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Kumho unveils Crugen GT Pro tire, as it bets on premium SUV segment for business growth

Published: 17 Mar. 2026, 18:13

SARAH CHEA
[email protected]

Kumho Tire CEO Jung Il-taik poses with the latest Crugen GT Pro tire, designed for premium SUVs, during a media event on March 17 in central Seoul. [KUMHO TIRE]

Kumho Tire unveiled its latest Crugen GT Pro tire on Tuesday, signaling a full-scale push into the premium SUV segment to bolster profitability.

The Korean tire maker also announced plans to expand its presence in the Chinese market, aiming to reach 5.1 trillion won ($3.9 billion) in annual revenue this year, an 8.5 percent increase from 2025.

The Crugen GT Pro, which took four years to develop, was designed as the most energy-efficient tire for domestic products. It achieves Uniform Tire Quality Grading system treadwear ratings of 800, which means exceptionally long life, theoretically lasting eight times longer than a base-level control tire rated at 100.

Compared to competing products, this rating translates to more than 20 percent higher mileage performance, enhancing both economy and longevity, Kumho Tire said.

The new tire also incorporates Kumho’s latest technology and is engineered to withstand the high torque and heavy loads characteristic of EVs, while a noise-canceling tread design reduces road noise.

Kumho Tire's Crugen GT Pro tire [KUMHO TIRE]

Available in 53 sizes from 18 to 22 inches, the Crugen GT Pro is compatible with a wide range of domestic and imported premium SUVs.

SUVs have become a central segment of the Korean car market. SUV sales grew from 710,000 units in 2019, which accounted for 47.6 percent of new car registrations, to 1.01 million units in 2025, or 67.7 percent of the market.

Over the same period, the share of premium tires of 19 inches and larger rose from roughly 25 percent to 52 percent, reflecting the rapid growth of the high-end SUV tire segment.

“Alongside SUV growth, the premium tire market is expanding rapidly,” said Jung Il-taik, CEO of Kumho Tire, during a press conference Tuesday in central Seoul. “We aim to expand premium tire supply and focus on high-value markets to achieve both quantitative growth and qualitative profitability.”

Kumho Tire is also investing a total of $590 million to build its first European plant in Poland, scheduled to begin operations in August 2028.

BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]