Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52: the full picture
This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Firestone Winterhawk 3 and Kumho Winter Craft WP52 appear in 15 tests, though they have not yet met head-to-head in the same test. 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 Firestone Winterhawk 3 performs. It takes the win in efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 86/100, based on 4 tests.
How the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 performs. It takes the win in wet, dry, snow, ice, noise / comfort, mileage. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 92/100, based on 11 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 Kumho Winter Craft WP52 is the stronger all-round choice, leading in wet and Tire Lab Score. The Firestone Winterhawk 3 still wins on efficiency, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.
Which one should you buy?
- You prioritise efficiency
Choose Kumho Winter Craft WP52 if
- You prioritise wet
- You prioritise dry
- You prioritise snow
Test profile
| Metric | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Winter | Winter |
| Type | Winter | Winter |
| Tests used | 4 | 11 |
| Best rank | #2 | #1 |
| Avg rank | 15.3 | 10.5 |
| Latest test | 2020 | 2025 |
| Tire Lab Score | 85.9 | 91.9 |
Tire Lab Score
Firestone Winterhawk 3
Kumho Winter Craft WP52
Performance overview
Category-by-category results
| Category | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💧Wet | Avg rank 22.0 | Avg rank 9.1 14 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| ☀️Dry | Avg rank 13.0 | Avg rank 4.7 311 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| ❄️Snow | Avg rank 13.6 | Avg rank 12.7 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| 🧊Ice | No data | Avg rank 4.5 1 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| 🔇Noise / Comfort | Avg rank 11.0 | Avg rank 9.2 112 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| 📏Mileage | Avg rank 10.5 | Avg rank 8.7 2 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| 🔋Efficiency | Avg rank 4.0 1 | Avg rank 4.7 1 | Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
💧 Wet: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 9.1, compared to 22.0 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
☀️ Dry: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.7, compared to 13.0 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
❄️ Snow: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 12.7, compared to 13.6 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
🧊 Ice: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.5, compared to no data for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
🔇 Noise / Comfort: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 9.2, compared to 11.0 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
📏 Mileage: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 8.7, compared to 10.5 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
🔋 Efficiency: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Firestone Winterhawk 3 wins this category with an average rank of 4.0, compared to 4.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better in the wet, Firestone Winterhawk 3 or Kumho Winter Craft WP52?
Across independent wet-braking tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 ranks higher on average than the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
Which has shorter dry braking distance?
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Firestone Winterhawk 3 across the tests where both appeared.
Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?
On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 ranks better than the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
Which tire lasts longer?
Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 shows better mileage performance than the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
How many tests were used in this comparison?
Firestone Winterhawk 3 appears in 4 independent tests, Kumho Winter Craft WP52 in 11.
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Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →