Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 2 times and the Winter Craft WP52 once. The WinterContact TS 870 was stronger in wet, snow and ice, the Winter Craft WP52 in dry.
Performance profile
8 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
WinterContact TS 870
Winter Craft WP52
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 85%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 9 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
WinterContact TS 870
Winter Craft WP52
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.
Where owners rate each higher
WinterContact TS 870
Winter Craft WP52
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26 reviews and the Winter Craft WP52 68% from 9. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
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 | WinterContact TS 870 | Gap | Winter Craft WP52 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Winter Craft WP52 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 43.7 | 2.1% | 42.8 | 0-2 |
| Dry Handling km/h | 110.6 | 0.6% | 109.9 | 1-0 |
| Wet WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 44.23 | 3.9% | 42.33 | 1-2 |
| Wet Handling km/h | 75.14 | 0.3% | 74.94 | 1-0 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.29 | 2.1% | 12.56 | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 82.7 | 12.7% | 73.4 | 2-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning m/sec2 | 3.56 | 55.4% | 2.39 | 2-0 |
| Snow WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking m | 22.57 | 4.6% | 23.57 | 3-0 |
| Snow Traction N | 1,386 | 3.4% | 1,344 | 2-0 |
| Snow Handling km/h | 60 | 1% | 59.4 | 1-0 |
| Snow Slalom m/sec2 | 3.28 | 2.2% | 3.21 | 1-0 |
| Ice WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Ice Braking m | 19.5 | 1% | 19.7 | 1-0 |
| Comfort Level | ||||
| Noise dB | 71.5 | = | 71.5 | 1-1 |
| Value Level | ||||
| Wear km | 51,935 | 7% | 50,675 | 1-1 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.83 | 13.5% | 9.05 | 1-0 |
| Fuel Consumption l/100km | 5.7 | = | 5.7 | 0-0 |
| Abrasion mg/km/t | 65.3 | 10% | 58.8 | 0-1 |
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 3 tests, 2023 to 2024
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 | WinterContact TS 870 | Field | Winter Craft WP52 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | P1 of 20 | P15 of 20 | |
| 2024 Winter 55 Tyre Braking Test | P8 of 55 | P2 of 55 | |
| 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | P1 of 15 | P9 of 15 |
WinterContact TS 870 vs Winter Craft WP52: your questions
Is the Continental WinterContact TS 870 or the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 the better tyre?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 2 times and the Winter Craft WP52 once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WinterContact TS 870 scores 9.2 and the Winter Craft WP52 8.3 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the WinterContact TS 870 or the Winter Craft WP52?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 7 of the 9 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it held 55.4% more grip in curved aquaplaning across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Winter Craft WP52 led 2 of the 3 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.1% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 7 of the 7 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.6% shorter on snow across 3 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.4/10 for the WinterContact TS 870 and 7.3/10 for the Winter Craft WP52.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26 reviews and the Winter Craft WP52 68% from 9. 83% of WinterContact TS 870 owners would buy it again, against 63% for the Winter Craft WP52.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the WinterContact TS 870 was the dearer tyre in 2 of them, by 47.8% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The WinterContact TS 870 is made in 44 sizes (14 to 19 inch) and the Winter Craft WP52 in 84 (13 to 21 inch). 34 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the WinterContact TS 870 is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter Craft WP52 B and C.
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Run either of these?
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.
Review the WinterContact TS 870 Review the Winter Craft WP52
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.