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Head-to-head Updated

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ vs Michelin X Ice Snow — 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 + 13 road tests and 6 + 19 owner reviews. How we score

UltraGrip 9+ leads, 76–74 Narrow edge

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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)

Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire BMichelin

X Ice Snow

Winter

± 5

Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 79 · 19 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (subj. comfort)

Category by category

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

  1. 68

    Dry

    Level
    68
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 11 tests6065
    Reviews found online7972

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

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 72.2 = 68

  2. 85

    Wet

    UltraGrip 9+ +14
    71
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 12 tests8764
    Reviews found online8381

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 86.6 + 40% × 83.4 = 85

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 80.6 = 71

  3. 80

    Snow

    UltraGrip 9+ +3
    77
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 12 tests8573
    Reviews found online7482

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

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 81.8 = 77

  4. 76

    Comfort

    X Ice Snow +5
    81
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7782
    Reviews found online7580

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

    X Ice Snow: 40% × 82.3 + 60% × 80 = 81

  5. 69

    Noise

    X Ice Snow +6
    75
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 8 tests7181
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

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

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 75

    No owner ratings of noise for UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow. 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

    X Ice Snow +2
    77
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests71≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8183

    UltraGrip 9+: 60% × 71.4 + 40% × 81.4 = 75

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 83.2 = 77

    No road tests of treadwear for X Ice Snow. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 74

    Handling (owners)

    X Ice Snow +2
    76
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Reviews found online7476
  8. 78

    Efficiency

    UltraGrip 9+ +1
    77
    Why this score
    SourceUltraGrip 9+X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 6 tests7877
Scores at a glance
CategoryGoodyear UltraGrip 9+Michelin X Ice Snow
Relative Score 76 74
Dry 68 68
Wet 85 71
Snow 80 77
Comfort 76 81
Noise 69 75
Treadwear 75 77
Handling (owners) 74 76
Efficiency 78 77

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
± 6

UltraGrip 9+

± 5

X Ice Snow

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.

DisciplineCategoryUltraGrip 9+X Ice SnowΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 92% #13/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #9/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test 92% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 80% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test 78% #5/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 98% #2/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 95% #4/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 72% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #3/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test 95% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 50% #7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test 80% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 100% #1/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 98% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 100% #2/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 69% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 97% #4/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test 86% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 90% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test 56% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 97% #7/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 96% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 100% #2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test 97% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #5/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 98% #3/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test 100% #1/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 96% #2/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test 97% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 77% #4/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test 50% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #3/16 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test #7/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

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 X Ice Snow

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and lateral grip in deep snow and slush
  • High level of confidence and stability on icy surfaces
  • Excellent tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Average performance and handling on dry or wet pavement
  • Increased road noise as the tires wear over time
  • Can feel slightly 'twitchy' or less stable at the absolute limit of handling
All owner themes in the X Ice Snow review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ B · Michelin X Ice Snow
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available19100
Rim diameters14″ – 16″13″ – 21″
Sizes in common1616

Which one should you actually buy?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+

Michelin X Ice Snow

Narrow edge: Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ — better wet and snow. Pick the Michelin X Ice Snow if noise and comfort matter most to you.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 85 vs 71 on wet.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 69 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 81 vs 76 on comfort.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 80 vs 77 on snow.

Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
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Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

Goodyear UltraGrip 9+, 85 vs 71 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 68 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

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

Which is quieter, UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 69 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 81 vs 76 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 77 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, UltraGrip 9+ or X Ice Snow?

Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 77 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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