81
/ 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.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 — 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
79
/ 100
Objective (60%)
70/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
77/100
11 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 — better noise, comfort and wet. Pick the Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 if treadwear and handling matter most to you.
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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)
Winguard Snow G WH2 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Winter Craft WP51 | Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 94 | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 83 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 100% | 97% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 97% | 99% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter Craft WP51 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Winter Craft WP51 | Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 74 | 66 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 74 | 73 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 100% | 84% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 90% | 96% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Craft WP51 | Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 68 | 74 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 82 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 92% | 94% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 97% | 95% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Winter Craft WP51 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Winter Craft WP51 | Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 77 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Winter Craft WP51 leads by 14
Why this score
| Source | Winter Craft WP51 | Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 100 | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winguard Snow G WH2 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Winter Craft WP51 | Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 87 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winguard Snow G WH2 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Winter Craft WP51 | Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 71 | 74 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 | Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 79 |
| Dry | 87 | 88 |
| Wet | 74 | 69 |
| Snow | 77 | 77 |
| Comfort | 84 | 77 |
| Noise | 100 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 79 | 87 |
| Handling | 71 | 74 |
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
81
/ 100
Tire A
79
/ 100
Tire B
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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +3.2 | Same test |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 97% #10/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 99% #6/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | -2 | Same test |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 98% #10/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +2.5 | Same test |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 99% #7/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +1 | Same test |
| Price | Other | 92% #2/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 90% #3/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +2 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 8% #12/16 · 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test | 13% #8/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | -4.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 92% #29/35 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview | 94% #6/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | -2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #5/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 95% #9/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +2 | Same test |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 91% #7/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 84% #10/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +7 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 84% #6/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +15.6 | Same test |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 90% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 96% #6/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | -6 | Same test |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
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.
The Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 is widely regarded as a high-value winter tire that offers impressive snow performance and comfort for its price point. While most users find it to be a reliable and cost-effective alternative to premium brands, opinions on wet-weather handling and noise levels are polarized, suggesting inconsistent performance across different driving styles and road conditions.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium competitors
- Strong traction and confidence-inspiring grip in snow
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise levels for many users
- Good tread longevity and durability
Cons
- Inconsistent performance in wet and slushy conditions
- Reports of increased road noise as the tire wears
- Handling can feel 'spongy' or lacking in steering precision
- Polarized feedback regarding wet-weather safety
Observations
- Users driving higher-horsepower vehicles, such as a 210 hp Honda Accord, reported that the tire remains stable and capable in varied conditions.
- Performance feedback is highly subjective, with some users noting significant noise increases after 10,000km, while others praise the quiet ride.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Winter Craft WP51 | B · Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
81
/ 100
Kumho
79
/ 100
Nexen
Winner: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 — better noise, comfort and wet. Pick the Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 if treadwear and handling matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 scores 100 vs 86 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 scores 87 vs 79 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 scores 84 vs 77 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 scores 74 vs 69 on wet.
Tire A · Kumho Winter Craft WP51
Tire B · Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 also compared with
Nexen Winguard Snow G WH2 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.