Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 vs Continental WinterContact 8 S
The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 and the Continental WinterContact 8 S have met in one independent test so far, and the UltraGrip Performance 3 finished ahead. The UltraGrip Performance 3 was stronger in dry, wet and comfort, the WinterContact 8 S in snow and value.
Performance profile
13 measurements from the one shared test, each tire shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
UltraGrip Performance 3
WinterContact 8 S
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.
Where each scores higher
UltraGrip Performance 3
WinterContact 8 S
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 Performance 3
WinterContact 8 S
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the UltraGrip Performance 3 90% from 15 reviews and the WinterContact 8 S 88% from 5. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tires' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tire that did better.
| Measurement | UltraGrip Performance 3 | Gap | WinterContact 8 S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry UltraGrip Performance 3 ahead | |||
| Dry Braking ft | 137 | 2.3% | 140 |
| Dry Handling mph | 75.6 | 0.5% | 75.2 |
| Wet UltraGrip Performance 3 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 106 | 1.8% | 108 |
| Wet Handling mph | 47 | 3.6% | 45.4 |
| Wet Circle mph | 18.7 | 0.8% | 18.6 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 56.2 | 4.1% | 53.9 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 5.4 | 19.7% | 4.5 |
| Snow WinterContact 8 S ahead | |||
| Snow Braking ft | 88 | 1.1% | 87 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 2 | 0.8% | 2 |
| Snow Handling mph | 46.9 | 1.5% | 46.2 |
| Snow Slalom ft/s² | 12.6 | 1.3% | 12.8 |
| Comfort UltraGrip Performance 3 ahead | |||
| Noise dB | 71.8 | 2.1 dB | 73.9 |
| Value WinterContact 8 S ahead | |||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.3 | 6% | 7.8 |
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 1 test in 2025
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 Performance 3 | Field | WinterContact 8 S |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 High Performance Winter Tire Test | P3 of 6 | P5 of 6 |
UltraGrip Performance 3 vs WinterContact 8 S: your questions
Is the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 or the Continental WinterContact 8 S the better tire?
The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 and the Continental WinterContact 8 S have met in one independent test so far, and the UltraGrip Performance 3 finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the UltraGrip Performance 3 scores 9.5 and the WinterContact 8 S 8.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the UltraGrip Performance 3 or the WinterContact 8 S?
The UltraGrip Performance 3 led 5 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The UltraGrip Performance 3 led 2 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The WinterContact 8 S led 3 of the 4 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.8/10 for the UltraGrip Performance 3 and 7.6/10 for the WinterContact 8 S.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the UltraGrip Performance 3 90% from 15 reviews and the WinterContact 8 S 88% from 5. 100% of UltraGrip Performance 3 owners would buy it again, against 80% for the WinterContact 8 S.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The UltraGrip Performance 3 is made in 175 sizes (14 to 23 inch) and the WinterContact 8 S in 36 (19 to 22 inch). 31 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the UltraGrip Performance 3 is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinterContact 8 S B and B.
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Every Goodyear vs Continental test → All comparisons → Compare three or more tires →
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.
Review the UltraGrip Performance 3 Review the WinterContact 8 S
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.