89
/ 100
Objective (60%)
76/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
92/100
10 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop Winter Response 2 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — 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
86
/ 100
Objective (60%)
82/100
5 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
39 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop Winter Response 2 — better snow, dry and wet. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 if comfort matters most to you.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
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
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 78 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 82 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 94 | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 89 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 98% | 92% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 94 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 90 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 99% | 98% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip 9 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 100 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 90 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 52 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter Response 2 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 84 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip 9 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Winter Response 2 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 83 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Winter Response 2 | Goodyear UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 89 | 86 |
| Dry | 86 | 80 |
| Wet | 92 | 87 |
| Snow | 96 | 86 |
| Comfort | 93 | 96 |
| Noise | – | 52 |
| Treadwear | 87 | 84 |
| Handling | 82 | 83 |
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
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
89
/ 100
Tire A
86
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | 13% #8/15 · 2020 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 | +87.5 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #3/31 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | 98% #7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +0.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 98% #3/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | 92% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +6 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Dunlop Winter Response 2 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction in snow and wet conditions. Users frequently highlight its balanced performance, noting that it maintains impressive grip and low noise levels even in dry, cold weather, making it a strong value proposition in the premium winter segment.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and confidence in deep snow and icy conditions.
- Excellent wet weather grip and handling stability.
- Low road noise levels, even at motorway speeds.
- Strong value for money compared to other premium winter offerings.
Cons
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear.
- Noticeable sidewall roll during cornering at higher speeds.
- Inconsistent performance ratings across different tire widths in independent testing.
Observations
- Users noted that the tire remains remarkably quiet on smaller vehicles like the Renault Clio, particularly in 185/55 R15 sizing.
- Longevity appears sufficient for moderate usage, with one user reporting 46,000 km of service while maintaining 4mm of tread depth.
The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction on snow and ice. Users frequently highlight its superior ride comfort and low noise levels, often noting that it performs as well as or better than premium summer tires in terms of cabin quietness.
Pros
- Exceptional snow and ice traction
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Excellent wet and dry weather performance in cold temperatures
- Low rolling resistance contributing to improved fuel economy
Cons
- Reduced performance on dry, warm asphalt (above 12°C)
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a less sporty or 'wallowy' handling feel
- Reports of premature tread wear or chunking in specific heavy-use cases
Observations
- Users with smaller city cars and hatchbacks (e.g., VW Polo, Suzuki Swift, Opel Astra) report high satisfaction with winter mobility and fuel efficiency.
- Drivers of heavier or rear-wheel-drive vehicles (e.g., Volvo estate models) noted a significant improvement in hill-climbing ability and stability compared to summer tires.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Winter Response 2 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| 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?
89
/ 100
Dunlop
86
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: Dunlop Winter Response 2 — better snow, dry and wet. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 if comfort matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 96 vs 86 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 86 vs 80 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 92 vs 87 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 87 vs 84 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop Winter Response 2
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Winter Response 2 also compared with
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 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.