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Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 vs Kumho Ecsta PA31 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 0 road tests and 21 + 23 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta PA31 is ahead, 63–57

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Kumho Ecsta PA31
Tire BKumho

Ecsta PA31

All Season Ultra High Performance tires

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 60 · 23 reviews

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 61

    Dry

    Ecsta PA31 +2
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta AST KU25Ecsta PA31
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online5761

    Ecsta AST KU25: 60% × 63.3 (est.) + 40% × 56.6 = 61

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 64.9 (est.) + 40% × 60.6 = 63

    No road tests of dry for Ecsta AST KU25. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

    No road tests of dry for Ecsta PA31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 59

    Wet

    Ecsta PA31 +8
    67
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta AST KU25Ecsta PA31
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online5566

    Ecsta AST KU25: 60% × 61.9 (est.) + 40% × 54.8 = 59

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 66 = 67

    No road tests of wet for Ecsta AST KU25. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Ecsta PA31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 47

    Snow

    Ecsta PA31 +12
    59
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta AST KU25Ecsta PA31
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 57 (est.)≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online3452

    Ecsta AST KU25: 60% × 56.8 (est.) + 40% × 33.5 = 47

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 63.7 (est.) + 40% × 52 = 59

    No road tests of snow for Ecsta AST KU25. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

    No road tests of snow for Ecsta PA31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 52

    Comfort

    Ecsta PA31 +7
    59
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta AST KU25Ecsta PA31
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 65 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online4455

    Ecsta AST KU25: 40% × 64.5 (est.) + 60% × 43.9 = 52

    Ecsta PA31: 40% × 66.5 (est.) + 60% × 54.5 = 59

    No road tests of comfort for Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 62

    Noise

    Ecsta PA31 +5
    67
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta AST KU25Ecsta PA31
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online5567

    Ecsta AST KU25: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 54.9 = 62

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 67.1 = 67

    No road tests of noise for Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 61

    Treadwear

    Level
    61
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta AST KU25Ecsta PA31
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online5858

    Ecsta AST KU25: 60% × 63.3 (est.) + 40% × 58 = 61

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 63.3 (est.) + 40% × 58.2 = 61

    No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta AST KU25. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta PA31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 52

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta PA31 +3
    55
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta AST KU25Ecsta PA31
    Reviews found online5255
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Ecsta AST KU25Kumho Ecsta PA31
Relative Score 57 63
Dry 61 63
Wet 59 67
Snow 47 59
Comfort 52 59
Noise 62 67
Treadwear 61 61
Handling (owners) 52 55

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Ecsta AST KU25

± 8

Ecsta PA31

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Ecsta AST KU25

Pros

  • Attractive, budget-friendly price point
  • Impressive treadwear and longevity, particularly noted on alternative fitments like trikes
  • Good dry grip and handling once warmed up

Cons

  • Unpredictable and poor wet-weather traction
  • Excessive road noise
  • Abrupt loss of grip at the absolute limit rather than a gradual slip
All owner themes in the Ecsta AST KU25 review

Tire B Ecsta PA31

Pros

  • Affordable price and high overall value
  • Smooth and quiet ride quality
  • Strong wet-weather grip and confidence

Cons

  • Tendency to develop temporary flat spots when parked for a few days
  • Occasional durability issues such as sidewall bubbles reported by some users
  • Not intended for high-performance track use or extreme grip
All owner themes in the Ecsta PA31 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 B · Kumho Ecsta PA31
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—7
Rim diameters—15″ – 18″
Tread depth10/32″11/32″
UTQG400 A A500 A A
Treadwear warranty—50,000 mi
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure51 psi50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta AST KU25

Kumho Ecsta PA31

Winner: Kumho Ecsta PA31 — better snow, wet and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Kumho Ecsta PA31 scores 59 vs 47 on snow.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta PA31 scores 67 vs 59 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta PA31 scores 59 vs 52 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Kumho Ecsta PA31 scores 67 vs 62 on noise.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta AST KU25
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Tire B · Kumho Ecsta PA31
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Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31?

Kumho Ecsta PA31, 67 vs 59 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31?

Neither, by our numbers: 61 vs 63 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31?

Kumho Ecsta PA31, 59 vs 47 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31?

Kumho Ecsta PA31, 67 vs 62 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31?

Kumho Ecsta PA31, 59 vs 52 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta AST KU25 or Ecsta PA31?

Neither, by our numbers: 61 vs 61 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology