Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 vs Kenda Wintergen 2 KR501
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 finished ahead 2 times and the Wintergen 2 KR501 not once. The WinGuard Sport 2 was stronger in wet.
Performance profile
Their shared tests recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart starts from each tyre's Tyre Reviews Score categories: its whole record, not shared tests.
Where each scores higher
WinGuard Sport 2
Wintergen 2 KR501
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | WinGuard Sport 2 | Gap | Wintergen 2 KR501 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wet WinGuard Sport 2 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 35.45 | 6.9% | 38.1 | 2-0 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 2 tests, 2019 to 2023
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | WinGuard Sport 2 | Field | Wintergen 2 KR501 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test | P27 of 54 | P47 of 54 | |
| 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview | P15 of 53 | P38 of 53 |
WinGuard Sport 2 vs Wintergen 2 KR501: your questions
Is the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 or the Kenda Wintergen 2 KR501 the better tyre?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 finished ahead 2 times and the Wintergen 2 KR501 not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WinGuard Sport 2 scores 8.1 and the Wintergen 2 KR501 5.4 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the WinGuard Sport 2 or the Wintergen 2 KR501?
The WinGuard Sport 2 led 2 of the 2 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 6.9% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.6/10 for the WinGuard Sport 2 and 7/10 for the Wintergen 2 KR501.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the WinGuard Sport 2 82% from 35 reviews and the Wintergen 2 KR501 78% from 1.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The WinGuard Sport 2 is made in 61 sizes (15 to 20 inch) and the Wintergen 2 KR501 in 54 (13 to 19 inch). 20 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the WinGuard Sport 2 is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Wintergen 2 KR501 B and D.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Wintergen 2 KR501 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2018, the WinGuard Sport 2 in 2017. The WinGuard Sport 2 replaced the Nexen Winguard Sport.
More comparisons with these tyres
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Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.

