Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 55 · 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 Michelin X-Ice North 4 — 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 + 13 road tests and 4 + 13 owner reviews. How we score
X-Ice North 4 is ahead, 75–64
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Tests 74 · 13 tests Owners 75 · 13 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (ice traction)
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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63
Dry
X-Ice North 4 +1376Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 10 tests 73 81 Reviews found online 49 69 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 93% 92% Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 80% 100% UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 72.7 + 40% × 49.1 = 63
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 80.8 + 40% × 68.9 = 76
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68
Wet
UltraGrip Ice Arctic +365Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests 75 60 Reviews found online 58 73 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 98% 93% Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 97% 93% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 99% 97% UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.5 + 40% × 57.5 = 68
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 59.6 + 40% × 73.4 = 65
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72
Snow
X-Ice North 4 +1183Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 11 tests 74 87 Reviews found online 68 78 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 80% 92% Ice Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 91% 97% Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 82% 92% Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 93% 93% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 94% 97% Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 96% 97% UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.4 + 40% × 67.8 = 72
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 87.1 + 40% × 77.5 = 83
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54
Comfort
X-Ice North 4 +2175Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests ≈ 64 (est.) 76 Reviews found online 46 74 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 40% × 64.2 (est.) + 60% × 46.4 = 54
X-Ice North 4: 40% × 76 + 60% × 73.5 = 75
No road tests of comfort for UltraGrip Ice Arctic. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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–
Noise
No comparison60Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 10 tests – 55 Reviews found online – ≈ 66 (est.) X-Ice North 4: 60% × 55.4 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 60
No owner ratings of noise for X-Ice North 4. 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.
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56
Treadwear
X-Ice North 4 +1874Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 60 (est.) ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 50 78 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 60.4 (est.) + 40% × 49.5 = 56
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 70.7 (est.) + 40% × 78.3 = 74
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 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for X-Ice North 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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55
Handling (owners)
X-Ice North 4 +2176Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Reviews found online 55 76 -
68
Efficiency
UltraGrip Ice Arctic +860Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 7 tests 68 60
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 75 |
| Dry | 63 | 76 |
| Wet | 68 | 65 |
| Snow | 72 | 83 |
| Comfort | 54 | 75 |
| Noise | – | 60 |
| Treadwear | 56 | 74 |
| Handling (owners) | 55 | 76 |
| Efficiency | 68 | 60 |
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
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
UltraGrip Ice Arctic
75
/ 100
X-Ice North 4
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 4 tests that ran both, Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic finished ahead 1 times and Michelin X-Ice North 4 3 times.
| Discipline | Category | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% | 92% | +1.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 80% | 100% | −20.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% | 93% | +4.5 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% | 93% | +3.7 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% | 97% | +1.8 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 80% | 92% | −12.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 91% | 97% | −6.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 82% | 92% | −9.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% | 93% | −0.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 94% | 97% | −2.9 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% | 97% | −0.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #6/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/5 | #1/5 | – | 1–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2021 Test World Winter Studded Tire Test R17 · 225/55R17 |
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 X-Ice North 4
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking on ice and snow, with several reviewers describing it as class-leading and rarely triggering ABS
- Low stud noise on clear pavement for a studded tire, with some reviewers rating it quieter than other studded tires they have used
- Confident, predictable handling in winter conditions, including on ice tracks, with one reviewer noting improved directness and controllability on an older AWD car
Cons
- Stud retention is inconsistent, with reports of studs coming loose after several seasons and one warranty claim after heavy stud loss on front tires
- Reduced performance and some slippage on wet and dry pavement, as well as in early winter and early spring conditions
- Noticeable noise on dry roads for some users, particularly the high stud count and EV combination
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | B · Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
75
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice North 4
Winner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better comfort, handling and treadwear. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic if efficiency and wet matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 75 vs 54 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 76 vs 55 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 74 vs 56 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 76 vs 63 on dry.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice North 4
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UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X-Ice North 4?
Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X-Ice North 4?
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic, 68 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 76 vs 63 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 83 vs 72 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 75 vs 54 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 74 vs 56 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X-Ice North 4?
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic, 68 vs 60 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