70
/ 100
Objective (60%)
76/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
61/100
17 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho WinterCraft WP71 vs Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — 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%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
77/100
9 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — better comfort, handling and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP71 | WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 82 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP71 | WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 81 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 61 | 78 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP71 | WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 86 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 26
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP71 | WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 51 | 77 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP71 | WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 10 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP71 | WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 80 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP71 | WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 53 | 71 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho WinterCraft WP71 | Kumho WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 79 |
| Dry | 80 | 82 |
| Wet | 73 | 78 |
| Snow | 85 | 86 |
| Comfort | 51 | 77 |
| Noise | 10 | – |
| Treadwear | 73 | 80 |
| Handling | 53 | 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
70
/ 100
Tire A
79
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Kumho WinterCraft WP71 receives a polarized reception, with users frequently praising its competent snow and slush performance while expressing significant dissatisfaction regarding road noise and wet-weather handling. While some drivers find it a capable budget-friendly winter option, others report vague steering feedback and a lack of confidence in cornering, particularly on wet surfaces.
Pros
- Strong traction and braking performance in deep snow and slush
- Competitive price point compared to premium winter tire alternatives
- Predictable handling in dry winter conditions
- Generally satisfactory tread wear longevity
Cons
- Excessive road noise, particularly at low to moderate speeds
- Vague or 'spongy' steering feedback and handling characteristics
- Inconsistent lateral grip and understeer issues on wet roads
- Poor performance on ice compared to premium competitors
Observations
- Drivers of performance-oriented vehicles, such as the Mazda 3 MPS, reported significant handling instability and a lack of precision.
- AWD vehicle owners, such as those with a Kia Sportage, reported higher satisfaction with snow and ice traction than those with FWD setups.
The Kumho WinterCraft WP72 is widely regarded as a high-value performance winter tire that balances dry and wet road handling with competent snow traction. While most users praise its comfort, low noise levels, and affordability compared to premium alternatives, some report concerns regarding high-speed stability and potential issues with tire uniformity.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium winter tire brands
- Impressive noise suppression and ride comfort
- Strong performance on dry and wet surfaces
- Reliable traction in typical winter snow and slush conditions
Cons
- Vague handling and stability at higher highway speeds
- Reports of soft sidewalls leading to a 'jelly' feel
- Potential for flat-spotting and balancing issues
- Diminishing snow grip as the tread wears down
Observations
- Users with heavy EVs and RWD vehicles report good snow traction, though some note minor slippage during aggressive cornering on wet surfaces.
- Performance-oriented vehicles like the Subaru BRZ and Tesla Model 3 find the tire to be a capable, budget-friendly alternative to extreme winter tires.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho WinterCraft WP71 | B · Kumho WinterCraft WP72 |
|---|---|---|
| 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?
70
/ 100
Kumho
79
/ 100
Kumho
Winner: Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — better comfort, handling and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 77 vs 51 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 71 vs 53 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 80 vs 73 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 78 vs 73 on wet.
Tire A · Kumho WinterCraft WP71
Tire B · Kumho WinterCraft WP72
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho WinterCraft WP71 also compared with
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 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.