Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 review
The Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 is highly regarded for its exceptional ice traction and acceleration capabilities, making it a strong performer for demanding winter conditions. While it excels in straight-line grip and controlled maneuvers, users note that cornering requires a more measured approach compared to some premium competitors.
Owners rate it 41.5 points higher than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
91%By road tests
49.5%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 1 owner review across retailers and review sites.
The Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 is highly regarded for its exceptional ice traction and acceleration capabilities, making it a strong performer for demanding winter conditions. While it excels in straight-line grip and controlled maneuvers, users note that cornering requires a more measured approach compared to some premium competitors.
Pros
- Outstanding acceleration and braking performance on ice
- Reliable straight-line stability in severe winter conditions
- Well-suited for spirited driving and performance-oriented winter use
Cons
- Lateral grip during cornering is less aggressive than some competitors
- Requires speed adjustment before entering turns to maintain control
- Stud design may offer different handling characteristics compared to triangular-stud alternatives
Worth knowing
- Demonstrated strong performance capabilities when paired with rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vehicle configurations
- Effective for specialized winter use cases, such as ice lake driving
7 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2025 Friction and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
10th of 14
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 10th of 14 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 14 | |
| Dry Braking | 10th of 14 | |
| Snow Braking | 11th of 14 | |
| Snow Traction | 11th of 14 | |
| Ice Braking | 11th of 14 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 12th of 14 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 8th of 14 | |
| Ice Traction | 12th of 14 | |
| Subj. Noise | 11th of 14 |
2024 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17
4th of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Noise | 5th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 5th of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 7th of 8 |
The Best Studded / Friction Winter tires for 2024 · 225/50 R17
14th of 17
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2023 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17
3rd of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 2nd of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 7th of 8 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 7th of 8 | |
| Noise | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 3rd of 8 |
2022 Studded Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
3rd of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 7th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 7th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 8th of 8 | |
| Noise | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 1st of 8 | |
| Price | 5th of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 8th of 8 |
2021 Nordic Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
3rd of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 4th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Noise | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 4th of 8 |
2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
3rd of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 10th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 12th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 3rd of 16 | |
| Ice Traction | 6th of 16 | |
| Subj. Noise | 11th of 16 | |
| Price | 11th of 16 |