Tests 74 · 5 tests Owners 78 · 6 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 16 in 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ vs Firestone Winterhawk 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
UltraGrip 9+ is ahead, 76–64
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Tests 68 · 4 tests Owners 60 · 8 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (price)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
70
Dry
UltraGrip 9+ +664Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 64 67 Reviews found online 80 60 Dry Braking (% of best) 95% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 98% -
82
Wet
UltraGrip 9+ +1864Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 83 66 Reviews found online 81 61 Wet Braking (% of best) 92% 89% Wet Handling (% of best) 99% 95% -
79
Snow
UltraGrip 9+ +1465Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 84 71 Reviews found online 72 56 Snow Braking (% of best) 98% 97% Snow Handling (% of best) 97% 98% -
80
Comfort
UltraGrip 9+ +1565Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 83 – Reviews found online 76 60 -
64
Noise
Winterhawk 3 +266Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 63 65 -
75
Treadwear
UltraGrip 9+ +867Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 71 70 Reviews found online 80 62 -
75
Handling
UltraGrip 9+ +1758Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ Winterhawk 3 Reviews found online 75 58
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ | Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 64 |
| Dry | 70 | 64 |
| Wet | 82 | 64 |
| Snow | 79 | 65 |
| Comfort | 80 | 65 |
| Noise | 64 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 75 | 67 |
| Handling | 75 | 58 |
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
76
/ 100
UltraGrip 9+
64
/ 100
Winterhawk 3
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 | UltraGrip 9+ | Winterhawk 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #10/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −2.9 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #9/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 98% #14/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 96% #2/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 80% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +15.6 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #5/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 98% #5/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +0.8 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 77% #4/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 87% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −10.0 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 79% #10/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 60% #12/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +19.0 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 81% #7/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 62% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +18.5 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/15 · 2022 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 7% #14/15 · 2016 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | +42.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 98% #7/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 97% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +0.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #4/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 98% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −1.1 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 98% #2/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 90% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +8.3 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #7/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 89% #18/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +3.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #3/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 95% #13/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +3.7 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A UltraGrip 9+
Pros
- Excellent wet and cold weather grip
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Strong value proposition compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Performance on deep snow and ice may lag slightly behind specialized winter-focused brands like Nokian
- Limited feedback on long-term tread wear due to low mileage in current reviews
- Increased noise levels specifically on concrete road surfaces
Tire B Winterhawk 3
Pros
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Good longevity and tread wear resistance
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Inconsistent or poor grip on snow and ice
- Unreliable wet weather performance and braking
- Pronounced understeering tendencies
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ | B · Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
64
/ 100
Firestone Winterhawk 3
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ — better wet, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 82 vs 64 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 75 vs 58 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 80 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 79 vs 65 on snow.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Tire B · Firestone Winterhawk 3
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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.