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Head-to-head Updated

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 vs Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP — 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 36 + 2 road tests and 17 + 14 owner reviews. How we score

Ultra Grip Performance 3 is ahead, 84–71

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Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3
Tire AGoodyear

Ultra Grip Performance 3

Winter

± 4

Tests 89 · 36 tests Owners 81 · 17 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 51 in 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! (wet braking)

Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
Tire BToyo

Observe GSi-6 HP

Winter

± 7

Tests 69 · 2 tests Owners 73 · 14 reviews

Best test result: #5 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 81

    Dry

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +6
    75
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 29 / 1 tests8273
    Reviews found online8077

    Ultra Grip Performance 3: 60% × 81.5 + 40% × 79.5 = 81

    Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 73 + 40% × 76.9 = 75

  2. 92

    Wet

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +17
    75
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 36 / 2 tests9771
    Reviews found online8481
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%83%
    Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–090%60%

    Ultra Grip Performance 3: 60% × 97.3 + 40% × 84.2 = 92

    Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 80.8 = 75

  3. 82

    Snow

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +16
    66
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 35 / 2 tests8460
    Reviews found online7975
    Ice Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–130%40%
    Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–070%70%

    Ultra Grip Performance 3: 60% × 84.3 + 40% × 79.1 = 82

    Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 59.5 + 40% × 74.6 = 66

  4. 87

    Comfort

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +12
    75
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 1 tests10077
    Reviews found online7974
    Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–090%80%

    Ultra Grip Performance 3: 40% × 100 + 60% × 79.1 = 87

    Observe GSi-6 HP: 40% × 76.6 + 60% × 73.9 = 75

  5. 77

    Noise

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +8
    69
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 25 / 1 tests8472
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Ultra Grip Performance 3: 60% × 84.2 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 77

    Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 71.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 69

    No owner ratings of noise for Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP. 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. 86

    Treadwear

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +24
    62
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / – tests90≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online8159

    Ultra Grip Performance 3: 60% × 89.6 + 40% × 80.7 = 86

    Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 63.7 (est.) + 40% × 58.5 = 62

    No road tests of treadwear for Observe GSi-6 HP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 80

    Handling (owners)

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +5
    75
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Reviews found online8075
  8. 71

    Efficiency

    Ultra Grip Performance 3 +5
    66
    Why this score
    SourceUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 28 / 1 tests7166
    Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–097%96%
Scores at a glance
CategoryGoodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
Relative Score 84 71
Dry 81 75
Wet 92 75
Snow 82 66
Comfort 87 75
Noise 77 69
Treadwear 86 62
Handling (owners) 80 75
Efficiency 71 66

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
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Important
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Less important
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Neutral
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Ultra Grip Performance 3

± 7

Observe GSi-6 HP

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, Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 finished ahead 1 times and Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryUltra Grip Performance 3Observe GSi-6 HPΔHead-to-head
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 100% 83% +16.9 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 90% 60% +30.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18
Ice Handling (tester's mark) Snow 30% 40% −10.0 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 70% 70% 0.0 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 90% 80% +10.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 97% 96% +1.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/20 #12/20 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ultra Grip Performance 3

Pros

  • Strong, predictable grip in snow and slush. Reviewers reported confident traction in Austrian and Ukrainian winter conditions, and one RWD owner drove on uncleared snowy hill roads.
  • Excellent comfort and low noise. Several reviewers described the ride as floating, silent or quiet, and one rated it more comfortable than a Fulda Kristall Control HP2 and quieter and more comfortable than a Continental.
  • Confident wet and dry performance. Reviewers cited strong wet braking and handling, good dry grip and braking, good aquaplaning resistance, and stable high-speed or Autobahn behavior.

Cons

  • Limited traction on icy uphill roads. One reviewer noted it can give up a bit there, though they said this is about 1% of their driving.
  • Softer feel and less steering feedback in mild temperatures. One reviewer at 16°C noted this and found lateral grip not suited to fast driving.
  • Premium pricing. One reviewer noted it is not cheap.
All owner themes in the Ultra Grip Performance 3 review

Tire B Observe GSi-6 HP

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and stability in snow and slush
  • Impressive wet-weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
  • Remarkably quiet ride quality for a winter tire

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life reports, with some users experiencing premature wear
  • Occasional reports of structural failure or tread separation
  • Slightly vague steering feel at lower speeds
All owner themes in the Observe GSi-6 HP review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 B · Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / Crossover—
Sizes available17239
Rim diameters14″ – 22″16″ – 21″
Tread depth11/32″11 - 12/32″
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Black LetteringBlack Side Wall
Max pressure50 - 51 psi50 - 51 psi
Sizes in common3232

Which one should you actually buy?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3

Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP

Winner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 — better treadwear, wet and snow. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 scores 86 vs 62 on treadwear.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 scores 92 vs 75 on wet.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 scores 82 vs 66 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3 scores 87 vs 75 on comfort.

Tire A · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3
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Tire B · Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
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Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Which is better in the wet, Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3, 92 vs 75 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3, 81 vs 75 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3, 82 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3, 77 vs 69 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3, 87 vs 75 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3, 86 vs 62 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Ultra Grip Performance 3 or Observe GSi-6 HP?

Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 3, 71 vs 66 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