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Winter tire Premium Touring Winter tire Updated September 2026

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 review

The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 is widely regarded as a highly capable studless Nordic winter tire, praised for its exceptional performance in deep snow and impressive tread longevity. While users consistently highlight its comfort and quiet operation on tarmac, some note a lack of steering feedback and reduced confidence on polished ice compared to studded alternatives.

Relative score
84/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
84/100
9 reviews
Road tests
76/100
5 published tests
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
Scores

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

84%
Would buy again 79%
Dry
Overall dry
85%
Wet
Overall wet
88%
Snow & ice
Overall snow & ice
83%
Comfort
Overall comfort
89%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
95%
Handling
Overall handling
84%

By road tests

76.2%
Dry
81.4%
Wet
80.2%
Snow
86.5%
Noise
61.9%
By discipline (% of best in test)
Dry Braking
33.3%
Subj. Dry Handling
81%
Wet Braking
76.2%
Subj. Wet Handling
100%
Wet Handling
95.2%
Snow Braking
85.7%
Snow Handling
28.6%
Subj. Snow Handling
28.6%
Snow Traction
57.1%
Ice Braking
61.9%
Ice Handling
33.3%
Subj. Ice Handling
66.7%
Ice Traction
61.9%
Inside Noise level
66.7%
Rolling Resistance
90.5%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 9 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 is widely regarded as a highly capable studless Nordic winter tire, praised for its exceptional performance in deep snow and impressive tread longevity. While users consistently highlight its comfort and quiet operation on tarmac, some note a lack of steering feedback and reduced confidence on polished ice compared to studded alternatives.

Pros

  • Excellent traction and reliability in deep snow conditions
  • High level of ride comfort and low cabin noise
  • Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons
  • Predictable handling on mixed winter surfaces

Cons

  • Limited grip on polished ice compared to studded tires
  • Lack of steering feedback and informative handling
  • Potential for aquaplaning in heavy slush or deep water
  • Weak sidewall construction reported in some XL variants

Worth knowing

  • Users noted that the tire's soft compound can feel less informative on steering inputs compared to summer tires.
  • The XL (Extra Load) variant may be susceptible to sidewall damage when encountering significant road hazards like potholes.
Test results

5 published test appearances

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

The Best Studded / Friction Winter tires for 2024 · 225/50 R17

17th of 17
DisciplinePlacementField position

2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18

2nd of 8
Best: Wet Handling · 1st Weakest: Ice Handling · 5th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Handling1st of 8
Snow Traction4th of 8
Snow Handling4th of 8
Ice Handling5th of 8
Rolling Resistance3rd of 8
Straight Aqua2nd of 8
Subj. Dry Handling1st of 8
Noise1st of 8
Ice Traction5th of 8
Price4th of 8

2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

4th of 16
Best: Snow Traction · 2nd Weakest: Dry Braking · 14th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking3rd of 16
Wet Handling7th of 16
Dry Braking14th of 16
Snow Braking8th of 16
Snow Traction2nd of 16
Snow Handling5th of 16
Ice Braking12th of 16
Ice Handling12th of 16
Ice Traction12th of 16
Subj. Noise4th of 16
Price7th of 16

2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter tire Test · 205/60 R16

3rd of 8
Best: Wet Handling · 1st Weakest: Ice Handling · 8th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Handling1st of 8
Snow Handling6th of 8
Ice Handling8th of 8
Rolling Resistance2nd of 8
Straight Aqua1st of 8
Subj. Dry Handling1st of 8
Subj. Noise2nd of 8
Price3rd of 8

2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

11th of 20
Best: Wet Handling · 2nd Weakest: Snow Handling · 16th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking6th of 20
Wet Handling2nd of 20
Dry Braking15th of 20
Snow Braking4th of 20
Snow Traction12th of 20
Snow Handling16th of 20
Ice Braking10th of 20
Ice Handling15th of 20
Ice Traction10th of 20
Subj. Noise13th of 20