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 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 3 + 10 road tests and 4 + 66 owner reviews. How we score
Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 72–62
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Tests 67 · 10 tests Owners 77 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (dry braking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
60
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +1575Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 8 tests 73 73 Reviews found online 42 79 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 42.2 = 60
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.8 + 40% × 79.2 = 75
-
65
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +1681Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 10 tests 74 80 Reviews found online 52 83 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 52.1 = 65
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 79.9 + 40% × 82.7 = 81
-
72
Snow
UltraGrip Ice Arctic +765Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 10 tests 74 57 Reviews found online 68 76 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 67.9 = 72
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.8 + 40% × 76.4 = 65
-
55
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +1873Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 64 (est.) 72 Reviews found online 41 74 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 64.3 (est.) + 40% × 41.2 = 55
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.3 + 40% × 73.8 = 73
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 comparison70Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests – 65 Reviews found online – 79 Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.6 + 40% × 78.8 = 70
-
54
Treadwear
Winter Sottozero 3 +862Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests ≈ 59 (est.) 56 Reviews found online 45 71 UltraGrip Ice Arctic: 60% × 59.3 (est.) + 40% × 45.1 = 54
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.2 + 40% × 71.3 = 62
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).
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49
Handling (owners)
Winter Sottozero 3 +3180Why this score
Source UltraGrip Ice Arctic Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 49 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 62 | 72 |
| Dry | 60 | 75 |
| Wet | 65 | 81 |
| Snow | 72 | 65 |
| Comfort | 55 | 73 |
| Noise | – | 70 |
| Treadwear | 54 | 62 |
| Handling (owners) | 49 | 80 |
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
Winter Sottozero 3
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 | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #2/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 80% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 80% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #15/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 86% #18/48 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #17/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #22/30 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 94% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% #4/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/5 2021 Test World Winter Studded Tire Test R17 | #13/15 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires | – | 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 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 Ice Arctic | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 98 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
62
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, comfort and wet. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 73 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 65 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 75 vs 60 on dry.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter Sottozero 3?
Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 81 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 75 vs 60 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter Sottozero 3?
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic, 72 vs 65 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 73 vs 55 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, UltraGrip Ice Arctic or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 62 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