Skip to content
tirewheelguide.com
Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D vs Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance — Compared (May 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.

Tire A Dunlop

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
86/100
38 owner reviews
Dry
90
Wet
93
Snow
75
Comfort
93
Treadwear
88
Handling
88
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
VerdictWinner: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D — better snow, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.

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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 6
A
90
B
84
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DUltra Grip 8 Performance
Tyre Reviews owners 90 84

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 9
A
93
B
84
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DUltra Grip 8 Performance
Tyre Reviews owners 93 84

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 25
A
75
B
50
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DUltra Grip 8 Performance
Tyre Reviews owners 75 50

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 11
A
93
B
82
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DUltra Grip 8 Performance
Tyre Reviews owners 93 82

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 5
A
88
B
83
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DUltra Grip 8 Performance
Tyre Reviews owners 88 83

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 11
A
88
B
77
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DUltra Grip 8 Performance
Tyre Reviews owners 88 77

Scores at a glance

CategoryDunlop SP Winter Sport 4DGoodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
Relative Score 88 78
Dry 90 84
Wet 93 84
Snow 75 50
Comfort 93 82
Treadwear 88 83
Handling 88 77

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Personalize

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D

The Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in cold, wet, and slushy conditions while maintaining impressive comfort and low noise levels. While most users praise its stability and traction in snow and ice, a minority of drivers report a 'squirmy' handling sensation during high-speed cornering, likely due to the softer tread compound.

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and stability in wet, slushy, and cold dry conditions.
  • Remarkably low road noise, often quieter than summer tire counterparts.
  • High level of ride comfort and refined road manners.
  • Strong performance in deep snow and on icy inclines.
  • Good tread longevity for a dedicated winter compound.

Cons

  • Noticeable 'squirm' or lack of sharpness during high-speed cornering.
  • Occasional reports of understeer in specific wet or icy conditions.
  • Some users noted a 'hard' ride quality compared to previous iterations like the 3D.
  • Potential for clearance issues if incorrect aspect ratios are selected for specific vehicle fitments.

Observations

  • Users with wider tire setups noted that while traction is excellent, they may be slightly less effective in deep snow compared to narrower configurations.
  • Drivers of heavier vehicles (e.g., Mercedes S-Class, E-Class) reported high satisfaction with comfort and grip, though they noted the 'squirm' sensation more prominently during aggressive maneuvers.
  • Fitment caution: Owners of vehicles like the Mercedes W213 should ensure correct aspect ratios to avoid clearance issues with suspension components.
Tire B Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance

The Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance is widely regarded as a high-performing winter tire, particularly excelling in wet conditions, slush, and resistance to aquaplaning. While many users praise its stability and low noise levels, there is a notable polarization regarding its snow and ice performance, with some drivers finding it exceptional while others report a significant loss of traction over time.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
  • Low road noise levels compared to competitors
  • Strong dry road stability and handling
  • Good tread longevity and durability

Cons

  • Inconsistent snow and ice traction reported by some users
  • Potential for grip degradation as the tire ages
  • Reports of increased fuel consumption
  • Mixed feedback regarding ride comfort compared to premium rivals

Observations

  • Users with RWD vehicles, such as the BMW 5 series, reported significant improvements in snow stability, describing the handling as feeling like a train.
  • Drivers of AWD vehicles (e.g., BMW G31 xDrive) generally report positive experiences, though some note that snow performance may not meet the expectations set by other premium winter tire brands.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D B · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
Tread depth—10 - 11/32″
Sidewall—Raised Black Lettering
Max pressure—50 - 51 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Goodyear

Winner: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D — better snow, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 75 vs 50 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 93 vs 82 on comfort.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 88 vs 77 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 93 vs 84 on wet.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
Check price on Amazon

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.