Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51: the full picture
This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 and Kumho Winter Craft WP51 appear in 29 tests, 1 of which put both tires on the same track on the same day. Head-to-head results carry the most weight here, because surface, weather and test car all change between events and make raw numbers from different tests hard to compare directly.
How the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 performs. It takes the win in wet, snow, mileage. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 92/100, based on 26 tests.
How the Kumho Winter Craft WP51 performs. It takes the win in dry, ice, noise / comfort, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 88/100, based on 3 tests.
What this means for you. Category wins matter more than the overall score when your driving is weighted toward one condition — a wet-climate commuter should follow the wet braking column, while a high-mileage driver should follow wear and rolling resistance. Also check that both tires are actually offered in your size and load rating: performance can shift between sizes, and availability differs between the European and North American markets.
Verdict
The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is the stronger all-round choice, leading in wet and Tire Lab Score. The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 still wins on dry, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.
Which one should you buy?
Choose Dunlop Winter Sport 5 if
- You prioritise wet
- You prioritise snow
- You prioritise mileage
- You prioritise dry
- You prioritise ice
- You prioritise noise / comfort
Test profile
| Metric | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Performance Winter | Touring Winter |
| Type | Winter | Winter |
| Tests used | 26 | 3 |
| Best rank | #1 | #1 |
| Avg rank | 8.6 | 9.4 |
| Latest test | 2025 | 2021 |
| Tire Lab Score | 91.6 | 87.5 |
Tire Lab Score
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Kumho Winter Craft WP51
Performance overview
Category-by-category results
| Category | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💧Wet | Avg rank 8.0 244 | Avg rank 12.2 1 | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 |
| ☀️Dry | Avg rank 10.1 1 | Avg rank 8.3 | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 |
| ❄️Snow | Avg rank 6.3 1334 | Avg rank 9.2 11 | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 |
| 🧊Ice | Avg rank 7.4 | Avg rank 2.5 1 | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 |
| 🔇Noise / Comfort | Avg rank 8.3 543 | Avg rank 6.0 1 | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 |
| 📏Mileage | Avg rank 8.0 14 | No data | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 |
| 🔋Efficiency | Avg rank 11.2 | Avg rank 2.0 11 | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 |
Tests used in this comparison
Both tires were measured head-to-head in these 1 independent test:
💧 Wet: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51
The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 wins this category with an average rank of 8.0, compared to 12.2 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.
☀️ Dry: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51
The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 8.3, compared to 10.1 for the Dunlop Winter Sport 5.
❄️ Snow: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51
The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 wins this category with an average rank of 6.3, compared to 9.2 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.
🧊 Ice: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51
The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 2.5, compared to 7.4 for the Dunlop Winter Sport 5.
🔇 Noise / Comfort: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51
The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 6.0, compared to 8.3 for the Dunlop Winter Sport 5.
📏 Mileage: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51
The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 wins this category with an average rank of 8.0, compared to no data for the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.
🔋 Efficiency: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51
The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 2.0, compared to 11.2 for the Dunlop Winter Sport 5.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better in the wet, Dunlop Winter Sport 5 or Kumho Winter Craft WP51?
Across independent wet-braking tests, the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 ranks higher on average than the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.
Which has shorter dry braking distance?
The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 across the tests where both appeared.
Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?
On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Kumho Winter Craft WP51 ranks better than the Dunlop Winter Sport 5.
Which tire lasts longer?
Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 shows better mileage performance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.
How many tests were used in this comparison?
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 appears in 26 independent tests, Kumho Winter Craft WP51 in 3, with 1 head-to-head tests where both were measured.
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Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →