TopTire Review

    Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    2026 test data · 19 independent tests · 1 head-to-head

    → See full Kumho vs Nexen brand comparison

    Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2: 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 WP52 and Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 appear in 19 tests, 1 of which put both tires on the same track on the same day. 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 WP52 performs. It takes the win in wet, dry, ice. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 92/100, based on 11 tests.

    How the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 performs. It takes the win in snow, noise / comfort, mileage, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 92/100, based on 8 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 Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 still wins on snow, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

    Choose Kumho Winter Craft WP52 if

    Overall winner
    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise dry
    • You prioritise ice

    Choose Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 if

    • You prioritise snow
    • You prioritise noise / comfort
    • You prioritise mileage

    Test profile

    MetricKumho Winter Craft WP52Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
    SegmentWinterPerformance Winter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used118
    Best rank#1#1
    Avg rank10.510.8
    Latest test20252023
    Tire Lab Score91.991.7

    Tire Lab Score

    91.9
    Excellent · Winter
    91.7
    Excellent · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryKumho Winter Craft WP52Nexen WinGuard Sport 2Winner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 9.1
    14
    Avg rank 12.4
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 4.7
    311
    Avg rank 7.8
    1
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 12.7
    Avg rank 11.1
    1
    Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
    🧊Ice
    Avg rank 4.5
    1
    		No data
    Kumho Winter Craft WP52
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 9.2
    112
    Avg rank 7.9
    23
    Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 8.7
    2
    Avg rank 5.5
    1
    Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 4.7
    1
    Avg rank 2.6
    211
    Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    Tests used in this comparison

    Both tires were measured head-to-head in these 1 independent test:

    💧 Wet: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 9.1, compared to 12.4 for the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2.

    ☀️ Dry: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.7, compared to 7.8 for the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2.

    ❄️ Snow: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    The Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 wins this category with an average rank of 11.1, compared to 12.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    🧊 Ice: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 wins this category with an average rank of 4.5, compared to no data for the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    The Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 wins this category with an average rank of 7.9, compared to 9.2 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    📏 Mileage: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    The Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 wins this category with an average rank of 5.5, compared to 8.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    🔋 Efficiency: Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Nexen WinGuard Sport 2

    The Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 wins this category with an average rank of 2.6, compared to 4.7 for the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Kumho Winter Craft WP52 or Nexen WinGuard Sport 2?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 ranks higher on average than the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?

    On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 ranks better than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 shows better mileage performance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Kumho Winter Craft WP52 appears in 11 independent tests, Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 in 8, with 1 head-to-head tests where both were measured.

    Also compare

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