Tests 79 · 13 tests Owners 65 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 19 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (ice handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental IceContact 3 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 13 + 4 road tests and 3 + 32 owner reviews. How we score
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 is ahead, 77–72
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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.
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73
Dry
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +174Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 4 tests 76 69 Reviews found online 67 80 IceContact 3: 60% × 76 + 40% × 67.4 = 73
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 69.5 + 40% × 80.4 = 74
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73
Wet
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +1083Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 4 tests 74 82 Reviews found online 70 86 IceContact 3: 60% × 74.5 + 40% × 69.6 = 73
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 81.9 + 40% × 85.7 = 83
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79
Snow
IceContact 3 +277Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 4 tests 84 76 Reviews found online 71 77 IceContact 3: 60% × 83.9 + 40% × 70.5 = 79
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 76.1 + 40% × 77.4 = 77
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75
Comfort
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +277Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 95 ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 62 80 IceContact 3: 40% × 94.6 + 60% × 61.5 = 75
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).
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70
Noise
IceContact 3 +367Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 3 tests 72 68 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) IceContact 3: 60% × 71.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 70
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 67.7 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67
No owner ratings of noise for IceContact 3 or 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.
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57
Treadwear
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +1471Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 61 (est.) 63 Reviews found online 51 82 IceContact 3: 60% × 61 (est.) + 40% × 51.2 = 57
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 63.4 + 40% × 81.6 = 71
No road tests of treadwear for IceContact 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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67
Handling (owners)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +1683Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Reviews found online 67 83 -
67
Efficiency
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +572Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 3 tests 67 72
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental IceContact 3 | Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 77 |
| Dry | 73 | 74 |
| Wet | 73 | 83 |
| Snow | 79 | 77 |
| Comfort | 75 | 77 |
| Noise | 70 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 57 | 71 |
| Handling (owners) | 67 | 83 |
| Efficiency | 67 | 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
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Important
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Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
IceContact 3
77
/ 100
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
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 1 tests that ran both, Continental IceContact 3 finished ahead 1 times and Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | IceContact 3 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #3/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 98% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 92% #5/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 97% #4/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 95% #3/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #3/8 · The BEST Studded Tyres for 2025 | 98% #3/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #2/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 95% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #2/8 · The BEST Studded Tyres for 2025 | 99% #5/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #2/8 · The BEST Studded Tyres for 2025 | 97% #7/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 96% #4/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 79% #6/8 · 2022 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 54% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #1/16 | #8/16 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Teknikens Värld Large Winter Tire Test R17 · 225/50R17 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A IceContact 3
Pros
- Exceptional grip and braking performance on packed snow and ice
- Predictable handling in severe winter conditions
- Strong performance on lake ice tracks
Cons
- Premature stud wear or loss reported after moderate mileage
- Potential for reduced stability in deeper snow (4-5 cm) depending on tire width
- Unpredictable handling characteristics when paired with certain electronic stability control systems
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental IceContact 3 | B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 17 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 9 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Raised Black Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Continental IceContact 3
77
/ 100
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Winner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — better handling, treadwear and wet. Pick the Continental IceContact 3 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 83 vs 67 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 71 vs 57 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 83 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 72 vs 67 on efficiency.
Tire A · Continental IceContact 3
Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
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IceContact 3 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?
Which is better in the wet, IceContact 3 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 83 vs 73 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, IceContact 3 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, IceContact 3 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?
Neither, by our numbers: 79 vs 77 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, IceContact 3 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?
Continental IceContact 3, 70 vs 67 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, IceContact 3 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?
Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 77 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, IceContact 3 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 71 vs 57 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, IceContact 3 or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 72 vs 67 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