Tests 72 · 2 tests Owners 79 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test (dry handling)
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 2 + 3 road tests and 3 + 4 owner reviews. How we score
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 is ahead, 75–62
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.
Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 51 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2018 Vi Studded 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.
-
75
Dry
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 +1560Why this score
Source Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests 72 73 Reviews found online 79 42 Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1: 60% × 71.9 + 40% × 79.2 = 75
UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 42.2 = 60
-
78
Wet
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 +1365Why this score
Source Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests 75 74 Reviews found online 83 52 Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1: 60% × 74.8 + 40% × 83.1 = 78
UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 52.1 = 65
-
74
Snow
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 +272Why this score
Source Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests 70 74 Reviews found online 79 68 Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 78.6 = 74
UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 67.9 = 72
-
75
Comfort
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 +2055Why this score
Source Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 64 (est.) Reviews found online 80 41 Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 79.8 = 75
UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 64.3 (est.) + 40% × 41.2 = 55
No road tests of comfort for Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 or UltraGrip Ice Arctic. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
66
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 65 – Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) – Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1: 60% × 65.4 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 66
No owner ratings of noise for Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
-
72
Treadwear
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 +1854Why this score
Source Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 59 (est.) Reviews found online 77 45 Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 77 = 72
UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 59.3 (est.) + 40% × 45.1 = 54
No road tests of treadwear for Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
No road tests of treadwear for UltraGrip Ice Arctic. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
-
80
Handling (owners)
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 +3149Why this score
Source Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 UltraGrip Ice Arctic Reviews found online 80 49
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 62 |
| Dry | 75 | 60 |
| Wet | 78 | 65 |
| Snow | 74 | 72 |
| Comfort | 75 | 55 |
| Noise | 66 | – |
| Treadwear | 72 | 54 |
| Handling (owners) | 80 | 49 |
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
Recomputed
Headline score
75
/ 100
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1
62
/ 100
UltraGrip Ice Arctic
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.
| Discipline | Category | Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #5/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 92% #5/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 98% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #7/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 97% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #5/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 94% #10/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 93% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #5/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% #6/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 96% #4/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% #5/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/10 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | #4/5 2021 Test World Winter Studded Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1
Pros
- Strong traction and grip in deep snow and mud conditions
- Reliable performance on wet roads
- Predictable handling on icy surfaces
Cons
- Susceptibility to aquaplaning at highway speeds
- Noticeable road noise on dry pavement
- Soft sidewall feel when ambient temperatures exceed 7°C
Tire B UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on packed snow
- Strong performance on ice during the first two seasons
- Reliable winter grip in extreme arctic conditions
Cons
- Significant stud loss after two seasons of use
- Abrupt and dangerous decline in grip performance by the third year
- Poor longevity relative to competitors despite remaining tread depth
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 30 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Raised Black Lettering | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
75
/ 100
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1
62
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Winner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 scores 80 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 scores 75 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 scores 72 vs 54 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 scores 75 vs 60 on dry.
Tire A · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 or UltraGrip Ice Arctic?
Which is better in the wet, Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 or UltraGrip Ice Arctic?
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1, 78 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 or UltraGrip Ice Arctic?
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1, 75 vs 60 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 or UltraGrip Ice Arctic?
Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 72 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 or UltraGrip Ice Arctic?
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1, 75 vs 55 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1 or UltraGrip Ice Arctic?
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance SUV Gen-1, 72 vs 54 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