tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31 vs Yokohama Advan dB V552 — 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 27 + 37 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta HM KH31 is ahead, 66–60

Check price on Amazon · Ecsta HM KH31 or Advan dB V552 on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Category by category

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

  1. 66

    Dry

    Ecsta HM KH31 +7
    59
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HM KH31Advan dB V552
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 62 (est.)
    Reviews found online6554

    Ecsta HM KH31: 60% × 66.7 (est.) + 40% × 64.8 = 66

    Advan dB V552: 60% × 62.3 (est.) + 40% × 54.2 = 59

    No road tests of dry for Ecsta HM KH31. 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 Advan dB V552. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 68

    Wet

    Ecsta HM KH31 +5
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HM KH31Advan dB V552
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online6760

    Ecsta HM KH31: 60% × 68.7 (est.) + 40% × 67.1 = 68

    Advan dB V552: 60% × 64.6 (est.) + 40% × 59.6 = 63

    No road tests of wet for Ecsta HM KH31. 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 Advan dB V552. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 66

    Comfort

    Level
    66
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HM KH31Advan dB V552
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online6564

    Ecsta HM KH31: 40% × 68.4 (est.) + 60% × 65 = 66

    Advan dB V552: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 64.2 = 66

    No road tests of comfort for Ecsta HM KH31 or Advan dB V552. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 62

    Treadwear

    Ecsta HM KH31 +5
    57
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HM KH31Advan dB V552
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 64 (est.)≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online6052

    Ecsta HM KH31: 60% × 64 (est.) + 40% × 60 = 62

    Advan dB V552: 60% × 61 (est.) + 40% × 51.5 = 57

    No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta HM KH31. 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 Advan dB V552. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  5. 65

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta HM KH31 +7
    58
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HM KH31Advan dB V552
    Reviews found online6558
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Ecsta HM KH31Yokohama Advan dB V552
Relative Score 66 60
Dry 66 59
Wet 68 63
Comfort 66 66
Treadwear 62 57
Handling (owners) 65 58

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

Ecsta HM KH31

± 8

Advan dB V552

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ecsta HM KH31

Pros

  • Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
  • Low road noise and high levels of ride comfort
  • Strong dry-weather handling and cornering confidence

Cons

  • Inconsistent wet-weather grip reported by some users
  • Reports of premature or uneven tread wear on certain vehicles
  • Occasional complaints regarding sidewall durability and road hazard susceptibility
All owner themes in the Ecsta HM KH31 review

Tire B Advan dB V552

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and silent operation at various speeds
  • High level of ride comfort, effectively absorbing bumps and potholes
  • Good grip and sure-footed performance in wet conditions

Cons

  • Softer sidewalls can cause a floating sensation or lack of sharpness at higher speeds
  • Reduced dry cornering grip when pushed hard, with some tendency to wash out
  • Mixed feedback on overall durability, with a few users experiencing faster-than-expected wear
All owner themes in the Advan dB V552 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta HM KH31 B · Yokohama Advan dB V552
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available345
Rim diameters16″15″ – 21″
Sizes in common11

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31

Yokohama Advan dB V552

Winner: Kumho Ecsta HM KH31 — better dry, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31 scores 66 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31 scores 65 vs 58 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31 scores 68 vs 63 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31 scores 62 vs 57 on treadwear.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta HM KH31
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Yokohama Advan dB V552
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Ecsta HM KH31 or Advan dB V552?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta HM KH31 or Advan dB V552?

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31, 68 vs 63 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta HM KH31 or Advan dB V552?

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31, 66 vs 59 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta HM KH31 or Advan dB V552?

Neither, by our numbers: 66 vs 66 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta HM KH31 or Advan dB V552?

Kumho Ecsta HM KH31, 62 vs 57 on our treadwear score.

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