Tire Kumho KW22: reviews

At each change of seasons before drivers becomes a task in time "pereobut" the car. If this is not done, you can either ditch quite a good rubber, or get into an emergency situation. Well, when in that case there was a set of tires left over from last year. However, if they are not due to the fact that the car is new, or if they just completely worn out, you have to make a difficult choice between the options on the market. To find out which of them will be optimal, it is best to analyze both official data from the manufacturer and the results of testing by well-known automotive publications. How it can be done, let's look at the example of the rather famous rubber Kumho KW22. Feedback from users who have tried it in real-world conditions will also be a valuable help and will help to make a more comprehensive conclusion.

A little about the manufacturer

At the same time, two countries are engaged in the production of this rubber, Korea and China. But do not immediately conclude that if it is released in the Middle Kingdom, then you can not expect quality. Just the same control on the part of the Koreans, who are striving to achieve a leading position in the market and competing with Japan, has enabled the production of quite good tires, and you can be sure of this by reading the entire article.

In addition to the fact that the production process is closely monitored, the developers have tried to bring the test conditions as close as possible to those in which the rubber will be subsequently used by the buyers. This made it possible to make a well-balanced balance of the main characteristics, which as a result pleased the drivers who gave feedback about the Kumho I Zen KW22 91T, since the driving style of each and other factors in different situations can differ significantly.

The main purpose

This tire model was developed for operation in the winter season in regions where the conditions are severe enough. First of all, the developers set the goal to maximize the quality of adhesion to the surface. To achieve good results in this area, many solutions have been applied, such as the development of a special tread pattern, thinking over places for the effective arrangement of spikes, making corrections to the formula of a rubber compound, and so on. The manufacturer claims that the resulting product can be called one of the best in its field. Will this be confirmed by feedback on Kumho Marshal I Zen KW22? Is it really? Let's look at the main features of this model.

Rubber for lovers of high-speed driving

Do not deny that there is a category of experienced drivers who prefer to keep the speed regime at the limit of possibilities even in winter. Needless to say, do not forget about the precaution and the rules of the road, because the danger on the ice-covered track lurks on every stretch of the road. Still, the manufacturer tried to increase the tire's ability to relatively high-speed ride. The result was the assignment of the "T" speed index, which allows acceleration up to 190 km / h. Since, according to the traffic rules, this speed can not be developed, it means that for all law-abiding drivers who have installed rubber, there is a decent supply, and they will never reach the limits, and this is confirmed by reviews of Kumho KW22 205 * 55 R16, left on the well-known portals Automotive subjects.

Soft rubber and rigid construction

It's no secret that the high rigidity of the rubber compound in the winter time is clearly of no use, as it will quickly choke and lose its properties relative to the road surface. The manufacturer has developed a special composition of silicium, which even at ultra-low temperatures can remain soft enough to keep the car on the road without problems. But at the same time, its wear as a result of friction is reduced as much as possible, which is confirmed by positive reviews of Kumho I Zen KW22 XL, left by grateful drivers. Part of this is facilitated by the presence of silicic acid in the composition, which increases the strength of molecular bonds. But a special role is played by an increased amount of cord and its uniform distribution.

It connects the tire from the inside and makes its working surface as flat as possible. This leads, in turn, to the uniformity of load distribution and the increase in the contact patch with the track. Although this approach gives several positive effects at once, in this case, its main task is precisely to reduce the abrasive erasure of the tread surface.

Aggressive design of the pattern of tread elements

An important role for better coupling with the surface of the track is the location of individual elements of the tread. With the help of computer modeling they were placed in their places so as to create maximum downforce. In addition, the designers took care of the aesthetic side. The result is the protector that we can see on the windows - aggressive, cocky, yet practical, according to reviews of tires Kumho KW22, popular with many who are looking for the perfect appearance of their car.

The middle line is made in an inseparable variant and completely encircles the tire. It is designed to maintain a straight line in the event of a collision on small obstacles. In simpler terms, it is thanks to it that the exchange rate stability is maintained.

The lateral and shoulder zones are divided into separate large blocks, cut with rather wide lamellas. This approach allowed to create the maximum number of cutting edges on the edges of the elements, due to which increased rowing characteristics and improved patency in loose, freshly fallen snow, as well as on water during thaws.

Shoulder zones allowed to increase the strength of rubber Kumho KW22, reviews confirmed this aspect. Thick blocks reduce the risk of cutting or punching it against an accidental obstacle, for example, a reinforcing bar protruding from the curb. In addition, the sidewalls were reinforced with a stiffer rubber compound and an additional cord.

Padding characteristics

The joint production of the two countries sometimes leads to very unexpected results. It is clear that the location of the studs has been carefully selected so that they can work as efficiently as possible and create a large number of separate work rows. They are located at the same distance from each other, which is 3.5 inches.

Particular attention is drawn to their unusual shape. If you look at the base and the thorn itself, you can see that they have a specific heptagonal shape. Perhaps no manufacturer has so far excelled at such a simple device as the Kumho KW22 I Zen tire stud. Reviews say that this led to unexpected positive results. Spines have a large number of sharp edges, which allows them to more effectively bite them into a slippery road surface. True, this effect does not last long, because over time, as a result of wear, they still acquire a round shape. However, the base, made in the heptagonal variant, remains the same. As studies have shown, this approach has made it possible to fix the spike in the rubber more reliably, because of which doshapovka for the season will almost never be needed, but this point largely depends on your driving style. So, some reviews about Kumho Marshal KW22 say that when aggressive driving the spikes fly off quite quickly.

Three-dimensional structure of lamellas

During the development, designers tried to use the working space of the tire as efficiently as possible. For this purpose, the importance of each element, including the slats, was taken into account, which also play a role. Their task is to separate each other's blocks of the tread, create effective cutting edges, remove moisture from the contact patch with the track, increase the rowing characteristics.

Three-dimensional lamellas provide different depths, as well as the presence of small incisions at the edges of the cutting edges of the tread blocks. All this is available in full. As a result, you can feel confident in a car equipped with this rubber, even if you have to drive on a dirt road during a thaw with a lot of puddles and wet snow porridge. Worse than the conditions for the test of winter tires is difficult to imagine, and in the reviews of Kumho KW22, many people say that in difficult situations they were saved by the installed tires.

Results based on manufacturer specifications

Summarizing the intermediate line, guided by the information provided by the manufacturer, it can be concluded that this model is a universal winter tire, adapted for driving on any type of road surface with all available weather conditions. The manufacturer assures that it is able to keep the track well even in ice, while maintaining the possibility of emergency braking, even at high speed. So whether this is actually, will help to see the positive and negative feedback from users who have rolled on this rubber for more than one season. Let's begin the analysis with the pleasant aspects of these tires.

Analysis of positive reviews of drivers about rubber

Despite the relatively low cost (this point can also be attributed to the arguments in favor of choosing this particular model), the number of eulogies about Kumho Marshal I Zen KW22 is quite high, so we will consider only those that relate to the main technical indicators. Among them are the following:

• The softness of the rubber compound , allowing tireless operation of tires at low temperatures without loss of dynamic characteristics.
• Good coupling properties regardless of the type of pavement and its condition.
• Low noise level , which is a real achievement for the studded model.
• A well-thought-out structure of the tread that allows you to get out even from very deep snow.
• Combining the effects of "Velcro" and "spike" in one tire due to the special properties of the rubber compound.
• High wear resistance , due to the high-quality formula of silicone and the strength of the design of the tire itself, creating the greatest possible working plane.
• Excellent controllability with high-speed traffic, maintaining stability when maneuvering, leaving the track and returning to it.

As you can see, there are quite a few positive features, which may make you think about purchasing this particular model. However, before that you need to know and its weaknesses, which we will now talk about.

Negative points based on reviews

Among the minuses, some drivers note quite quickly flying out spikes. However, such a moment is not observed at all, which may indicate a wrong run-in or too aggressive manner of the authors of such reviews. Since there are spikes on it, with poor noise isolation, the noise level on a clean track is still quite appreciable. Therefore, those who like first of all comfort, have a reason to pay attention to the options of "Velcro" without thorns, to reduce the level of unwanted vibrations in the car.

In other respects, there are no serious complaints about the Kumho KW22, which indicates a responsible approach to its development on the part of the manufacturer.

Conclusion

As you can conclude from the article, not always what is produced in China, is by default substandard. Do not forget that in this country there are now production of many brands with worldwide fame, for example, the same Apple. Therefore, try to focus first of all on the opinion of authoritative sources, and not think with cliches. In the case of this rubber, according to reviews, Kumho KW22 provides an opportunity to purchase a quality, safe product at a fairly low cost. Therefore, if you do not mind the noise from the spikes, and you love the confidence in your car, you can safely purchase this rubber.