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Kumho Ecsta PS31 vs Yokohama A.Drive — 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 | Ecsta PS31 | A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 77 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 81 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 64 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 79 | – |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Noise
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 82 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 79 |
| SimpleTire owners | 88 | – |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta PS31 | A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 69 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PS31 | Yokohama A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 82 | 72 |
| Dry | 86 | 77 |
| Wet | 81 | 64 |
| Snow | 79 | – |
| Comfort | 83 | 70 |
| Noise | 89 | – |
| Treadwear | 81 | 79 |
| Handling | 79 | 69 |
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 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 Yokohama A Drive is a polarizing tire that generally serves as an entry-level or mid-range option, receiving mixed feedback regarding its performance. While some users appreciate its value and dry-weather handling, a significant portion of the user base reports concerns regarding wet-weather traction, high road noise, and inconsistent tread life.
Pros
- Competitive price point offering good value for money
- Reliable and predictable grip in dry road conditions
- Solid durability and tread life for many users
- Generally comfortable ride quality
Cons
- Significant issues with wet-weather traction and aquaplaning
- High levels of road noise, particularly at highway speeds
- Inconsistent tread wear performance across different driving styles
- Stiff sidewalls reported by some users as a negative
Observations
- Users driving smaller hatchbacks and sedans like the Toyota Corolla and Fiat Punto reported mixed experiences, with some noting premature sidewall wear.
- Drivers of heavier or more powerful vehicles expressed dissatisfaction with the tire's ability to handle high-speed stability and wet-weather cornering.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PS31 | B · Yokohama A.Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Premium Touring Summer tire |
| 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?
Kumho
Yokohama
Winner: Kumho Ecsta PS31 — better wet, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 81 vs 64 on wet.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 83 vs 70 on comfort.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 79 vs 69 on handling.
Kumho Ecsta PS31 scores 86 vs 77 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.