69
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
65/100
4 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic vs Michelin Alpin 5 — 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
86
/ 100
Objective (60%)
71/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
85/100
30 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Alpin 5 — better comfort, treadwear and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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)
Alpin 5 leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | 89 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 84 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 99% | 96% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 93 | 86 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 90 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 97% | 92% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 95% | 98% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | 80 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 91 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 93% | 95% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 95% | 96% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 32
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 53 | 85 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 96 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 30
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 90 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 78 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Michelin Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 86 |
| Dry | 64 | 87 |
| Wet | 82 | 87 |
| Snow | 83 | 84 |
| Comfort | 53 | 85 |
| Noise | – | 96 |
| Treadwear | 60 | 90 |
| Handling | 68 | 78 |
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
69
/ 100
Tire A
86
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | 99% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +2.3 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 76% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +17.7 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 33% #3/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 9% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +24.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -2.3 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 95% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #18/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -0.6 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 98% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #4/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +3 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 92% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +4.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | -2.7 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is highly regarded for its exceptional initial performance on packed snow and ice, particularly in extreme winter conditions. However, users consistently report a significant decline in reliability and safety after the second season, primarily due to premature stud loss and a sharp degradation in grip despite having substantial tread depth remaining.
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on packed snow
- Strong performance on ice during the first two seasons
- Reliable winter grip in extreme arctic conditions
Cons
- Significant stud loss after two seasons of use
- Abrupt and dangerous decline in grip performance by the third year
- Poor longevity relative to competitors despite remaining tread depth
Observations
- Users noted that the tire's performance longevity is notably inferior when compared directly to competitors like the Continental IceContact 2.
The Michelin Alpin 5 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, praised for its exceptional traction in snow and wet conditions. While users consistently highlight its longevity and comfort, some note that its performance degrades after three years and that the soft compound is not suitable for warm, dry weather.
Pros
- Exceptional snow and ice traction
- Outstanding wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
- High durability and long tread life
- Excellent ride comfort and low noise levels
Cons
- Performance degradation after 3 years of use
- Soft sidewalls lead to vague handling in corners
- Poor performance and 'smearing' in temperatures above 20°C
- Lack of rim protection
Observations
- Drivers of smaller, lighter vehicles like the Mini Cooper S and Skoda Yeti report significant improvements in driving feel and comfort.
- Users note that the tire's soft sidewalls are beneficial for comfort but detrimental to handling precision on sportier vehicle setups.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | B · Michelin Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Goodyear
86
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Alpin 5 — better comfort, treadwear and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 53 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Alpin 5 scores 90 vs 60 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Alpin 5 scores 87 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Alpin 5 scores 78 vs 68 on handling.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Tire B · Michelin Alpin 5
More comparisons
Also compared with
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic also compared with
Michelin Alpin 5 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.