The Ecsta HS52, which Kumho Tire will supply as original equipment for the Skoda Scala. [Kumho Tire]
The Ecsta HS52, which Kumho Tire will supply as original equipment for the Skoda Scala. [Kumho Tire]

Kumho Tire will supply original equipment tires for the Skoda Scala, a compact hatchback made by the Volkswagen Group brand, as the South Korean tiremaker accelerates its push into Europe's OE market.

Kumho Tire announced Wednesday that its Ecsta HS52 has been selected as original equipment for the Skoda Scala in two sizes: 205/55R16 and 205/50R17.

Skoda is a European automaker founded in the Czech Republic in 1895 and now part of Germany's Volkswagen Group. The brand sells vehicles in more than 100 countries, with Europe as its core market, and has built its position there on a lineup that emphasizes value and practicality.

The Scala is Skoda's flagship compact hatchback, designed as a practical model with a spacious cabin and generous cargo area to serve both daily commuters and long-distance drivers in Europe. The model also features advanced driver-assistance systems and an efficient powertrain.

The Ecsta HS52 selected for the Scala was engineered to balance ride comfort with driving stability. The tire is designed to perform across both sedan and sport-oriented vehicles, with a focus on maintaining reliable grip at highway speeds.

Its tread pattern uses a rigid block design that distributes contact pressure evenly across the road surface, reducing impact and noise while improving ride quality. The tire is built to deliver a quiet ride in everyday driving and stable handling on longer journeys.

Europe's tire market faces growing supply chain uncertainty as anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese passenger and light-truck tires add further disruption. The EU has decided to impose tariffs of up to 45 percent on Chinese-made tires, making stable, locally embedded supply chains more valuable to European automakers and parts suppliers.

Kumho Tire has been working to strengthen its brand credibility in Europe by expanding OE supply to automakers. Because OE contracts require meeting stringent performance and quality standards set by vehicle manufacturers, winning such deals can also boost the company's prospects in the aftermarket replacement tire segment.

"Having Kumho Tire products selected as original equipment for a key Skoda model is again a recognition of our technological capability and quality competitiveness in the global market," said Kim In-su, executive vice president and head of Kumho Tire's OE sales division. "We will continue to supply high-performance tires optimized for a wide range of vehicle classes and driving conditions, and further strengthen our partnerships with global automakers."

Kumho Tire posted record earnings last year and has set a sales target of 5.1 trillion won ($3.33 billion) for this year. The company plans to improve profitability through higher sales and cost efficiency while expanding OE supply in key markets, including Europe, as part of its ongoing transition toward becoming a premium brand.


kwater@heraldcorp.com