tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Goodyear EfficientGrip vs Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

EfficientGrip is ahead, 60–52

Check price on Amazon · EfficientGrip or Ultra Grip Performance 2 on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Tire AGoodyear

EfficientGrip

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 56 · 1,727 reviews

Best test result: #7 of 14 in 2012 ACE Touring Summer Tyre Test (overall ranking)

“Hi Llew! Currently running Pirelli Cinturato P7 Run Flats. I don't do a lot of long-distance driving anymore, so I am fine with not having a sporty feel, but I wouldn't mind trying that out, being new to BMWs. So the Khumos apparently are a better fit for that. I ran the three 3 choices (Khumo, GY, Pirelli) through chat for a comparison, and it spat out that the Goodyear EfficientGrip is a very "compelling" tyre and the better choice. Not sure what to make of that.”

Tire BGoodyear

Ultra Grip Performance 2

Winter

Tests – · none yet Owners 42 · 13 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 12 in 2011 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 59

    Dry

    EfficientGrip +7
    52
    Why this score
    SourceEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2
    Reviews found online5443
  2. 64

    Wet

    EfficientGrip +10
    54
    Why this score
    SourceEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2
    Reviews found online6249
  3. 67

    Snow

    EfficientGrip +26
    41
    Why this score
    SourceEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2
    Reviews found online6522
  4. 63

    Comfort

    EfficientGrip +3
    60
    Why this score
    SourceEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2
    Reviews found online5751
  5. 58

    Noise

    Ultra Grip Performance 2 +2
    60
    Why this score
    SourceEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2
    Reviews found online4549
  6. 60

    Treadwear

    EfficientGrip +7
    53
    Why this score
    SourceEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2
    Reviews found online5644
  7. 50

    Handling

    EfficientGrip +2
    48
    Why this score
    SourceEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2
    Reviews found online5048
Scores at a glance
CategoryGoodyear EfficientGripGoodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2
Relative Score 60 52
Dry 59 52
Wet 64 54
Snow 67 41
Comfort 63 60
Noise 58 60
Treadwear 60 53
Handling 50 48

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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

EfficientGrip

Ultra Grip Performance 2

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.

DisciplineCategoryEfficientGripUltra Grip Performance 2ΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 14% #7/14 · 2012 ACE Touring Summer Tyre Test 25% #4/12 · 2011 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test −10.7 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A EfficientGrip

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and smooth ride quality
  • Good fuel economy and rolling resistance
  • Reliable wet and dry grip for everyday driving

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls result in a mushy or 'jelly-like' steering feel during cornering
  • Vulnerability to sidewall damage, bulges, and punctures from road hazards
  • Faster-than-expected tread wear for some users
All owner themes in the EfficientGrip review

Tire B Ultra Grip Performance 2

Pros

  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality on dry and wet tarmac
  • Agile handling and reliable grip in wet conditions and light-to-medium snow
  • Good directional tread design for effective water and slush evacuation

Cons

  • Severely lacking traction and grip on packed snow and ice according to dissatisfied users
  • Triggers frequent ABS activation and wheel spin during acceleration and braking in wintry precipitation
  • Vague handling feel on tarmac for certain drivers
All owner themes in the Ultra Grip Performance 2 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Goodyear EfficientGrip

Mixed

Community opinion on the Goodyear EfficientGrip family is mixed, with users frequently praising its high tread life, comfort, and solid wet braking compared to rivals. However, several drivers express concerns regarding soft sidewalls prone to pothole damage, vague handling dynamics during spirited driving, and disappointing cold or wet traction when used out of season. Many discussions also center on comparing it against alternative touring tires like Michelin Primacy and Continental PremiumContact.

r/ex30 ·9 upvotes ·2025-10-29

“Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance SUV - disappointing ditchfinders? Hi all, We're about 4 months into our EX30 ownership (dual motor, UK) and as the weather here changes into the winter and roads become greasy and slippy, I've become increasingly disappointed in the OEM Goodyear boots that the car came supplied with. They are twitchy, lose traction very easily and often break away at the back end without even the smallest amount of provocation. My wife has also commented that they don't inspire confidence in the wet and she's found herself tip-toeing around them at junctions and roundabouts in a way that she's never had to do with other car / tyre combos. Our previous car (Cupra Born) also had Goodyears as OEM tyres, but I don't remember them being as bad as these. In the end, those were recalled by the manufacturer and we had Continentals on for most of our life with the car, which were absolutely fine even with only RWD. The other car is on its second set of Michelin CrossClimates (which are absolutely excellent!) and I'd planned on fitting these to the EX30 when the Goodyears wore out, but I'm now seriously considering replacing them early and flogging them on as part-worns to recoup a bit of the lost cash. I certainly wouldn't have picked Goodyears myself, but does anyone else have any experience (especially on crappy UK autumn road conditions!) that they care to share before I go and burn some money on an early-race pit stop...? Read more”
r/carsireland ·1 upvote ·2026-10-08

“Goodyear EfficientGrip - fitted in 2023 ~€520. Currently have 54k on them. Probably got another 2-3k before they’re down to the wear bars.”
r/TyreReviews ·3 upvotes ·2026-06-16

“Hankook ventus prime 4 VS Goodyear efficientgrip performance 2 I cannot decide between these two tires for ages now. Customer reviews seem all over the place. I drive a tuned volkswagen polo mk6 2020. I need something that inspires confidence for spirited driving in corners with good stability, mainly dry handling and braking but also relatively comfortable. So far I've learned that the goodyear is more comfortable, better in the wet, better at braking but extremely lousy in handling because of the soft sidewalls. Can someone that has used the EGP2 confirm those claims or are they exaggerating. Base spec polos are known for a harsh ride and I live in the balkans. The roads are full of potholes and sometimes you can't even drive around them. specs: 195/55R16 87V”
Top themes
#tread life and longevity#soft sidewall damage#wet and winter grip#comfort vs sporty handling#summer touring tire comparisons#tread cracking and chipping

Based on 21 community posts

Tire B

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Goodyear EfficientGrip B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2
CategorySummerWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available246
Rim diameters15″ – 20″16″ – 17″
Tread depth10/32″8/32″
UTQG340 A A—
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Black LetteringBlackwall
Max pressure50 - 51 psi51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Goodyear EfficientGrip

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2

Winner: Goodyear EfficientGrip — better snow, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Goodyear EfficientGrip scores 67 vs 41 on snow.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Goodyear EfficientGrip scores 64 vs 54 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Goodyear EfficientGrip scores 59 vs 52 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Goodyear EfficientGrip scores 60 vs 53 on treadwear.

Tire A · Goodyear EfficientGrip
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

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.

60

Leads

EfficientGrip

Amazon