Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 51 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test (wet braking)
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic vs Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 3 + 5 road tests and 4 + 5 owner reviews. How we score
Winter i*pike RS2 is ahead, 71–62
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Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 76 · 5 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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60
Dry
UltraGrip Ice Arctic +159Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 5 tests 73 49 Reviews found online 42 74 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 93% 90% Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 80% 60% UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 42.2 = 60
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 49.4 + 40% × 73.8 = 59
-
65
Wet
Winter i*pike RS2 +974Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 5 tests 74 71 Reviews found online 52 78 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 98% 100% Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 97% 92% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 99% 99% UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 52.1 = 65
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 78.2 = 74
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72
Snow
Winter i*pike RS2 +476Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 5 tests 74 76 Reviews found online 68 77 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 80% 79% Ice Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 91% 93% Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 82% 84% Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 93% 92% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 94% 95% Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 96% 95% UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 67.9 = 72
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 75.7 + 40% × 77.1 = 76
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55
Comfort
Winter i*pike RS2 +2378Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 64 (est.) 81 Reviews found online 41 75 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 64.3 (est.) + 40% × 41.2 = 55
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 80.6 + 40% × 75.2 = 78
No road tests of comfort for UltraGrip Ice Arctic. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
–
Noise
No comparison60Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests – 55 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 54.8 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 60
No owner ratings of noise for Winter i*pike 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.
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54
Treadwear
Winter i*pike RS2 +1771Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter i*pike RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 59 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 45 75 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 59.3 (est.) + 40% × 45.1 = 54
Winter i*pike RS2: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 74.7 = 71
No road tests of treadwear for UltraGrip Ice Arctic. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
No road tests of treadwear for Winter i*pike RS2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
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49
Handling (owners)
Winter i*pike RS2 +3079Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter i*pike RS2 Reviews found online 49 79
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 62 | 71 |
| Dry | 60 | 59 |
| Wet | 65 | 74 |
| Snow | 72 | 76 |
| Comfort | 55 | 78 |
| Noise | – | 60 |
| Treadwear | 54 | 71 |
| Handling (owners) | 49 | 79 |
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
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
62
/ 100
UltraGrip Ice Arctic
71
/ 100
Winter i*pike RS2
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 Ice Arctic finished ahead 0 times and Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% | 90% | +3.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 80% | 60% | +20.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% | 100% | −2.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% | 92% | +4.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% | 99% | +0.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 80% | 79% | +0.8 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 91% | 93% | −1.8 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 82% | 84% | −1.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% | 92% | +0.5 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 94% | 95% | −1.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% | 95% | +1.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/8 | #5/8 | – | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on packed snow
- Strong performance on ice during the first two seasons
- Reliable winter grip in extreme arctic conditions
Cons
- Significant stud loss after two seasons of use
- Abrupt and dangerous decline in grip performance by the third year
- Poor longevity relative to competitors despite remaining tread depth
Tire B Winter i*pike RS2
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking on snow and ice
- Strong side grip and predictable cornering limits
- High durability with secure stud retention over multiple years
Cons
- Poor steering feedback on dry tarmac
- Noticeable understeer in dry road conditions
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
62
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
71
/ 100
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Winner: Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. Where the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 79 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 78 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 71 vs 54 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 74 vs 65 on wet.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
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UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter i*pike RS2?
Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 74 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter i*pike RS2?
Neither, by our numbers: 60 vs 59 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 76 vs 72 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 78 vs 55 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter i*pike RS2?
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2, 71 vs 54 on our treadwear 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