Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D vs Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — 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.
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D and Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 are within 2 points overall. Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D is stronger on comfort, wet and handling. Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 is stronger on snow.
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Category breakdown
7 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)
A — Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
90
B — Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
90
Why this score
Source
SP Winter Sport 4D
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Professional tests (TWG score)
–
92
Tyre Reviews owners
90
87
Wet
Weight: Important
Score (0–100)SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 4
A — Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
93
B — Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
89
Why this score
Source
SP Winter Sport 4D
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Professional tests (TWG score)
–
90
Tyre Reviews owners
93
88
Snow
Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 11
A — Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
75
B — Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
86
Why this score
Source
SP Winter Sport 4D
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Professional tests (TWG score)
–
85
Tyre Reviews owners
75
86
Comfort
Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 6
A — Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
93
B — Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
87
Why this score
Source
SP Winter Sport 4D
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Tyre Reviews owners
93
87
Noise
Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D–
B — Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
47
Why this score
Source
SP Winter Sport 4D
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Professional tests (TWG score)
–
47
Treadwear
Weight: Important
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
88
B — Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
88
Why this score
Source
SP Winter Sport 4D
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Tyre Reviews owners
88
88
Handling
Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 3
A — Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
88
B — Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
85
Why this score
Source
SP Winter Sport 4D
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Tyre Reviews owners
88
85
Scores at a glance
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D vs Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: scores by category (0–100)
Category
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Relative Score
88
88
Dry
90
90
Wet
93
89
Snow
75
86
Comfort
93
87
Noise
–
47
Treadwear
88
88
Handling
88
85
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
88
/ 100
Tire A
88
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire ADunlop 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 BGoodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Gen 1 is widely regarded as a high-performing winter tire, particularly excelling in cold, wet, and slushy conditions. While most users praise its confidence-inspiring grip and longevity, some report mixed experiences regarding road noise and dry-weather handling precision.
Pros
Exceptional wet weather and slush performance
Strong traction and braking capabilities in snow
High durability and long tread life
Comfortable ride quality compared to summer or run-flat tires
Cons
Increased road noise reported by some users at higher speeds
Vague steering feedback and sidewall flex during spirited dry-road driving
Occasional loss of grip in dry conditions or when temperatures exceed 7°C
Tendency to oversteer on certain rear-wheel-drive platforms
Observations
Users on BMW and other rear-wheel-drive platforms noted a tendency for the rear to slide or oversteer in corners.
Drivers transitioning from run-flat tires to these winter tires frequently reported a significant improvement in ride comfort.
Owners of smaller, balanced vehicles like the Mazda MX-5 noted that the tire maintains good handling characteristics despite the softer winter compound.
Specifications
Specs side by side
Attribute
A · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Category
—
Ultra High Performance Winter tire
Vehicle type
—
Passenger Car / Crossover
Tread depth
—
9 - 11/32″
Sidewall
—
Raised Black Lettering
Max pressure
—
50 psi
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
88
/ 100
Dunlop
88
/ 100
Goodyear
Too close to call: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D and Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 are within 2 points overall. Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D is stronger on comfort, wet and handling. Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 is stronger on snow.
Pick tire BYou drive through snowy winters
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 86 vs 75 on snow.
Pick tire AYou want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 93 vs 87 on comfort.
Pick tire AYour priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 93 vs 89 on wet.
Pick tire AYou enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 88 vs 85 on handling.
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.
