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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho WinterCraft WP72 vs Michelin X Ice Snow — 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 0 + 13 road tests and 28 + 19 owner reviews. How we score

X Ice Snow leads, 73–70 Narrow edge

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Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire BMichelin

X Ice Snow

Winter

± 5

Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 79 · 19 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (comfort (tester's mark))

Category by category

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

  1. 65

    Dry

    X Ice Snow +3
    68
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 11 tests≈ 66 (est.)65
    Reviews found online6472

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 63.5 = 65

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.8 + 40% × 71.8 = 68

    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. 74

    Wet

    WinterCraft WP72 +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 12 tests≈ 73 (est.)65
    Reviews found online7680

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 73.4 (est.) + 40% × 75.6 = 74

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 80.4 = 71

    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 0.54).

  3. 73

    Snow

    X Ice Snow +3
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 12 tests≈ 72 (est.)73
    Reviews found online7581

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 75.4 = 73

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 81.1 = 76

    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 0.32).

  4. 67

    Comfort

    X Ice Snow +13
    80
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 68 (est.)81
    Reviews found online6580

    WinterCraft WP72: 40% × 68.5 (est.) + 60% × 65.4 = 67

    X Ice Snow: 40% × 81.5 + 60% × 79.8 = 80

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

  5. 66

    Noise

    X Ice Snow +9
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests≈ 67 (est.)81
    Reviews found online64≈ 67 (est.)

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 64.4 = 66

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.7 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 75

    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.

    No owner ratings of noise for X Ice Snow. 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.

  6. 70

    Treadwear

    X Ice Snow +7
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online7384

    WinterCraft WP72: 60% × 68.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.9 = 70

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.5 = 77

    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).

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

  7. 66

    Handling (owners)

    X Ice Snow +9
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Reviews found online6675
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinterCraft WP72X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests–77
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho WinterCraft WP72Michelin X Ice Snow
Relative Score 70 73
Dry 65 68
Wet 74 71
Snow 73 76
Comfort 67 80
Noise 66 75
Treadwear 70 77
Handling (owners) 66 75
Efficiency – 77

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
± 7

WinterCraft WP72

± 5

X Ice Snow

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinterCraft WP72X Ice SnowΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/2 2025 AutoView Winter Tire Test R19 #7/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 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

Tire B X Ice Snow

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and lateral grip in deep snow and slush
  • High level of confidence and stability on icy surfaces
  • Excellent tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Average performance and handling on dry or wet pavement
  • Increased road noise as the tires wear over time
  • Can feel slightly 'twitchy' or less stable at the absolute limit of handling
All owner themes in the X Ice Snow review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72 B · Michelin X Ice Snow
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available25100
Rim diameters18″ – 21″13″ – 21″
Tread depth11/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure51 psi—
Sizes in common1919

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72

Michelin X Ice Snow

Narrow edge: Michelin X Ice Snow — better comfort, noise and handling. Pick the Kumho WinterCraft WP72 if wet matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 67 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 66 on noise.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 70 on treadwear.

Tire A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72
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Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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WinterCraft WP72 or X Ice Snow?

Which is better in the wet, WinterCraft WP72 or X Ice Snow?

Kumho WinterCraft WP72, 74 vs 71 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, WinterCraft WP72 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 68 vs 65 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, WinterCraft WP72 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 73 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, WinterCraft WP72 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 66 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, WinterCraft WP72 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 80 vs 67 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, WinterCraft WP72 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 70 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