Tests 78 · 11 tests Owners 57 · 9 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Winter Craft WP52 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 11 + 19 road tests and 9 + 35 owner reviews. How we score
Alpin 6 is ahead, 80–69
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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.
Key facts
- In 5 tests that measured snow braking for both, Winter Craft WP52 won 0 and Alpin 6 won 5 (average 94% vs 96% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured wet braking for both, Winter Craft WP52 won 1 and Alpin 6 won 3 (average 93% vs 95% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured dry braking for both, Winter Craft WP52 won 2 and Alpin 6 won 1 (average 100% vs 98% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, Winter Craft WP52 won 0 and Alpin 6 won 3 (average 90% vs 95% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured snow traction for both, Winter Craft WP52 won 0 and Alpin 6 won 3 (average 94% vs 98% of the best).
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72
Dry
Alpin 6 +577Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 15 tests 83 74 Reviews found online 56 82 Dry Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 100% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 100% 99% Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 83.3 + 40% × 55.7 = 72
Alpin 6: 60% × 74.1 + 40% × 81.6 = 77
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75
Wet
Alpin 6 +1489Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 19 tests 85 90 Reviews found online 59 87 Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 68% 84% Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 90% 95% Wet Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 1–3 93% 95% Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 97% 99% Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 85.3 + 40% × 58.9 = 75
Alpin 6: 60% × 90.1 + 40% × 86.8 = 89
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68
Snow
Alpin 6 +775Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 19 tests 72 77 Reviews found online 61 73 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 99% 99% Snow Braking (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 0–5 94% 96% Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 97% 97% Snow Traction (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 94% 98% Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 72.3 + 40% × 61 = 68
Alpin 6: 60% × 76.5 + 40% × 73.3 = 75
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60
Comfort
Alpin 6 +2383Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 84 Reviews found online 56 82 Winter Craft WP52: 40% × 66 (est.) + 60% × 55.6 = 60
Alpin 6: 40% × 84.2 + 60% × 81.5 = 83
No road tests of comfort for Winter Craft WP52. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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66
Noise
Winter Craft WP52 +660Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 13 tests 66 56 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–2 98% 97% Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 66.1 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 66
Alpin 6: 60% × 55.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 60
No owner ratings of noise for Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6. 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.
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66
Treadwear
Alpin 6 +1985Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 7 tests 75 89 Reviews found online 54 80 Abrasion (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 95% 100% Wear (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 91% 98% Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 74.7 + 40% × 53.5 = 66
Alpin 6: 60% × 88.9 + 40% × 80.3 = 85
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57
Handling (owners)
Alpin 6 +2481Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Reviews found online 57 81 -
55
Efficiency
Alpin 6 +964Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 15 tests 55 64 Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 97% 95% Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 77% 85%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | Michelin Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 80 |
| Dry | 72 | 77 |
| Wet | 75 | 89 |
| Snow | 68 | 75 |
| Comfort | 60 | 83 |
| Noise | 66 | 60 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 57 | 81 |
| Efficiency | 55 | 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
69
/ 100
Winter Craft WP52
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 5 tests that ran both, Kumho Winter Craft WP52 finished ahead 1 times and Michelin Alpin 6 4 times.
| Discipline | Category | Winter Craft WP52 | Alpin 6 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% | 98% | +2.1 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% | 99% | +0.6 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 68% | 84% | −16.5 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 90% | 95% | −5.3 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 93% | 95% | −2.3 | 1–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2024 Winter 55 Tyre Braking Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 93% #9/16 · 2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% | 99% | −1.6 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 99% | 99% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/45 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 94% | 96% | −2.2 | 0–5 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2024 Winter 55 Tyre Braking Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% | 97% | +0.5 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 94% | 98% | −3.4 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 97% | +0.4 | 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 95% | 100% | −4.8 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/45 R17 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 91% | 98% | −6.5 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 97% | 95% | +1.7 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/45 R17 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 77% | 85% | −7.8 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 96% | 61% | +34.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #16/20 | #12/20 | – | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Value | Cost | 93% | 63% | +29.3 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/55 | #5/55 | – | 1–4 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2024 Winter 55 Tyre Braking Test · 205/55 R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter Craft WP52
Pros
- Good dry road handling and grip
- Competitive price-to-performance ratio
- Predictable and stable braking behavior
Cons
- Below-average snow and wet performance reported by some users
- Longer braking distances in wet conditions
- Slightly vague steering feel in wet and dry corners
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 WP52 | B · Michelin Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 42 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Kumho Winter Craft WP52
80
/ 100
Michelin Alpin 6
Winner: Michelin Alpin 6 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 81 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 83 vs 60 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 85 vs 66 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 89 vs 75 on wet.
Pick tire A
Your priority is dry handling
Kumho Winter Craft WP52 won 2 of 2 shared dry handling tests.
Tire A · Kumho Winter Craft WP52
Tire B · Michelin Alpin 6
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Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Which is better in the wet, Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 89 vs 75 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 77 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 75 vs 68 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Kumho Winter Craft WP52, 66 vs 60 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 83 vs 60 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 85 vs 66 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Winter Craft WP52 or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 64 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