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 Michelin X Ice Snow — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 3 + 13 road tests and 4 + 19 owner reviews. How we score
X Ice Snow is ahead, 72–62
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Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 75 · 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.
-
60
Dry
X Ice Snow +767Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 11 tests 73 65 Reviews found online 42 70 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 42.2 = 60
X Ice Snow: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 70 = 67
-
65
Wet
X Ice Snow +469Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests 74 64 Reviews found online 52 76 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 52.1 = 65
X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 76.4 = 69
-
72
Snow
X Ice Snow +476Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests 74 73 Reviews found online 68 80 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 67.9 = 72
X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 79.8 = 76
-
55
Comfort
X Ice Snow +2580Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests ≈ 64 (est.) 82 Reviews found online 41 78 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 64.3 (est.) + 40% × 41.2 = 55
X Ice Snow: 60% × 82.1 + 40% × 77.7 = 80
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 comparison75Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests – 81 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.8 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 75
No owner ratings of noise for 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.
-
54
Treadwear
X Ice Snow +1872Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 59 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 45 76 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 59.3 (est.) + 40% × 45.1 = 54
X Ice Snow: 60% × 68.7 (est.) + 40% × 75.7 = 72
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 X Ice Snow. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
-
49
Handling (owners)
X Ice Snow +2574Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic X Ice Snow Reviews found online 49 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 62 | 72 |
| Dry | 60 | 67 |
| Wet | 65 | 69 |
| Snow | 72 | 76 |
| Comfort | 55 | 80 |
| Noise | – | 75 |
| Treadwear | 54 | 72 |
| Handling (owners) | 49 | 74 |
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
72
/ 100
X Ice Snow
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.
| Discipline | Category | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X Ice Snow | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 80% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 78% #5/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 72% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 80% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 91% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 82% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 69% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 94% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 86% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% #4/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/5 2021 Test World Winter Studded Tire Test R17 | #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 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 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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | B · Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 100 |
| Rim diameters | — | 13″ – 21″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
62
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
72
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
Winner: Michelin X Ice Snow — better comfort, handling and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 74 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 72 vs 54 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 67 vs 60 on dry.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X Ice Snow?
Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 69 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 67 vs 60 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 72 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 80 vs 55 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 72 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