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Goodyear Eagle NCT5 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.
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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
Why this score
| Source | Eagle NCT5 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 83 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 93 |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | Eagle NCT5 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 81 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 61 | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | Eagle NCT5 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 79 |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | Eagle NCT5 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 89 |
Noise
Why this score
| Source | Eagle NCT5 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 89 |
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | Eagle NCT5 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 75 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 88 |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | Eagle NCT5 | Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 61 | 79 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear Eagle NCT5 | Kumho Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 82 |
| Dry | 75 | 86 |
| Wet | 61 | 81 |
| Snow | – | 79 |
| Comfort | 69 | 83 |
| Noise | – | 89 |
| Treadwear | 78 | 81 |
| Handling | 61 | 79 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Tire A
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Goodyear Eagle NCT5 is a polarizing tire that is widely recognized for its exceptional tread longevity and durability, often serving as a long-lasting OEM choice. However, user consensus is heavily divided regarding its performance, with many drivers reporting unpredictable wet-weather grip, high road noise, and a harsh ride quality that detracts from the overall driving experience.
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and high mileage durability
- Strong resistance to punctures and road hazards
- Reliable performance in dry conditions for touring purposes
- Good value for money regarding cost-per-mile
Cons
- Unpredictable and often poor wet-weather traction
- High levels of road noise
- Harsh ride comfort, particularly in Run-Flat variants
- Lack of steering feedback and progressive handling
Observations
- BMW owners frequently reported that the Run-Flat versions of this tire contributed to a stiff, uncomfortable ride and increased road noise.
- Users of compact vehicles (e.g., Perodua Myvi) generally found the tire suitable for daily commuting, whereas owners of performance-oriented sedans often criticized the lack of grip and handling precision.
- Heavy vehicles and those used for towing noted that the tire maintained its structural integrity well, though wet-weather performance remained a common point of failure.
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.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear Eagle NCT5 | B · Kumho Ecsta PS31 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Premium Touring 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 |
Which one should you actually buy?
Goodyear
Kumho
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better wet, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 81 vs 61 on wet.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 79 vs 61 on handling.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 83 vs 69 on comfort.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 86 vs 75 on dry.
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.