Kumho WinterCraft WP52+ earns highest Auto Bild rating

Kumho Tire’s WinterCraft WP52+ finished in third place out of 51 brands and earned the top “Exemplary” rating in Auto Bild’s 2025 winter tyre test, a benchmark assessment by the leading European car magazine.

The Germany publications evaluated 51 winter tyres from leading brands available in the European market, assessing key performance criteria such as handling and braking on snowy, dry, and wet surfaces.

Kumho Tire’s new European winter tyre, the WinterCraft WP52+, earned high praise for its exceptional driving performance and stability across all road conditions, securing third place overall and the top-tier “Exemplary” rating.

Kumho says its WinterCraft WP52+ is a premium tyre optimised for European winter road conditions. It features a specially formulated rubber compound enriched with natural ingredients to ensure exceptional grip and precise handling, even on snow-covered surfaces.

The tyre’s snow-optimised tread pattern and advanced drainage design minimise hydroplaning and provide superior traction and braking performance, ensuring safe and confident driving in all winter environments.

To meet the evolving demands of the electric vehicle market — including reduced noise and enhanced wear resistance — Kumho Tire has applied its proprietary EV technology across all available sizes. This ensures optimal performance for both internal combustion engine and electric vehicles.

The range includes tyres featuring HLC (high load capacity) technology that is specifically designed to deliver outstanding performance for high-load vehicles.

“Earning the ‘Exemplary’ rating in the Auto Bild test is a clear testament to Kumho Tire’s technological excellence and quality, which are now fully recognised in the European market,” said Tony Gangseung Lee, head of the European sales division.

“Building on this achievement, we will accelerate our expansion in the European premium winter tyre market and redouble our efforts to become a premium brand in global markets.”

In addition to Auto Bild’s recognition, the WinterCraft WP52+ achieved outstanding results in a comparative product test conducted by the TÜV SÜD testing and certification organisation, reaffirming its superior quality.

Kumho Tire says it will continue to strengthen its research and development, expand strategic investments, and enhance its sales and marketing competitiveness to “deliver high-performance products that meet the needs of customers worldwide, as it establishes itself as a premium global brand”.