Tests 65 · 3 tests Owners 69 · 15 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test (noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Michelin Alpin 6 — 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 3 + 19 road tests and 15 + 35 owner reviews. How we score
Alpin 6 is ahead, 80–67
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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62
Dry
Alpin 6 +1577Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 15 tests 61 74 Reviews found online 65 82 Winter Craft WP51: 60% × 60.8 + 40% × 64.7 = 62
Alpin 6: 60% × 74.2 + 40% × 82 = 77
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68
Wet
Alpin 6 +2189Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 19 tests 66 90 Reviews found online 70 87 Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 85% 92% Winter Craft WP51: 60% × 66.2 + 40% × 70.1 = 68
Alpin 6: 60% × 90.4 + 40% × 87 = 89
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70
Snow
Alpin 6 +575Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 19 tests 67 77 Reviews found online 75 74 Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 92% 94% Winter Craft WP51: 60% × 66.9 + 40% × 74.6 = 70
Alpin 6: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 73.6 = 75
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70
Comfort
Alpin 6 +1484Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests ≈ 69 (est.) 86 Reviews found online 71 82 Winter Craft WP51: 40% × 69.4 (est.) + 60% × 70.7 = 70
Alpin 6: 40% × 86.4 + 60% × 82 = 84
No road tests of comfort for Winter Craft WP51. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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69
Noise
Winter Craft WP51 +960Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 13 tests 71 56 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Winter Craft WP51: 60% × 71 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69
Alpin 6: 60% × 56 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 60
No owner ratings of noise for Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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67
Treadwear
Alpin 6 +1885Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 89 Reviews found online 68 80 Winter Craft WP51: 60% × 66.7 (est.) + 40% × 67.8 = 67
Alpin 6: 60% × 88.6 + 40% × 80.1 = 85
No road tests of treadwear for Winter Craft WP51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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66
Handling (owners)
Alpin 6 +1682Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Reviews found online 66 82 -
55
Efficiency
Alpin 6 +863Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 15 tests 55 63
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 | Michelin Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 80 |
| Dry | 62 | 77 |
| Wet | 68 | 89 |
| Snow | 70 | 75 |
| Comfort | 70 | 84 |
| Noise | 69 | 60 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 66 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 55 | 63 |
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
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Winter Craft WP51
80
/ 100
Alpin 6
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 3 tests that ran both, Kumho Winter Craft WP51 finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Alpin 6 3 times.
| Discipline | Category | Winter Craft WP51 | Alpin 6 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 91% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 95% #7/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 97% #10/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 97% #8/10 · 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 91% #7/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 91% #8/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 85% | 92% | −7.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 90% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 97% #10/10 · 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 89% #4/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 88% #10/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 92% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 91% #5/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 92% | 94% | −2.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #5/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/10 · 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 89% #8/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 100% #1/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 100% #1/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 78% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 81% #7/10 · 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 92% #2/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 57% #8/8 · 2022 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #16/16 | #3/16 | – | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2021 ADAC Winter Tire Test R15 · 195/65R15 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter Craft WP51
Pros
- Exceptional traction and reliability in deep snow and slush
- High price-to-performance ratio compared to premium brands
- Solid durability and tread life for the price point
Cons
- Noticeable increase in road noise
- Mediocre wet-weather braking and traction
- Lack of steering feedback and stability on dry pavement
Tire B Alpin 6
Pros
- Exceptional wet and dry road grip in cold temperatures
- High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise
- Impressive tread life and long-term durability
Cons
- Inconsistent performance in deep snow and on ice
- Some reports of sluggish steering feedback or 'soft' sidewall feel
- Higher price point compared to some performance-oriented winter alternatives
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Winter Craft WP51 | B · Michelin Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 4 | 42 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 15″ | 15″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 0 | 0 |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
Kumho Winter Craft WP51
80
/ 100
Michelin Alpin 6
Winner: Michelin Alpin 6 — better wet, treadwear and handling. Pick the Kumho Winter Craft WP51 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 89 vs 68 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 85 vs 67 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 82 vs 66 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 77 vs 62 on dry.
Tire A · Kumho Winter Craft WP51
Tire B · Michelin Alpin 6
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Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Which is better in the wet, Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 89 vs 68 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 77 vs 62 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 75 vs 70 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Kumho Winter Craft WP51, 69 vs 60 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 84 vs 70 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 85 vs 67 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Winter Craft WP51 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 63 vs 55 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