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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — 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 1 + 4 road tests and 21 + 32 owner reviews. How we score

Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 is ahead, 77–68

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Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Tire BGoodyear

Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

Winter

± 7

Tests 72 · 4 tests Owners 81 · 32 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test (wet braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 73

    Dry

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +1
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests8569
    Reviews found online5480

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 84.9 + 40% × 54.1 = 73

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 69.5 + 40% × 80.4 = 74

  2. 67

    Wet

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +16
    83
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests6682
    Reviews found online6986

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 65.6 + 40% × 68.5 = 67

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 81.9 + 40% × 85.7 = 83

  3. 73

    Snow

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +4
    77
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests6976
    Reviews found online7977

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 68.9 + 40% × 78.5 = 73

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 76.1 + 40% × 77.4 = 77

  4. 61

    Comfort

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +16
    77
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests69≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online5580

    Blizzak WS90: 40% × 68.8 + 60% × 55.2 = 61

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 40% × 71 (est.) + 60% × 80.3 = 77

    No road tests of comfort for Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 63

    Noise

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +4
    67
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7068
    Reviews found online51≈ 66 (est.)

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 51.1 = 63

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 67.7 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67

    No owner ratings of noise for Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1. 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. 61

    Treadwear

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +10
    71
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 63 (est.)63
    Reviews found online5882

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 63.4 (est.) + 40% × 57.8 = 61

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 63.4 + 40% × 81.6 = 71

    No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS90. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 62

    Handling (owners)

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +21
    83
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Reviews found online6283
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests–72
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS90Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Relative Score 68 77
Dry 73 74
Wet 67 83
Snow 73 77
Comfort 61 77
Noise 63 67
Treadwear 61 71
Handling (owners) 62 83
Efficiency – 72

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

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Blizzak WS90

± 7

Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS90Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 90% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 98% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 79% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 95% #3/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 70% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 95% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 85% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 99% #5/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #8/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test #8/16 2019 Teknikens Värld Large Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Blizzak WS90

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and acceleration on ice and hard-packed snow
  • Excellent braking performance in hazardous winter conditions
  • Strong capability in slush and deep snow

Cons

  • Increased road noise during highway driving
  • Less responsive or 'softer' handling feel on dry pavement
  • Potential for minor rubbing depending on vehicle fitment
All owner themes in the Blizzak WS90 review

Tire B Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather and slush performance
  • Strong traction and braking capabilities in snow
  • High durability and long tread life

Cons

  • Increased road noise reported by some users at higher speeds
  • Vague steering feedback and sidewall flex during spirited dry-road driving
  • Occasional loss of grip in dry conditions or when temperatures exceed 7°C
All owner themes in the Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available4517
Rim diameters15″ – 19″16″ – 20″
Tread depth11/32″9 - 11/32″
SidewallBlackwallRaised Black Lettering
Max pressure44 psi50 psi
Sizes in common88

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

Winner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — better handling, wet and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 83 vs 62 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 83 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 77 vs 61 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 71 vs 61 on treadwear.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
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Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
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Blizzak WS90 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 83 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 74 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 77 vs 73 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Blizzak WS90 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 67 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 77 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 71 vs 61 on our treadwear 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