Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Better than 95% of the winter tires we score.
Owners 81 · 6 reviews analysed Road tests 78 · 5 tests
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Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus has a Relative Score of 79 out of 100 among winter tires. In 5 road tests with an overall ranking it finished first 0 times and in the top three 0 times. Testers rate it best for wet (90) and weakest for noise (59). 6 owner reviews rate it 81 out of 100. 100% would buy it again.
Projected tread life in 4 wear tests: about 44,000 km (27,000 miles) on average, newest 2026.
- Strength: Wet 90 — 2nd of 16 (2026 ADAC Winter tire Test - 185/65 R15), 6th of 50 (2026 Winter tire Braking Test - 50 Sets)
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
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
81/100From 6 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
78/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 6 owner reviews found online.
The Kumho WinterCraft WP52 plus delivers impressive winter performance that rivals established premium brands while maintaining a highly competitive price point. Users consistently praise its exceptional wet grip, high ride comfort, and composed handling in cold and snowy conditions.
Pros
- Exceptional wet and dry grip performance rivaling premium tier competitors
- High level of ride comfort and compliance compared to factory run-flats
- Remarkably low road noise, often quieter than summer tires
- Outstanding value for money with high price-to-performance ratio
- Reliable traction and water shedding capabilities in cold and snowy winter conditions
Cons
- Not recommended for extreme winter conditions where alternative budget brands like Barum might be better suited
- Slightly less brand prestige compared to tier-one European or Japanese manufacturers
Worth knowing
- Delivers a notable improvement in ride comfort on BMW sedans and tourings coming from stiffer run-flat tires
- Performs very well in size 225/45 R17 under demanding snowy winter conditions
5 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2026 ADAC Winter tire Test - 185/65 R15 · 185/65 R15
12th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 4th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 11th of 16 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 8th of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 12th of 16 | |
| Noise | 16th of 16 | |
| Value | 1st of 16 | |
| Wear | 1st of 16 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 14th of 16 | |
| Abrasion | 11th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | 2nd of 16 |
Source: ADAC
2026 AvD Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
6th of 15
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 15 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 15 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 15 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 10th of 15 | |
| Value | 7th of 15 | |
| Wear | 7th of 15 |
Source: AvD
2026 Winter tire Braking Test - 50 Sets · 245/45 R19
10th of 50
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 50 | |
| Snow Braking | 20th of 50 |
Source: Auto Bild
2026 Auto Bild Winter tire Test · 245/45 R19
8th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 20 | |
| Wet Circle | 11th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 6th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 17th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 12th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 8th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 20 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 18th of 20 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 13th of 20 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 2nd of 20 | |
| Noise | 15th of 20 | |
| Value | 6th of 20 | |
| Wear | 9th of 20 | |
| Snow Slalom | 11th of 20 |
Source: Auto Bild
2025 Autobild Winter tire Test · 225/40 R18
4th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 8th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 13th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 12th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 10th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 20 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 8th of 20 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 20th of 20 | |
| Noise | 8th of 20 | |
| Value | 7th of 20 | |
| Wear | 16th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 8th of 20 |
Source: Auto Bild
Reviews from our readers
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