Kumho Tires Review

About Kumho Tires 

So, you finally did it: you got your dream car/truck/SUV. You’ve worked your butt off and saved up every penny you could for years to get to this point. But no vehicle is complete without the right tires. So if you’re looking to put the perfect finishing touch on your dream machine, check out this Kumho tires review.

With over 60 years in the business, Kumho is one of the foremost tire brands in the world, selling everything from passenger-car tires, to all-terrain tires for light trucks and SUVs, to off-road and commercial truck tires.

The brand has a significant social media presence, with over 19.7K followers on Instagram and nearly 198K on Facebook. Kumho has been featured in Tire Review Magazine, and garnered a lot of attention by becoming the official tire sponsor of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. 

This Kumho tires review will look at the brand’s bestselling products, customer reviews, promotions and discounts, and more to help you decide if they’re the right fit for your vehicle, and tough enough to tackle wherever and whatever you plan to drive through.

Overview of Kumho Tires

Kumho Tire (which went by the name Samyang Tire until 1996) was founded in South Korea in 1960 by Park In-chon. It started small, only producing about 20 tires a day, and steadily grew from there. The company began networking in the US in 1963, and truly broke out in the North American market a decade later.

Kumho’s global headquarters is still located in South Korea, and it maintains manufacturing plants in both its home country as well as China, Vietnam, and the US. The brand established its US head office in Atlanta, Georgia after several previous moves, and cemented its ties to its new home by becoming an official sponsor of the city’s NBA franchise. 

That’s the background—now, let’s take this Kumho tires review into the fast lane, beginning with an overview of the brand’s most notable pros and cons.

Pros

• Wide range of seasonal, all-season, and off-road tires for standard vehicles
• Price ranges for smaller tire sizes are cheaper than similar brands
• Available internationally
• Good warranties

Cons

• Warranties are not consistent between different makes of tires
• No indication of whether tires are made for higher speeds

As the brand has such a broad selection of tires, this Kumho tires review couldn’t hope to go over everything. So, we decided to skip over the passenger-car tires and head straight to the more heavy-duty options for light trucks and SUVs. 

Kumho Tires Review

Whether you love to go off-roading or are expecting to be dealing with some heavy weather in the near future, these are the kinds of tires your truck or SUV needs to keep on rollin’. This Kumho tires review will give you a close-up look at three of the brand’s top sellers: the Road Venture MT51, the Crugen HP71 and the Road Venture AT51. Let’s roll out!

Kumho Tires Road Venture MT51 Review

If you’ve ever wanted to go off-road and tear up the sand like you were in Mad Max: Fury Road, then these are the tires for you. Say hello to the Road Venture MT51.

These babies have incredible traction on all kinds of less-than-ideal terrain, whether mud, dirt, snow, or rock, and the specially designed tread is made to spit out stones and other sharp debris in order to prevent punctures. And, when you get back on the pavement, you won’t get the noisy ride that happens with many other off-road tires.

The Kumho Road Venture MT51 is available in 15- or 16-inch options, with two different sizes for each. Depending on which size you get and where you buy, each tire will cost anywhere from $132 to $251. No matter where you buy them from, though, you’ll get the standard Kumho manufacturer’s warranty.

Kumho Tires Crugen HP71 Review

A lot can happen out on the open road: snowstorms, dust storms, flooding, you name it. If you’re looking for an all-season tire that can handle whatever nature can throw at you, check out the Crugen HP71.

Don’t let the sleek-looking tread design fool you: even though it’ll provide you with a smooth and quiet ride under normal conditions, the deceptively small grooves are specially designed to remove slush and water from underneath the tire, enhancing its grip on the driving surface and keeping you safe even in soaking-wet weather.

You won’t wanna take these tires off-road, but in every other area of performance (handling under wet, dry, or snowy conditions, noise, comfort, and wear and durability), Kumho gives these tires top marks. They also come with a manufacturer’s warranty, a tread wear warranty, and a 12-month road hazard warranty. (Yep, Kumho is that confident in these tires.) 

You can get the Crugen HP71 in six different varieties (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or 22 inches), each with its own choice of sizes. Depending on the retailer, you’re looking at $122 and $219 apiece. 

Kumho Tires Road Venture AT51 Review

They say that the car is a symbol of personal freedom, but how free are you if you’re confined to the road? Especially if you’ve bought a larger vehicle, like a truck or an SUV, you want the ability to tackle different types of terrain, to really get out there and explore this vast land of ours. And that’s just what the Road Venture AT51 was made to do.

This jack-of-all-trades tire has great all-round performance for both on- and off-road conditions. It offers maximum traction in mud, rain, and snow, and the tread design shears away water and slush to prevent skidding and slipping. The Road Venture AT51 comes in five versions (15, 16, 17, 18, or 20 inches), and will run you $134–$324 each.

Who is Kumho Tires For? 

Although this Kumho tires review has focused on the brand’s off-road and multi-terrain products, the brand’s website clearly positions Kumho as an all-things-to-all-drivers tire manufacturer, with a wide range of tires for urban drives, off-road adventurers, and need-for-speed mavericks.

Kumho offers an impressive selection of tires for both passenger and commercial vehicles, with some designed for specific conditions (e.g., off-roading), and others for all-round performance. No matter what you’re driving or where you’re heading, this brand has the tire to get you there in one piece.

What Types Of Vehicles Does Kumho Sell Tires For? 

Kumho provides tires for passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs (on- and off-road), and also commercial vehicles (both long-haul and regional-haul). The product page for each tire offers a helpful list of sample vehicles that the tire is ideal for: so, for example, the Road Venture AT51 is recommended for multi-brand pickups, the Jeep Wrangler, etc. 

Where Can I Find A Kumho Tire Dealer Near Me? 

Finding a dealer that sells Kumho tires is as easy as 1, 2, 3: 

1. Go to the Kumho Tire website homepage
2. Click on “Dealer Locator” on the top navigation bar
3. Select “Enter Your Zip Code,” and then punch the number in to find a dealer within your specified search range (5, 10, 20, 30, or 40 miles) 

Comparison: Kumho Tires vs. Kenda Tire

In order to provide some more perspective on our spotlighted brand, this Kumho tires review took a look at a rival tire manufacturer, Kenda Tire. The most notable distinction between the two is that Kenda makes tires for more than just cars and trucks: it offers products for racing, bikes, wheelchairs, and vehicles for driving on grass.

Although Kenda’s tires for cars, light trucks, and SUV/CUVs appear to be generally comparable to Kumho’s, our spotlighted brand has the edge in terms of price. Also, we noted that Kenda’s limited tread warranties only go up to 50K, whereas Kumho covers you up to 65.

Kumho Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

From what this Kumho tires review could find, buyers are overall extremely pleased with the performance and versatility of the brand’s tires. At Walmart, the Road Venture AT51 pulls in an impressive score of 4.6/5 stars based on 300 reviews. One commenter ticks off the kinds of terrain they’ve taken these tires to, and succinctly delivers their verdict:

“I have driven with them on the highway, back roads, through town, in the rain, and mud. Totally Satisfied.” Doesn’t get much more straightforward than that!

Another buyer goes into a bit more detail, and also draws attention to the value-for-money aspect of these tires. “The tires interested me initially based on the price: nearly 100 dollars cheaper per tire than the BFGoodrich’s,” the review begins. 

“The tread pattern is similar and has a little bit of side wall tread as well. The ride quality is the same as factory tires and there is a small amount of road noise when going fast. Radio is usually on and I can’t hear it. My steel rims did have to get quite a few weights to balance everything out. Great value.”

The Crugen HP71 is another winner with Walmart shoppers, with a rating of 4.7/5 stars based on 47 reviews. Again, knowledgeable drivers noted that the quality of Kumho tires is nicely balanced against their price, as in the review below:

“Quality looking tire, rides nice and quiet. Have not put many miles on them in any wet conditions yet but they appear to have good tire sipes for water removal… I didn’t want the cheapest tire Walmart listed but I wasn’t about to spend 3 times this price on a Michelin or Continental. Looks like a very top quality mid range tire for the price.”

TireBuyer was another good source of customer feedback, with the Crugen HP71 generating a rating of 4.6/5 stars based on 27 reviews. One enthusiastic five-star reviewer attested that these tires even got a thumbs-up from an automotive professional:

“I needed tires for my 2015 Mazda CX9. I did extensive research, and decided on the KUMHO CRUGEN HP71 SUV/CROSSOVER ALL-SEASON 245/60R18 tires. I could not have been more impressed! […] My Mechanic was impressed with my tire brand choice. The tires drive quietly, handle SO much better than the previous tires, in both dry and wet weather.”

The Road Venture AT51, meanwhile, scored 4.6/5 stars based on 297 reviews. One buyer emphasized this tire’s safety and reliability in variable weather conditions as a primary selling point: “We live and farm in western Colorado in an area that gets enough snow that I wanted a tire that had good tread for deeper snow, and good sipping for when the roads get icy. 

“Most tires have one or the other, but this tire has both… So far I have been impressed with traction in muddy conditions here on our farm and what little off road driving we have done…I would recommend these tires and have recommended them to friends and family members. For the price I don’t think you can beat them.”

The star ratings for these tires stay pretty consistent over at Amazon, where the Road Venture MT51 notches 4.6/5 stars based on 151 global ratings. One buyer recounted a real-world scenario that speaks to this tire’s excellent off-roading ability:

“This past week I had to drive half a mile down a mostly unplowed road to view some property… Snow was at least eight inches deep and in some places deeper. The truck went through the deep, crusted snow with no real difficulty. I credit the tires with exceptional grip in what turned out to be very trying conditions. 

“I consider these to be the best tires of their type I have ever had and if I was plowing, I would not hesitate to use these for that, too. Excellent tire and considering the tread depth and design, remarkably quiet at Interstate speeds. Highly recommended.”

Are Kumho Tires Worth It?

Based on the overall positive feedback from buyers, the relatively lower prices compared to other tire brands like Kenda, and the versatility and reliability of the products, this Kumho tires review has no hesitation concluding that this brand is indeed worth it! If you have a car, light truck, or SUV/CUV that you need to equip while on a budget, Kumho is an excellent option.

Kumho Promotions & Discounts 

This Kumho tires review didn’t find any current promotions or discounts offered by the brand. If you want to be informed about potential sales or deals in the future, you can sign up for Kumho’s free email newsletter at the brand website.

Where to Buy Kumho Tires 

You can find the nearest Kumho dealer near you by using the Dealer Locator tool on the brand website. For online ordering, you can go to retailers like Walmart, TireBuyer, Amazon, or Tire Rack, to name just a few. 

FAQ

How long has Kumho been around?   

Kumho was founded in South Korea in 1960, making it a little over 60 years old. The company has been an established presence in the North American market since the mid-1970s. 

Where is Kumho Tires based?   

Kumho’s global headquarters is located in South Korea. The brand’s US head office has been based in Atlanta, Georgia since 2015.

Where are Kumho tires made?   

Most of the brand’s manufacturing takes place in East Asia, as the company maintains facilities in South Korea, China, and Vietnam. There is also a US manufacturing plant located in Macon, Georgia. 

Where can I get general information about filing a warranty claim with Kumho?  

The brand website has all the info you need about Kumho’s warranties. Simply click on the menu button in the top right corner of the site, then select the FAQ link from the dropdown menu. There are no less than four warranty-related questions that address all aspects of the subject. 

What is Kumho’s Shipping Policy?

Kumho does not sell its tires directly to consumers. The shipping policy for online ordering will depend on which retailer you are purchasing the tires through. 

What is Kumho’s Return Policy?

Kumho doesn’t have an official return policy, but it does offer several warranties on its products, which vary by tire type. The most consistent is the manufacturer’s warranty, which covers all the brand’s passenger-car and light-truck tires up to 72 months after purchase. Tread wear and road hazard warranties also apply to certain products.

How to Contact Kumho Tires 

If you have more questions after reading this Kumho tires review, you can reach the company’s US branch through the following channels:

• Contact form on brand website 
• Phone: 1 (800) 445-8646 (8am-6pm EST)
• By mail: Kumho Tire U.S.A., Inc., 133 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 2800, Atlanta, GA, 30303

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