83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
89/100
24 professional tests
User signal (40%)
84/100
43 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance — 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
78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
71/100
13 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 — better snow, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance if wet matters most to you.
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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
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip 8 Performance leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 81 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 84 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip 8 Performance leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 84 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 34
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 50 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 82 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 83 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter Sport 5 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sport 5 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 77 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Winter Sport 5 | Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 78 |
| Dry | 82 | 84 |
| Wet | 81 | 84 |
| Snow | 84 | 50 |
| Comfort | 87 | 82 |
| Noise | 78 | – |
| Treadwear | 87 | 83 |
| Handling | 79 | 77 |
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
83
/ 100
Tire A
78
/ 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.
The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction and confidence-inspiring performance in deep snow, ice, and slush. While it excels in cold-weather environments, some users note that its soft sidewall construction can lead to a 'mushy' steering feel and reduced stability on dry pavement when temperatures rise above 10°C.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and braking performance on snow and ice
- Excellent longevity and slow tread wear
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Strong resistance to hydroplaning in heavy rain and slush
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can cause unstable handling or 'squirming' in dry, warmer conditions
- Lack of effective rim protection despite marketing claims
- Steering response can feel lazy or imprecise on certain vehicle setups
- Performance noticeably degrades when ambient temperatures exceed 10-12°C
Observations
- Users with high-torque vehicles (e.g., Tesla Model 3, performance-oriented cars) reported that the tire can feel nervous or lack precision during hard acceleration.
- Drivers of heavier vehicles or those using wider tire formats noted that maintaining higher inflation pressures is often necessary to mitigate soft sidewall flex and improve steering feedback.
- The tire is highly regarded for AWD vehicles (e.g., Subaru Forester, Skoda Yeti), where it effectively complements the drivetrain's capability in deep snow.
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 Winter Sport 5 | B · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Tread depth | — | 10 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Raised Black Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 50 - 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Dunlop
78
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: Dunlop Winter Sport 5 — better snow, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance if wet matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 84 vs 50 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 87 vs 82 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 87 vs 83 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance scores 84 vs 81 on wet.
Tire A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 also compared with
Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance 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.