Kumho IZen KW27 review
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The Kumho IZen KW27 is a polarizing winter tire that excels in deep snow and ice, often surprising users with its durability and traction in severe conditions. However, it receives significant criticism for its performance in wet, slushy, or warmer winter conditions, where many drivers report a 'floaty' handling feel, reduced steering feedback, and a tendency for the vehicle to lose traction.
What owners say
No road-test results yet, so every score here comes from owner reviews found online.
How scores work
- Relative score
- 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
- Road tests
- 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
- Owner reviews
- 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.
By owner reviews
64/100From 32 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 32 owner reviews found online.
The Kumho IZen KW27 is a polarizing winter tire that excels in deep snow and ice, often surprising users with its durability and traction in severe conditions. However, it receives significant criticism for its performance in wet, slushy, or warmer winter conditions, where many drivers report a 'floaty' handling feel, reduced steering feedback, and a tendency for the vehicle to lose traction.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
- High tread longevity and durability over long mileages
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Strong value proposition compared to premium European brands
Cons
- Poor wet-weather grip and high risk of hydroplaning
- Vague steering feedback and 'floaty' handling characteristics
- Performance drops significantly when temperatures rise above 8-10°C
- Requires a lengthy break-in period (300+ miles) to achieve optimal performance
Worth knowing
- Users with high-horsepower or performance-oriented vehicles (300+ bhp) frequently report issues with wet-weather traction and stability.
- Drivers of 4x4 and AWD vehicles (e.g., Honda CRV, Audi Quattro) generally report higher satisfaction with snow performance compared to FWD/RWD users.
- Some users noted that the tire's performance is highly dependent on being fitted as a full set of four, with mixed-tire setups leading to unpredictable handling.
Reviews from our readers
Drivers who have these tires on their car, in their own words. We check every review before it goes live.
No reviews from our readers yet
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3 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2014 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
13th of 16
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Bild
2014 50 Winter tire Braking Overview · 225/50 R17
11th of 48
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
2009 Sport Auto Performance Winter tire Test · 225/45 r17
7th of 8
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Sport Auto
Kumho IZen KW27 compared
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