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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Kumho Ecsta KU31 vs Yokohama Geolandar G900 — 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 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
Snow
–
Comfort
74
Treadwear
72
Handling
76

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Yokohama

Yokohama Geolandar G900

Winter Touring tires

Yokohama Geolandar G900 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
74/100
14 owner reviews
Dry
88
Wet
82
Snow
70
Comfort
70
Treadwear
72
Handling
69

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictToo close to call: Kumho Ecsta KU31 and Yokohama Geolandar G900 are within 2 points overall. Kumho Ecsta KU31 is stronger on handling and comfort. Yokohama Geolandar G900 is stronger on wet and dry.
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Category breakdown

6 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) Geolandar G900 leads by 5
A — Kumho Ecsta KU31
83
B — Yokohama Geolandar G900
88
Why this score
SourceEcsta KU31Geolandar G900
Tyre Reviews owners 83 88

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Geolandar G900 leads by 7
A — Kumho Ecsta KU31
75
B — Yokohama Geolandar G900
82
Why this score
SourceEcsta KU31Geolandar G900
Tyre Reviews owners 75 82

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Kumho Ecsta KU31
–
B — Yokohama Geolandar G900
70
Why this score
SourceEcsta KU31Geolandar G900
Tyre Reviews owners – 70

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta KU31 leads by 4
A — Kumho Ecsta KU31
74
B — Yokohama Geolandar G900
70
Why this score
SourceEcsta KU31Geolandar G900
Tyre Reviews owners 74 70

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100)
A — Kumho Ecsta KU31
72
B — Yokohama Geolandar G900
72
Why this score
SourceEcsta KU31Geolandar G900
Tyre Reviews owners 72 72

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Ecsta KU31 leads by 7
A — Kumho Ecsta KU31
76
B — Yokohama Geolandar G900
69
Why this score
SourceEcsta KU31Geolandar G900
Tyre Reviews owners 76 69

Scores at a glance

Kumho Ecsta KU31 vs Yokohama Geolandar G900: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta KU31Yokohama Geolandar G900
Relative Score 75 76
Dry 83 88
Wet 75 82
Snow – 70
Comfort 74 70
Treadwear 72 72
Handling 76 69

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.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

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.

Tire A 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.
Tire B Yokohama Geolandar G900

The Yokohama Geolandar G900 is widely regarded as a highly capable, versatile all-rounder specifically engineered for Subaru Forester and Outback platforms. While users consistently praise its predictable handling, off-road traction, and comfort, the consensus is sharply divided regarding its tread longevity and value proposition compared to modern alternatives.

Pros

  • Excellent all-terrain versatility including snow, gravel, and mud
  • Predictable and secure handling characteristics
  • High level of ride comfort compared to stiffer premium alternatives
  • Strong initial grip and traction performance

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life with many reports of premature wear
  • High road noise levels, particularly on motorways
  • High price point relative to current market competitors
  • Occasional reports of poor wet-weather performance and aquaplaning

Observations

  • The tire is specifically optimized for the Subaru Forester and Outback chassis, with many users noting it complements the vehicle's suspension better than stiffer premium tires.
  • Performance is highly dependent on alignment; several users noted that uneven wear patterns were mitigated by professional tracking checks.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta KU31 B · Yokohama Geolandar G900
CategorySummer Ultra High Performance tiresWinter Touring tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho

Yokohama

Too close to call: Kumho Ecsta KU31 and Yokohama Geolandar G900 are within 2 points overall. Kumho Ecsta KU31 is stronger on handling and comfort. Yokohama Geolandar G900 is stronger on wet and dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta KU31 scores 76 vs 69 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Yokohama Geolandar G900 scores 82 vs 75 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Yokohama Geolandar G900 scores 88 vs 83 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta KU31 scores 74 vs 70 on comfort.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta KU31
Tire B · Yokohama Geolandar G900

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.