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 Pirelli Ice Zero 2 — 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
70
/ 100
Objective (60%)
75/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
64/100
3 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Pirelli Ice Zero 2 are within 2 points overall. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is stronger on handling and treadwear. Pirelli Ice Zero 2 is stronger on dry, snow and comfort.
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Category breakdown
6 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)
Ice Zero 2 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | 73 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 77 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 99% | 97% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Ice Zero 2 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 93 | 90 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 73 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 97% | 100% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 95% | 97% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Ice Zero 2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 80 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 97% | 98% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 95% | 95% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 95% | 100% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ice Zero 2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 53 | 57 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip Ice Arctic leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 57 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip Ice Arctic leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 60 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 70 |
| Dry | 64 | 75 |
| Wet | 82 | 83 |
| Snow | 83 | 87 |
| Comfort | 53 | 57 |
| Treadwear | 60 | 57 |
| Handling | 68 | 60 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
69
/ 100
Tire A
70
/ 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 | 99% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +1.1 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 80% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 78% #13/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +2.1 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 94% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 84% #9/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +10.3 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 73% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 71% #13/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +2.3 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 33% #3/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 6% #16/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | +27.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -1.5 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #4/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +0.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -5.3 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 98% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -2.1 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 80% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 89% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -8.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -3.4 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #10/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -1.9 | 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 Pirelli Ice Zero 2 presents a polarized user experience, with performance feedback ranging from high satisfaction in snow and slush to significant disappointment regarding ice traction and noise levels. While some users find it to be a competent and reasonably quiet studded option, others report alarming instability on ice and intrusive acoustic resonance at highway speeds.
Pros
- Reliable performance on snow and slush-covered surfaces
- Acceptable noise levels for a studded tire
- Stable handling characteristics on wet and salted road conditions
Cons
- Significant, high-pitched humming noise at speeds above 95 km/h
- Poor traction and stability on ice compared to premium competitors
- Inconsistent grip during low-speed cornering
Observations
- Users operating all-wheel-drive vehicles, such as the VW Passat Alltrack, reported unexpected slippage in cornering scenarios despite the vehicle's drivetrain advantages.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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
70
/ 100
Pirelli
Too close to call: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Pirelli Ice Zero 2 are within 2 points overall. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is stronger on handling and treadwear. Pirelli Ice Zero 2 is stronger on dry, snow and comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 75 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic scores 68 vs 60 on handling.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 87 vs 83 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 57 vs 53 on comfort.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Tire B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
More comparisons
Also compared with
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic also compared with
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 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.