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.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Kumho Ecsta PS31 vs Nexen CP641 — 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
69
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
67/100
33 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better wet, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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 11
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 75 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 81 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 59 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 79 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 82 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 76 |
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 67 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS31 | Nexen CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 82 | 69 |
| Dry | 86 | 75 |
| Wet | 81 | 59 |
| Snow | 79 | – |
| Comfort | 83 | 70 |
| Noise | 89 | – |
| Treadwear | 81 | 76 |
| Handling | 79 | 67 |
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
82
/ 100
Tire A
69
/ 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 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.
The Nexen CP641 is a polarizing budget-tier tire that receives mixed reviews, primarily praised for its exceptional tread longevity and value-for-money proposition. While many users appreciate its dry-weather comfort and quiet ride, a significant portion of the user base reports poor wet-weather performance, including hydroplaning and a lack of steering confidence.
Pros
- Excellent tread life and durability
- High value for money compared to premium brands
- Generally comfortable ride quality
- Good dry-weather traction
Cons
- Poor wet-weather grip and braking performance
- High levels of road noise reported by many users
- Inconsistent quality control, including reports of sidewall cracking and belt separation
- Lack of steering feedback and confidence during aggressive maneuvers
Observations
- Users with heavier or performance-oriented vehicles (e.g., Celica GT-Four, Turbo Rover) noted a lack of confidence and 'twitchy' handling at the limit.
- Drivers of family vehicles like the Nissan Qashqai and Renault Scenic reported higher satisfaction regarding comfort and noise levels compared to those with sportier setups.
- The tire is directional, which some users noted as a limitation for rotation patterns.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS31 | B · Nexen CP641 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | All Season Touring 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?
82
/ 100
Kumho
69
/ 100
Nexen
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better wet, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 81 vs 59 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 83 vs 70 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 79 vs 67 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 86 vs 75 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS31
Tire B · Nexen CP641
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho Ecsta PS31 also compared with
Nexen CP641 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.