Head-to-head Updated

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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Kumho Crugen HT51
Tire BKumho

Crugen HT51

All Season

± 8

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.

  1. 73

    Dry

    Crugen HT51 +1
    74
    Why this score
    SourceEncounter ATCrugen HT51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online7577

    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).

  2. 76

    Wet

    Level
    76
    Why this score
    SourceEncounter ATCrugen HT51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 74 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online7779

    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).

  3. 68

    Snow

    Crugen HT51 +2
    70
    Why this score
    SourceEncounter ATCrugen HT51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online6670

    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).

  4. 67

    Comfort

    Crugen HT51 +3
    70
    Why this score
    SourceEncounter ATCrugen HT51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online6671

    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.

  5. 67

    Noise

    Crugen HT51 +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceEncounter ATCrugen HT51
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online6880

    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.

  6. 66

    Treadwear

    Encounter AT +1
    65
    Why this score
    SourceEncounter ATCrugen HT51
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 66 (est.)58
    Reviews found online6676

    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).

  7. –

    Handling (owners)

    No comparison
    74
    Why this score
    SourceEncounter ATCrugen HT51
    Reviews found online–74
Scores at a glance
Sumitomo Encounter AT vs Kumho Crugen HT51: scores by category (0–100)
CategorySumitomo Encounter ATKumho 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.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less 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
± 8

Encounter AT

± 8

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
All owner themes in the Crugen HT51 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Sumitomo Encounter AT B · Kumho Crugen HT51
CategoryAll-Terrain tireAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available1544
Rim diameters16″ – 20″15″ – 22″
Tread depth13/32″12.5/32″
UTQG660 A B720 A A
Treadwear warranty60,000 mi70,000 mi
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure51 psi50 psi
Sizes in common66

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.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Kumho Crugen HT51 scores 72 vs 67 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Crugen HT51 scores 70 vs 67 on comfort.

Tire A · Sumitomo Encounter AT
Tire B · Kumho Crugen HT51

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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