Michelin Alpin 6 vs Kumho Winter Craft WP52
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Alpin 6 finished ahead 4 times and the Winter Craft WP52 once. The Alpin 6 was stronger in wet, snow, comfort and value, the Winter Craft WP52 in dry.
Performance profile
14 measurements from the 5 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Alpin 6
Winter Craft WP52
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 90%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 3 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Alpin 6
Winter Craft WP52
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Alpin 6
Winter Craft WP52
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Alpin 6 85% from 35 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 tires 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 tire did better.
| Measurement | Alpin 6 | Gap | Winter Craft WP52 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Winter Craft WP52 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 144 | 2% | 141 | 1-2 |
| Dry Handling mph | 72 | 0.6% | 72.5 | 0-2 |
| Wet Alpin 6 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 142 | 1% | 144 | 3-2 |
| Wet Handling mph | 45.7 | 1.7% | 45 | 2-0 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.43 | 1.8% | 12.67 | 2-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 48.7 | 5.9% | 46 | 3-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 9.5 | 30.2% | 7.5 | 3-0 |
| Snow Alpin 6 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 80 | 2.3% | 82 | 5-0 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 398 | 3.6% | 384 | 3-0 |
| Snow Handling mph | 34.9 | 0.5% | 35.1 | 1-1 |
| Snow Slalom ft/s² | 11.3 | 0.1% | 11.3 | 1-1 |
| Ice Level | ||||
| Ice Braking ft | 65 | = | 65 | 0-0 |
| Comfort Alpin 6 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 72.17 | 0.3 dB | 71.87 | 2-1 |
| Value Alpin 6 ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 31,572 | 9.5% | 29,632 | 1-2 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.22 | 9.2% | 9.05 | 2-0 |
| Fuel Consumption l/100km | 5.8 | 1.7% | 5.7 | 0-1 |
| Abrasion mg/km/t | 56 | 4.8% | 58.8 | 1-0 |
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 tires shared.
Head to head in 5 tests, 2022 to 2024
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Alpin 6 | Field | Winter Craft WP52 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P5 of 20 | P15 of 20 | |
| 2024 Winter 55 Tire Braking Test | P5 of 55 | P2 of 55 | |
| 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tire Test | P2 of 15 | P9 of 15 | |
| 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P1 of 20 | P17 of 20 | |
| 2022 Winter Tire Market Overview | P3 of 56 | P19 of 56 |
Alpin 6 vs Winter Craft WP52: your questions
Is the Michelin Alpin 6 or the Kumho Winter Craft WP52 the better tire?
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Alpin 6 finished ahead 4 times and the Winter Craft WP52 once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Alpin 6 scores 9.1 and the Winter Craft WP52 8.3 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Alpin 6 or the Winter Craft WP52?
The Alpin 6 led 13 of the 15 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it held 30.2% more grip in curved aquaplaning across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Winter Craft WP52 led 4 of the 5 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2% shorter in the dry across 3 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The Alpin 6 led 10 of the 12 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.3% shorter on snow across 5 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Alpin 6 had 9.2% lower rolling resistance (2 tests); the Winter Craft WP52 lasted 9.5% longer in the wear tests (3 tests). Owners rate wear 8.7/10 for the Alpin 6 and 6.8/10 for the Winter Craft WP52.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 9/10 for the Alpin 6 and 7.3/10 for the Winter Craft WP52.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Alpin 6 85% from 35 reviews and the Winter Craft WP52 68% from 9. 76% of Alpin 6 owners would buy it again, against 63% for the Winter Craft WP52.
Which is more expensive?
In the 3 tests that listed prices, the Alpin 6 was the dearer tire in 3 of them, by 57.9% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Alpin 6 is made in 42 sizes (15 to 20 inch) and the Winter Craft WP52 in 84 (13 to 21 inch). 28 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Alpin 6 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 tire 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 tires 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 Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.