Very good in dry and wet. excellent in snow. good response and feedback, good braking response. I will probably buy this type of tire again. Better than former Viking.
Winter Ultra High Performance Tires
All Winter Ultra High Performance Tires on Tire Reviews, ranked. The 68 tires in this category are scored using 52 independent tire tests and 1,066 owner reviews covering 10,760,678 miles of driving.
- 68tires in this category
- 52professional tests
- 1,066owner reviews
- 10,760,678 milescovered on them
The quick answer
| Pick | Tire | The evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 9.8 | TR Score 9.8 / 10 medium confidence score |
| Owners' favorite | Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 8.3 Current version: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | 93% from 28 owner reviews |
| Latest test winner | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 9.5 | 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test |
| Best budget brand | Momo North Pole W 20 EUROPA 8.5 | TR Score 8.5 / 10 best of the Economy brands |
Best overall is the highest TR Score in the category; the owners' favorite is the highest rated by the drivers who run them. The full rankings and the evidence behind every pick are below.
The best Winter Ultra High Performance Tires, ranked
The highest scoring tire in the category is the Pirelli P Zero Winter 2, with a TR Score of 9.8 out of 10. 57 of the 68 tires here have earned a score; the rest are listed further down.
| # | Tire | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pirelli P Zero Winter 2
|
9.8 | 91% | 4 | 16,200 miles |
| 2 |
Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4
|
9.6 | 96% | 2 | 220 miles |
| 3 |
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
|
9.5 | 87% | 33 | 357,850 miles |
| 4 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
|
9.5 | 88% | 15 | 62,800 miles |
| 5 |
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
9.3 | 85% | 33 | 294,700 miles |
| 6 |
Hankook Winter i cept evo3
|
9.2 | 86% | 23 | 164,670 miles |
| 7 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
9.2 | 86% | 20 | 143,564 miles |
| 8 |
Nokian Snowproof P
|
9.2 | 87% | 10 | 54,769 miles |
| 9 |
Vredestein Wintrac Pro
|
9 | 87% | 30 | 226,700 miles |
| 10 |
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
|
8.9 | 83% | 47 | 485,102 miles |
| 11 |
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
8.9 | 79% | 20 | 181,810 miles |
| 12 |
Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D
Replaced by Dunlop Winter Sport 5
|
8.6 | 86% | 38 | 273,330 miles |
| 13 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Gen 1
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
8.6 | 86% | 32 | 333,940 miles |
| 14 |
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
8.5 | 87% | 16 | 152,725 miles |
| 15 |
Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
8.5 | 87% | 5 | 8,700 miles |
| 16 |
Momo North Pole W 20 EUROPA
|
8.5 | 86% | 4 | 11,000 miles |
| 17 |
Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
|
8.4 | 89% | 3 | 37,500 miles |
| 18 |
Nokian WR A3
Replaced by Nokian Snowproof P
|
8.3 | 76% | 76 | 565,743 miles |
| 19 |
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
Replaced by Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
|
8.3 | 93% | 28 | 306,224 miles |
| 20 |
GT Radial WinterPro2 Evo
|
8.3 | 87% | 1 | 5,000 miles |
| 21 |
Nokian WRG2
Replaced by Nokian Remedy WRG5
|
8.2 | 82% | 72 | 1,254,817 miles |
| 22 |
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
|
7.9 | 81% | 59 | 861,286 miles |
| 23 |
Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
|
7.9 | 80% | 31 | 262,090 miles |
| 24 |
Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3
|
7.9 | 87% | 12 | 115,000 miles |
| 25 |
Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
|
7.9 | 89% | 4 | 18,000 miles |
| 26 |
Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme
Replaced by Vredestein Wintrac Pro
|
7.8 | 77% | 64 | 730,144 miles |
| 27 |
Goodyear UltraGrip 7+
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
|
7.8 | 82% | 30 | 478,215 miles |
| 28 |
Ceat WinterDrive Sport
|
7.8 | - | - | - |
| 29 |
Yokohama W drive V905
|
7.7 | 76% | 17 | 161,653 miles |
| 30 |
Avon WV7
|
7.7 | 82% | 14 | 36,000 miles |
| 31 |
Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT
|
7.7 | 87% | 7 | 14,100 miles |
| 32 |
Yokohama Advan Winter V907
|
7.7 | 92% | 5 | 16,062 miles |
| 33 |
GT Radial WinterPro2 Sport
|
7.7 | 81% | 1 | 3,000 miles |
| 34 |
Avon Ice Touring ST
|
7.6 | 81% | 40 | 292,536 miles |
| 35 |
Vredestein Wintrac xtreme S
Replaced by Vredestein Wintrac Pro
|
7.6 | 80% | 10 | 68,000 miles |
| 36 |
Pirelli P Zero Winter
Replaced by Pirelli P Zero Winter 2
|
7.6 | 82% | 10 | 107,500 miles |
| 37 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance
|
7.6 | 86% | 9 | 159,000 miles |
| 38 |
Nokian WR A4
Replaced by Nokian Snowproof P
|
7.4 | 82% | 24 | 183,199 miles |
| 39 |
Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip
|
7.3 | 83% | 5 | 82,500 miles |
| 40 |
Toyo SNOWPROX S 952
|
7.3 | 85% | 5 | 38,300 miles |
| 41 |
Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 ROF
|
7.3 | 82% | 5 | 78,000 miles |
| 42 |
Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
7.1 | 73% | 14 | 189,015 miles |
| 43 |
Fortuna Gowin UHP 2
|
7 | - | - | - |
| 44 |
Continental WinterContact TS 830 P
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
6.9 | 81% | 39 | 444,850 miles |
| 45 |
Hankook Winter i cept evo
|
6.8 | 83% | 28 | 178,808 miles |
| 46 |
Hankook Winter i cept evo2
Replaced by Hankook Winter i cept evo3
|
6.8 | 79% | 28 | 153,574 miles |
| 47 |
Bridgestone Blizzak LM25
|
6.8 | 85% | 9 | 35,530 miles |
| 48 |
Petlas SnowMaster 2 Sport
|
6.8 | 77% | 3 | 10,000 miles |
| 49 |
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
Replaced by Dunlop Winter Sport 5
|
6.6 | 78% | 41 | 449,712 miles |
| 50 |
Hankook Icebear W300
|
6.5 | 71% | 10 | 43,840 miles |
| 51 |
Pirelli SOTTOZERO
|
6.5 | 76% | 9 | 110,000 miles |
| 52 |
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
6.5 | 60% | 9 | 88,600 miles |
| 53 |
Milever Winter maX A1 MW255
|
6.5 | - | - | - |
| 54 | Atlas Polarbear UHP | 6.2 | - | - | - |
| 55 |
RoadX RXFROST WU01
|
5.8 | 61% | 1 | 4,500 miles |
| 56 |
Star Performer Stratos UHP
|
5.1 | 98% | 1 | 1,000 miles |
| 57 |
Leao Winter Defender UHP
|
3.2 | - | - | - |
TR Score rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, weighted by how much evidence backs them. Tires are only scored once enough data exists; discontinued tires are not ranked but remain in the complete record below.
Want to see the data behind the top picks? Best UHP Winter Tires →
The best Winter Ultra High Performance Tires for each condition
The overall ranking hides trade-offs: a tire can lead in the dry and trail in comfort. These are the category leaders in each condition, from the per-condition TR scores.
Best in snow
Rated across 31 tires in this category:
Best on ice
Rated across 16 tires in this category:
Best in the wet
Rated across 35 tires in this category:
Best in the dry
Rated across 30 tires in this category:
Most comfortable
Rated across 30 tires in this category:
Best value
Rated across 30 tires in this category:
Condition scores run 0-100 within each condition, built from the same test results and owner reviews as the overall TR Score.
What is a Ultra High Performance tire?
Ultra High Performance tires are the enthusiast's road tire - the fitment for hot hatches, performance saloons and fast estates. They prioritize steering response and grip, accepting a little more noise and wear than a touring tire.
Winter tires use soft, high-silica compounds and heavy siping that keep working below roughly 7C, on snow and on ice. The category spans three different products - Central European, Nordic friction and studded tires - built for different winters.
Professional tests of Winter Ultra High Performance Tires
Every published comparison test of this category we have indexed - 52 in total, newest first. Test results feed directly into the TR Scores above.
The most successful tire in this category's tests: the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, with 5 wins from the 52 full comparison tests indexed here.
Winners are only named where a test crowned a single overall winner. Tests that rank tires within groups, or test too small a field to compare brands, still count as evidence but name no winner here.
The Winter Ultra High Performance Tires owners rate highest
Rated purely by the people who drive on them, the top tire in the category is the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 - 93% from 28 owner reviews. 49 tires have enough reviews to qualify; this is the same ranking behind the category position shown on each tire's own page.
| # | Tire | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed | TR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
Replaced by Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
|
93% | 28 | 306,224 miles | 8.3 |
| 2 |
Yokohama Advan Winter V907
|
92% | 5 | 16,062 miles | 7.7 |
| 3 |
Pirelli P Zero Winter 2
|
91% | 4 | 16,200 miles | 9.8 |
| 4 |
Falken EUROWINTER HS02 Pro
|
89% | 4 | 18,000 miles | 7.9 |
| 5 |
Vredestein Wintrac Pro+
|
89% | 3 | 37,500 miles | 8.4 |
| 6 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice+
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3
|
88% | 3 | 36,000 miles | - |
| 7 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
|
88% | 15 | 62,800 miles | 9.5 |
| 8 |
Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT
|
87% | 7 | 14,100 miles | 7.7 |
| 9 |
Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3
|
87% | 12 | 115,000 miles | 7.9 |
| 10 |
Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
87% | 5 | 8,700 miles | 8.5 |
| 11 |
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
|
87% | 33 | 357,850 miles | 9.5 |
| 12 |
Nokian Snowproof P
|
87% | 10 | 54,769 miles | 9.2 |
| 13 |
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
87% | 16 | 152,725 miles | 8.5 |
| 14 |
Vredestein Wintrac Pro
|
87% | 30 | 226,700 miles | 9 |
| 15 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance
|
86% | 9 | 159,000 miles | 7.6 |
| 16 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Gen 1
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
86% | 32 | 333,940 miles | 8.6 |
| 17 |
Momo North Pole W 20 EUROPA
|
86% | 4 | 11,000 miles | 8.5 |
| 18 |
Hankook Winter i cept evo3
|
86% | 23 | 164,670 miles | 9.2 |
| 19 |
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
86% | 20 | 143,564 miles | 9.2 |
| 20 |
Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D
Replaced by Dunlop Winter Sport 5
|
86% | 38 | 273,330 miles | 8.6 |
| 21 |
Toyo SNOWPROX S 952
|
85% | 5 | 38,300 miles | 7.3 |
| 22 |
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
85% | 33 | 294,700 miles | 9.3 |
| 23 |
Bridgestone Blizzak LM25
|
85% | 9 | 35,530 miles | 6.8 |
| 24 |
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
|
83% | 47 | 485,102 miles | 8.9 |
| 25 |
Goodyear Eagle UltraGrip
|
83% | 5 | 82,500 miles | 7.3 |
| 26 |
Hankook Winter i cept evo
|
83% | 28 | 178,808 miles | 6.8 |
| 27 |
Avon WV7
|
82% | 14 | 36,000 miles | 7.7 |
| 28 |
Nokian WRG2
Replaced by Nokian Remedy WRG5
|
82% | 72 | 1,254,817 miles | 8.2 |
| 29 |
Pirelli P Zero Winter
Replaced by Pirelli P Zero Winter 2
|
82% | 10 | 107,500 miles | 7.6 |
| 30 |
Nokian WR A4
Replaced by Nokian Snowproof P
|
82% | 24 | 183,199 miles | 7.4 |
| 31 |
Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 ROF
|
82% | 5 | 78,000 miles | 7.3 |
| 32 |
Goodyear UltraGrip 7+
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
|
82% | 30 | 478,215 miles | 7.8 |
| 33 |
Continental WinterContact TS 830 P
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
81% | 39 | 444,850 miles | 6.9 |
| 34 |
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
|
81% | 59 | 861,286 miles | 7.9 |
| 35 |
Avon Ice Touring ST
|
81% | 40 | 292,536 miles | 7.6 |
| 36 |
Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
|
80% | 31 | 262,090 miles | 7.9 |
| 37 |
Vredestein Wintrac xtreme S
Replaced by Vredestein Wintrac Pro
|
80% | 10 | 68,000 miles | 7.6 |
| 38 |
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Replaced by Continental WinterContact 8 S
|
79% | 20 | 181,810 miles | 8.9 |
| 39 |
Hankook Winter i cept evo2
Replaced by Hankook Winter i cept evo3
|
79% | 28 | 153,574 miles | 6.8 |
| 40 |
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
Replaced by Dunlop Winter Sport 5
|
78% | 41 | 449,712 miles | 6.6 |
| 41 |
Petlas SnowMaster 2 Sport
|
77% | 3 | 10,000 miles | 6.8 |
| 42 |
Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme
Replaced by Vredestein Wintrac Pro
|
77% | 64 | 730,144 miles | 7.8 |
| 43 |
Yokohama W drive V905
|
76% | 17 | 161,653 miles | 7.7 |
| 44 |
Pirelli SOTTOZERO
|
76% | 9 | 110,000 miles | 6.5 |
| 45 |
Nokian WR A3
Replaced by Nokian Snowproof P
|
76% | 76 | 565,743 miles | 8.3 |
| 46 |
Goodyear UltraGrip 8 Performance
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
73% | 14 | 189,015 miles | 7.1 |
| 47 |
Hankook Icebear W300
|
71% | 10 | 43,840 miles | 6.5 |
| 48 |
Dunlop SP Winter Response
|
62% | 3 | 325,000 miles | - |
| 49 |
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2
Replaced by Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
|
60% | 9 | 88,600 miles | 6.5 |
A tire needs at least 3 owner reviews to appear here. Owner ratings reward different things to tests - comfort, wear and value show up over thousands of miles, not on a test track.
What drivers say about Winter Ultra High Performance Tires
The most recent owner reviews from this category, in their own words.
Not a lot of grip in the dry and wet compared to a summer tire. Especially in corners the tire is not really predictable and does understeer a lot. tread depth is great and has almost not decreased over one winter season.
Verry verry quite tire on this dimension.
Haven't tested to the limit, but on dry and wet, good grip.
Handling, hard to say, I switched from 225/45/17 summer to this, 205/55/16 and immediately notice the delay on rapid maneuvers. But it may be because of bigger sidewall.
275/40/20 and 315/35/20.
Awesome tires, I had Pirelli winter tires before, the Continental were better. They lasted 57.000 km
Rear powered car with this tire in the winter is amazing. I had those on XC90 and before that on Kuga. Based on what I have experienced on BMW 640 I honestly this those and winter Michelin's are one of the best choices for 19-20 inch alloy.
Awful on ice and low temperature condition. Might be okay for mild winter situation.
I highly recommend Goodyear tires, which I use with love.
This is exceptional tire in winter i swapped it now with Michelin PA 5 which is even better on snow but lucks a bit on wet. But you cant go wrong with niether of those. I cant wait Michelin s to worn out so i can try pirelli.
Great tire, i replaced my GY Ultragrip performance 3 with this and i can say they are even better on snow than GY. Where Michelin lacks to GY is on wet. I find goodyear a bit better on wet surfaces but both tires are excepional.
Winter Ultra High Performance Tires EU label data
46 of the 68 tires in this category carry EU label data. These are the category's label headliners, using each tire's best available size figures.
A Best wet grip
8 tires reach EU wet grip class A. The highest scoring:
A Lowest rolling resistance
The most fuel efficient choice: 2 tires reach rolling resistance class A. The highest scoring:
67dB Quietest tires
The quietest tires in this category are labelled from 67 dB external noise:
Label values come from the EU EPREL database and vary by size - the figures here are each tire's best declared size. Wet grip and rolling resistance run from class A (best) to E; noise is the measured drive-by figure. A good label is a floor, not a verdict: the tests and rankings above tell you far more.
New Winter Ultra High Performance Tires
The newest arrival in the category is the Momo North Pole W 20 EUROPA. 3 tires have joined in the last two years:
| Tire | On the market since | TR Score |
|---|---|---|
| Momo North Pole W 20 EUROPA | 2026 | 8.5 |
| Hankook Winter I*cept Evo 4 | 2025 | 9.6 |
| Sailun Ice Blazer Alpine Evo 2 | 2025 | not yet scored |
New tires take time to earn a TR Score - tests have to be run and owner reviews have to arrive. A missing score is a data gap, not a verdict.
Popular Winter Ultra High Performance Tires comparisons
The head-to-heads readers in this category weigh up most, with every shared test and both tires' reviews side by side.
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
vs
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
vs
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
vs
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Hankook Winter i cept evo3
vs
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
vs
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
vs
Hankook Winter i cept evo3
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
vs
Hankook Winter i cept evo3
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
vs
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
Guides and features for Winter Ultra High Performance Tires
- Continental WinterContact TS 860 S - First Drive October 18, 2018
- Continental WinterContact TS860 S - Press Release November 21, 2017
- 2012 Winter Tire Buying Guide October 18, 2012
All Winter Ultra High Performance Tires on Tire Reviews
The complete record, including discontinued tires and tires with too little evidence to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. The most researched this month: Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3, Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, Michelin Pilot Alpin 5.
6 more tires in this category have no reviews yet
Hankook IceBear W300A, Minerva Frostrack UHP, Pirelli ICE ZERO ASIMMETRICO PLUS, RoadX RXFROST WH12, Sailun Ice Blazer Alpine Evo 2, Vredestein Wintrac Nextreme
Run Winter Ultra High Performance Tires?
Review your tires and help the next driver choose. It takes about five minutes, and every rating on this page came from a driver who took them.
Where this data comes from
Rankings combine independent test results with owner reviews submitted through this site, each naming the car, the tire, the size and the distance covered. Reviews are checked by hand before publication, and the page rebuilds automatically as new evidence arrives.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, weighted by how much evidence backs them.
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.