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Head-to-head Updated

Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance 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 0 + 4 road tests and 14 + 32 owner reviews. How we score

Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 is ahead, 77–66

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Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Tire BGoodyear

Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

Winter

± 7

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.

  1. 66

    Dry

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +8
    74
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests≈ 66 (est.)69
    Reviews found online6480

    Ultra Grip 8 Performance: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.2 = 66

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 69.5 + 40% × 80.4 = 74

    No road tests of dry for Ultra Grip 8 Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 71

    Wet

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +12
    83
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests≈ 71 (est.)82
    Reviews found online7186

    Ultra Grip 8 Performance: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 71.3 = 71

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 82 + 40% × 85.7 = 83

    No road tests of wet for Ultra Grip 8 Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 62

    Snow

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +15
    77
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests≈ 66 (est.)76
    Reviews found online5678

    Ultra Grip 8 Performance: 60% × 65.7 (est.) + 40% × 55.5 = 62

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 76.1 + 40% × 77.5 = 77

    No road tests of snow for Ultra Grip 8 Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 66

    Comfort

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +11
    77
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online6480

    Ultra Grip 8 Performance: 40% × 67.8 (est.) + 60% × 64.1 = 66

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 40% × 71 (est.) + 60% × 80.2 = 77

    No road tests of comfort for Ultra Grip 8 Performance or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    67
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests–68
    Reviews found online–≈ 66 (est.)

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 67.7 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 67

    No owner ratings of noise for 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.

  6. 68

    Treadwear

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 67 (est.)63
    Reviews found online6882

    Ultra Grip 8 Performance: 60% × 67.2 (est.) + 40% × 68.4 = 68

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1: 60% × 63.4 + 40% × 81.7 = 71

    No road tests of treadwear for Ultra Grip 8 Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 64

    Handling (owners)

    Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 +19
    83
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Reviews found online6483
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    72
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests–72
Scores at a glance
CategoryGoodyear Ultra Grip 8 PerformanceGoodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
Relative Score 66 77
Dry 66 74
Wet 71 83
Snow 62 77
Comfort 66 77
Noise – 67
Treadwear 68 71
Handling (owners) 64 83
Efficiency – 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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

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

Ultra Grip 8 Performance

± 7

Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

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.

DisciplineCategoryUltra Grip 8 PerformanceUltra Grip Performance Gen-1ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/48 2014 50 Winter Tyre Braking Overview #8/16 2019 Teknikens Värld Large Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ultra Grip 8 Performance

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
  • Low road noise levels compared to competitors
  • Strong dry road stability and handling

Cons

  • Inconsistent snow and ice traction reported by some users
  • Potential for grip degradation as the tire ages
  • Reports of increased fuel consumption
All owner themes in the Ultra Grip 8 Performance review

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
All owner themes in the Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1417
Rim diameters16″ – 18″16″ – 20″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″9 - 11/32″
SidewallRaised Black LetteringRaised Black Lettering
Max pressure50 - 51 psi50 psi
Sizes in common33

Which one should you actually buy?

Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1

Winner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — better handling, snow and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score. Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 83 vs 64 on handling.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 77 vs 62 on snow.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 83 vs 71 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 77 vs 66 on comfort.

Tire A · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
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Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
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Ultra Grip 8 Performance or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Which is better in the wet, Ultra Grip 8 Performance or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 83 vs 71 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ultra Grip 8 Performance or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 74 vs 66 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Ultra Grip 8 Performance or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 77 vs 62 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Ultra Grip 8 Performance or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 77 vs 66 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ultra Grip 8 Performance or Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1, 71 vs 68 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