Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    2026 test data · 12 independent tests

    → See full Hankook vs Kumho brand comparison

    Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51: the full picture

    This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 and Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 appear in 12 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 Hankook Winter I cept RS3 performs. It takes the win in snow, mileage, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 95/100, based on 11 tests.

    How the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 performs. It takes the win in wet, dry, ice, noise / comfort. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 85/100, based on 1 test.

    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 Hankook Winter I cept RS3 is the stronger all-round choice, leading in snow and Tire Lab Score. The Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 still wins on wet, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

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

    Test profile

    MetricHankook Winter I cept RS3Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51
    SegmentNordic WinterNordic Winter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used111
    Best rank#1#2
    Avg rank7.27.5
    Latest test20252021
    Tire Lab Score94.985.1

    Tire Lab Score

    94.9
    Excellent · Nordic Winter
    85.1
    Very Good · Nordic Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryHankook Winter I cept RS3Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51Winner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 6.3
    353
    Avg rank 5.0
    Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 8.1
    1
    Avg rank 6.0
    Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 6.4
    323
    Avg rank 7.0
    1
    Hankook Winter I cept RS3
    🧊Ice
    Avg rank 7.8
    Avg rank 7.5
    1
    Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 7.8
    2
    Avg rank 7.0
    Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 8.9
    2
    No data
    Hankook Winter I cept RS3
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 5.2
    22
    No data
    Hankook Winter I cept RS3

    💧 Wet: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    The Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 wins this category with an average rank of 5.0, compared to 6.3 for the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.

    ☀️ Dry: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    The Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 wins this category with an average rank of 6.0, compared to 8.1 for the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.

    ❄️ Snow: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    The Hankook Winter I cept RS3 wins this category with an average rank of 6.4, compared to 7.0 for the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51.

    🧊 Ice: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    The Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 wins this category with an average rank of 7.5, compared to 7.8 for the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    The Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 wins this category with an average rank of 7.0, compared to 7.8 for the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.

    📏 Mileage: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    The Hankook Winter I cept RS3 wins this category with an average rank of 8.9, compared to no data for the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51.

    🔋 Efficiency: Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51

    The Hankook Winter I cept RS3 wins this category with an average rank of 5.2, compared to no data for the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Hankook Winter I cept RS3 or Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 ranks higher on average than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?

    On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 ranks better than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 shows better mileage performance than the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Hankook Winter I cept RS3 appears in 11 independent tests, Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 in 1.

    Also compare

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