73
/ 100
Objective (60%)
71/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
68/100
8 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — 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
82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
82/100
5 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
39 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — better comfort, wet and handling. Pick the Firestone Winterhawk 3 if noise matters most to you.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
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)
Winterhawk 3 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Winterhawk 3 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 83 | 78 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 82 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 94% | 95% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 98% | 98% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip 9 leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | Winterhawk 3 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 62 | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | 89 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 90% | 91% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 93% | 99% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip 9 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | Winterhawk 3 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 83 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 90 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 94% | 98% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 98% | 97% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip 9 leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | Winterhawk 3 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 100 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 90 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Winterhawk 3 leads by 26
Why this score
| Source | Winterhawk 3 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | 52 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip 9 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Winterhawk 3 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 84 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip 9 leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | Winterhawk 3 | UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 83 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Goodyear UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 82 |
| Dry | 81 | 80 |
| Wet | 65 | 87 |
| Snow | 74 | 86 |
| Comfort | 73 | 96 |
| Noise | 78 | 52 |
| Treadwear | 75 | 84 |
| Handling | 68 | 83 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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.
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
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 | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 95% #10/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | -0.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +0.1 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 80% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | -17.2 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #13/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #10/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +1.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 72% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 83% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -11.2 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 51% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 76% #10/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -24.5 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 62% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 78% #6/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | -15.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 5% #19/51 · 2018 51 Winter Tyre Shootout | 13% #8/15 · 2020 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 | -7.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 94% #21/30 · 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview | 98% #7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | -4.3 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #4/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +1.1 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 90% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #2/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | -8.3 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #7/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 90% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 91% #10/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -1.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 93% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | -6.3 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Firestone Winterhawk 3 is generally perceived as a budget-friendly, average-performing winter tire that prioritizes comfort and longevity over high-performance handling. While some users appreciate its quiet ride and reliability in moderate conditions, others report significant shortcomings in wet weather and snow traction, leading to a polarized user experience.
Pros
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Good longevity and tread wear resistance
- Affordable price point
- Satisfactory performance in dry conditions
Cons
- Inconsistent or poor grip on snow and ice
- Unreliable wet weather performance and braking
- Pronounced understeering tendencies
- Lack of steering feedback and road connection
Observations
- Users with smaller tire sizes, such as 155/65 R14, reported noticeable understeering and poor snow/ice performance.
- Performance feedback appears highly subjective, with some users finding the tire adequate for steady, non-aggressive driving while others find it lacking for more demanding vehicle dynamics.
The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction on snow and ice. Users frequently highlight its superior ride comfort and low noise levels, often noting that it performs as well as or better than premium summer tires in terms of cabin quietness.
Pros
- Exceptional snow and ice traction
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Excellent wet and dry weather performance in cold temperatures
- Low rolling resistance contributing to improved fuel economy
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
Observations
- Users with smaller city cars and hatchbacks (e.g., VW Polo, Suzuki Swift, Opel Astra) report high satisfaction with winter mobility and fuel efficiency.
- Drivers of heavier or rear-wheel-drive vehicles (e.g., Volvo estate models) noted a significant improvement in hill-climbing ability and stability compared to summer tires.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Firestone Winterhawk 3 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Firestone
82
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — better comfort, wet and handling. Pick the Firestone Winterhawk 3 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Firestone Winterhawk 3 scores 78 vs 52 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 96 vs 73 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 87 vs 65 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 83 vs 68 on handling.
Tire A · Firestone Winterhawk 3
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9
More comparisons
Also compared with
Firestone Winterhawk 3 also compared with
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 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.