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Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ vs Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-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 5 + 8 road tests and 6 + 3,043 owner reviews. How we score

UltraGrip 9+ is ahead, 76–71

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Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Tire AGoodyear

UltraGrip 9+

Winter

± 6

Tests 75 · 5 tests Owners 79 · 6 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test (ice braking)

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
Tire BGoodyear

Vector 4Seasons Gen-2

All Season

± 5

Tests 76 · 8 tests Owners 67 · 3,043 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2017 All Season VS 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. 67

    Dry

    UltraGrip 9+ +10
    57
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 8 tests6057
    Reviews found online7958

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 59.8 + 40% × 78.8 = 67

    Vector 4Seasons Gen-2: 60% × 56.9 + 40% × 58.1 = 57

  2. 85

    Wet

    UltraGrip 9+ +3
    82
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 8 tests8688
    Reviews found online8373

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 86.3 + 40% × 83.1 = 85

    Vector 4Seasons Gen-2: 60% × 87.9 + 40% × 72.6 = 82

  3. 80

    Snow

    UltraGrip 9+ +2
    78
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 6 tests8584
    Reviews found online7467

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 84.7 + 40% × 73.7 = 80

    Vector 4Seasons Gen-2: 60% × 84.3 + 40% × 67.3 = 78

  4. 75

    Comfort

    UltraGrip 9+ +8
    67
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests76≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online7466

    UltraGrip 9+: 40% × 75.7 + 60% × 74.1 = 75

    Vector 4Seasons Gen-2: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 66.2 = 67

    No road tests of comfort for Vector 4Seasons Gen-2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 69

    Noise

    Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 +3
    72
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 5 tests7175
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 69

    Vector 4Seasons Gen-2: 60% × 75.1 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 72

    No owner ratings of noise for UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-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. 76

    Treadwear

    UltraGrip 9+ +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests7277
    Reviews found online8270

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 81.6 = 76

    Vector 4Seasons Gen-2: 60% × 76.8 + 40% × 70.3 = 74

  7. 74

    Handling (owners)

    UltraGrip 9+ +11
    63
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Reviews found online7463
  8. 78

    Efficiency

    UltraGrip 9+ +4
    74
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 6 tests7874
Scores at a glance
CategoryGoodyear UltraGrip 9+Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
Relative Score 76 71
Dry 67 57
Wet 85 82
Snow 80 78
Comfort 75 67
Noise 69 72
Treadwear 76 74
Handling (owners) 74 63
Efficiency 78 74

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

UltraGrip 9+

± 5

Vector 4Seasons Gen-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 1 tests that ran both, Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ finished ahead 1 times and Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryUltraGrip 9+Vector 4Seasons Gen-2ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/14 #5/14 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Autoklub CR Winter / All-Season Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A UltraGrip 9+

Pros

  • Strong cold-weather and wet grip, with one owner describing wet grip at 0–10°C as feeling as sure-footed as in the dry
  • Capable snow and ice performance in the conditions reported, including hill climbs past stranded vehicles and handling of icy rural roads
  • Comfortable and quiet on the road, with some noise noted only on concrete surfaces; one reviewer found it quieter than a Nokian WRD4

Cons

  • Long-term durability is largely unproven, as reviewers had covered only about 1,000 to 8,000 km and several said it was too early to judge wear
  • Snow and ice performance was not tested extensively, since mild winters or limited exposure meant some owners could not comment on severe conditions
  • Snow traction was reported as not matching a Nokian WRD4 in one second-hand comparison
All owner themes in the UltraGrip 9+ review

Tire B Vector 4Seasons Gen-2

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and safety in wet, rainy, and standing water conditions
  • Outstanding traction and confidence in deep snow, ice, and cold winter weather
  • Comfortable, smooth, and relatively quiet ride quality

Cons

  • Reduced dry-weather performance and softer handling response in warm temperatures (above 20°C)
  • Prone to wheel spin, understeer, and tread squal when pushed hard or during aggressive starts in dry conditions
  • Vague or floaty steering feel on twisty roads or at highway speeds
All owner themes in the Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ B · Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
CategoryWinterAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1934
Rim diameters14″ – 16″13″ – 20″
Sizes in common99

Which one should you actually buy?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2

Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ — better handling, dry and comfort. Pick the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 74 vs 63 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 67 vs 57 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 75 vs 67 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 78 vs 74 on efficiency.

Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
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Tire B · Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
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UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 85 vs 82 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 67 vs 57 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Neither, by our numbers: 80 vs 78 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2, 72 vs 69 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 75 vs 67 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 74 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, UltraGrip 9+ or Vector 4Seasons Gen-2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 78 vs 74 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