BTW, I have just bought a set of Kumho Ecsta ASX tires in 205/60 R 15. They are being mounted up right now, and I should have some feedback on them by the end of the weekend.
I picked up the tires on Friday night. They are mounted on 15x7" BBS rims.
Visual Impressions: The shoulder of the tires is very gradual. This should give the tire a very wide and predictable transition at the limits of cornering, something very typical of many Euro-tires and tires designed for street use. It looks like the tires are made to be mounted to narrower rims, even though 7" is a valid mounting width. The tread actually looks slightly narrower then the rims, but that may just be how the tires "balloon" from the rims to the tread. [If I was really smart, I would post a picture or two.]
Driving Impressions: On the expressway they seem fairly quiet. Of course, having just taken the studded tires off last week, anything is quiet.
Compared to the worn out (read < 2/32" tread depth at best) Kumho KH11 summer tires that I put on May 1, there is not much change in road noise.
The ride is a bit stiffer then the KH11, even with only 32 psi. I attribute this mostly to the V vs. H rating. I don't object to the ride, and actually like it. If does remind me that I really want to get a set of HD Bilsteins.
Handling for normal driving seems quite fine. I have only briefly explored cornering limits, and the test can not be considered valid: the shoulders still show mold release compound so they don't grip as well as the rest of the tire. This made for some interesting feeling as the car transitioned... the grip was very good at first, then it suddenly dropped off to a lower lower plateau -- the level of grip of the mold release compound -- as the the tires started running more on the the shoulder.
I'll post back more as I drive them more.
- John