66
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
60/100
9 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2 vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — 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%)
76/100
6 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
61 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better snow, handling and treadwear. 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)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 88 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 89 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 77 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 90 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 90 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 98 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 66
Why this score
| Source | Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 71 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 10 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance 2 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 78 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 81 | 79 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 38 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 98 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 77 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 71 | 87 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2 | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 82 |
| Dry | 79 | 89 |
| Wet | 73 | 83 |
| Snow | 10 | 76 |
| Comfort | 81 | 79 |
| Noise | – | 62 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 81 |
| Handling | 71 | 87 |
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
66
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2 receives highly polarized feedback, with users divided between those who find it a top-tier performance winter tire and those who report significant traction failures in snow and ice. While many praise its comfort, quietness, and wet-weather handling, a notable subset of reviewers experienced poor grip in winter conditions, leading to inconsistent performance reports.
Pros
- Excellent comfort and low noise levels
- Strong performance in wet and cold conditions
- Reliable handling and traction on dry tarmac
- High-quality compound offering superior braking and cornering for some users
Cons
- Inconsistent and sometimes dangerous traction on snow and ice
- Vague steering feedback on tarmac
- Performance degradation in warmer temperatures
- High price point relative to some competitors
Observations
- Users noted that the tire performs best in cold temperatures and loses its 'sticky' feel when ambient temperatures rise.
- Some users reported that the tire's performance is highly dependent on specific road conditions, with some finding it superior to Michelin Alpin and Continental alternatives, while others found it inferior to Nokian products.
The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet, slushy, and cold dry conditions. Users consistently praise its sporty handling and confidence-inspiring grip, though it is frequently noted that the tire's performance and longevity are compromised if used in warm temperatures or during summer months.
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and resistance to hydroplaning.
- Strong dry-road handling and steering precision for a winter tire.
- Excellent traction and stability in snow and slush.
- Comfortable and relatively quiet ride quality.
- Aesthetically pleasing design with effective rim protection.
Cons
- Rapid tread wear, particularly if driven in temperatures above 15°C or year-round.
- Susceptibility to sidewall damage and bubbling when encountering road hazards.
- Increased noise levels as the tire ages and tread depth decreases.
- High price point compared to some competitors.
Observations
- Drivers of high-torque, rear-wheel-drive performance vehicles report high satisfaction with the tire's ability to maintain traction and control.
- Users with staggered fitments on luxury sedans (e.g., BMW 5-series, M240i) note that the tire maintains its sporty character well in cold climates.
- Some owners of heavier vehicles or those with high-horsepower setups noted that the tire's longevity is significantly reduced under aggressive driving styles.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2 | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 32 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Goodyear
82
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better snow, handling and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 10 on snow.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 87 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 70 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 89 vs 79 on dry.
Tire A · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
More comparisons
Also compared with
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2 also compared with
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 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.