BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 vs Dunlop Winter Sport 5
- TR Score
- 8.3/10
- Owners say
- 89% · 30
- TR Score
- 8.9/10
- Owners say
- 83% · 47
In the 18 independent tests that ran both tires, the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 finished ahead 9 times and the gForce Winter 2 8 times, with one level. The gForce Winter 2 resisted straight aquaplaning at a 5.3% higher speed; the Winter Sport 5 had 5.5% lower rolling resistance.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose by winter. The BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 is the snow and refinement tire, winning snow braking ten to four and every noise measurement, and it took Auto Bild's 45 tire shootout outright. The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is the wet weather and efficiency tire, ahead on wet braking, wet handling, rolling resistance and running cost, and it won nine of the eighteen shared tests.
Where the gForce Winter 2 is stronger
- Won Auto Bild's 2017 shootout outright, 1st of 45 with the Dunlop 5th
- Snow braking ten wins to four and snow handling six to two
- Quieter in all nine noise measurements and better straight aquaplaning, eight to one
Where the Winter Sport 5 is stronger
- Won nine of the eighteen shared tests, including 1st of 16 at ADAC in 2023
- Wet braking nine measurements to six, wet handling six to two and the wet circle five to nil
- Lower rolling resistance in seven of eight measurements and 15.1 percent cheaper per 1000km at Auto Bild
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
gForce Winter 2 vs Winter Sport 5 at a glance
| Category | gForce Winter 2 | Gap | Winter Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won18 shared tests | 8 | 1 level | 9 |
| Dry17 measurements | 9 | The gForce Winter 2 stopped 0.5% shorter in the dry (9 tests) | 8 |
| Wet44 measurements | 19 | The Winter Sport 5 stopped 0.9% shorter in the wet (15 tests) | 25 |
| Snow34 measurements | 22 | The gForce Winter 2 stopped 1.8% shorter on snow (15 tests) | 10 |
| Ice1 measurement | 0 | 1 | |
| Comfort9 measurements | 9 | The gForce Winter 2 was 2.2 dB quieter (9 tests) | 0 |
| Value18 measurements | 6 | The Winter Sport 5 had 5.5% lower rolling resistance (8 tests) | 11 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.3/10 | The Winter Sport 5 by 0.6 | 8.9/10 |
| Owner rating30 and 47 reviews | 89% | The gForce Winter 2 by 6 points | 83% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 100% | The gForce Winter 2 by 17 points | 83% |
| Pricein the 6 tests that listed prices | Cheaper | The Winter Sport 5 was dearer in 3 of 6 | +4.3% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 75 | 41 sizes made in both | 49 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 18 tests, 2017 to 2024
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.
Performance profile
14 measurements from the 18 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
gForce Winter 2
Winter Sport 5
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 96%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 4 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
gForce Winter 2
Winter Sport 5
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
gForce Winter 2
Winter Sport 5
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the Winter Sport 5 83% from 47. 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. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | gForce Winter 2 | Gap | Winter Sport 5 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 148 | 0.5% | 149 | 6-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 67.8 | 0.4% | 68.1 | 3-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 142 | 0.9% | 141 | 6-9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 135 | 3.9% | 129 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 45.5 | 0.8% | 45.8 | 2-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.81 | 1.8% | 12.58 | 0-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 53.9 | 5.3% | 51.2 | 8-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 10.3 | 0.2% | 10.4 | 3-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 85 | 1.8% | 86 | 10-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 545 | 1.3% | 538 | 4-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 36.2 | 0.6% | 36 | 6-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 11.7 | 2.4% | 11.5 | 2-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 69 | 6.7% | 64 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 71.16 | 2.2 dB | 73.4 | 9-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 24,380 | 2% | 24,960 | 4-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 8.56 | 5.5% | 8.08 | 1-7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.7 | = | 5.7 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 56 | 18.8% | 69 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the gForce Winter 2 scores 8.3 and the Winter Sport 5 8.9 out of 10.
| gForce Winter 2 | Category | Winter Sport 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Dry | 45 | ||
| 78 | Wet | 85 | ||
| 62 | Comfort | 18 | ||
| 49 | Value | 66 | ||
| 92 | Snow | 83 | ||
| 15 | Ice | 48 | ||
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.
What owners say
| gForce Winter 2 | Category | Winter Sport 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | Dry Grip | 8.3 | ||
| 9 | Wet Grip | 8.5 | ||
| 7.9 | Road Feedback | 7.9 | ||
| 8.5 | Handling | 7.9 | ||
| 8.7 | Wear | 8.7 | ||
| 9.2 | Comfort | 8.4 | ||
| 9.5 | Snow Grip | 9.1 | ||
| 8.8 | Ice Grip | 8.2 | ||
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the Winter Sport 5 83% from 47. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2
- 89%from 30 reviews
- 100%would buy again
- 215,300 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers generally rate the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 very highly, with repeated praise for confident traction on snow and ice and strong wet-weather performance with good aquaplaning resistance. Many also highlight excellent value for money, stable behavior in harsh winter conditions, and generally good comfort/quietness for a winter tire. A smaller set of reviews note compromises on dry roads, describing softer handling, reduced steering/on-center response, and occasional higher noise depending on speed and surface.
- Excellent snow traction
- Strong ice grip for a studless winter tire
- Very good wet grip and aquaplaning resistance
- Great price-to-performance/value
- Dry grip/handling is only average (softer feel, more roll than summer tires)
- Reduced steering feedback/on-center response compared with other tires
- Some report increased noise on certain surfaces/speeds (wet roads or above ~90 km/h)
Summarised by AI from 24 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 30 gForce Winter 2 reviewsI'm using on a Dacia Duster. Before, for winter, on this car I had Michelin Latitude Alpin 1 and Kleber Krisalp HP3 (same as Bf Goodrich). The snow grip was very good for 4 winters (same as Kleber), never let me down. The wet grip was also very good. But what surprised me a lot, was the emergency braking, that was very very good, on wet and dry. The only minus, was that I need to make some corrections on the directions compared with a summer touring tire (michelin primacy 3 or hankook), but the care never lost control with those tires, even if I drove too fast for it. In conclusion I will buy again (bf goodrich or kleber, in function of price).
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
- 83%from 47 reviews
- 83%would buy again
- 485,102 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers largely praise the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 for outstanding snow and ice traction, strong wet grip in cold conditions, predictable handling, good comfort/low noise (for a winter tire), and excellent tread life. A minority report softer sidewalls and reduced dry performance or understeer as temperatures rise, with a few notes on noise increase over time and isolated quality/balance issues. Overall sentiment is strongly positive, with most buyers willing to repurchase.
- snow and ice grip
- wet grip in cold
- predictable handling
- ride comfort
- weaker dry grip/softer feel in warmer temps
- increased noise with age
- occasional balance/quality issues
Summarised by AI from 39 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 47 Winter Sport 5 reviewsYou must know, in 225/50/17 it is the best what you can buy in eurowinter tires
+ perfect rim protector
+ dry and wet grip at different temperatures including +17 Celsius
+ snow grip? Easy
+ treadwear 12000 km/per 1 mm (on my new set 8 mm, now 7,0-6,8 after 2 seasons and 14400 km)
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 75 sizes of the gForce Winter 2 and 49 of the Winter Sport 5, 41 of them made in both.
| Category | gForce Winter 2 | Winter Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter | Winter |
| Sizes made | 75 sizes, 14 to 20 inch | 49 sizes, 15 to 21 inch |
| Made in both | 41 sizes 195/55 R15195/65 R15205/65 R15195/45 R16195/55 R16205/55 R16205/60 R16215/55 R16215/60 R16215/65 R16225/55 R16205/50 R17and 29 more | |
| EU label wet grip | B90%C10% | B52%C48% |
| EU label rolling resistance | D50%C48%B3% | C75%D24%B1% |
| EU label noise | 68-71 dB A80%B20% | 70-74 dB B100% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 115 of 115 | 79 of 79 |
| On the market since | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaced | - | Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D (2021) |
| Price in the shared tests | The Winter Sport 5 was the dearer tire in 3 of the 6 tests that listed prices, by 4.3% on average. Each test priced the tires in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Eighteen shared tests going back to 2017, the deepest head to head on the site, and it comes out nine to eight in favor of the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 with one dead heat, both 4th of 19 in Auto Bild's 2021 recommended list. Both have an outright win: the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 took Auto Bild's 2017 shootout, 1st of 45 with the Dunlop 5th, and the Dunlop won ADAC's 2023 16 inch test, 1st of 16 with the BFGoodrich 8th.
The division of labour is unusually clear across eighteen tests. The BFGoodrich owns snow and quiet: snow braking ten wins to four, snow handling six to two, straight aquaplaning eight to one and every one of the nine noise measurements. It also braked shorter in the dry in six of nine measurements.
The Dunlop owns wet and efficiency: wet braking nine to six, wet handling six to two, the wet circle five to nil, dry handling five to three and rolling resistance seven to one.
Conclusion
Eighteen shared tests over eight years, and the record is nine to eight for the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 with one dead heat. Its best results are 1st of 16 at ADAC in 2023 with the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 8th, 2nd of 49 against 7th in Auto Bild's 2021 market overview, 1st of 16 against 2nd in ADAC's 2017 SUV test, 3rd of 21 against 6th in 2017 and 4th of 22 against 9th in 2022. Its measured territory is wet and efficient: wet braking nine measurements to six, wet handling six to two, the wet circle five to nil, dry handling five to three, and rolling resistance seven to one, 7.82 against 8.48 kg/t at Auto Bild in 2024. It also lasted longer there, 48,690km against 41,330km, and worked out 15.1 percent cheaper per 1000km.
The BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 took eight, including the biggest single result in the comparison, 1st of 45 in Auto Bild's 2017 shootout with the Dunlop 5th, plus 4th of 22 against 7th in 2023, 5th of 54 against 15th in the 2023 braking test, 4th of 21 against 8th in 2020, 7th of 21 against 16th in 2019 and 6th of 57 against 8th in the 2022 market overview. Snow is its ground: snow braking ten to four, snow handling six to two, snow traction four to three and the snow slalom two to one. It also swept the noise measurements, nine to nil, took straight aquaplaning eight to one, 94.6 against 90.6 km/h, and braked shorter in the dry in six of nine measurements.
That is about as clean a split as an eighteen test archive produces. If your winter is snow and you value a quiet tire, the BFGoodrich. If it is cold rain and motorway miles, the Dunlop brakes better in the wet, handles better and rolls easier, and it lasts longer too.
gForce Winter 2 vs Winter Sport 5: your questions
Is the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 or the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 the better tire?
In the 18 independent tests that ran both tires, the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 finished ahead 9 times and the gForce Winter 2 8 times, with one level. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the gForce Winter 2 scores 8.3 and the Winter Sport 5 8.9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the gForce Winter 2 or the Winter Sport 5?
The Winter Sport 5 led 25 of the 44 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 0.9% shorter in the wet across 15 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The gForce Winter 2 led 9 of the 17 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 0.5% shorter in the dry across 9 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The gForce Winter 2 led 22 of the 34 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.8% shorter on snow across 15 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Winter Sport 5 had 5.5% lower rolling resistance (8 tests). Owners rate wear 8.7/10 for the gForce Winter 2 and 8.7/10 for the Winter Sport 5.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The gForce Winter 2 was 2.2 dB quieter (9 tests). Owners rate comfort 9.2/10 for the gForce Winter 2 and 8.4/10 for the Winter Sport 5.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the Winter Sport 5 83% from 47. 100% of gForce Winter 2 owners would buy it again, against 83% for the Winter Sport 5.
Which is more expensive?
In the 6 tests that listed prices, the Winter Sport 5 was the dearer tire in 3 of them, by 4.3% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The gForce Winter 2 is made in 75 sizes (14 to 20 inch) and the Winter Sport 5 in 49 (15 to 21 inch). 41 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the gForce Winter 2 is graded B for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter Sport 5 B and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The Winter Sport 5 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the gForce Winter 2 in 2016. The Winter Sport 5 replaced the Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D.
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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.
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