Tests – · none yet Owners 53 · 28 reviews
Best test result: #17 of 17 in 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Firestone Winterforce 2 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
UltraGrip 9 is ahead, 76–58
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Tests 75 · 3 tests Owners 77 · 39 reviews
Best test result: #9 of 16 in 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
49
Dry
UltraGrip 9 +2271Why this score
Source Winterforce 2 UltraGrip 9 Professional tests (TWG score) – 70 Reviews found online 38 73 -
63
Wet
UltraGrip 9 +2285Why this score
Source Winterforce 2 UltraGrip 9 Professional tests (TWG score) – 86 Reviews found online 61 83 -
73
Snow
UltraGrip 9 +275Why this score
Source Winterforce 2 UltraGrip 9 Professional tests (TWG score) – 74 Reviews found online 76 77 -
58
Comfort
UltraGrip 9 +1674Why this score
Source Winterforce 2 UltraGrip 9 Reviews found online 46 79 -
57
Noise
UltraGrip 9 +764Why this score
Source Winterforce 2 UltraGrip 9 Professional tests (TWG score) – 63 Reviews found online 44 – -
59
Treadwear
UltraGrip 9 +1473Why this score
Source Winterforce 2 UltraGrip 9 Professional tests (TWG score) – 73 Reviews found online 54 73 -
47
Handling
UltraGrip 9 +3279Why this score
Source Winterforce 2 UltraGrip 9 Reviews found online 47 79
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Winterforce 2 | Goodyear UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 58 | 76 |
| Dry | 49 | 71 |
| Wet | 63 | 85 |
| Snow | 73 | 75 |
| Comfort | 58 | 74 |
| Noise | 57 | 64 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 73 |
| Handling | 47 | 79 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
58
/ 100
Winterforce 2
76
/ 100
UltraGrip 9
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 | Winterforce 2 | UltraGrip 9 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 6% #17/17 · 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | 11% #9/16 · 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test | −5.2 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winterforce 2
Pros
- Exceptional traction and capability in deep snow
- Highly competitive price point
- Reliable performance for daily winter commuting
Cons
- Increased road noise compared to all-season tires
- Noticeable 'mushy' or soft handling feedback on dry pavement
- Limited performance on ice without studs
Tire B UltraGrip 9
Pros
- Exceptional snow and ice traction
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Excellent wet and dry weather performance in cold temperatures
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Firestone Winterforce 2 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 31 | — |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 18″ | — |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
58
/ 100
Firestone Winterforce 2
76
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — better handling, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 79 vs 47 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 71 vs 49 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 85 vs 63 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 74 vs 58 on comfort.
Tire A · Firestone Winterforce 2
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9
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How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.