Kumho WinterCraft Wi51 is a passenger-car friction winter tire, which, as the manufacturer claims, “deliver the best performance on snow and ice”. Its key feature is confident behavior on winter roads, including high braking efficiency combined with precise handling response on snow and on wet pavement. The Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 model appeared in the European range of this Korean tire maker in 2020. Its engineers applied a few innovations that served to improve the tire’s winter performance. For example, the increased rigidity of the central rib, taking on the weight of the passenger car, enhanced the driving stability at highway speeds. The new design of the central section of the tire served to enlarge the contact patch which in turn lead to an increase in the Kumho WinterCraft Wi51 performance by 5% on snow and by 8% on ice. The sipe arrangement in the central section at a 40-45° angle improved the tire’s braking performance on snow. The tilting angle of the drainage grooves was specially designed to speed up evacuation of water and melting snow from the contact area. The WinterCraft Ice Wi51 maneuverability on snow is further ensured by the software-optimized sequence of intervals between the tread blocks and the wave-shaped lamellas. The unique tread wear indicator has a shape inspired by sandglass, making it easy to confirm the level of tire wear. The tire also has a micro knurling structure reminiscent of a lizard’s footprint applied to the tread block in order to maximize ground adhesion. The rim design, which references ice crystals, absorbs tire noise and not only expresses the unique identity of the Kumho Wi51 model, but also a few know-hows from the manufacturer, which guarantee extra-low cabin noise. As for the tread compound, the technologists reinforced it with Aramid fibers, which in their opinion is meant to strengthen the Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi51 grip on ice and snow; they also added fine-grained silica to it for extra wet traction and higher resistance to wear. The Kumho WinterCraft Wi51 sidewall design is inspired by sand crystals and iceberg motifs, meant to highlight the model’s focus on ice and snow performance. The presale in-company tests showed that in comparison to the previous-generation Kumho tires the new WinterCraft Wi51 Ice model in the size 205/55 R Ice is 12% better in terms of snow handling, 8% better in terms of ice handling, and 3% better in terms of handling on wet pavement. As for the braking efficiency, on snow it was improved by 4%, while on wet pavement it remained unchanged. The manufacturer did not disclose any data on shortening the stopping distance on ice.

The word “Ice” is used by the tire maker in the name of this model only occasionally, as if the company made a last-minute decision to get rid of it before the release of the tire. As the Kumho company specified, both spelling versions are correct.