Kumho Tire has swept four major international design awards in 2026, completing the feat with a win at Japan's Good Design Award, the South Korean tire-maker said Wednesday.
The latest honor went to its Ecsta Sport A/S, an ultrahigh-performance all-season tire designed for both conventional and electric vehicles.
The tire features longitudinal tread grooves to reduce road noise and extended lateral channels to improve water drainage and wet-road performance. Racing-flag patterns on the sidewalls and shoulders, along with holographic accents, give it a distinctive appearance.
Established in 1957, Japan's Good Design Award is organized by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. It is considered one of the world's four major design competitions, alongside Germany's iF Design Award and Red Dot Design Award and the US-based International Design Excellence Awards.
Kumho Tire has now won honors at all four competitions this year, as well as the German Design Award.
"Winning all four of the world's major design awards is a significant achievement that reflects the global recognition of the design capabilities Kumho Tire has developed over the years," said Kim Young-jin, executive vice president and head of research and development at Kumho Tire.
yejinlim@heraldcorp.com
