Tests – · none yet Owners 71 · 26 reviews
Sumitomo Encounter AT vs Kumho Crugen HT51 — 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 + 1 road tests and 26 + 164 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Encounter AT 71, Crugen HT51 72.
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 76 · 164 reviews
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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73
Dry
Crugen HT51 +174Why this score
Source Encounter AT Crugen HT51 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 75 77 Encounter AT: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 75 = 73
Crugen HT51: 60% × 71.6 (est.) + 40% × 76.5 = 74
No road tests of dry for Encounter AT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
No road tests of dry for Crugen HT51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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76
Wet
Level76Why this score
Source Encounter AT Crugen HT51 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 74 (est.) ≈ 75 (est.) Reviews found online 77 79 Encounter AT: 60% × 74.4 (est.) + 40% × 77.3 = 76
Crugen HT51: 60% × 75 (est.) + 40% × 78.5 = 76
No road tests of wet for Encounter AT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
No road tests of wet for Crugen HT51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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68
Snow
Crugen HT51 +270Why this score
Source Encounter AT Crugen HT51 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 66 70 Encounter AT: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 66.2 = 68
Crugen HT51: 60% × 70.5 (est.) + 40% × 70 = 70
No road tests of snow for Encounter AT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
No road tests of snow for Crugen HT51. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
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67
Comfort
Crugen HT51 +370Why this score
Source Encounter AT Crugen HT51 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 66 71 Encounter AT: 40% × 68.6 (est.) + 60% × 66.4 = 67
Crugen HT51: 40% × 69.5 (est.) + 60% × 71.1 = 70
No road tests of comfort for Encounter AT or Crugen HT51. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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67
Noise
Crugen HT51 +572Why this score
Source Encounter AT Crugen HT51 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 68 80 Encounter AT: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 68.3 = 67
Crugen HT51: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 79.5 = 72
No road tests of noise for Encounter AT or Crugen HT51. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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66
Treadwear
Encounter AT +165Why this score
Source Encounter AT Crugen HT51 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 58 Reviews found online 66 76 Encounter AT: 60% × 66 (est.) + 40% × 65.9 = 66
Crugen HT51: 60% × 57.7 + 40% × 76.4 = 65
No road tests of treadwear for Encounter AT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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–
Handling (owners)
No comparison74Why this score
Source Encounter AT Crugen HT51 Reviews found online – 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Sumitomo Encounter AT | Kumho Crugen HT51 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 72 |
| Dry | 73 | 74 |
| Wet | 76 | 76 |
| Snow | 68 | 70 |
| Comfort | 67 | 70 |
| Noise | 67 | 72 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 65 |
| Handling (owners) | – | 74 |
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.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Encounter AT
Crugen HT51
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Encounter AT
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Tire B Crugen HT51
Pros
- Exceptional value and lower price point compared to premium competitors
- Smooth, quiet, and comfortable highway ride
- Strong dry, wet, and winter/snow traction
Cons
- Slightly vague or 'squishy' steering feel/sidewall stiffness compared to some OEM tires
- Potential negative impact on fuel economy (decreased MPG for some truck owners)
- Occasional reports of accelerated shoulder wear or balancing issues
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Sumitomo Encounter AT | B · Kumho Crugen HT51 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All-Terrain tire | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 15 | 44 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | 15″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 13/32″ | 12.5/32″ |
| UTQG | 660 A B | 720 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | 60,000 mi | 70,000 mi |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 50 psi |
| Sizes in common | 6 | 6 |
Which one should you actually buy?
Sumitomo Encounter AT
Kumho Crugen HT51
Too close to call: Sumitomo Encounter AT and Kumho Crugen HT51 are within 2 points overall. Kumho Crugen HT51 is stronger on noise and comfort.
Kumho Crugen HT51 scores 72 vs 67 on noise.
Kumho Crugen HT51 scores 70 vs 67 on comfort.
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Encounter AT or Crugen HT51?
Which is better in the wet, Encounter AT or Crugen HT51?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 76 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Encounter AT or Crugen HT51?
Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 74 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, Encounter AT or Crugen HT51?
Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 70 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, Encounter AT or Crugen HT51?
Kumho Crugen HT51, 72 vs 67 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Encounter AT or Crugen HT51?
Kumho Crugen HT51, 70 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Encounter AT or Crugen HT51?
Neither, by our numbers: 66 vs 65 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
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