Tests 75 · 3 tests Owners 77 · 39 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 vs Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
UltraGrip 9 leads, 76–72 Narrow edge
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Tests 78 · 24 tests Owners 66 · 62 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 16 in 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (wear)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
71
Dry
Kinergy 4S2 +374Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 82 Reviews found online 73 63 Dry Braking (% of best) 95% 91% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 99% -
85
Wet
UltraGrip 9 +580Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) 86 85 Reviews found online 83 72 Wet Braking (% of best) 99% 98% Wet Handling (% of best) 100% 97% -
75
Snow
UltraGrip 9 +273Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) 74 78 Reviews found online 77 66 Snow Braking (% of best) 100% 98% Snow Handling (% of best) 95% 96% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 93% -
74
Comfort
UltraGrip 9 +371Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) – 75 Reviews found online 79 65 -
64
Noise
Kinergy 4S2 +468Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) 63 68 -
73
Treadwear
UltraGrip 9 +568Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) 73 71 Reviews found online 73 63 -
79
Handling
UltraGrip 9 +1465Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Reviews found online 79 65
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 72 |
| Dry | 71 | 74 |
| Wet | 85 | 80 |
| Snow | 75 | 73 |
| Comfort | 74 | 71 |
| Noise | 64 | 68 |
| Treadwear | 73 | 68 |
| Handling | 79 | 65 |
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
72
/ 100
Kinergy 4S2
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 | Kinergy 4S2 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 91% #3/10 · 2018 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | +3.9 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/10 · 2025 Auto Bild Sports Car All Season Tyre Test | −0.6 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% #2/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 81% #11/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | +10.0 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 90% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 86% #13/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +4.6 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #5/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/10 · 2018 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | −0.7 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 71% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 74% #3/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | −2.4 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 71% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 81% #6/15 · 2025 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test | −9.9 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 67% #4/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | −29.7 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 17% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 17% #6/9 · 2025 Auto Bild All Season Camper Van Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/10 · 2025 Auto Bild Sports Car All Season Tyre Test | +1.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 95% #8/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 96% #6/11 · 2025 Autobild SUV All Season Tyre Test | −1.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 93% #8/16 · 2024 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | +7.3 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 96% #3/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 96% #3/10 · 2018 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | +0.3 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #2/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #4/10 · 2019 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 98% #2/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | +1.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 97% #4/16 · 2021 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | +3.1 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
Tire B Kinergy 4S2
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather grip, braking, and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong performance and confidence in cold temperatures, light snow, and slush
- High overall value for money compared to premium tier alternatives
Cons
- Increased road noise and occasional highway 'whining' or howling between 120-140 km/h
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear or uneven inner tread deformation
- Softer sidewalls can induce initial steering delay or a slight floating feel during aggressive cornering
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | All Season Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9
72
/ 100
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — better handling, wet and treadwear. Pick the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 if noise and dry matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 79 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 85 vs 80 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 73 vs 68 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 scores 68 vs 64 on noise.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9
Tire B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2
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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.