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 Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 — 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 + 9 road tests and 9 + 61 owner reviews. How we score
WinGuard Sport 2 leads, 72–69 Narrow edge
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Tests 73 · 9 tests Owners 71 · 61 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (noise)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
72
Dry
Winter Craft WP52 +270Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 6 tests 83 71 Reviews found online 56 69 Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 83.3 + 40% × 55.7 = 72
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 69.4 = 70
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75
Wet
Level75Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 9 tests 85 73 Reviews found online 59 77 Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 85% 83% Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 85.3 + 40% × 58.9 = 75
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 73.5 + 40% × 77.4 = 75
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68
Snow
WinGuard Sport 2 +270Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 9 tests 72 70 Reviews found online 61 70 Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 92% 94% Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 72.3 + 40% × 61 = 68
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 69.6 = 70
-
60
Comfort
WinGuard Sport 2 +868Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 64 Reviews found online 56 71 Winter Craft WP52: 40% × 66 (est.) + 60% × 55.6 = 60
WinGuard Sport 2: 40% × 64.4 + 60% × 70.6 = 68
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
WinGuard Sport 2 +1581Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 6 tests 66 94 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) 61 Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 66.1 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 66
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 61.3 = 81
No owner ratings of noise for Winter Craft WP52. 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
WinGuard Sport 2 +773Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 2 tests 75 75 Reviews found online 54 71 Winter Craft WP52: 60% × 74.7 + 40% × 53.5 = 66
WinGuard Sport 2: 60% × 74.8 + 40% × 71.3 = 73
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57
Handling (owners)
WinGuard Sport 2 +1370Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Reviews found online 57 70 -
55
Efficiency
Winter Craft WP52 +2134Why this score
Source Winter Craft WP52 WinGuard Sport 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 6 tests 55 34
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 72 |
| Dry | 72 | 70 |
| Wet | 75 | 75 |
| Snow | 68 | 70 |
| Comfort | 60 | 68 |
| Noise | 66 | 81 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 73 |
| Handling (owners) | 57 | 70 |
| Efficiency | 55 | 34 |
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
72
/ 100
WinGuard Sport 2
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 1 tests that ran both, Kumho Winter Craft WP52 finished ahead 1 times and Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Winter Craft WP52 | WinGuard Sport 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/16 · 2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 100% #5/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #3/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 50% #20/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 68% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 89% #13/16 · 2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 91% #7/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 85% | 83% | +2.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #4/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 92% | 94% | −1.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #11/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 96% #7/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% #11/16 · 2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 92% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 98% #16/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 71% #10/16 · 2024 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 79% #10/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 80% #18/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 78% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 96% #3/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #16/20 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | #17/20 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 77% #9/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #3/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #25/54 | #27/54 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test · 225/45 R18 |
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 WinGuard Sport 2
Pros
- Excellent value and affordable price point compared to premium winter tires
- Low noise levels and high comfort, often rivaling all-season or summer tires
- Strong grip and stability on cold dry and wet pavement
Cons
- Subpar performance on hard-packed ice and deep snow compared to dedicated heavy-duty winter tires
- Soft sidewalls can lead to slightly vague handling or a 'rolly' feeling in hard cornering
- Reports of higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor drop in fuel economy
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 80 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Kumho Winter Craft WP52
72
/ 100
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
Narrow edge: Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 — better noise, handling and comfort. Pick the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 if efficiency matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Kumho Winter Craft WP52 scores 55 vs 34 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 81 vs 66 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 70 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 scores 68 vs 60 on comfort.
Tire A · Kumho Winter Craft WP52
Tire B · Nexen WinGuard Sport 2
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Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Which is better in the wet, Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 75 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 70 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 70 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 81 vs 66 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 68 vs 60 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Nexen WinGuard Sport 2, 73 vs 66 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Winter Craft WP52 or WinGuard Sport 2?
Kumho Winter Craft WP52, 55 vs 34 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