82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
82/100
2 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental IceContact 2 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
69
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
65/100
4 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Continental IceContact 2 — better dry, handling and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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Category breakdown
6 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 24
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 100 | 67 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 60 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 100% | 93% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 97 | 93 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 65 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 99% | 100% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | 79 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 90 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 97% | 97% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 93% | 95% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 95% | 95% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 53 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 60 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 17
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 68 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental IceContact 2 | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 82 | 69 |
| Dry | 88 | 64 |
| Wet | 90 | 82 |
| Snow | 85 | 83 |
| Comfort | 65 | 53 |
| Treadwear | 75 | 60 |
| Handling | 85 | 68 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
82
/ 100
Tire A
69
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +6.9 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% #8/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -4.1 | Same test |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 80% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +20.2 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 86% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -7.9 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 57% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 73% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -15.9 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 17% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +83.3 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #5/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | +0.3 | Same test |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 93% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -2.6 | Same test |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | +0.6 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -1 | Same test |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Continental IceContact 2 is highly regarded as a robust winter tire, particularly well-suited for harsh Nordic and Baltic climates. Users consistently praise its exceptional grip on snow and ice, noting that while it performs well, its acoustic profile and ice-traction longevity are typical trade-offs for a studded tire.
Pros
- Excellent traction on snow and ice-covered surfaces
- Surprisingly comfortable and quiet ride for a studded tire
- Reliable handling and stability in severe winter conditions
- Strong performance on mixed and rural road surfaces
Cons
- Increased road noise when driving on dry or clean pavement
- Noticeable degradation in ice grip performance after two seasons of use
- Requires precise tire pressure maintenance to ensure optimal wet-weather handling
Observations
- Users operating in rural or mixed-road environments report higher satisfaction than those primarily on dry highways.
- The tire is specifically noted for its suitability in extreme northern climates like Sweden and the Baltic region.
The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is highly regarded for its exceptional initial performance on packed snow and ice, particularly in extreme winter conditions. However, users consistently report a significant decline in reliability and safety after the second season, primarily due to premature stud loss and a sharp degradation in grip despite having substantial tread depth remaining.
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on packed snow
- Strong performance on ice during the first two seasons
- Reliable winter grip in extreme arctic conditions
Cons
- Significant stud loss after two seasons of use
- Abrupt and dangerous decline in grip performance by the third year
- Poor longevity relative to competitors despite remaining tread depth
Observations
- Users noted that the tire's performance longevity is notably inferior when compared directly to competitors like the Continental IceContact 2.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental IceContact 2 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
82
/ 100
Continental
69
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: Continental IceContact 2 — better dry, handling and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental IceContact 2 scores 88 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental IceContact 2 scores 85 vs 68 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Continental IceContact 2 scores 75 vs 60 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental IceContact 2 scores 65 vs 53 on comfort.
Tire A · Continental IceContact 2
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental IceContact 2 also compared with
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.