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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta KU31 vs Pirelli Cinturato P7 — 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 + 8 road tests and 165 + 311 owner reviews. How we score

Cinturato P7 leads, 70–67 Narrow edge

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Kumho Ecsta KU31
Tire AKumho

Ecsta KU31

Summer

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 66 · 165 reviews

Pirelli Cinturato P7
Tire BPirelli

Cinturato P7

Summer

± 6

Tests 73 · 8 tests Owners 61 · 311 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 12 in 2023 Best SUV Tyres Tested (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 67

    Dry

    Cinturato P7 +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests≈ 68 (est.)78
    Reviews found online6764

    Ecsta KU31: 60% × 67.6 (est.) + 40% × 67.1 = 67

    Cinturato P7: 60% × 78.3 + 40% × 63.5 = 72

    No road tests of dry for Ecsta KU31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 70

    Wet

    Cinturato P7 +5
    75
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests≈ 70 (est.)80
    Reviews found online6968

    Ecsta KU31: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 69.2 = 70

    Cinturato P7: 60% × 80 + 40% × 68.3 = 75

    No road tests of wet for Ecsta KU31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    61
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online–54

    Cinturato P7: 60% × 65.3 (est.) + 40% × 54 = 61

    No road tests of snow for Cinturato P7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 65

    Comfort

    Cinturato P7 +7
    72
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 68 (est.)89
    Reviews found online6361

    Ecsta KU31: 40% × 67.6 (est.) + 60% × 63 = 65

    Cinturato P7: 40% × 89.3 + 60% × 60.8 = 72

    No road tests of comfort for Ecsta KU31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.21).

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests–61
    Reviews found online–65

    Cinturato P7: 60% × 61.1 + 40% × 65.2 = 63

  6. 63

    Treadwear

    Ecsta KU31 +5
    58
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 64 (est.)61
    Reviews found online6155

    Ecsta KU31: 60% × 64.4 (est.) + 40% × 60.5 = 63

    Cinturato P7: 60% × 60.6 + 40% × 54.9 = 58

    No road tests of treadwear for Ecsta KU31. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 67

    Handling (owners)

    Ecsta KU31 +4
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Reviews found online6763
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    75
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta KU31Cinturato P7
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests–75
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Ecsta KU31Pirelli Cinturato P7
Relative Score 67 70
Dry 67 72
Wet 70 75
Snow – 61
Comfort 65 72
Noise – 63
Treadwear 63 58
Handling (owners) 67 63
Efficiency – 75

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

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Ecsta KU31

± 6

Cinturato P7

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryEcsta KU31Cinturato P7ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #7/7 2014 Auto Review Max Performance Tyre Test #6/8 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ecsta KU31

Pros

  • Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
  • Strong dry and wet weather handling
  • Progressive and predictable feedback at the limit

Cons

  • Increased road noise and potential 'droning' as tread wears
  • Inconsistent tread life, with some users reporting rapid wear
  • Soft sidewalls can lead to less precise steering feel for some drivers
All owner themes in the Ecsta KU31 review

Tire B Cinturato P7

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality when new
  • Strong dry traction, stability, and confident cornering grip
  • Low rolling resistance contributing to improved fuel economy

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear and reduced mileage lifespan
  • Noticeable increase in road noise and harshness as the tread wears down
  • Subpar wet-weather and cold-temperature grip compared to competitors
All owner themes in the Cinturato P7 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta KU31 B · Pirelli Cinturato P7
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—49
Rim diameters—16″ – 21″
Tread depth—10/32″
UTQG—500 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta KU31

Pirelli Cinturato P7

Narrow edge: Pirelli Cinturato P7 — better comfort, dry and wet. Pick the Kumho Ecsta KU31 if treadwear matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Pirelli Cinturato P7 scores 72 vs 65 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Kumho Ecsta KU31 scores 63 vs 58 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Pirelli Cinturato P7 scores 72 vs 67 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Pirelli Cinturato P7 scores 75 vs 70 on wet.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta KU31
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Tire B · Pirelli Cinturato P7
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Ecsta KU31 or Cinturato P7?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta KU31 or Cinturato P7?

Pirelli Cinturato P7, 75 vs 70 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta KU31 or Cinturato P7?

Pirelli Cinturato P7, 72 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta KU31 or Cinturato P7?

Pirelli Cinturato P7, 72 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta KU31 or Cinturato P7?

Kumho Ecsta KU31, 63 vs 58 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