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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 vs Kumho Ecsta KU31 — 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.

Tire A Dunlop

Dunlop SP Sport FM800

Summer Premium Touring tires

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
82/100
69 owner reviews
Dry
88
Wet
86
Comfort
84
Treadwear
82
Handling
83
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Kumho

Kumho Ecsta KU31

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Kumho Ecsta KU31 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
76/100
165 owner reviews
Dry
83
Wet
75
Comfort
74
Treadwear
72
Handling
76
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop SP Sport FM800 — better wet, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown

5 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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Sport FM800 leads by 5
A
88
B
83
Why this score
SourceSP Sport FM800Ecsta KU31
Tyre Reviews owners 88 83

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) SP Sport FM800 leads by 11
A
86
B
75
Why this score
SourceSP Sport FM800Ecsta KU31
Tyre Reviews owners 86 75

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Sport FM800 leads by 10
A
84
B
74
Why this score
SourceSP Sport FM800Ecsta KU31
Tyre Reviews owners 84 74

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) SP Sport FM800 leads by 10
A
82
B
72
Why this score
SourceSP Sport FM800Ecsta KU31
Tyre Reviews owners 84 72

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Sport FM800 leads by 7
A
83
B
76
Why this score
SourceSP Sport FM800Ecsta KU31
Tyre Reviews owners 83 76

Scores at a glance

CategoryDunlop SP Sport FM800Kumho Ecsta KU31
Relative Score 84 75
Dry 88 83
Wet 86 75
Comfort 84 74
Treadwear 82 72
Handling 83 76

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Neutral
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Important
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Dunlop SP Sport FM800

The Dunlop SP Sport FM800 is widely regarded as a high-value, mid-budget tire that punches above its weight class in terms of wet and dry grip, comfort, and noise suppression. While most users praise its performance-to-price ratio, some report inconsistent tread longevity and a decline in performance as the rubber compound hardens over time.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction
  • High value for money compared to premium brands
  • Low road noise and high ride comfort
  • Predictable handling and progressive grip limits

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life reported by some users
  • Performance degradation as the tire ages/hardens
  • Not suitable for high-horsepower or aggressive track use
  • Occasional reports of sidewall stiffness or lack of steering precision

Observations

  • Users on smaller, lighter vehicles (e.g., VW Up, Ford Focus) report excellent handling and satisfaction.
  • Drivers of high-performance or heavy vehicles (e.g., C63s AMG, Jaguar XF) noted that the tire struggles with high torque and may experience premature or uneven wear.
  • Some users noted that steering feel can be perceived as vague on certain tire profiles, likely due to sidewall construction.
Tire B Kumho Ecsta KU31

The Kumho Ecsta KU31 is widely regarded as a high-value, mid-range performance tire that offers impressive dry and wet grip for its price point. While many users report performance comparable to premium brands, consensus notes that the tire can become noisy as it wears and may exhibit inconsistent longevity depending on vehicle weight and driving style.

Pros

  • Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
  • Strong dry and wet weather handling
  • Progressive and predictable feedback at the limit
  • Quiet and comfortable ride when new

Cons

  • Increased road noise and potential 'droning' as tread wears
  • Inconsistent tread life, with some users reporting rapid wear
  • Soft sidewalls can lead to less precise steering feel for some drivers
  • Occasional reports of balancing issues or structural defects like sidewall bulges

Observations

  • Heavier vehicles, such as large sedans and wagons, may experience accelerated inner-edge wear or 'feathering' if alignment is not perfectly maintained.
  • Users with high-performance or remapped vehicles report that the tire handles increased torque well, though it may require more frequent rotation to maintain even wear.
  • Some owners of vehicles with stiff or lowered suspension noted that the soft sidewalls provide good comfort but can feel slightly 'lethargic' during aggressive cornering.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport FM800 B · Kumho Ecsta KU31
CategorySummer Premium Touring tiresSummer Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Kumho

Winner: Dunlop SP Sport FM800 — better wet, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 86 vs 75 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 84 vs 74 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 82 vs 72 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 83 vs 76 on handling.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport FM800
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta KU31
Check price on Amazon

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.