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Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 vs Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — 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 5 + 0 road tests and 37 + 28 owner reviews. How we score

WinterCraft WP72 is ahead, 70–65

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Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616
Tire AHankook

Winter I cept iZ2 W616

Winter

± 6

Tests 65 · 5 tests Owners 64 · 37 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (exterior noise)

Category by category

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

  1. 67

    Dry

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +2
    65
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / – tests71≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6064

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 71.3 + 40% × 60.2 = 67

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 63.9 = 65

    No road tests of dry for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 63

    Wet

    WinterCraft WP72 +11
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / – tests59≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online6776

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 59.5 + 40% × 67.1 = 63

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 73.5 (est.) + 40% × 75.8 = 74

    No road tests of wet for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 67

    Snow

    WinterCraft WP72 +7
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / – tests58≈ 73 (est.)
    Reviews found online7976

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 58.1 + 40% × 79.1 = 67

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 72.8 (est.) + 40% × 76.1 = 74

    No road tests of snow for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 66

    Comfort

    WinterCraft WP72 +1
    67
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online6466

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 64.2 = 66

    WinterCraft WP72: 40% × 68.5 (est.) + 60% × 65.6 = 67

    No road tests of comfort for Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 71

    Noise

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +5
    66
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests83≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online5365

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 82.8 + 40% × 52.8 = 71

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 64.7 = 66

    No road tests of noise for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 59

    Treadwear

    WinterCraft WP72 +11
    70
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online5473

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 61.9 (est.) + 40% × 54 = 59

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 72.5 = 70

    No road tests of treadwear for Winter I cept iZ2 W616. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for WinterCraft WP72. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 67

    Handling (owners)

    Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +1
    66
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Reviews found online6766
  8. 76

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests76–
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616Kumho WinterCraft WP72
Relative Score 65 70
Dry 67 65
Wet 63 74
Snow 67 74
Comfort 66 67
Noise 71 66
Treadwear 59 70
Handling (owners) 67 66
Efficiency 76 –

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

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Winter I cept iZ2 W616

± 7

WinterCraft WP72

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinter I cept iZ2 W616WinterCraft WP72ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #6/7 2025 Moottori Studless Winter Tire Test R16 #2/2 2025 AutoView Winter Tire Test R19 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winter I cept iZ2 W616

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, slush, and severe winter conditions
  • Low road noise, offering a much quieter ride than typical winter tires
  • High comfort levels and stable, predictable handling on cold dry or wet roads

Cons

  • Subpar performance or reduced traction on wet roads and heavy rain
  • Faster tread wear, particularly during aggressive driving or when used in warmer weather
  • Softer sidewalls can feel slightly edgy or less precise when pushed to the limit
All owner themes in the Winter I cept iZ2 W616 review

Tire B WinterCraft WP72

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in snow, slush, and deep snow conditions
  • Great value and budget-friendly pricing compared to tier-one premium brands
  • Surprisingly low noise levels and high comfort for a winter tire

Cons

  • Some users reported vague high-speed handling or a 'jelly' sidewall feel at speeds over 50-60 mph
  • A few mentions of increased noise compared to standard all-season tires
  • Potential for flat-spotting due to nylon cord construction, making balancing difficult for some
All owner themes in the WinterCraft WP72 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 B · Kumho WinterCraft WP72
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available225
Rim diameters16″ – 18″18″ – 21″
Tread depth10.5/32″11/32″
Treadwear warranty40,000 mi—
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure50 psi51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616

Kumho WinterCraft WP72

Winner: Kumho WinterCraft WP72 — better wet, treadwear and snow. Pick the Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 74 vs 63 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 70 vs 59 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 74 vs 67 on snow.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 scores 71 vs 66 on noise.

Tire A · Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616
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Tire B · Kumho WinterCraft WP72
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Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72?

Which is better in the wet, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72, 74 vs 63 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72?

Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 65 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72, 74 vs 67 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72?

Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616, 71 vs 66 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72?

Neither, by our numbers: 66 vs 67 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 or WinterCraft WP72?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72, 70 vs 59 on our treadwear 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