Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
The data reveal clear patterns. Continental dominates wet performance (braking, handling, and especially aquaplaning) and is reliably stronger on snow and ice, often by meaningful margins. Kumho counters with quieter running in some tests, excellent wear, and a much lower purchase price-making it a compelling choice for cost-conscious drivers who spend more time on dry/cold roads than in heavy rain or deep winter conditions.
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 eight tests which compare both tyres directly!
| Tyre | Test Wins | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Continental WinterContact TS 870 P | seven | |
| Kumho Winter Craft WP52 | one |
While it might look like the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P 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 wet performance with short braking and superior aquaplaning resistance
- Consistently strong snow and ice braking and traction
- Low rolling resistance for better fuel economy/EV range
- High overall balance and stability across conditions
- Excellent wear and strong longevity/value proposition
- Competitive dry braking/handling in some sizes
- Generally low purchase price
- Comfortable and often quieter ride
Dry Braking
Looking at data from five tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two dry braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 0.14% less distance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Dry Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Dry Braking winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one dry handling [s] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 0.07% faster around a lap than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Dry Handling [s]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two dry handling [km/h] tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was 0.05% faster around a lap than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Dry Handling [Km/H]: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Dry Handling
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one subj. dry handling tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scored 3.06% more points than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Subj. Dry Handling: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Subj. Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking
Looking at data from eight tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during seven wet braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 3.89% less distance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Wet Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Braking winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking - Concrete
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one wet braking - concrete tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 5.68% less distance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Wet Braking - Concrete: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Braking - Concrete winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one wet handling [s] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 3.49% faster around a wet lap than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Wet Handling [s]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three wet handling [km/h] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 2.32% faster around a wet lap than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Wet Handling [Km/H]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Wet Handling
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during one subj. wet handling tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 scored 3.06% more points than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Subj. Wet Handling: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Subj. Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Circle
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two wet circle tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 4.37% faster around a wet circle than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Wet Circle: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Circle winner was calculated >>
Straight Aqua
Looking at data from five tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during five straight aqua tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P floated at a 3.56% higher speed than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Straight Aqua: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Straight Aqua winner was calculated >>
Curved Aquaplaning
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during four curved aquaplaning tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P slipped out at a 19.87% higher speed than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Curved Aquaplaning: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Curved Aquaplaning winner was calculated >>
Snow Braking
Looking at data from eight tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during seven snow braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 3.57% less distance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Braking winner was calculated >>
Snow Traction
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one snow traction tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P accelerated 1.17% faster than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Traction: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Traction winner was calculated >>
Snow Traction
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three snow traction tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P had 2.85% better snow traction than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Traction: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Traction winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during one snow handling [s] tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was 0.94% faster around a lap than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Snow Handling [s]: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three snow handling [km/h] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 1.61% faster around a lap than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Handling [Km/H]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Snow Handling
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P and Kumho Winter Craft WP52 performed equally well in subj. snow handling tests.
Best In Subj. Snow Handling: Both tyres performed equally well
See how the Subj. Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Slalom
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two snow slalom tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 2.96% faster through a slalom than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Snow Slalom: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Slalom winner was calculated >>
Ice Braking
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one ice braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle 2.92% shorter than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Ice Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Ice Braking winner was calculated >>
Subj. Comfort
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one subj. comfort tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scored 10% more points than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Subj. Comfort: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Subj. Comfort winner was calculated >>
Noise
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two noise tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P measured 1.52% quieter than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Noise: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Noise winner was calculated >>
Wear
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during two wear tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 is predicted to cover 15.86% miles before reaching 1.6mm than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Wear: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Wear winner was calculated >>
Value
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 was better during one value tests. On average the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 proved to have a 53.46% better value based on price/1000km than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
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 36.34% less than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Price: Kumho Winter Craft WP52
See how the Price winner was calculated >>
Rolling Resistance
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during four rolling resistance tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P had a 13.1% lower rolling resistance than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Rolling Resistance: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Rolling Resistance winner was calculated >>
Abrasion
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one abrasion tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P emitted 9.86% less particle wear matter than the Kumho Winter Craft WP52.
Best In Abrasion: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Abrasion winner was calculated >>
Real World Driver Reviews
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P Driver Reviews
Most drivers rate the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P very highly, praising its outstanding wet grip and braking, strong snow traction, stable high-speed behavior, and quiet, comfortable ride. Many note predictable handling and good wear/longevity, with some EV owners highlighting low noise and rolling resistance. A minority mention softer steering feel and less sharp dry handling, and several point out a high price. One outlier reports poor snow/ice performance, which contrasts with the overwhelmingly positive winter feedback from others.
Based on 25 reviews with an average rating of 87%
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%
Conclusion
Kumho's WP52 earns its place through value: notably lower price, very good wear (often class-leading), and agreeable day-to-day manners. It can match or beat Continental in isolated dry metrics and occasionally noise, but its wet grip and aquaplaning reserves lag, which is a critical winter safety pillar. If budget and longevity top the list and your climate skews cold-dry with light snow, Kumho makes sense; for mixed or wet winter climates-or drivers who want maximum security and efficiency-Continental is the safer, more rounded choice.
Key Differences
- Wet safety: Continental brakes shorter and resists aquaplaning far better (e.g., +26-38% in curved aquaplaning in multiple tests).
- Snow/ice: Continental usually stops shorter and grips better (typically 3-7% gains in snow braking).
- Rolling resistance: Continental leads by ~10-19%, aiding economy and EV range.
- Wear and longevity: Kumho lasts longer (e.g., +6-36% wear advantage) and offers stronger value scores.
- Price: Kumho is substantially cheaper (often 30-35% lower).
- Noise/comfort: Kumho can be quieter in some tests; Continental often scores higher on overall comfort but not always on exterior noise.
Overall Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Based on the tyre test data and user reviews we have in our database, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P has demonstrated better overall performance in this comparison. However, as you can see from the spider diagram above, each tyre has its own strengths which should be considered in your final tyre buying choice.Similar Comparisons
Looking for more tyre comparisons? Here are other direct comparisons involving these tyres:
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.