Head-to-head Updated

Toyo Proxes TR1 vs Kumho Ecsta HS52 — Compared

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

Ecsta HS52 is ahead, 76–64

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Tire AToyo

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)

“I had asymmetric 2 or possibly 3's on an impreza and they were a fantastic all rounder. The 5's will be going on my daily when i find a good deal!”

Tire BKumho

Ecsta HS52

Summer

Tests 82 · 7 tests Owners 71 · 2,352 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 20 in 2024 AutoBild 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”

Category by category

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

  1. 59

    Dry

    Ecsta HS52 +22
    81
    Why this score
    SourceProxes TR1Ecsta HS52
    Professional tests (TWG score)5385
    Reviews found online6875
    Dry Braking (% of best)87%100%
    Dry Handling (% of best)96%99%
  2. 67

    Wet

    Ecsta HS52 +15
    82
    Why this score
    SourceProxes TR1Ecsta HS52
    Professional tests (TWG score)6688
    Reviews found online6872
    Wet Braking (% of best)82%90%
    Wet Circle (% of best)87%91%
    Wet Handling (% of best)95%99%
  3. 65

    Comfort

    Level
    65
    Why this score
    SourceProxes TR1Ecsta HS52
    Professional tests (TWG score)68–
    Reviews found online6060
  4. 68

    Noise

    Proxes TR1 +3
    65
    Why this score
    SourceProxes TR1Ecsta HS52
    Professional tests (TWG score)6864
  5. 63

    Treadwear

    Ecsta HS52 +10
    73
    Why this score
    SourceProxes TR1Ecsta HS52
    Professional tests (TWG score)–78
    Reviews found online6166
  6. 70

    Handling

    Ecsta HS52 +5
    75
    Why this score
    SourceProxes TR1Ecsta HS52
    Reviews found online7075
Scores at a glance
Toyo Proxes TR1 vs Kumho Ecsta HS52: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryToyo Proxes TR1Kumho Ecsta HS52
Relative Score 64 76
Dry 59 81
Wet 67 82
Comfort 65 65
Noise 68 65
Treadwear 63 73
Handling 70 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 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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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Proxes TR1

Ecsta HS52

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.

DisciplineCategoryProxes TR1Ecsta HS52ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 87% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 100% #2/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test −13.5 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 96% #6/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 99% #12/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test −2.9 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 94% #3/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 88% #16/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test +5.2 Different tests
Noise Other 99% #4/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 96% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test +2.7 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 20% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 11% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test +8.9 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 97% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 97% #5/16 · 2026 ADAC Summer Tyre Test −0.3 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 82% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 90% #17/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test −7.3 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 87% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 91% #15/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test −4.0 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 95% #5/6 · 2024 TopTireReview Best UHP Tyres for Asia Test 99% #2/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test −4.1 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 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

Tire B 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

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

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.

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

Tire B

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/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)”

r/TyreReviews ·1 upvote ·2025-06-16

“Yup, noticed that on my car too, went from a dot 2023 225/45/r17 PS5 to 205/50/r17 Kumho ecsta hs52 and while i went down in width, speed went up about 5-7km/h during a tight hairpin i always frequent, i feel a lot more confident chucking it towards the apex and not fear understeer ( my car is FWD).”

r/Mazda323 ·6 upvotes ·2026-06-14

“Mini review of the Kumho Ecsta HS52 I was running some Hankook's on my GT before and the tire wall not stiff enough. Now I've mounted these Kumho Ecsta HS52's and I highly recommend them: The tire wall is nicely rigid and they grip great in the dry, took quite some intent to make them loose traction. Additionally, I've accidentally ran over a pretty big sharp looking rock at decent speed that aimed right in a tread groove (thinnest part) and the thing shrugged it off no problem. And all of this for a damn good price too! So if anyone's looking for good tires, now you know.”

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Toyo Proxes TR1 B · Kumho Ecsta HS52
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6153
Rim diameters14″ – 20″14″ – 20″

Which one should you actually buy?

Toyo Proxes TR1

Kumho Ecsta HS52

Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS52 — better dry, wet and treadwear. Pick the Toyo Proxes TR1 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 81 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 82 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 73 vs 63 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Kumho Ecsta HS52 scores 75 vs 70 on handling.

Tire A · Toyo Proxes TR1
Tire B · Kumho Ecsta HS52

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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.

76

Leads

Ecsta HS52

Amazon