84
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
83/100
5 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip 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.
VS
88
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
86/100
31 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — better comfort, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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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 Performance Gen-1 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Eagle UltraGrip | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 87 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Eagle UltraGrip | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 90 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 88 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Eagle UltraGrip | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 86 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | Eagle UltraGrip | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 74 | 87 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Eagle UltraGrip | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 47 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Eagle UltraGrip | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 88 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Eagle UltraGrip | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 85 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip | Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 84 | 88 |
| Dry | 84 | 90 |
| Wet | 86 | 89 |
| Snow | – | 86 |
| Comfort | 74 | 87 |
| Noise | – | 47 |
| Treadwear | 86 | 88 |
| Handling | 84 | 85 |
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
84
/ 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.
The Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip (GW-3) is widely regarded as a durable and reliable winter tire that offers exceptional longevity and consistent performance across varied cold-weather conditions. While some users note that its snow-specific traction is surpassed by newer designs, it remains a highly recommended choice for improving winter mobility in both front-wheel and rear-wheel drive vehicles.
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and durability even on high-torque vehicles
- Significant improvement in winter traction for rear-wheel drive cars
- Quiet operation comparable to premium summer tires
- Consistent performance in cold, wet, and dry conditions
Cons
- Performance in deep snow is considered average compared to modern winter tire designs
- Older tread pattern design compared to current market offerings
- Run-flat variants may have specific handling characteristics that some drivers find less refined
Observations
- Users report excellent results on rear-wheel drive vehicles like BMWs, effectively mitigating typical winter traction issues.
- Front-wheel drive owners, specifically those with high-torque diesel models, report impressive resistance to premature tread wear.
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 · Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip | B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Ultra High Performance Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | — | 9 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Raised Black Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
84
/ 100
Goodyear
88
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — better comfort, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 87 vs 74 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 90 vs 84 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 89 vs 86 on wet.
Tire A · Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip
Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
More comparisons
Also compared with
Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip also compared with
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 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.