Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    2026 test data · 16 independent tests

    → See full Goodyear vs Kumho brand comparison

    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus 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 Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus and Kumho Winter Craft WP52 appear in 16 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 Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus performs. It takes the win in wet, snow, ice, noise / comfort, mileage. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 91/100, based on 5 tests.

    How the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 performs. It takes the win in dry, efficiency. 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 dry and Tire Lab Score. The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus still wins on wet, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise snow
    • You prioritise ice
    • You prioritise dry
    • You prioritise efficiency

    Test profile

    MetricGoodyear UltraGrip 9 PlusKumho Winter Craft WP52
    SegmentWinterWinter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used511
    Best rank#1#1
    Avg rank7.010.5
    Latest test20232025
    Tire Lab Score9191.9

    Tire Lab Score

    91
    Excellent · Winter
    91.9
    Excellent · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryGoodyear UltraGrip 9 PlusKumho Winter Craft WP52Winner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 6.5
    21
    Avg rank 9.1
    14
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 10.6
    1
    Avg rank 4.7
    311
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 4.3
    321
    Avg rank 12.7
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    🧊Ice
    Avg rank 1.0
    1
    Avg rank 4.5
    1
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 6.0
    3
    Avg rank 9.2
    112
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 6.3
    Avg rank 8.7
    2
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 11.3
    Avg rank 4.7
    1
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    💧 Wet: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 6.5, compared to 9.1 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    ☀️ Dry: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.7, compared to 10.6 for the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus.

    ❄️ Snow: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 4.3, compared to 12.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    🧊 Ice: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 1.0, compared to 4.5 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 6.0, compared to 9.2 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    📏 Mileage: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 6.3, compared to 8.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    🔋 Efficiency: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.7, compared to 11.3 for the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus or Kumho Winter Craft WP52?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus ranks higher on average than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?

    On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus ranks better than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus shows better mileage performance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus appears in 5 independent tests, Kumho Winter Craft WP52 in 11.

    Also compare

    Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →