great traction, grip, handling, comfort, and longevity.

Get Toyo Extensa A/S II tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Toyo Extensa A/S II tires on traction

Traction is a critical aspect of a tire as it helps the car to stay connected with the surface without skidding. The Kumho and Toyo all-season tires offer strong grip and traction, but one of them manages to marginally beat the other. Let’s delve into their traction performance.

Scoring an 8.6, the Kumho Solus TA51a showcases great all-season traction, which is achieved through its four wide circumferential grooves that are specifically designed to maximize water drainage from the tread, thereby mitigating the risk of hydroplaning and significantly boosting grip in wet conditions. The specialized rubber compound, infused with silica, further works to enhance traction across dry, wet, and light snow-covered roads.

On the other hand, the Toyo Extensa A/S II returns an 8.7 in traction, assuring formidable grip and traction in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions. Using a special rubber compound, the Toyo tire delivers superb grip that aids in confident cornering and maneuvering in different driving conditions. Moreover, the symmetrical tread design also enhances traction on dry and wet surfaces.

Securing a slight edge in the scores, the Toyo Extensa A/S II wins the traction tussle by a faint margin (0.1).

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Extensa A/S II

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Toyo Extensa A/S II tires on handling

Handling refers to how well the tire provides steering feedback and control in different conditions. Better lane-changing ability and improved control mean enhanced safety. The Solus TA51a and the Extensa A/S II again have a close battle, with one beating the other. Let’s check their handling scores.

In terms of responsiveness and control, the Solus TA51a offers a fantastic handling score of 8.4 out of 10. This awesome rating is a direct result of the incorporation of 3D interlocking sipes, which increase the tread block rigidity, creating additional biting edges that contribute to responsive steering and improved stability in different climatic conditions.

Contrarily, the Toyo Extensa A/S II proves to be better when it comes to steering responsiveness and control, scoring an 8.6 in handling. The solid continuous center rib and composed shoulder tread of the all-season tire allow precise steering response, better control, and good grip during turns and switching lanes.

Another close shave and another win for the Toyo. The Extensa A/S II wins the handling battle by beating the Kumho Solus TA51a by 0.2 points.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Extensa A/S II

Kumho Solus TA51a vs Toyo Extensa A/S II tires on longevity

All-season tires are not only preferred for their ability to perform in different driving conditions but also due to their long-lasting tread. Both tires are exceptional when it comes to delivering service life. The competition goes a notch higher in the longevity race as both tires are built to last. However, once again, there’s a tire that beats its competitor, this time, by a comprehensive margin.

For longevity, the Solus TA51a earns an exceptional SimpleScore of 9.1. This exceptional durability is achieved by combining high-dispersion silica and multi-functionalized polymers within the rubber compound. It not only maximizes grip but is specifically formulated to deliver improved tread wear and a longer service life. This performance is backed by an excellent limited manufacturer tread life warranty of up to 75,000 miles for T-speed rated sizes and up to 65,000 miles for H-speed rated sizes.

When the going gets tough, the tougher gets going. The Toyo Extensa A/S II also flexes its muscle to return an outstanding longevity score of 9.4! Thanks to the optimized tread pattern featuring multi-wave sipes that not only promote even wear but also resist irregular wear while delivering a comfortable ride quality. The Toyo all-season tire is backed by a similar 75,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

With an incredible score, the Toyo Extensa A/S II continues its winning streak and completes a clean sweep of 3-0.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Extensa A/S II

When to use each

All-season tires offer versatile performance for diverse climates. They are designed to provide a balanced blend of traction, handling, and comfort across dry roads, wet conditions, and light snow. These tires offer drivers a convenient, durable, and practical option for year-round reliability in moderate climates.

Both the Kumho Solus TA51a and Toyo Extensa A/S II offer great performance and are almost an even match when it comes to traction, handling, or longevity. However, it’s the Toyo that is slightly better in all three areas. Moreover, if the climatic conditions in your region are unpredictable with moderate to severe winters, then you may go for an all-weather or a dedicated winter tire in case the weather remains harsh for more than 6 months a year.

Which one should you choose?

In a nutshell, the Toyo Extensa A/S II turns out to be a better performer in different weather conditions of dry, wet, and light snow. However, the Kumho Solus TA51a is also not far behind and is almost there, if we see the difference in their scores. Every tire has its individual traits, which should be considered before selecting one. With scores almost similar, it all boils down to the price! Let’s have a look at their prices.

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 Toyo Extensa A/S II costs around $125 per tire, and four such tires cost $500 (a difference of $8). Clearly, there’s not a notable difference between their prices; let’s take a closer look at the other parameters.

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

• Drive vehicles like the Kia Carnival, Chevrolet Cruze, and Ford Fusion
• Prefer solid traction and handling
• Want a long-lasting tire with longer mileage

Conversely, you should choose the Toyo Extensa A/S II if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Volkswagen Beetle, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Accord
• Need an all-season tire with better handling and traction
• Prefer an all-season, touring tire with exceptional tread life (9.4 vs 9.1)

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.