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Head-to-head Updated

Firestone Winterforce 2 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ — 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 0 + 5 road tests and 28 + 6 owner reviews. How we score

UltraGrip 9+ is ahead, 76–60

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Firestone Winterforce 2
Tire AFirestone

Winterforce 2

Winter Premium Touring tires

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 56 · 28 reviews

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Tire BGoodyear

UltraGrip 9+

Winter

± 6

Tests 75 · 5 tests Owners 79 · 6 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test (ice braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 50

    Dry

    UltraGrip 9+ +17
    67
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests≈ 57 (est.)60
    Reviews found online4179

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 56.7 (est.) + 40% × 40.8 = 50

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 59.8 + 40% × 78.8 = 67

    No road tests of dry for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 65

    Wet

    UltraGrip 9+ +20
    85
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 5 tests≈ 66 (est.)86
    Reviews found online6383

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 62.6 = 65

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 86.3 + 40% × 83.1 = 85

    No road tests of wet for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 74

    Snow

    UltraGrip 9+ +6
    80
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 5 tests≈ 72 (est.)85
    Reviews found online7774

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.7 = 74

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 84.7 + 40% × 73.7 = 80

    No road tests of snow for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 51

    Comfort

    UltraGrip 9+ +24
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 63 (est.)76
    Reviews found online4374

    Winterforce 2: 40% × 63.5 (est.) + 60% × 42.9 = 51

    UltraGrip 9+: 40% × 75.7 + 60% × 74 = 75

    No road tests of comfort for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 58

    Noise

    UltraGrip 9+ +11
    69
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 66 (est.)71
    Reviews found online46≈ 66 (est.)

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 45.7 = 58

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 69

    No road tests of noise for Winterforce 2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

    No owner ratings of noise for UltraGrip 9+. 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. 59

    Treadwear

    UltraGrip 9+ +17
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 62 (est.)72
    Reviews found online5482

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 62.1 (est.) + 40% × 54.1 = 59

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 81.6 = 76

    No road tests of treadwear for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 49

    Handling (owners)

    UltraGrip 9+ +25
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Reviews found online4974
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    78
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests–78
Scores at a glance
CategoryFirestone Winterforce 2Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Relative Score 60 76
Dry 50 67
Wet 65 85
Snow 74 80
Comfort 51 75
Noise 58 69
Treadwear 59 76
Handling (owners) 49 74
Efficiency – 78

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
± 8

Winterforce 2

± 6

UltraGrip 9+

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinterforce 2UltraGrip 9+ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #16/15 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires #3/16 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winterforce 2

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and capability in deep snow
  • Highly competitive price point
  • Reliable performance for daily winter commuting

Cons

  • Increased road noise compared to all-season tires
  • Noticeable 'mushy' or soft handling feedback on dry pavement
  • Limited performance on ice without studs
All owner themes in the Winterforce 2 review

Tire B UltraGrip 9+

Pros

  • Strong cold-weather and wet grip, with one owner describing wet grip at 0–10°C as feeling as sure-footed as in the dry
  • Capable snow and ice performance in the conditions reported, including hill climbs past stranded vehicles and handling of icy rural roads
  • Comfortable and quiet on the road, with some noise noted only on concrete surfaces; one reviewer found it quieter than a Nokian WRD4

Cons

  • Long-term durability is largely unproven, as reviewers had covered only about 1,000 to 8,000 km and several said it was too early to judge wear
  • Snow and ice performance was not tested extensively, since mild winters or limited exposure meant some owners could not comment on severe conditions
  • Snow traction was reported as not matching a Nokian WRD4 in one second-hand comparison
All owner themes in the UltraGrip 9+ review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Firestone Winterforce 2 B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
CategoryWinter Premium Touring tiresWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available3119
Rim diameters14″ – 18″14″ – 16″
Tread depth12/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—
Sizes in common77

Which one should you actually buy?

Firestone Winterforce 2

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+

Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ — better handling, comfort and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 74 vs 49 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 75 vs 51 on comfort.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 85 vs 65 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 67 vs 50 on dry.

Tire A · Firestone Winterforce 2
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Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
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Winterforce 2 or UltraGrip 9+?

Which is better in the wet, Winterforce 2 or UltraGrip 9+?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 85 vs 65 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winterforce 2 or UltraGrip 9+?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 67 vs 50 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winterforce 2 or UltraGrip 9+?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 80 vs 74 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winterforce 2 or UltraGrip 9+?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 69 vs 58 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winterforce 2 or UltraGrip 9+?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 75 vs 51 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Winterforce 2 or UltraGrip 9+?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 76 vs 59 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