Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 76 · 39 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (snow handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
UltraGrip 9 leads, 74–72 Narrow edge
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Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #5 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
71
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +475Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 73 Reviews found online 72 79 Dry Braking (% of best) 95% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 99% -
82
Wet
UltraGrip 9 +181Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 82 80 Reviews found online 81 83 Wet Braking (% of best) 97% 97% Wet Handling (% of best) 100% 96% -
74
Snow
UltraGrip 9 +965Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 73 57 Reviews found online 77 76 Snow Braking (% of best) 93% 87% Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 95% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 91% -
74
Comfort
UltraGrip 9 +173Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 72 Reviews found online 79 74 -
65
Noise
Winter Sottozero 3 +267Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 65 60 Reviews found online – 78 -
72
Treadwear
UltraGrip 9 +1062Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 56 Reviews found online 72 71 -
77
Handling
Winter Sottozero 3 +380Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 77 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 72 |
| Dry | 71 | 75 |
| Wet | 82 | 81 |
| Snow | 74 | 65 |
| Comfort | 74 | 73 |
| Noise | 65 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 62 |
| Handling | 77 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
UltraGrip 9
72
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | UltraGrip 9 | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #14/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #7/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | −3.4 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #7/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 99% #11/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 97% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 84% #8/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | +12.7 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #5/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 96% #13/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | +3.0 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 71% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 54% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | +17.4 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 71% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 65% #19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | +5.2 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 67% #4/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 70% #19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | −3.3 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 5% #20/48 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | +45.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% #7/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 87% #20/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +6.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 95% #9/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | +5.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +8.8 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 95% #5/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +4.7 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #2/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #20/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/10 · 2017 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | −0.4 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 96% #9/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | +4.0 | 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 Winter Sottozero 3
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and resistance to hydroplaning.
- Strong dry-road handling and steering precision for a winter tire.
- Excellent traction and stability in snow and slush.
Cons
- Rapid tread wear, particularly if driven in temperatures above 15°C or year-round.
- Susceptibility to sidewall damage and bubbling when encountering road hazards.
- Increased noise levels as the tire ages and tread depth decreases.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 98 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip 9 — better treadwear and snow. Pick the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 if dry and handling matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 72 vs 62 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 scores 74 vs 65 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 75 vs 71 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 77 on handling.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.