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Updated September 2026

Kumho Winter Craft WP52 review

The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 is generally regarded as a competent, budget-friendly winter tire that offers a balanced performance across various conditions. While it provides reliable traction on snow and dry surfaces, some users report inconsistent wet-weather braking and a slight lack of steering precision.

Relative score
75/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
69/100
8 reviews
Road tests
86/100
11 published tests

Owners rate it 17 points lower than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.

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Kumho Winter Craft WP52
Scores

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

By owner reviews

69%
Would buy again 64%
Dry
Overall dry
78%
Wet
Overall wet
68%
Snow & ice
Overall snow & ice
73%
Comfort
Overall comfort
74%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
74%
Handling
Overall handling
73%

By road tests

86%
Dry
96.4%
Wet
76.9%
Snow
71.2%
Comfort
78%
Noise
65.6%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 8 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

The Kumho Winter Craft WP52 is generally regarded as a competent, budget-friendly winter tire that offers a balanced performance across various conditions. While it provides reliable traction on snow and dry surfaces, some users report inconsistent wet-weather braking and a slight lack of steering precision.

Pros

  • Strong price-to-performance ratio
  • Reliable traction on snow-covered surfaces
  • Solid dry road handling and stability
  • High resistance to tread wear in some applications

Cons

  • Vague steering feedback and handling feel
  • Inconsistent wet-weather braking performance
  • Increased road noise compared to summer tires
  • Higher rolling resistance leading to increased fuel consumption

Worth knowing

  • Users with AWD vehicles report that the tire's performance on snow is significantly bolstered by the drivetrain, compensating for mediocre individual tire grip.
  • Drivers of compact hatchbacks, such as the Audi A3, report high satisfaction with the tire's overall grip profile.
Test results

11 published test appearances

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2025 Winter tire Braking Test - 52 Sets! · 225/40 R18

4th of 51
Best: Wet Braking · 5th Weakest: Snow Braking · 13th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking5th of 51
Snow Braking13th of 51

2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter tire Test · 245/45 R18

7th of 12
Best: Noise · 2nd Weakest: Snow Braking · 9th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking6th of 12
Wet Handling8th of 12
Dry Braking7th of 12
Dry Handling5th of 12
Snow Braking9th of 12
Snow Traction7th of 12
Snow Handling7th of 12
Rolling Resistance7th of 12
Straight Aqua7th of 12
Noise2nd of 12

2024 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

15th of 20
Best: Dry Braking · 1st Weakest: Straight Aqua · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Handling4th of 20
Dry Braking1st of 20
Dry Handling3rd of 20
Snow Braking17th of 20
Snow Traction17th of 20
Snow Handling11th of 20
Rolling Resistance18th of 20
Straight Aqua20th of 20
Curved Aquaplaning20th of 20
Noise16th of 20
Value9th of 20
Wear20th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership16th of 20

2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter tire Test · 215/55 R17

12th of 16
Best: Dry Braking · 1st Weakest: Straight Aqua · 13th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking10th of 16
Dry Braking1st of 16
Snow Braking11th of 16
Snow Traction11th of 16
Ice Braking6th of 16
Straight Aqua13th of 16
Wear10th of 16
Abrasion11th of 16
Wet Braking - Concrete9th of 16

2024 Winter 55 tire Braking Test · 205/55 R16

2nd of 55
Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Snow Braking · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking2nd of 55
Snow Braking20th of 55

2023 Tyre Reviews Winter tire Test · 225/45 R18

9th of 11
Best: Price · 2nd Weakest: Subj. Comfort · 11th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Handling10th of 11
Dry Handling4th of 11
Snow Traction9th of 11
Snow Handling7th of 11
Rolling Resistance7th of 11
Straight Aqua10th of 11
Subj. Comfort11th of 11
Price2nd of 11

2023 Sports Cars Winter tire Test · 225/40 R18

7th of 11
Best: Dry Braking · 3rd Weakest: Straight Aqua · 10th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking8th of 11
Wet Handling9th of 11
Dry Braking3rd of 11
Dry Handling4th of 11
Snow Braking8th of 11
Snow Traction9th of 11
Snow Handling8th of 11
Rolling Resistance8th of 11
Straight Aqua10th of 11
Curved Aquaplaning5th of 11
Noise9th of 11
Snow Slalom5th of 11

2023 Winter tire Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18

25th of 54
Best: Wet Braking · 24th Weakest: Snow Braking · 26th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking24th of 54
Snow Braking26th of 54

2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17

9th of 15
Best: Dry Braking · 1st Weakest: Snow Braking · 11th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking7th of 15
Dry Braking1st of 15
Snow Braking11th of 15
Snow Traction9th of 15
Ice Braking4th of 15
Straight Aqua10th of 15
Curved Aquaplaning11th of 15
Noise1st of 15
Value1st of 15
Wear1st of 15
Fuel Consumption11th of 15
Abrasion2nd of 15

2022 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 215/55 R17

17th of 20
Best: Value · 1st Weakest: Snow Braking · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking11th of 20
Wet Handling18th of 20
Dry Braking3rd of 20
Dry Handling2nd of 20
Snow Braking20th of 20
Snow Traction20th of 20
Snow Handling14th of 20
Rolling Resistance17th of 20
Straight Aqua17th of 20
Noise18th of 20
Value1st of 20
Price3rd of 20
Wear1st of 20
Total Cost of Ownership5th of 20

2022 Winter tire Market Overview · 215/55 R17

19th of 56
Best: Wet Braking · 12th Weakest: Snow Braking · 28th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking12th of 56
Snow Braking28th of 56