Hankook Winter I cept RS3 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
What emerges is a clear split: Kumho prioritises short stopping on dry and often on wet asphalt with a sportier, reactive feel, whereas Hankook leans into all-weather security-especially class-leading aquaplaning resistance and dependable snow performance-wrapped in strong efficiency and longevity.
Test Results
Independent comparison tyre tests are the best source of data to get tyre information from, and the good news is there have been five tests which compare both tyres directly!
| Tyre | Test Wins | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Hankook Winter I cept RS3 | four | |
| Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | one |
While it might look like the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 is better than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 purely based on the higher number of test wins, tyres are very complicated objects which means where one tyre is better than the other can be more important in real world use.
Let's look at how the two tyres compare across multiple tyre test categories.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding aquaplaning resistance (straight and curved) across all tests
- Consistently better snow performance (braking, traction, handling)
- Low rolling resistance, lower noise, and strong wear for long life
- Balanced, precise wet handling with strong all-round safety
- Class-leading dry braking and often top-tier wet braking
- Sporty, responsive feel that suits dynamic driving
- Very strong predicted mileage and value in several tests
- Competitive ice braking performance
Dry Braking
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during four dry braking tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 stopped the vehicle in 4.79% less distance than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Dry Braking: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Dry Braking winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two dry handling [km/h] tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was 0.17% faster around a lap than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Dry Handling [Km/H]: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking
Looking at data from five tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two wet braking tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 stopped the vehicle in 1.35% less distance than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Wet Braking: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Wet Braking winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking - Concrete
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during one wet braking - concrete tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 stopped the vehicle in 2.17% less distance than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Wet Braking - Concrete: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Wet Braking - Concrete winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during one wet handling [km/h] tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was 1.07% faster around a wet lap than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Wet Handling [Km/H]: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Circle
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during one wet circle tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was 0.79% faster around a wet circle than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Wet Circle: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Wet Circle winner was calculated >>
Straight Aqua
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during four straight aqua tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 floated at a 9.69% higher speed than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Straight Aqua: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Straight Aqua winner was calculated >>
Curved Aquaplaning
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during four curved aquaplaning tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 slipped out at a 29.79% higher speed than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Curved Aquaplaning: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Curved Aquaplaning winner was calculated >>
Snow Braking
Looking at data from five tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during five snow braking tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 stopped the vehicle in 3.7% less distance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Braking: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Snow Braking winner was calculated >>
Snow Traction
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during four snow traction tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 had 2.48% better snow traction than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Traction: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Snow Traction winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during two snow handling [km/h] tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was 0.88% faster around a lap than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Handling [Km/H]: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Slalom
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during two snow slalom tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was 3.1% faster through a slalom than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Slalom: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Snow Slalom winner was calculated >>
Ice Braking
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two ice braking tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 stopped the vehicle 3.66% shorter than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Ice Braking: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Ice Braking winner was calculated >>
Noise
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during two noise tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 measured 0.38% quieter than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Noise: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Noise winner was calculated >>
Wear
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two wear tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 is predicted to cover 6.89% miles before reaching 1.6mm than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Wear: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Wear winner was calculated >>
Value
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two value tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 proved to have a 22.8% better value based on price/1000km than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Value: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Value winner was calculated >>
Price
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two price tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 cost 15.56% less than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Price: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Price winner was calculated >>
Rolling Resistance
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 was better during two rolling resistance tests. On average the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 had a 8.29% lower rolling resistance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Rolling Resistance: Hankook Winter I cept RS3
See how the Rolling Resistance winner was calculated >>
Fuel Consumption
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during one fuel consumption tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 used 1.72% less fuel than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Fuel Consumption: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Fuel Consumption winner was calculated >>
Abrasion
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during one abrasion tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 emitted 0.99% less particle wear matter than the Hankook Winter I cept RS3.
Best In Abrasion: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Abrasion winner was calculated >>
Real World Driver Reviews
Hankook Winter I cept RS3 Driver Reviews
Most drivers rate the Hankook Winter I cept RS3 highly for strong grip and confidence in dry, wet, and especially snow, with stable handling and predictable feedback. Several high-scoring reviews highlight aquaplaning resistance and braking, and some note normal winter-tyre softness in steering. The main recurring drawback is elevated road noise, particularly at certain speeds; a minority mention higher rolling resistance or faster wear. Overall, sentiment skews positive for winter performance with noise being the key trade-off.
Based on 20 reviews with an average rating of 77%
Kumho Winter Craft WP52 Driver Reviews
Drivers find the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 to deliver strong dry grip and handling with generally good snow traction, making it a solid value purchase. Wet performance is adequate but not standout, with several users noting longer wet braking distances or a vague feel. Noise can be higher than average for some, though overall comfort is acceptable. Overall sentiment is moderately positive with a few recurring caveats in the wet.
Based on 8 reviews with an average rating of 69%
First season/initial thoughts:
Dry roads - car was predictible, tyres felt a little bit softer and less responsive, in comparision with summer tyres (in my case it's 195/55 R15 2020's Michelin Energy Saver+), but it's a winter tyre, so it's absolutly normal to have a slightly different feeling in steering response or... Continue reading this review using the link below
Conclusion
Drivers who value the shortest asphalt stopping distances and a taut, sporty feel will gravitate to the Kumho WP52. It routinely tops dry braking and often wet braking, and it can deliver excellent projected mileage and value in some test years. However, reduced aquaplaning reserves and more variable wet handling margins make it less confidence-inspiring in heavy rain. Bottom line: Hankook for balanced safety and efficiency across real winter variability; Kumho for budget-savvy drivers prioritizing braking bite on clear, cold roads.
Key Differences
- Aquaplaning: Hankook leads decisively (e.g., +12-16% straight, up to ~+98% curved advantage in AB 2024).
- Snow: Hankook consistently shorter braking and better traction/handling across all shared tests.
- Dry/Wet Braking: Kumho often stops shorter (e.g., WP52 wet 34.6 m vs RS3 37.8 m in 55-tyre test; repeated dry wins).
- Overall rankings: Hankook finishes higher in most full-line tests (AB/ADAC).
- Efficiency: Hankook shows lower rolling resistance and often lower noise; Kumho sometimes heavier.
- Value and wear variability: Kumho posts standout mileage/value in 2022-2023, while Hankook leads wear and value in AB 2024.
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Footnote
This page has been developed using tyre industry testing best practices. This means we are only comparing tests which have had both tyres in the same test.
Why is this important? Tyre testing is heavily affected by things like surface grip levels and surface temperature, which means you can only compare values from the same day. During a tyre test external condition changes are calculated into the overall results, but it is not possible to calculate this between tyre tests performed on different days or at different locations.
As a result you will see other tests on Tyre Reviews which feature both the %s and %s, but as they weren't conducted on the same day, the results are not comparable.
Lots of other websites do this sort of tyre comparison, Tyre Reviews doesn't.