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Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ vs Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 — 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 + 7 road tests and 6 + 50 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: UltraGrip 9+ and Winter i*cept RS2 are level at 76.

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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)

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
Tire BHankook

Winter i*cept RS2

Winter

± 5

Tests 78 · 7 tests Owners 74 · 50 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (wet handling)

Category by category

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

Key facts

  • In 3 tests that measured wet braking for both, UltraGrip 9+ won 0 and Winter i*cept RS2 won 3 (average 91% vs 95% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured snow braking for both, UltraGrip 9+ won 2 and Winter i*cept RS2 won 1 (average 99% vs 98% of the best).
  1. 68

    Dry

    Winter i*cept RS2 +6
    74
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 5 tests6075
    Reviews found online7973
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–295%99%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–198%98%
    Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–080%80%

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 60.1 + 40% × 79.3 = 68

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 75.2 + 40% × 72.5 = 74

  2. 85

    Wet

    Level
    85
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 7 tests8790
    Reviews found online8379
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–296%100%
    Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–050%50%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–391%95%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–198%100%

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 86.6 + 40% × 83.3 = 85

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 89.8 + 40% × 78.5 = 85

  3. 80

    Snow

    UltraGrip 9+ +3
    77
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 7 tests8581
    Reviews found online7471
    Snow Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–199%98%
    Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–197%100%
    Snow Traction (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–099%98%
    Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–090%60%

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 84.7 + 40% × 74.1 = 80

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 80.6 + 40% × 71.4 = 77

  4. 76

    Comfort

    UltraGrip 9+ +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7775
    Reviews found online7568
    Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%90%

    UltraGrip 9+: 40% × 76.8 + 60% × 74.7 = 76

    Winter i*cept RS2: 40% × 75.2 + 60% × 67.8 = 71

  5. 69

    Noise

    UltraGrip 9+ +9
    60
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 4 tests7156
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–198%100%

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 70.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 56.4 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 60

    No owner ratings of noise for UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2. 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.

  6. 75

    Treadwear

    Level
    75
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests7174
    Reviews found online8176
    Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–081%73%

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 71.4 + 40% × 81.3 = 75

    Winter i*cept RS2: 60% × 74.5 + 40% × 75.7 = 75

  7. 74

    Handling (owners)

    Level
    74
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Reviews found online7474
  8. 78

    Efficiency

    UltraGrip 9+ +36
    42
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 5 tests7842
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–093%83%
Scores at a glance
CategoryGoodyear UltraGrip 9+Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
Relative Score 76 76
Dry 68 74
Wet 85 85
Snow 80 77
Comfort 76 71
Noise 69 60
Treadwear 75 75
Handling (owners) 74 74
Efficiency 78 42

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
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

UltraGrip 9+

± 5

Winter i*cept RS2

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 4 tests that ran both, Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ finished ahead 1 times and Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 3 times.

DisciplineCategoryUltraGrip 9+Winter i*cept RS2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 95% 99% −4.4 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Dry Handling Dry 98% 98% −0.5 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 80% 80% 0.0 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 96% 100% −3.9 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wet Braking Wet 91% 95% −3.5 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16
Wet Handling Wet 98% 100% −1.8 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 50% 50% 0.0 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Snow Braking Snow 99% 98% +1.5 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16
Snow Handling Snow 97% 100% −2.6 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 90% 60% +30.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Snow Traction Snow 99% 98% +0.8 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 100% 90% +10.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Noise Noise 98% 100% −2.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wear Treadwear 81% 73% +8.1 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 93% 83% +9.9 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 80% 84% −3.9 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #7/20 #19/20 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Value Cost 79% 74% +4.5 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Overall Ranking Overall #6/49 #3/49 – 1–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A UltraGrip 9+

Pros

  • Excellent wet and cold weather grip
  • High levels of ride comfort and low noise
  • Strong value proposition compared to premium competitors

Cons

  • Performance on deep snow and ice may lag slightly behind specialized winter-focused brands like Nokian
  • Limited feedback on long-term tread wear due to low mileage in current reviews
  • Increased noise levels specifically on concrete road surfaces
All owner themes in the UltraGrip 9+ review

Tire B Winter i*cept RS2

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and handling on wet and dry roads
  • Impressive resistance to aquaplaning in heavy rain or standing water
  • Strong value for money with a competitive price point

Cons

  • Higher than average road noise, especially at highway speeds
  • Firm, stiff sidewalls leading to a less comfortable or harsh ride
  • Subpar performance and unpredictable grip on ice and black ice
All owner themes in the Winter i*cept RS2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ B · Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1937
Rim diameters14″ – 16″13″ – 17″
Sizes in common1515

Which one should you actually buy?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2

Too close to call: Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ and Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 are within 2 points overall. Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ is stronger on efficiency, noise and comfort. Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 is stronger on dry.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 78 vs 42 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 69 vs 60 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 scores 74 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 76 vs 71 on comfort.

Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
Check price on Amazon

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UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Neither, by our numbers: 85 vs 85 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Hankook Winter i*cept RS2, 74 vs 68 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 80 vs 77 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 69 vs 60 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 76 vs 71 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 75 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, UltraGrip 9+ or Winter i*cept RS2?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 78 vs 42 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