89
/ 100
Objective (60%)
76/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
92/100
10 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop Winter Response 2 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP51 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
73/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
78/100
15 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop Winter Response 2 — better snow, wet and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Winter Craft WP51 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 94 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 77 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 94 | 74 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 74 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 98% | 100% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 19
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 94 | 68 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 90 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 99% | 91% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 84 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 100 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 79 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 71 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Winter Response 2 | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 89 | 78 |
| Dry | 86 | 87 |
| Wet | 92 | 74 |
| Snow | 96 | 77 |
| Comfort | 93 | 84 |
| Noise | – | 100 |
| Treadwear | 87 | 79 |
| Handling | 82 | 71 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
89
/ 100
Tire A
78
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | 6% #16/16 · 2021 ADAC 15 Inch Winter Tyre Test | +93.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #3/31 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | 91% #3/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +7.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 98% #3/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | 100% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | -2.1 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Dunlop Winter Response 2 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction in snow and wet conditions. Users frequently highlight its balanced performance, noting that it maintains impressive grip and low noise levels even in dry, cold weather, making it a strong value proposition in the premium winter segment.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and confidence in deep snow and icy conditions.
- Excellent wet weather grip and handling stability.
- Low road noise levels, even at motorway speeds.
- Strong value for money compared to other premium winter offerings.
Cons
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear.
- Noticeable sidewall roll during cornering at higher speeds.
- Inconsistent performance ratings across different tire widths in independent testing.
Observations
- Users noted that the tire remains remarkably quiet on smaller vehicles like the Renault Clio, particularly in 185/55 R15 sizing.
- Longevity appears sufficient for moderate usage, with one user reporting 46,000 km of service while maintaining 4mm of tread depth.
The Kumho Winter Craft WP51 is widely regarded as a high-value winter tire that excels in deep snow and icy conditions, often outperforming more expensive competitors in severe weather. While users consistently praise its winter traction and affordability, some report compromises in dry-road handling, wet-weather braking, and increased cabin noise.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and reliability in deep snow and slush
- High price-to-performance ratio compared to premium brands
- Solid durability and tread life for the price point
- Effective performance on icy surfaces
Cons
- Noticeable increase in road noise
- Mediocre wet-weather braking and traction
- Lack of steering feedback and stability on dry pavement
- Potential for tread block squirm during steering inputs
Observations
- Drivers of smaller, lighter vehicles (e.g., Yaris, Mazda 3) report high satisfaction with snow climbing capabilities.
- Owners of heavier or higher-performance vehicles (e.g., Audi A4/A6, Mercedes E220D) noted concerns regarding wet-weather traction and handling precision.
- Some users observed a 15-20% increase in fuel consumption, likely due to the tire's aggressive winter tread compound.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Winter Response 2 | B · Kumho Winter Craft WP51 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
89
/ 100
Dunlop
78
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Dunlop Winter Response 2 — better snow, wet and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 96 vs 77 on snow.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 92 vs 74 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 82 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 93 vs 84 on comfort.
Tire A · Dunlop Winter Response 2
Tire B · Kumho Winter Craft WP51
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Winter Response 2 also compared with
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.