Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 79 · 40 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 vs Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — 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 3 + 27 road tests and 40 + 3,659 owner reviews. How we score
UltraGrip 9 is ahead, 76–70
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Tests 78 · 27 tests Owners 60 · 3,659 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (curved aquaplaning)
“Zimske gume - premium ili neka srednja klasa? Nakon 2 proklizavanja u skretanju ovaj vikend (po kiši) zaključila sam da je vrijeme da kupim nove gume. Otkako sam uzela auto (prosinac 2022.) imam jedne te iste cjelogodišnje gume, Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 225/45/R17. Prošlu zimu kad je bilo snijega jedva sam kući s posla išla koliko sam se klizala po ulici, kiša još nekako ali snijeg i led katastrofa. Ove godine je i na kiši počeo proklizavati. Auto je zadnji pogon, 115ks ništa specijalno. Ono što me zanima je koliko ima smisla uzeti neke premium gume obzirom da godišnje radim oko 15k kilometara, većinski po gradu (Slavonija), tu i tamo autoput do Zg, možda 2 puta godišnje Mađarska/Austrija/Slovenija. Vidim da svi hvale Continental Wintercontact TS870 ali poprilično su skupe pa imate li možda preporuku za nešto jeftinije, a kvalitetno? Više me zanima da su dobre za kišu jer snijega nema nešto specijalno i sve će biti bolje nego ove koje sad imam. Što se dimenzije tiče imam jedne alu felge pa bih onda uzela istu dimenziju čisto da se ne moram izut iz cipela zbog troškova s kupovanjem još i felgi. TLDR: Zimska guma, 225/45/R17, zadnji pogon, što kupiti? Read more”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
72
Dry
Level72Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 26 tests 70 83 Reviews found online 75 56 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 74.6 = 72
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 82.9 + 40% × 56 = 72
-
84
Wet
UltraGrip 9 +678Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 26 tests 83 87 Reviews found online 86 65 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 83 + 40% × 85.7 = 84
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 86.8 + 40% × 64.9 = 78
-
75
Snow
UltraGrip 9 +372Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 21 tests 73 79 Reviews found online 79 61 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 78.7 = 75
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 78.6 + 40% × 60.9 = 72
-
78
Comfort
UltraGrip 9 +1761Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests ≈ 71 (est.) 72 Reviews found online 82 54 UltraGrip 9: 40% × 71.3 (est.) + 60% × 81.7 = 78
Kinergy 4S2: 40% × 71.6 + 60% × 54.4 = 61
No road tests of comfort for UltraGrip 9. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
65
Noise
UltraGrip 9 +164Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 21 tests 64 62 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) UltraGrip 9: 60% × 63.7 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 65
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 61.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 64
No owner ratings of noise for UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2. 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.
-
75
Treadwear
UltraGrip 9 +867Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 10 tests 73 72 Reviews found online 78 60 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 77.5 = 75
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 72.5 + 40% × 59.7 = 67
-
81
Handling (owners)
UltraGrip 9 +2556Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Reviews found online 81 56 -
75
Efficiency
UltraGrip 9 +2451Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 21 tests 75 51
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 70 |
| Dry | 72 | 72 |
| Wet | 84 | 78 |
| Snow | 75 | 72 |
| Comfort | 78 | 61 |
| Noise | 65 | 64 |
| Treadwear | 75 | 67 |
| Handling (owners) | 81 | 56 |
| Efficiency | 75 | 51 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
76
/ 100
UltraGrip 9
70
/ 100
Kinergy 4S2
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 | UltraGrip 9 | Kinergy 4S2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #14/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 92% #6/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 94% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 94% #4/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 93% #7/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #8/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 90% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 92% #11/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 96% #9/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 96% #4/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 96% #14/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 67% #4/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 85% #6/10 · 2026 Auto Zeitung All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% #2/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 86% #9/9 · 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 71% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 74% #3/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #2/20 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | #7/15 2025 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 71% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 89% #4/10 · 2026 Auto Zeitung All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/8 2020 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R16 | #7/9 2026 AMS All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A UltraGrip 9
Pros
- Exceptional snow and ice traction
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Excellent wet and dry weather performance in cold temperatures
Cons
- Reduced performance on dry, warm asphalt (above 12°C)
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a less sporty or 'wallowy' handling feel
- Reports of premature tread wear or chunking in specific heavy-use cases
Tire B Kinergy 4S2
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather grip, braking, and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong performance and confidence in cold temperatures, light snow, and slush
- High overall value for money compared to premium tier alternatives
Cons
- Increased road noise and occasional highway 'whining' or howling between 120-140 km/h
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear or uneven inner tread deformation
- Softer sidewalls can induce initial steering delay or a slight floating feel during aggressive cornering
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Goodyear UltraGrip 9
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
The Hankook Kinergy 4S2 is widely regarded as a good-value 3PMSF all-weather tire, often recommended as a cheaper alternative to the Michelin CrossClimate 2 thanks to strong wet performance and good independent test results. Complaints include a stiff ride, highway road noise, fast or uneven tread wear, and weaker snow and ice grip for some owners. Several users noted that ice performance wasn't tested and that it suits milder, wet climates best.
r/tires
·2 upvotes ·2024-11-16
“We're able to get the Kinergy 4S2 from Discount Tires (America's Tires) for less than half the price of. the Cross Climate 2's. We plan to give them a try on a Nissan LEAF and Prius Prime. Hot take: Hit the "found a lower price" feature on the Discount Tire site and see what they offer you! We were very pleasantly surprised!”
subaruoutback.org
·3 upvotes ·2022-11-09
“I had the Kinergy 4s2 tires and they were not good. They wore unevenly, especially on the outsides of the fronts and handling was poor. When cornering the tire felt like the sidewall was folding under which would explain the increased wear on the outside tread block of the tires . The alignment was verified to be perfect. Go with the CC2 or anything Nokian . I ran some old Nokian WRG2s and was very impressed. Id imagine the latest versions are also very good.”
r/mercedes_benz
·8 upvotes ·2026-09-06
“Tire recommendations E-class Hi all, I've been enjoying my first E-class for a couple months now. The only thing that has been bothering me is the loud noise the tires make at about 130 kph. I've ruled everything out so I'm really certain it is just the tires. They are hankook kinergy 4s2 h750 all seasons, so a bit of noise is to be expected but these really make a loud humming noise at highway speeds. Does anyone have recommendation for quiet all season tires? They do need to have the 3pmsf certifaction. My sizes are front: 245/40 R19 & back: 275/35 R19. Read more”
Top themes
#Value vs CrossClimate 2#Wet traction#Snow and ice grip#Tread wear concerns#Ride comfort stiffness#Road noise#Tyre Reviews test results#EV and range use
Based on 34 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 95 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| UTQG | — | 500 A A |
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9
70
/ 100
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — better handling, efficiency and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 81 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 75 vs 51 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 78 vs 61 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 75 vs 67 on treadwear.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9
Tire B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2
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UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 84 vs 78 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 72 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 75 vs 72 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 64 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 78 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 75 vs 67 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, UltraGrip 9 or Kinergy 4S2?
Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 75 vs 51 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