TopTire Review

    Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    2026 test data · 14 independent tests

    Kumho Winter Craft WP51 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 Kumho Winter Craft WP51 and Kumho Winter Craft WP52 appear in 14 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 Kumho Winter Craft WP51 performs. It takes the win in snow, ice, noise / comfort, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 88/100, based on 3 tests.

    How the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 performs. It takes the win in wet, dry, 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 Kumho Winter Craft WP51 still wins on snow, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

    Choose Kumho Winter Craft WP51 if

    • You prioritise snow
    • You prioritise ice
    • You prioritise noise / comfort

    Choose Kumho Winter Craft WP52 if

    Overall winner
    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise dry
    • You prioritise mileage

    Test profile

    MetricKumho Winter Craft WP51Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    SegmentTouring WinterWinter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used311
    Best rank#1#1
    Avg rank9.410.5
    Latest test20212025
    Tire Lab Score87.591.9

    Tire Lab Score

    87.5
    Very Good · Winter
    91.9
    Excellent · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryKumho Winter Craft WP51Kumho Winter Craft WP52Winner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 12.2
    1
    Avg rank 9.1
    14
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 8.3
    Avg rank 4.7
    311
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 9.2
    11
    Avg rank 12.7
    Kumho Winter Craft WP51
    🧊Ice
    Avg rank 2.5
    1
    Avg rank 4.5
    1
    Kumho Winter Craft WP51
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 6.0
    1
    Avg rank 9.2
    112
    Kumho Winter Craft WP51
    📏MileageNo data
    Avg rank 8.7
    2
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 2.0
    11
    Avg rank 4.7
    1
    Kumho Winter Craft WP51

    💧 Wet: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 9.1, compared to 12.2 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.

    ☀️ Dry: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.7, compared to 8.3 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.

    ❄️ Snow: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 9.2, compared to 12.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    🧊 Ice: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 2.5, compared to 4.5 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 6.0, compared to 9.2 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    📏 Mileage: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 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 Kumho Winter Craft WP51.

    🔋 Efficiency: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 wins this category with an average rank of 2.0, compared to 4.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Kumho Winter Craft WP51 or Kumho Winter Craft WP52?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 ranks higher on average than the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Kumho Winter Craft WP51 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 Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 shows better mileage performance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP51.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Kumho Winter Craft WP51 appears in 3 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 →