King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 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 King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 and Kumho Winter Craft WP52 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 King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 performs. It takes the win in efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 81/100, based on 1 test.
How the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 performs. It takes the win in wet, dry, 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 King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 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 ice
Test profile
| Metric | King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Winter | Winter |
| Type | Winter | Winter |
| Tests used | 1 | 11 |
| Best rank | #1 | #1 |
| Avg rank | 11.4 | 10.5 |
| Latest test | 2020 | 2025 |
| Tire Lab Score | 80.9 | 91.9 |
Tire Lab Score
King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81
Kumho Winter Craft WP52
Performance overview
Category-by-category results
| Category | King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💧Wet | Avg rank 14.0 | Avg rank 9.1 14 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| ☀️Dry | Avg rank 12.5 | Avg rank 4.7 311 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| ❄️Snow | Avg rank 12.7 | Avg rank 12.7 | Tie |
| 🧊Ice | No data | Avg rank 4.5 1 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| 🔇Noise / Comfort | Avg rank 14.0 | Avg rank 9.2 112 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| 📏Mileage | No data | Avg rank 8.7 2 | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 |
| 🔋Efficiency | Avg rank 3.0 1 | Avg rank 4.7 1 | King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 |
💧 Wet: King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 9.1, compared to 14.0 for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
☀️ Dry: King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.7, compared to 12.5 for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
❄️ Snow: King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
Both tires perform similarly in snow, with average ranks of 12.7 and 12.7.
🧊 Ice: King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 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 King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
🔇 Noise / Comfort: King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 9.2, compared to 14.0 for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
📏 Mileage: King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 8.7, compared to no data for the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
🔋 Efficiency: King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 wins this category with an average rank of 3.0, compared to 4.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better in the wet, King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 or Kumho Winter Craft WP52?
Across independent wet-braking tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 ranks higher on average than the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
Which has shorter dry braking distance?
The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 averages a better dry-braking rank than the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 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 King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
Which tire lasts longer?
Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 shows better mileage performance than the King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81.
How many tests were used in this comparison?
King-Meiler Winter Tact WT81 appears in 1 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 →
