Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta HS51 vs Toyo Proxes TR1 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Ecsta HS51 is ahead, 72–64

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Tire AKumho

Ecsta HS51

Summer

Tests 75 · 6 tests Owners 69 · 1,662 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test (straight aqua)

Tire BToyo

Proxes TR1

Summer

Tests 62 · 1 test Owners 66 · 898 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 6 in 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test (rolling resistance)

“Toyo Proxes TR1s, Opinions? Afternoon, So with where I worked I’ve managed to get a decent price on a set of 15 inch Toyo Proxes TR1s. (Just under £50 a corner fitted and balanced). So my question is, are these a good set of tyres for someone who lives in a nearly constantly wet part of the country, has to drive on narrow roads with tight corners ( Lake District backroads) but also enjoys some spirited driving? Also, what’s longevity like etc. Had recommendations on them from a friend with an EP3 Civic who swore by them, but haven’t seen loads of discussion on them really. To specify, these are the newer TR1s not T1Rs Cheers!”

Category by category

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

  1. 74

    Dry

    Ecsta HS51 +15
    59
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Proxes TR1
    Professional tests (TWG score)7653
    Reviews found online7168
    Dry Braking (% of best)92%87%
    Dry Handling (% of best)98%96%
  2. 76

    Wet

    Ecsta HS51 +9
    67
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Proxes TR1
    Professional tests (TWG score)7966
    Reviews found online7368
    Wet Braking (% of best)91%82%
    Wet Handling (% of best)100%95%
  3. 69

    Comfort

    Ecsta HS51 +4
    65
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Proxes TR1
    Professional tests (TWG score)–68
    Reviews found online6960
  4. 66

    Noise

    Proxes TR1 +2
    68
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Proxes TR1
    Professional tests (TWG score)6568
  5. 70

    Treadwear

    Ecsta HS51 +7
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Proxes TR1
    Professional tests (TWG score)73–
    Reviews found online6561
  6. 68

    Handling

    Proxes TR1 +2
    70
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS51Proxes TR1
    Reviews found online6870
Scores at a glance
Kumho Ecsta HS51 vs Toyo Proxes TR1: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta HS51Toyo Proxes TR1
Relative Score 72 64
Dry 74 59
Wet 76 67
Comfort 69 65
Noise 66 68
Treadwear 70 63
Handling 68 70

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.

Important
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Important
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Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
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Important
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Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Ecsta HS51

Proxes TR1

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryEcsta HS51Proxes TR1ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 92% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 87% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test +5.3 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 96% #6/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test +2.0 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 85% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 94% #3/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test −8.8 Different tests
Noise Other 97% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 99% #4/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test −2.2 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 13% #8/16 · 2018 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 20% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test −7.5 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 100% #1/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 97% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test +3.3 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 91% #10/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 82% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test +8.7 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 100% #1/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 95% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test +4.8 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ecsta HS51

Pros

  • Impressive wet and dry weather traction
  • Excellent value for money compared to tier-one premium brands
  • Low road noise and enhanced ride comfort

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls can cause a wobbly or loose feeling during aggressive cornering
  • Some users experienced faster-than-expected tread wear on the front axle
  • Occasional complaints regarding poor steering feedback and high-speed handling at the limit
All owner themes in the Ecsta HS51 review

Tire B Proxes TR1

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and responsive steering feedback
  • High value-for-money proposition compared to premium tier-one brands
  • Attractive and aggressive directional tread design

Cons

  • Noticeable road noise and humming sounds at certain speeds
  • Soft sidewalls that can cause a slight squirm or delayed initial steering response
  • Rapid tread wear, particularly under aggressive driving or on rear axles
All owner themes in the Proxes TR1 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Kumho Ecsta HS51

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Toyo Proxes TR1

Mixed

Community sentiment regarding the Toyo Proxes TR1 is mixed, with users frequently noting an attractive price point and smooth, comfortable ride when compared to factory tires or run-flats. However, multiple drivers report shortcomings in wet-weather performance, cold grip, and road noise as mileage increases, while several criticize its soft sidewalls for creating imprecise handling at the limit.

corvetteforum.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by gamisou 70l46 did you get yours mounted and balanced for that price? I picked mine up at tiredealsforless.com for $765.12 shipped. They had the best prices that I have seen. Yep, $859 is mounted/balanced and 6% Michigan sales tax. Got them from Tireman, a Ohio/Michigan tire retailer & service center.”

r/tires ·1 upvote ·2025-08-22

“Alla fine cosa hai preso? su ZC31S con quella misura sono un pochino deluso dalle TR1 spalla troppo morbida la cosa buffa è che più le gonfiavo e più si amplificava il difetto per guida al limite diventano imprecise ma hanno davvero un sacco di grip se avessero la spalla più rigida best buy!”

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
#Wet grip performance#Soft sidewall stiffness#Affordable price point#Road noise issues#Ride comfort comparison#Handling at limit#T1R model confusion

Based on 36 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta HS51 B · Toyo Proxes TR1
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2761
Rim diameters14″ – 18″14″ – 20″

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta HS51

Toyo Proxes TR1

Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS51 — better dry, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 74 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 76 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 70 vs 63 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Ecsta HS51 scores 69 vs 65 on comfort.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta HS51
Tire B · Toyo Proxes TR1

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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.

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

72

Leads

Ecsta HS51

Amazon