70
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
68/100
134 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Dunlop SP Sport 01 vs Kumho Ecsta PS31 — Compared (May 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
77/100
258 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better comfort, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 83 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 93 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 81 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 79 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 17
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 89 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 89 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | 75 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 88 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | 79 |
| DriverReviews owners | 84 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport 01 | Kumho Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 82 |
| Dry | 79 | 86 |
| Wet | 68 | 81 |
| Snow | – | 79 |
| Comfort | 66 | 83 |
| Noise | – | 89 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 81 |
| Handling | 69 | 79 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Dunlop SP Sport 01 receives highly polarized feedback, with users divided between those who value its predictable handling and longevity and those frustrated by significant road noise and inconsistent wet-weather performance. While many owners appreciate the tire's stiff sidewall for steering precision and cornering stability, a substantial number of reviewers report that noise levels increase dramatically as the tread wears down. Overall, it is viewed as a capable, long-lasting summer tire for daily driving, though it often falls short of expectations for high-performance vehicles.
Pros
- Excellent tread longevity and durability for many users
- Predictable, progressive handling and steering feedback
- Strong dry-weather grip and cornering stability
- Stiff sidewall construction provides a precise, 'on-rails' feel
Cons
- Significant and increasing road noise as the tire wears
- Inconsistent or poor wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance
- Harsh ride quality due to stiff sidewalls
- Performance drop-off once tread depth reaches 3-4mm
Observations
- Users with heavy SUVs (e.g., Audi Q5, Skoda Yeti) often report high satisfaction with longevity and stability, though noise remains a common complaint.
- Owners of high-horsepower performance sedans (e.g., C63 AMG) frequently report that the tire struggles to manage torque, leading to excessive wheel spin and poor traction.
- BMW owners specifically noted that 'Star Rated' versions of this tire are essential for preventing drivetrain shuddering issues on certain X3 models.
The Kumho Ecsta PS31 is widely regarded as a high-value, budget-friendly performance tire that excels in daily driving comfort and quietness. While it offers impressive dry grip and reliable wet weather performance for most drivers, enthusiasts often note that its soft sidewalls result in less steering precision and reduced feedback during aggressive cornering compared to premium ultra-high-performance alternatives.
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Strong dry traction for daily and spirited street driving
- Predictable and capable wet weather performance for most conditions
Cons
- Soft sidewalls lead to vague steering response and 'squirm' during aggressive maneuvers
- Inconsistent wet weather performance reported by some users, particularly in deep standing water
- Tread life can be shorter than expected for some driving styles
- Increased noise levels as the tire wears down
Observations
- Users with smaller, lighter vehicles (e.g., Mazda Miata, Honda Civic) often praise the comfort and value, while those with heavier or more powerful vehicles report more pronounced sidewall flex and handling vagueness.
- Drivers running low-profile sizes on rough roads report a higher susceptibility to sidewall bubbles and damage from potholes, suggesting a need for road hazard coverage.
- The tire is frequently noted as a significant upgrade in comfort and noise reduction when replacing OEM run-flat tires.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SP Sport 01 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Summer Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 4 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 18″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 460 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Dunlop
82
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better comfort, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 83 vs 66 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 81 vs 68 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 81 vs 69 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 79 vs 69 on handling.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport 01
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PS31
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SP Sport 01 also compared with
Kumho Ecsta PS31 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.