83
/ 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 September 2026
Kumho Ecsta PS31 vs Toyo Proxes TR1 — Compared (September 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
78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
70/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
75/100
71 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better dry, treadwear and wet. Pick the Toyo Proxes TR1 if noise matters most to you.
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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 10
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 71 |
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 84 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 73 |
| Tire Rack owners | 81 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 75 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 79 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 81 |
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 67 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Proxes TR1 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 96 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ecsta PS31 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 82 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 71 |
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Proxes TR1 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 81 |
| DriverReviews owners | – | 84 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS31 | Toyo Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 78 |
| Dry | 86 | 76 |
| Wet | 81 | 74 |
| Snow | 79 | – |
| Comfort | 83 | 76 |
| Noise | 89 | 96 |
| Treadwear | 81 | 71 |
| Handling | 79 | 81 |
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
83
/ 100
Tire A
78
/ 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 Toyo Proxes TR1 is widely regarded as a high-value, budget-friendly performance tire that excels in dry grip and provides a sporty, responsive driving experience. While many users praise its ability to transform vehicle handling, the consensus is tempered by frequent reports of significant road noise, soft sidewalls, and rapid tread wear, particularly under spirited driving conditions.
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Strong dry pavement grip and cornering stability
- Predictable and progressive handling at the limit
- Aesthetically pleasing tread pattern
- Improved steering feedback compared to standard touring tires
Cons
- High levels of road noise, often described as a 'humming' or 'wheel bearing' sound
- Soft sidewalls leading to a wobbly feel or lack of precision under heavy load
- Rapid tread wear and potential for uneven cupping
- Inconsistent wet weather performance, with some users reporting aquaplaning issues
- Performance degradation as the tire reaches the end of its tread life
Observations
- Mid-engined vehicle owners reported dissatisfaction with the soft sidewalls, noting a lack of stability during cornering compared to front-engined setups.
- Users with lightweight hatchbacks and compact cars frequently cited the tire as a significant upgrade in handling and confidence for daily spirited driving.
- Drivers of heavier or higher-horsepower vehicles noted faster tread wear and increased susceptibility to understeer when pushing the tires to their limits.
Community buzz
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Kumho Ecsta PS31
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Toyo Proxes TR1
Community opinions on the Toyo Proxes TR1 are mixed, with users highlighting its affordable price, progressive limit handling, and good dry grip for spirited driving or sliding. However, critics frequently point out issues with soft sidewalls that reduce steering precision, increased road noise over time, and mixed performance in wet or cold weather.
r/kereta
·2 upvotes ·2026-04-27
“Avoid TR1.. the sound will become unbearable.. I suggest Yokohama ES32..”
r/Miata
·1 upvote ·2025-02-18
“Tr1s are great for sliding and are very progressive at the limit but they have very sloppy sidewalls and do not have a lot of grip, it's very easy to lock up and can easily make you do a 4 wheel slide. Even the ancient PS3s have way more grip.”
r/Miata
·1 upvote ·2025-02-18
“Tr1 is a solid choice for relatively cheap grip They do suffer in the cold and wet but if it's a summer car that shouldn't be an issue”
r/subaru
·1 upvote ·2026-06-25
“Bekomme ich mit unterschiedliche Reifen Modelle Probleme mit dem Verteiler Getriebe? Hallo, ich habe mal eine Frage bezüglich Reifen und dem Verteilergetriebe. Ich habe vor ein paar Jahren einen gebrauchten Felgensatz gekauft auf dem Reifen aus dem Jahr 2016 waren Profiltiefe der Reifen war bei allen neuwertig. Anfang diesen Jahres habe ich mir dann hinten links einen Platten gefahren. Ich habe dann die Reifen hinten achsweise getauscht mit dem selben Reifen was verbaut war (neue toyo proxes tr1 Reifen. Unglücklicherweise habe ich jetzt wieder einen platten Reifen, allerdings vorne. Nun wollte ich wieder 2 neue Reifen für vorne bestellen (ebenfalls toyo proxes tr1). Leider läuft dieses Modell wohl aus und sind nicht mehr verfügbar. Meine Frage jetzt, kann ich andere Reifen Modelle nutzen (toyo comfort in den selben Maßen wie den Proxes tr1) oder sind diese problematisch? Vielen Dank im Voraus 🙂 Read more”
Top themes
#affordable budget performance#soft sidewall flex#progressive limit handling#wet and cold performance#road noise levels#sliding and drifting capability
Based on 16 community posts
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS31 | B · Toyo Proxes TR1 |
|---|---|---|
| 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?
83
/ 100
Kumho
78
/ 100
Toyo
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better dry, treadwear and wet. Pick the Toyo Proxes TR1 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 86 vs 76 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 81 vs 71 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 81 vs 74 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 83 vs 76 on comfort.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PS31
Tire B · Toyo Proxes TR1
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho Ecsta PS31 also compared with
Toyo Proxes TR1 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.