Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ finished ahead 3 times and the Winterhawk 4 once. The UltraGrip 9+ was stronger in dry, snow, ice and value, the Winterhawk 4 in wet and comfort.
Performance profile
8 measurements from the 4 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
UltraGrip 9+
Winterhawk 4
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 95%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 9 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
UltraGrip 9+
Winterhawk 4
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
UltraGrip 9+
Winterhawk 4
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the UltraGrip 9+ 88% from 6 reviews and the Winterhawk 4 72% from 6. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tire did better.
| Measurement | UltraGrip 9+ | Gap | Winterhawk 4 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 152 | 1.7% | 155 | 2-0 |
| Dry Handling mph | 84.4 | 0.2% | 84.6 | 0-1 |
| Wet Winterhawk 4 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 139 | 4.1% | 133 | 0-3 |
| Wet Braking - Concrete ft | 132 | 4.7% | 126 | 0-1 |
| Wet Handling mph | 44.6 | 0.1% | 44.6 | 0-1 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.66 | 2.1% | 12.93 | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 52.7 | 0.5% | 53 | 1-1 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 11.6 | 4.9% | 11.2 | 1-1 |
| Snow UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 71 | 4.2% | 73 | 3-0 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 348 | 2.3% | 347 | 1-1 |
| Snow Handling mph | 35 | 1.4% | 35.5 | 0-1 |
| Ice UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Ice Braking ft | 61 | 8.8% | 67 | 1-0 |
| Comfort Winterhawk 4 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 71.2 | 0.6 dB | 70.65 | 0-2 |
| Value UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 25,010 | 12.2% | 22,307 | 2-0 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.25 | 2.1% | 8.08 | 0-1 |
| Fuel Consumption l/100km | 5.6 | 1.8% | 5.7 | 1-0 |
| Abrasion mg/km/t | 74 | 16.9% | 89 | 1-0 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared.
Head to head in 4 tests, 2021 to 2023
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | UltraGrip 9+ | Field | Winterhawk 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tire Test | P3 of 16 | P7 of 16 | |
| 2022 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P1 of 15 | P9 of 15 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P7 of 20 | P10 of 20 | |
| 2021 Winter Tire Market Overview | P6 of 50 | P5 of 50 |
UltraGrip 9+ vs Winterhawk 4: your questions
Is the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ or the Firestone Winterhawk 4 the better tire?
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ finished ahead 3 times and the Winterhawk 4 once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the UltraGrip 9+ scores 9.4 and the Winterhawk 4 8.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the UltraGrip 9+ or the Winterhawk 4?
The Winterhawk 4 led 7 of the 10 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.1% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The UltraGrip 9+ led 2 of the 3 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.7% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The UltraGrip 9+ led 4 of the 6 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.2% shorter on snow across 3 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The UltraGrip 9+ lasted 12.2% longer in the wear tests (2 tests). Owners rate wear 9.7/10 for the UltraGrip 9+ and 7.6/10 for the Winterhawk 4.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The Winterhawk 4 was 0.6 dB quieter (2 tests). Owners rate comfort 8.5/10 for the UltraGrip 9+ and 7.7/10 for the Winterhawk 4.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the UltraGrip 9+ 88% from 6 reviews and the Winterhawk 4 72% from 6. 100% of UltraGrip 9+ owners would buy it again, against 67% for the Winterhawk 4.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The UltraGrip 9+ is made in 19 sizes (14 to 16 inch) and the Winterhawk 4 in 83 (14 to 20 inch). 17 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the UltraGrip 9+ is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winterhawk 4 B and D.
Which is the newer tire?
The UltraGrip 9+ is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the Winterhawk 4 in 2020. The UltraGrip 9+ replaced the Goodyear UltraGrip 9. The Winterhawk 4 replaced the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
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Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.