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Head-to-head Updated

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 vs Firestone Winterhawk 3 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 21 + 4 road tests and 30 + 8 owner reviews. How we score

g-Force Winter 2 is ahead, 80–63

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BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2
Tire ABFGoodrich

g-Force Winter 2

Winter

± 5

Tests 78 · 21 tests Owners 83 · 30 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 31 in 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test (snow braking)

Firestone Winterhawk 3
Tire BFirestone

Winterhawk 3

Winter

± 8

Tests 68 · 4 tests Owners 57 · 8 reviews

Best test result: #5 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (noise)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

Key facts

  • In 3 tests that measured wet braking for both, g-Force Winter 2 won 3 and Winterhawk 3 won 0 (average 91% vs 85% of the best).
  1. 69

    Dry

    g-Force Winter 2 +7
    62
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 2 tests6266
    Reviews found online8057
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–195%98%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–197%98%

    g-Force Winter 2: 60% × 62.1 + 40% × 80.3 = 69

    Winterhawk 3: 60% × 66.1 + 40% × 56.7 = 62

  2. 87

    Wet

    g-Force Winter 2 +25
    62
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 21 / 4 tests8664
    Reviews found online8960
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%92%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–091%85%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–095%95%

    g-Force Winter 2: 60% × 86 + 40% × 88.6 = 87

    Winterhawk 3: 60% × 64 + 40% × 59.7 = 62

  3. 89

    Snow

    g-Force Winter 2 +25
    64
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 21 / 3 tests9471
    Reviews found online8255
    Snow Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0100%94%
    Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–099%96%

    g-Force Winter 2: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 82 = 89

    Winterhawk 3: 60% × 70.7 + 40% × 54.6 = 64

  4. 78

    Comfort

    g-Force Winter 2 +18
    60
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests67≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online8556

    g-Force Winter 2: 40% × 66.7 + 60% × 85.2 = 78

    Winterhawk 3: 40% × 66 (est.) + 60% × 55.7 = 60

    No road tests of comfort for Winterhawk 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 76

    Noise

    g-Force Winter 2 +9
    67
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 2 tests8267
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–099%98%

    g-Force Winter 2: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 76

    Winterhawk 3: 60% × 66.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67

    No owner ratings of noise for g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 76

    Treadwear

    g-Force Winter 2 +11
    65
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 2 tests7370
    Reviews found online8259
    Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–080%72%

    g-Force Winter 2: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 81.7 = 76

    Winterhawk 3: 60% × 69.6 + 40% × 59.2 = 65

  7. 85

    Handling (owners)

    g-Force Winter 2 +29
    56
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Reviews found online8556
  8. 65

    Efficiency

    g-Force Winter 2 +3
    62
    Why this score
    Sourceg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 2 tests6562
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–089%84%
Scores at a glance
CategoryBFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2Firestone Winterhawk 3
Relative Score 80 63
Dry 69 62
Wet 87 62
Snow 89 64
Comfort 78 60
Noise 76 67
Treadwear 76 65
Handling (owners) 85 56
Efficiency 65 62

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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
± 5

g-Force Winter 2

± 8

Winterhawk 3

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

In the overall rankings of 4 tests that ran both, BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 finished ahead 4 times and Firestone Winterhawk 3 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryg-Force Winter 2Winterhawk 3ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 95% 98% −2.5 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Dry Handling Dry 97% 98% −1.4 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 100% 92% +7.7 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Wet Braking Wet 91% 85% +5.9 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test · 245/45 R18
Wet Handling Wet 95% 95% +0.1 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Snow Braking Snow 100% 94% +6.1 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17
Snow Handling Snow 99% 96% +3.6 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Noise Noise 99% 98% +0.4 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Wear Treadwear 80% 72% +7.7 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 89% 84% +4.8 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #9/20 #14/20 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Value Cost 61% 60% +1.6 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Overall Ranking Overall #7/48 #32/48 – 4–0 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test · 245/45 R18

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A g-Force Winter 2

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and grip in deep snow and on ice
  • Strong performance in wet conditions with effective water evacuation
  • High value-for-money ratio compared to premium competitors

Cons

  • Lack of on-center steering feel and responsiveness
  • Mediocre handling and grip during dry-road driving
  • Increased noise levels on certain road surfaces
All owner themes in the g-Force Winter 2 review

Tire B Winterhawk 3

Pros

  • High levels of ride comfort and low noise
  • Good longevity and tread wear resistance
  • Affordable price point

Cons

  • Inconsistent or poor grip on snow and ice
  • Unreliable wet weather performance and braking
  • Pronounced understeering tendencies
All owner themes in the Winterhawk 3 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 B · Firestone Winterhawk 3
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available7539
Rim diameters14″ – 20″13″ – 18″
Sizes in common3737

Which one should you actually buy?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2

Firestone Winterhawk 3

Winner: BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 — better handling, wet and snow. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 scores 85 vs 56 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 scores 87 vs 62 on wet.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 scores 89 vs 64 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 scores 78 vs 60 on comfort.

Tire A · BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2
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Tire B · Firestone Winterhawk 3
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g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

Which is better in the wet, g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2, 87 vs 62 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2, 69 vs 62 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2, 89 vs 64 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2, 76 vs 67 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2, 78 vs 60 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2, 76 vs 65 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, g-Force Winter 2 or Winterhawk 3?

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2, 65 vs 62 on our efficiency score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology