Tests 76 · 5 tests Owners 79 · 6 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test (ice braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ vs Yokohama BluEarth 4S AW21 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
UltraGrip 9+ is ahead, 77–61
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Tests 58 · 5 tests Owners 63 · 960 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 16 in 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test (snow braking)
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+ +961Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ BluEarth 4S AW21 Professional tests (TWG score) 64 58 Reviews found online 80 66 Dry Braking (% of best) 95% 90% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
86
Wet
UltraGrip 9+ +1472Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ BluEarth 4S AW21 Professional tests (TWG score) 89 71 Reviews found online 83 74 Wet Braking (% of best) 91% 92% Wet Braking - Concrete (% of best) 91% 91% Wet Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
80
Snow
UltraGrip 9+ +1268Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ BluEarth 4S AW21 Professional tests (TWG score) 84 68 Reviews found online 72 67 Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 95% Snow Handling (% of best) 97% 94% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 87% -
80
Comfort
UltraGrip 9+ +1565Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ BluEarth 4S AW21 Professional tests (TWG score) 83 – Reviews found online 75 61 -
64
Noise
UltraGrip 9+ +1252Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ BluEarth 4S AW21 Professional tests (TWG score) 62 43 -
75
Treadwear
UltraGrip 9+ +3045Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ BluEarth 4S AW21 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 44 Reviews found online 80 47 -
76
Handling
UltraGrip 9+ +1363Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9+ BluEarth 4S AW21 Reviews found online 76 63
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ | Yokohama BluEarth 4S AW21 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 61 |
| Dry | 70 | 61 |
| Wet | 86 | 72 |
| Snow | 80 | 68 |
| Comfort | 80 | 65 |
| Noise | 64 | 52 |
| Treadwear | 75 | 45 |
| Handling | 76 | 63 |
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
77
/ 100
UltraGrip 9+
61
/ 100
BluEarth 4S AW21
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+ | BluEarth 4S AW21 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 97% #4/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 78% #12/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +19.7 | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #11/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 90% #13/31 · 2019 All Season Tyre Performance Overview | +5.0 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #18/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/7 · 2025 Motor All Season Tyre Test | −1.4 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 98% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 78% #7/7 · 2025 Motor All Season Tyre Test | +19.8 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 98% #3/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 95% #15/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +3.7 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 100% #1/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 85% #14/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +15.1 | Different tests |
| Abrasion | Other | 69% #11/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 57% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +12.4 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #5/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 98% #15/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +1.2 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 78% #6/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 56% #15/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +22.1 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/15 · 2022 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 31% #10/14 · 2020 Autoklub CR Winter / All-Season Tire Test R16 | +19.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #2/35 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview | 95% #3/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +4.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #4/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/7 · 2025 Motor All Season Tyre Test | +3.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #3/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 87% #7/7 · 2025 Motor All Season Tyre Test | +13.3 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 94% #6/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 87% #5/7 · 2025 Motor All Season Tyre Test | +7.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #10/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 92% #11/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | −1.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | Wet | 91% #9/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | 91% #10/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | −0.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #7/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/7 · 2025 Motor All Season Tyre Test | −1.2 | 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 BluEarth 4S AW21
Pros
- Excellent grip and stability on wet and flooded roads
- Strong traction and confidence-inspiring performance in snow and ice
- Good value for money compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Higher road noise levels ('howling' or noticeable hum) compared to some other brands
- Softer cornering feel and reduced precision during hot summer months
- Minor negative impact on fuel economy for some drivers
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ | B · Yokohama BluEarth 4S AW21 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | All Season Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
61
/ 100
Yokohama BluEarth 4S AW21
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ — better treadwear, comfort and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 75 vs 45 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 80 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 86 vs 72 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 76 vs 63 on handling.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Tire B · Yokohama BluEarth 4S AW21
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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.