Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta HS52 vs Toyo Proxes Comfort — 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 7 + 15 road tests and 2,387 + 633 owner reviews. How we score

Ecsta HS52 leads, 79–77 Narrow edge

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Kumho Ecsta HS52
Tire AKumho

Ecsta HS52

Summer

± 5

Tests 83 · 7 tests Owners 75 · 2,387 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)

“I have kuhmo ecsta hs52's on my renault megane during spring and summer and they are really good. No complaints at all. My milage did go up a little bit but that's it”

Toyo Proxes Comfort
Tire BToyo

Proxes Comfort

Summer

± 6

Tests 76 · 15 tests Owners 79 · 633 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)

Category by category

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

Key facts

  • In 5 tests that measured dry braking for both, Ecsta HS52 won 5 and Proxes Comfort won 0 (average 100% vs 97% of the best).
  • In 5 tests that measured wet braking for both, Ecsta HS52 won 5 and Proxes Comfort won 0 (average 96% vs 92% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, Ecsta HS52 won 3 and Proxes Comfort won 0 (average 95% vs 92% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured wear for both, Ecsta HS52 won 3 and Proxes Comfort won 0 (average 66% vs 58% of the best).
  1. 84

    Dry

    Ecsta HS52 +1
    83
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS52Proxes Comfort
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 14 tests8686
    Reviews found online8079
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 5–0100%97%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–199%100%

    Ecsta HS52: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 80.1 = 84

    Proxes Comfort: 60% × 86 + 40% × 78.7 = 83

  2. 84

    Wet

    Ecsta HS52 +3
    81
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS52Proxes Comfort
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 14 tests8980
    Reviews found online7883
    Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–182%82%
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–095%92%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 5–096%92%
    Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–094%91%
    Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–191%92%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–198%99%

    Ecsta HS52: 60% × 89.2 + 40% × 77.5 = 84

    Proxes Comfort: 60% × 80.1 + 40% × 82.6 = 81

  3. 67

    Comfort

    Proxes Comfort +3
    70
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS52Proxes Comfort
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 68 (est.)59
    Reviews found online6678

    Ecsta HS52: 40% × 68.1 (est.) + 60% × 65.9 = 67

    Proxes Comfort: 40% × 58.8 + 60% × 78.1 = 70

    No road tests of comfort for Ecsta HS52. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  4. 65

    Noise

    Proxes Comfort +6
    71
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS52Proxes Comfort
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 8 tests6474
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–198%98%

    Ecsta HS52: 60% × 63.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 65

    Proxes Comfort: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 71

    No owner ratings of noise for Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  5. 76

    Treadwear

    Ecsta HS52 +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS52Proxes Comfort
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 5 tests8067
    Reviews found online7078
    Abrasion (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–144%46%
    Wear (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–066%58%

    Ecsta HS52: 60% × 79.7 + 40% × 69.6 = 76

    Proxes Comfort: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 77.5 = 71

  6. 77

    Handling (owners)

    Level
    77
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS52Proxes Comfort
    Reviews found online7777
  7. 43

    Efficiency

    Proxes Comfort +17
    60
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta HS52Proxes Comfort
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 10 tests4360
    Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–193%95%
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–178%80%
Scores at a glance
Kumho Ecsta HS52 vs Toyo Proxes Comfort: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryKumho Ecsta HS52Toyo Proxes Comfort
Relative Score 79 77
Dry 84 83
Wet 84 81
Comfort 67 70
Noise 65 71
Treadwear 76 71
Handling (owners) 77 77
Efficiency 43 60

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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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

Ecsta HS52

± 6

Proxes Comfort

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

In the overall rankings of 5 tests that ran both, Kumho Ecsta HS52 finished ahead 5 times and Toyo Proxes Comfort 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryEcsta HS52Proxes ComfortΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% 97% +2.2 5–0 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16
Dry Handling Dry 99% 100% −0.4 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 82% 82% −0.3 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 95% 92% +2.3 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wet Braking Wet 96% 92% +4.2 5–0 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16
Wet Braking (concrete) Wet 94% 91% +2.9 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wet Circle Wet 91% 92% −1.0 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Wet Handling Wet 98% 99% −0.4 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Noise Noise 98% 98% +0.3 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Abrasion Treadwear 44% 46% −2.0 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wear Treadwear 66% 58% +7.7 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 93% 95% −1.6 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 78% 80% −2.1 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #12/20 #18/20 – 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Value Cost 76% 63% +13.1 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Overall Ranking Overall #2/55 #6/55 – 5–0 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ecsta HS52

Pros

  • Excellent wet and dry weather traction
  • Low road noise and quiet operation
  • Smooth and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • A few reports of accelerated or abnormal tread wear
  • Slightly sensitive to tire pressure regarding comfort
  • Occasional complaints of high-speed vibration or imbalance early on
All owner themes in the Ecsta HS52 review

Tire B Proxes Comfort

Pros

  • Excellent wet weather grip and handling
  • Low road noise and quiet operation
  • Strong value for money and affordable pricing

Cons

  • Limited feedback and slight understeer when pushed hard
  • Some drivers experienced a firmer or less comfortable ride over bumps
  • Faster wear reported compared to premium long-lasting alternatives like Michelin
All owner themes in the Proxes Comfort review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Kumho Ecsta HS52

Mixed

The Kumho Ecsta HS52 receives a polarized mix of reviews from the community, praised by many for its rigid sidewalls, strong dry grip, sharp steering responsiveness, and great value compared to premium alternatives. However, some users report disappointing wet weather performance, potential issues with aquaplaning resistance, and inconsistent test results across different sizes. Overall, it is viewed as a solid mid-range option, though experiences with wet traction and longevity vary significantly among drivers.

r/TyreReviews ·1 upvote ·2026-01-22

“Bad i have hs52 on my audi a3 8l quattro 1.8t i have no grip with rain.. Like cant corner fast it just goes straight... Dry its fine but wet forget it. My oncle has the same experience with kuhmo on his bmw 118 diesel he got some rims and they had pretty good threats kumho on it. He said all it wanted was to drift and spin out. He said a couple of times it did a 180 he said never again i said same don't trust my car with these tyres. Im gonna get some new rim 17" and Goodyear asymmetric 6. To replace my 16" stock rims with kumho... I have had bad tyres but never this bad. Like 1 ere prix were even better in my Mercedes even doh they became ovals.”

r/CarTalkUK ·1 upvote ·2025-01-11

“I have kuhmo ecsta hs52's on my renault megane during spring and summer and they are really good. No complaints at all. My milage did go up a little bit but that's it”

r/tires ·3 upvotes ·2025-09-23

“What’s up with these tyres? Kumho ectsa hs52 date code 3923, tyres are (UK) legal regards tread but I can’t imagine this damage is normal. Both front tyres have this, looks like the tread is tearing apart in multiple places. I did not fit these tyres but it was mot’d 3 months ago and has done 2k miles since. I’ve owned the car 11 months but only noticed this very recently. I am getting them replaced on Monday with little use before then but I’m curious how this has happened. Is it just a shit brand? Wear is even across the face so I don’t think it would be the alignment or anything to do with the car and the damage is random across the contact patch. It’s a Peugeot 508 2l diesel so quite a bit of weight on the nose. Fitting Bridgestone Turanza 6. Rear tyres are good, but a different brand (horizon horace 2122 date)”

Top themes
#Dry grip and handling#Wet weather performance#Sidewall stiffness#Price and value#Comparison with competitors#Fuel economy and weight#Tread wear and durability

Based on 17 community posts

Tire B

Toyo Proxes Comfort

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta HS52 B · Toyo Proxes Comfort
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available5363
Rim diameters14″ – 20″14″ – 20″
Sizes in common4242

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta HS52

Toyo Proxes Comfort

Narrow edge: Kumho Ecsta HS52 — better treadwear and wet. Pick the Toyo Proxes Comfort if efficiency, noise and comfort matter most to you.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Toyo Proxes Comfort scores 60 vs 43 on efficiency.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Toyo Proxes Comfort scores 71 vs 65 on noise.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 76 vs 71 on treadwear.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 84 vs 81 on wet.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta HS52
Tire B · Toyo Proxes Comfort

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Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort?

Kumho Ecsta HS52, 84 vs 81 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort?

Neither, by our numbers: 84 vs 83 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort?

Toyo Proxes Comfort, 71 vs 65 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort?

Toyo Proxes Comfort, 70 vs 67 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort?

Kumho Ecsta HS52, 76 vs 71 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Ecsta HS52 or Proxes Comfort?

Toyo Proxes Comfort, 60 vs 43 on our efficiency 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