Tests 73 · 2 tests Owners 69 · 2 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental IceContact 2 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
IceContact 2 is ahead, 70–60
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Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 51 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2018 Vi Studded 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.
-
69
Dry
IceContact 2 +960Why this score
Source IceContact 2 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) 71 73 Reviews found online 66 42 Dry Braking (% of best) 97% 93% -
71
Wet
IceContact 2 +665Why this score
Source IceContact 2 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) 70 74 Reviews found online 72 52 Wet Braking (% of best) 99% 100% -
76
Snow
IceContact 2 +571Why this score
Source IceContact 2 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) 77 74 Reviews found online 75 67 Snow Braking (% of best) 100% 100% Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 94% Snow Traction (% of best) 95% 95% -
66
Comfort
IceContact 2 +1155Why this score
Source IceContact 2 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Reviews found online 63 42 -
65
Treadwear
IceContact 2 +1154Why this score
Source IceContact 2 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Reviews found online 65 45 -
71
Handling
IceContact 2 +2249Why this score
Source IceContact 2 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Reviews found online 71 49
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental IceContact 2 | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 60 |
| Dry | 69 | 60 |
| Wet | 71 | 65 |
| Snow | 76 | 71 |
| Comfort | 66 | 55 |
| Treadwear | 65 | 54 |
| Handling | 71 | 49 |
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.
Important
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
IceContact 2
60
/ 100
UltraGrip Ice Arctic
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | IceContact 2 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #8/10 · 2017 Autocenter Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +3.9 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% #8/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | −4.1 | Same test |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 91% #3/10 · 2017 Autocenter Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #2/10 · 2017 Autocenter Studded Winter Tyre Test | −3.8 | Same test |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 99% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 90% #5/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | +8.1 | Same test |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 100% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 82% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +17.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 17% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +83.3 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/10 · 2017 Autocenter Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/10 · 2017 Autocenter Studded Winter Tyre Test | +0.2 | Same test |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +6.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | +0.6 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | −1.0 | Same test |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A IceContact 2
Pros
- Excellent traction on snow and ice-covered surfaces
- Surprisingly comfortable and quiet ride for a studded tire
- Reliable handling and stability in severe winter conditions
Cons
- Increased road noise when driving on dry or clean pavement
- Noticeable degradation in ice grip performance after two seasons of use
- Requires precise tire pressure maintenance to ensure optimal wet-weather handling
Tire B UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on packed snow
- Strong performance on ice during the first two seasons
- Reliable winter grip in extreme arctic conditions
Cons
- Significant stud loss after two seasons of use
- Abrupt and dangerous decline in grip performance by the third year
- Poor longevity relative to competitors despite remaining tread depth
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental IceContact 2 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Continental IceContact 2
60
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Winner: Continental IceContact 2 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental IceContact 2 scores 71 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental IceContact 2 scores 66 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Continental IceContact 2 scores 65 vs 54 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental IceContact 2 scores 69 vs 60 on dry.
Tire A · Continental IceContact 2
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.