Tests 65 · 3 tests Owners 68 · 15 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test (noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 vs Pirelli Ice Zero 2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ice Zero 2 leads, 67–66 Narrow edge
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 58 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
62
Dry
Ice Zero 2 +1072Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 61 81 Reviews found online 63 58 Dry Braking (% of best) 94% 98% -
67
Wet
Ice Zero 2 +673Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 66 80 Reviews found online 69 61 Wet Braking (% of best) 85% 100% Wet Handling (% of best) 97% 100% -
69
Snow
Ice Zero 2 +271Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 67 75 Reviews found online 73 64 Snow Braking (% of best) 97% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) 97% 97% Snow Traction (% of best) 89% 98% -
70
Comfort
Winter Craft WP51 +763Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 72 Reviews found online 70 50 -
71
Noise
Winter Craft WP51 +566Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 74 65 -
66
Treadwear
Winter Craft WP51 +858Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Ice Zero 2 Reviews found online 67 52 -
65
Handling
Winter Craft WP51 +956Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP51 Ice Zero 2 Reviews found online 65 56
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Winter Craft WP51 | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 67 |
| Dry | 62 | 72 |
| Wet | 67 | 73 |
| Snow | 69 | 71 |
| Comfort | 70 | 63 |
| Noise | 71 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 58 |
| Handling | 65 | 56 |
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.
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
Winter Craft WP51
67
/ 100
Ice Zero 2
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Winter Craft WP51 | Ice Zero 2 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #4/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 98% #2/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −4.5 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 89% #4/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 87% #7/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +2.4 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 85% #8/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 91% #6/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −5.4 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 92% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 68% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | +24.6 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | +2.0 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 92% #2/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 55% #10/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +37.5 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 0% #16/16 · 2021 ADAC Winter Tire Test R15 | 20% #5/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −20.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #3/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 99% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −2.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #5/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | −0.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 89% #8/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 98% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −9.5 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 94% #5/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | −6.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 85% #32/49 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview | 100% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −15.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | −2.8 | Different tests |
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 Ice Zero 2
Pros
- Very good traction and performance on snow
- Reasonably quiet for a studded winter tire
- Adequate performance on wet and salty roads
Cons
- Dangerous slipping on ice at low speeds in cold climates
- Strong, intrusive howling noise at speeds above 95 km/h
- Poor overall handling compared to competing studded winter tires like the Nokian Hakkapeliitta
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Winter Craft WP51 | B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 4 | — |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 15″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Kumho Winter Craft WP51
67
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Too close to call: Kumho Winter Craft WP51 and Pirelli Ice Zero 2 are within 2 points overall. Kumho Winter Craft WP51 is stronger on handling, treadwear and comfort. Pirelli Ice Zero 2 is stronger on dry and wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 72 vs 62 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 scores 65 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 scores 66 vs 58 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho Winter Craft WP51 scores 70 vs 63 on comfort.
Tire A · Kumho Winter Craft WP51
Tire B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.