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Head-to-head Updated

Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 — 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 4 + 21 road tests and 8 + 30 owner reviews. How we score

g-Force Winter 2 is ahead, 80–63

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Firestone Winterhawk 3
Tire AFirestone

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)

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2
Tire BBFGoodrich

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)

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, Winterhawk 3 won 0 and g-Force Winter 2 won 3 (average 85% vs 91% of the best).
  1. 62

    Dry

    g-Force Winter 2 +7
    69
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 12 tests6662
    Reviews found online5780
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–098%95%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–098%97%

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

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

  2. 62

    Wet

    g-Force Winter 2 +25
    87
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 21 tests6486
    Reviews found online6089
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–192%100%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–385%91%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–195%95%

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

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

  3. 64

    Snow

    g-Force Winter 2 +25
    89
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 21 tests7194
    Reviews found online5582
    Snow Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–294%100%
    Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–196%99%

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

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

  4. 60

    Comfort

    g-Force Winter 2 +18
    78
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 66 (est.)67
    Reviews found online5685

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

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

    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. 67

    Noise

    g-Force Winter 2 +9
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 12 tests6782
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–198%99%

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

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

    No owner ratings of noise for Winterhawk 3 or g-Force Winter 2. 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. 65

    Treadwear

    g-Force Winter 2 +11
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 10 tests7073
    Reviews found online5982
    Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–172%80%

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

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

  7. 56

    Handling (owners)

    g-Force Winter 2 +29
    85
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Reviews found online5685
  8. 62

    Efficiency

    g-Force Winter 2 +3
    65
    Why this score
    SourceWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 12 tests6265
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–184%89%
Scores at a glance
CategoryFirestone Winterhawk 3BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2
Relative Score 63 80
Dry 62 69
Wet 62 87
Snow 64 89
Comfort 60 78
Noise 67 76
Treadwear 65 76
Handling (owners) 56 85
Efficiency 62 65

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
± 8

Winterhawk 3

± 5

g-Force Winter 2

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, Firestone Winterhawk 3 finished ahead 0 times and BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2 4 times.

DisciplineCategoryWinterhawk 3g-Force Winter 2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 98% 95% +2.5 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Dry Handling Dry 98% 97% +1.4 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 92% 100% −7.7 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Wet Braking Wet 85% 91% −5.9 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test · 245/45 R18
Wet Handling Wet 95% 95% −0.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Snow Braking Snow 94% 100% −6.1 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17
Snow Handling Snow 96% 99% −3.6 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Noise Noise 98% 99% −0.4 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Wear Treadwear 72% 80% −7.7 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 84% 89% −4.8 0–1 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 #14/20 #9/20 – 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Value Cost 60% 61% −1.6 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17
Overall Ranking Overall #32/48 #7/48 – 0–4 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 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

Tire B 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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Firestone Winterhawk 3 B · BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available3975
Rim diameters13″ – 18″14″ – 20″
Sizes in common3737

Which one should you actually buy?

Firestone Winterhawk 3

BFGoodrich g-Force Winter 2

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

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

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

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

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

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

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

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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