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.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 vs Pirelli Ice Zero 2 — 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
70
/ 100
Objective (60%)
75/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
64/100
3 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — better treadwear, comfort and handling. Pick the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 if wet matters most to you.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
Category breakdown
6 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 7
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 73 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 77 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ice Zero 2 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 90 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 73 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Ice Zero 2 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 80 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 20
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 57 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 57 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 71 | 60 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho WinterCraft WP72 | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 70 |
| Dry | 82 | 75 |
| Wet | 78 | 83 |
| Snow | 86 | 87 |
| Comfort | 77 | 57 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 57 |
| Handling | 71 | 60 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
79
/ 100
Tire A
70
/ 100
Tire B
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
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.
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 presents a polarized user experience, with performance feedback ranging from high satisfaction in snow and slush to significant disappointment regarding ice traction and noise levels. While some users find it to be a competent and reasonably quiet studded option, others report alarming instability on ice and intrusive acoustic resonance at highway speeds.
Pros
- Reliable performance on snow and slush-covered surfaces
- Acceptable noise levels for a studded tire
- Stable handling characteristics on wet and salted road conditions
Cons
- Significant, high-pitched humming noise at speeds above 95 km/h
- Poor traction and stability on ice compared to premium competitors
- Inconsistent grip during low-speed cornering
Observations
- Users operating all-wheel-drive vehicles, such as the VW Passat Alltrack, reported unexpected slippage in cornering scenarios despite the vehicle's drivetrain advantages.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72 | B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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?
79
/ 100
Kumho
70
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — better treadwear, comfort and handling. Pick the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 if wet matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 80 vs 57 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 77 vs 57 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 71 vs 60 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 82 vs 75 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72
Tire B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 also compared with
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 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.