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Barum Polaris 6 vs Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 7 + 5 road tests and 6 + 6 owner reviews. How we score

WinterCraft WP52 plus is ahead, 79–74

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Barum Polaris 6
Tire ABarum

Polaris 6

Winter

± 6

Tests 72 · 7 tests Owners 76 · 6 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (snow braking)

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus
Tire BKumho

WinterCraft WP52 plus

Winter

± 5

Tests 78 · 5 tests Owners 81 · 6 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

Key facts

  • In 4 tests that measured wet braking for both, Polaris 6 won 0 and WinterCraft WP52 plus won 4 (average 88% vs 92% of the best).
  • In 4 tests that measured snow braking for both, Polaris 6 won 4 and WinterCraft WP52 plus won 0 (average 99% vs 97% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured dry braking for both, Polaris 6 won 0 and WinterCraft WP52 plus won 3 (average 91% vs 98% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, Polaris 6 won 1 and WinterCraft WP52 plus won 2 (average 92% vs 94% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured snow traction for both, Polaris 6 won 1 and WinterCraft WP52 plus won 2 (average 96% vs 96% of the best).
  1. 62

    Dry

    WinterCraft WP52 plus +20
    82
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 4 tests5382
    Reviews found online7583
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–391%98%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–198%99%

    Polaris 6: 60% × 53.2 + 40% × 75.3 = 62

    WinterCraft WP52 plus: 60% × 81.7 + 40% × 83.2 = 82

  2. 81

    Wet

    WinterCraft WP52 plus +7
    88
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 5 tests8390
    Reviews found online7887
    Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–179%79%
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–292%94%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–488%92%
    Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–183%95%
    Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–194%96%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–295%97%

    Polaris 6: 60% × 82.9 + 40% × 78.3 = 81

    WinterCraft WP52 plus: 60% × 89.5 + 40% × 86.5 = 88

  3. 78

    Snow

    Polaris 6 +2
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 5 tests8175
    Reviews found online7379
    Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–096%90%
    Snow Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 4–099%97%
    Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–297%99%
    Snow Slalom (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–099%98%
    Snow Traction (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–296%96%

    Polaris 6: 60% × 81.5 + 40% × 73.4 = 78

    WinterCraft WP52 plus: 60% × 74.7 + 40% × 78.8 = 76

  4. 72

    Comfort

    WinterCraft WP52 plus +5
    77
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests7074
    Reviews found online7379
    Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–189%91%

    Polaris 6: 40% × 70.3 + 60% × 72.7 = 72

    WinterCraft WP52 plus: 40% × 73.6 + 60% × 78.9 = 77

  5. 87

    Noise

    Polaris 6 +25
    62
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 3 tests10059
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0100%97%

    Polaris 6: 60% × 100 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 87

    WinterCraft WP52 plus: 60% × 59 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 62

    No owner ratings of noise for Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 69

    Treadwear

    WinterCraft WP52 plus +5
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 4 tests6474
    Reviews found online7675
    Abrasion (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–158%66%
    Wear (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–283%92%

    Polaris 6: 60% × 63.7 + 40% × 76.3 = 69

    WinterCraft WP52 plus: 60% × 73.5 + 40% × 75.4 = 74

  7. 76

    Handling (owners)

    WinterCraft WP52 plus +7
    83
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Reviews found online7683
  8. 85

    Efficiency

    Polaris 6 +21
    64
    Why this score
    SourcePolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plus
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 4 tests8564
    Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%95%
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–193%93%
Scores at a glance
CategoryBarum Polaris 6Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus
Relative Score 74 79
Dry 62 82
Wet 81 88
Snow 78 76
Comfort 72 77
Noise 87 62
Treadwear 69 74
Handling (owners) 76 83
Efficiency 85 64

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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.

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Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Polaris 6

± 5

WinterCraft WP52 plus

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

In the overall rankings of 4 tests that ran both, Barum Polaris 6 finished ahead 2 times and Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus 2 times.

DisciplineCategoryPolaris 6WinterCraft WP52 plusΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 91% 98% −6.8 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Dry Handling Dry 98% 99% −0.5 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 79% 79% −0.6 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 92% 94% −2.3 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Wet Braking Wet 88% 92% −4.3 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Wet Braking (concrete) Wet 83% 95% −11.9 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
Wet Circle Wet 94% 96% −1.9 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Wet Handling Wet 95% 97% −1.5 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Ice Braking Snow 96% 90% +5.8 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
Snow Braking Snow 99% 97% +1.8 4–0 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Snow Handling Snow 97% 99% −1.6 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Snow Slalom Snow 99% 98% +1.7 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Snow Traction Snow 96% 96% +0.2 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 89% 91% −2.4 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Noise Noise 100% 97% +2.4 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Abrasion Treadwear 58% 66% −8.0 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
Wear Treadwear 83% 92% −9.5 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 100% 95% +5.4 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 93% 93% +0.3 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #1/20 #8/20 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18
Value Cost 73% 85% −12.3 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19
Overall Ranking Overall #10/20 #8/20 – 2–2 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R19

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Polaris 6

Pros

  • High affordability and excellent price-to-performance ratio
  • Incredible quietness and ride comfort
  • Good initial grip on snow and ice compared to all-season tires

Cons

  • Noticeable initial wobbly feeling or sidewall flex
  • Limited long-term durability data available from early adopters
All owner themes in the Polaris 6 review

Tire B WinterCraft WP52 plus

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry grip performance rivaling premium tier competitors
  • High level of ride comfort and compliance compared to factory run-flats
  • Remarkably low road noise, often quieter than summer tires

Cons

  • Not recommended for extreme winter conditions where alternative budget brands like Barum might be better suited
  • Slightly less brand prestige compared to tier-one European or Japanese manufacturers
All owner themes in the WinterCraft WP52 plus review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Barum Polaris 6 B · Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / Crossover—
Sizes available92—
Rim diameters14″ – 20″—

Which one should you actually buy?

Barum Polaris 6

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus

Winner: Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus — better dry, wet and handling. Pick the Barum Polaris 6 if noise and efficiency matter most to you.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Barum Polaris 6 scores 87 vs 62 on noise.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Barum Polaris 6 scores 85 vs 64 on efficiency.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus scores 82 vs 62 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus scores 88 vs 81 on wet.

Tire A · Barum Polaris 6
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Tire B · Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus
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Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Which is better in the wet, Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus, 88 vs 81 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus, 82 vs 62 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 76 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Barum Polaris 6, 87 vs 62 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus, 77 vs 72 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus, 74 vs 69 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Polaris 6 or WinterCraft WP52 plus?

Barum Polaris 6, 85 vs 64 on our efficiency score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology