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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Ecsta PA31 vs Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D — 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 23 + 45 owner reviews. How we score

SP Winter Sport 3D leads, 67–63 Narrow edge

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Kumho Ecsta PA31
Tire AKumho

Ecsta PA31

All Season Ultra High Performance tires

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 59 · 23 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 63

    Dry

    Level
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PA31SP Winter Sport 3D
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 65 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online6060

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 64.6 (est.) + 40% × 59.9 = 63

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 64.6 (est.) + 40% × 59.9 = 63

    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 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 67

    Wet

    SP Winter Sport 3D +6
    73
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PA31SP Winter Sport 3D
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online6674

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 67.9 (est.) + 40% × 65.6 = 67

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 72.4 (est.) + 40% × 73.7 = 73

    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).

    No road tests of wet for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 59

    Snow

    SP Winter Sport 3D +10
    69
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PA31SP Winter Sport 3D
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 64 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5169

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 64.3 (est.) + 40% × 51.1 = 59

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 68.8 = 69

    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 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 58

    Comfort

    SP Winter Sport 3D +5
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PA31SP Winter Sport 3D
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online5461

    Ecsta PA31: 40% × 65.7 (est.) + 60% × 53.5 = 58

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 40% × 67.2 (est.) + 60% × 61 = 63

    No road tests of comfort for Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 67

    Noise

    Ecsta PA31 +4
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PA31SP Winter Sport 3D
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6758

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 66.7 = 67

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 57.7 = 63

    No road tests of noise for Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 61

    Treadwear

    SP Winter Sport 3D +1
    62
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PA31SP Winter Sport 3D
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 64 (est.)≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online5860

    Ecsta PA31: 60% × 63.6 (est.) + 40% × 58.2 = 61

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 64.2 (est.) + 40% × 59.8 = 62

    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 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 55

    Handling (owners)

    SP Winter Sport 3D +12
    67
    Why this score
    SourceEcsta PA31SP Winter Sport 3D
    Reviews found online5567
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Ecsta PA31Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
Relative Score 63 67
Dry 63 63
Wet 67 73
Snow 59 69
Comfort 58 63
Noise 67 63
Treadwear 61 62
Handling (owners) 55 67

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
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Ecsta PA31

± 7

SP Winter Sport 3D

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 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

Tire B SP Winter Sport 3D

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and traction in deep and packed snow
  • Confident handling and braking performance on cold, wet roads
  • Great dry-road handling and steering response during winter temperatures

Cons

  • High and sometimes unbearable road noise as the tires age
  • Degradation of grip and hardening of rubber compound over multiple seasons
  • Faster or below-average tread life reported by some drivers
All owner themes in the SP Winter Sport 3D review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho Ecsta PA31 B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
CategoryAll Season Ultra High Performance tiresWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available721
Rim diameters15″ – 18″16″ – 20″
Tread depth11/32″10/32″
UTQG500 A A—
Treadwear warranty50,000 mi—
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure50 psi50 psi
Sizes in common00

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Ecsta PA31

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D

Narrow edge: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D — better handling, snow and wet. Pick the Kumho Ecsta PA31 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D scores 67 vs 55 on handling.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D scores 69 vs 59 on snow.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D scores 73 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D scores 63 vs 58 on comfort.

Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PA31
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Tire B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
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Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D?

Which is better in the wet, Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D?

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D, 73 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D?

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

Which is better in snow, Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D?

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D, 69 vs 59 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D?

Kumho Ecsta PA31, 67 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D?

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D, 63 vs 58 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ecsta PA31 or SP Winter Sport 3D?

Neither, by our numbers: 61 vs 62 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