The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 is a premium touring winter tire that delivers confident, high-grip performance where it matters most: snow, ice and cold wet roads. Across both independent tests and real driver feedback, it stands out for strong snow traction and braking, reassuring wet grip, and dependable aquaplaning resistance. It also tends to run efficiently, with many owners noting good comfort and generally low noise for a winter tire. The main compromise is drier-road performance, particularly as temperatures rise, where steering feel and outright grip can trail the best alternatives.
In everyday winter use, the UltraGrip 9 is widely described as a 'fit and forget' option that makes hill starts, heavy snow travel and icy conditions feel noticeably safer than older or budget winter sets. Professional testing broadly supports that impression, with frequent near-top placements and multiple wins/podiums driven by excellent snow braking/handling and consistently strong wet braking/handling plus straight-line aquaplaning performance.
On cleared, dry roads it remains stable in cold conditions, but it is not a dry-road benchmark: braking distances and handling responses can be mid-pack versus the newest competitors, and some drivers report a softer or less precise feel in milder weather. Noise is usually well controlled, though a minority mention more road noise at higher speeds. Wear is generally reported as good to excellent, aligning with its strong rolling resistance results, but value can be less compelling at premium pricing-especially as newer rivals arrive. Overall, it's a highly capable winter-focused tire with clear strengths in the core winter and wet metrics and only moderate trade-offs on dry, warmer days.
The quick answer
Owners say85%from 40 owner reviews90% would buy againRead the reviews
Strengths & weaknessesWet, SnowDry, ComfortRelative to its rivals across every test we hold
Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tire - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated October 2026.
In 195/65 R15, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 is projected to cost €15.68 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €392 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test.
Tire purchase + fittingExtra fuel vs the most efficient tirecost per 1,000 miles
Assumes a typical car doing 29 mpg (rolling resistance causing 20% of fuel use), fuel at €6.25 per gallon and €70 fitting per set of four. Purchase prices are from the time of the 2018 test; financing costs are excluded.
Across the 3 wet-braking tests it has featured in, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 stops 0.3% longer than premium rivals, 7.5% shorter than mid-range rivals and 11.5% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews wet score of 94/100, and owners rate it 8.9/10 in the wet from 40 reviews.
How good is the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 in the dry?
Across the 3 dry-braking tests it has featured in, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 stops 1.9% longer than premium rivals, 0.5% longer than mid-range rivals and 0.3% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews dry score of 33/100, and owners rate it 8.2/10 in the dry from 40 reviews.
How good is the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 in the snow?
Across the 3 snow-braking tests it has featured in, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 stops 2.2% shorter than premium rivals, 2.1% shorter than mid-range rivals and 8.3% shorter than budget rivals. Across the 1 snow-traction test, it is 4.7% better than premium rivals, 6.5% better than mid-range rivals and 1.7% better than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews snow score of 82/100, and owners rate it 9.1/10 in the snow from 40 reviews.
How good is the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 on ice?
Across the 1 ice-braking test it has featured in, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 stops 5.5% shorter than premium rivals, 3.2% shorter than mid-range rivals and 3% longer than budget rivals. Across the 1 ice-traction test, it is 2.7% better than premium rivals, 3.8% better than mid-range rivals and 9% worse than budget rivals. It has a Tire Reviews ice score of 77/100, and owners rate it 7.8/10 on ice from 40 reviews.
How fuel efficient is the Goodyear UltraGrip 9?
Across the 3 tests measuring rolling resistance, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9's rolling resistance is 7.8% lower than premium rivals, 4.6% lower than mid-range rivals and 5.8% lower than budget rivals.
More questions about the Goodyear UltraGrip 9(13)
How many miles does the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 last?
Based on test and owner data, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 is expected to last around 29,389 miles (47,297 km).
What do owners say about the Goodyear UltraGrip 9?
Across 40 owner ratings the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 averages 85%. Owners rate Snow Grip highest at 9.1 out of 10 and Ice Grip lowest at 7.8. 9 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 91% of owners score it 70% or better.
How much does the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 cost to run?
In 195/65 R15, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 is projected to cost €15.68 per 1,000 miles to buy and run - about €392 over 25,000 miles - based on the price, wear and rolling resistance measured in the 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test. Of the tires compared in that test, that makes it the cheapest to run.
What is the Goodyear UltraGrip 9's EU tire label rating?
Across its range, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 most commonly carries EU label ratings of C for fuel efficiency, B for wet grip and 71 dB for noise.
How comfortable and quiet are the Goodyear UltraGrip 9?
Owners rate the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 9 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 34 reviews.
How well do the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 8.4 out of 10 for wear across 34 reviews. 9 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 3,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 again?
90% of owners say they would buy the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 again, based on the 39 owner reviews that answered the question. 64% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What do owners say about the Goodyear UltraGrip 9's snow traction?
Of the 32 owner reviews analyzed for the Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 20 mention snow traction: 19 praise it (strong snow traction) and 1 criticise it (weak snow traction). Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Goodyear UltraGrip 9's road noise?
Of the 32 owner reviews analyzed for the Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 15 mention road noise: 12 praise it (quiet) and 3 criticise it (noisy). One owner wrote: "One of the quietest tires I've ever used". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Goodyear UltraGrip 9's wet grip?
Of the 32 owner reviews analyzed for the Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 14 mention wet grip: 14 praise it (confident wet grip) and 0 criticise it (weak wet grip). One owner wrote: "excellent in the snow very good on the ice, dry and wet road.the best tires winter". Read those reviews
What does the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 replace?
The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 is the successor to the Goodyear UltraGrip 8 in Goodyear's range.
Questions and Answers for the Goodyear UltraGrip 9
The UltraGrip 9 threads look symmetric to me and I don’t se an “Outside” label on the side of the tire. Is that assumption right? Show moreThe UltraGrip 9 threads look symmetric to me and I don’t se an “Outside” label on the side of the tire. Is that assumption right? Can each of the four tires in a set be mounted/rotated on any of the four positions? Show less
April 8, 2021
The UG9 is a directional tire, so as long as it's pointing in the right direction there is no inside or outside.
Show all questions(2)
Hi I am looking at a budget but good performence winter tire for a nissan note the size of my current yres is 185/55 R16 but i can not find this on the goodyear… Show moreHi
I am looking at a budget but good performence winter tire for a nissan note the size of my current yres is 185/55 R16 but i can not find this on the goodyear progrip 9. I dont really understand tires so not sure if a different measure also will be ok. I am based in Edinburgh so not really much snow but plenty rain and a bit of ice earlier in the morning during winter.
Thanks Show less
October 29, 2020
There isn't a huge range of options in your size, but there are some reasonable midrange brands such as Falken. Check out the listings here: 185/55 R16 Winter Tires
Drivers largely praise the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 for outstanding winter traction (snow and ice), strong wet grip and braking, low noise, and good comfort, often outperforming prior winter sets and enabling confident hill climbs and travel in heavy snow. Many note stable dry performance in cold conditions, though a minority report weaker dry grip/steering feel in milder temps and some increased noise at higher speeds. Wear is generally viewed as good to excellent, with a few isolated complaints. Overall, the UltraGrip 9 is seen as a top-tier winter tire for real-world winter driving.
What owners mention most counted across 32 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 40 ratings
Owner score85%
Snow Grip91%
Comfort90%
Wet Grip89%
Wear84%
Handling83%
Dry Grip82%
Road Feedback81%
Ice Grip78%
Featured reviews
Most helpful 57%
“After switching from Continental TS850 a bit of disappointment, considering that it was a significantly newer tire. Nothing special to say, for now it did not impress or disappoint me much in any category, maybe I was...”
“Good tire for rain and snow. But no good with dry roads at temperatures higher than 12degrees Celsius. This tire is very soft, so no good response on dry and warm asphalt. Previous tires were Michelin Alpin4 and they...”
“Further to my earlier review I have used the 9's in heavy snow and they performed extremely well. Interestingly I also noted that handling when the weather warmed up is markedly better than the 8's I had before, much...”
If I remember correctly, I changed them in the winter of 2023 after 6 years (I only used them in winter) and they covered about 35,000 km without significant wear.....the best winter tires
57%
Member
Mercedes Benz
205/55 R16
7,000 miles
A Combination of Roads
Average
After switching from Continental TS850 a bit of disappointment, considering that it was a significantly newer tire.
Nothing special to say, for now it did not impress or disappoint me much in any category, maybe I was expecting some improvment over an excellent tire such as Continental...
Did not have a chance to drive it significantly in the snow so I will refrain from giving it a score in that category
(in that category I would give to Continental TS850 excellent marks on ice, and very good in slush (melting snow)).
Check out how the BEST all seasons tires perform against premium summer and winter tires!
Hello, this is my review of the Goodyear Utragrip 9 195/55R16 87H.
First of all, I didn't buy these tires new, I've got 2 of them for cheap, installed on the front with about 5.5mm left, so I would call this a end of life review.
I had Vredestein Snowtrac 5 on the rear with more thread dept, so I'll try to talk more about the fronts.
I haven't experienced snow, but a lot of greasy and icy weather, which they handled well.
Good grip in the wet and dry, only in the dry they like to make more noise(?).
Comfort is average for a winter tire.
I have no idea about wear, but they have worn just a little in the 4000+ miles I've driven. (About .8mm less)
Will be replaced with used Michelin Alpin A4, review will follow.
Which tires do you drive?
Researching the Goodyear UltraGrip 9? Rate the tires you actually drive - and help the next buyer choose.
Got them second hand for a Citroën C3 1.2 PureTech.
Put them on the front of the car with 5.6mm of thread left.
Didn't experience snow or ice, but some slippery and freezing conditions I did.
Excellent overall, in slippery weather they're a life saver.
Would recommend.
A perfect winter tire for city car. I tested it on snow wet dry and it outperformed my expectations. Really recommended for european winters (I live in north of italy)
Fitted these following the great reviews however I'm completely disappointed with the outcome. Even from new these tires would spin up on my 1.6 automatic Berlingo. After only 10k miles the outer tread is coming off in lumps inside and out and almost onto the wear indicators. Back to my trusted Vredesteins next. Goodyear, never again.
Probably the best winter tires I have tried. They are very comfortable and quiet especially compared to the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-32 I had fitted the previous winter. They are also quieter amd more comfortable than my Michelin summer tires. The wet and dry grip is good, but I cannot yet comment on ice and snow grip, but I expect those to be good as well based on other reviews. Wear is also difficult to comment on since I have not driven them for long time.
They might be a little more expensive than other tires, but you really get what you pay for with these tires. I will definitely buy again!
Spent the winter season in the French Alps and these tires were amazing. We had 1 meter of snow one day and after digging the car out we had no need for snow chains, either getting out of car park and drove to ski resorts without any issues and felt very secure.
Also somewhat surprised on how quiet they were on driving from and back from the UK.
Really good winter tire. High levels of grip in the snow and on ice. So much so that the only hindering factor is the ground clearance of the vehicle. I was pushing snow with the front bumper and this was causing me to loose momentum but you cant fault the winter traction, its great.
There also a really good tire in the dry and wet below 7 degrees. Very safe, good braking and offers high resistance to aquaplaning. Most notable is how quiet the tire is and also how little fuel it uses. With only 5 MPG less than the Goodyear summer tires i cant complain.
Certainly a tire more suited to family cars, commuters or rural vehicles. If you were after a sportier ride for say a Maserati or Jaguar I would look at the Goodyear Ultra grip Performance.
This is a link to a video I took, https://youtu.be/bHaU-EWcir0 a short trip in my vehicle fitted with Goodyear Ultragrip 9's.
Well worth the money, I paid £68 fitted and balanced each from www.blackcircles.com my local tire shop fitted them included in the blackcircles price.
3 years each winter I wear them and I have made 25.000km in getz 1.3 175/60 / 14t ..... excellent in the snow very good on the ice, dry and wet road.the best tires winter
The only reason I wanted to add a review here, is because these tires are slightly overhyped here. They are not bad but they are still M+S tires, and their performance on snow and ice is slightly worse than the dedicated Michelin winter tires I had before them. The ABS kicks in sooner when you are braking hard and they have this nasty thing when you are driving on a icy roundabout, it's like they loose traction for split second and then regain it. I never spinned out our anything, but it does make you a bit nervous, I never had this with my Michelin tires.
They are great on wet road though, much better than studless snow tires. They are also quiet.
Member
Renault
225/45 R17
200 miles
A Combination of Roads
Average
Hi there. After a week with UG9 and last night mountain driving at -4C to -7C and around 5cm of still fresh damp snow and some already more frozen snow and ice here and there I just wanted to share my opinion.
Compounds - The UG9 and UG8 thread compounds are softer on touch compared to WRD4 in cold weather.
Ride Comfort - WRD4 has a superior ride comfort that i never felt with any other tire I believe it is related to their "Silent Sidewall" technology absorbing most of the small irregularities on the road and providing really good ride smoothness. UG in general are feeling harsher (I always keep my tire pressure as is in my car manual).
Noise : UG8 -very noisy , UG9 noisy , WRD4 surprisingly silent for winter tire actually i think my old summer tire with V shaped pattern Vredestein Sportrac 3 was noisier.
Clean Asphalt Grip +13C - WRD4 has a really good grip almost like a summer tire of the same size , UG8 is tragedy in any direction and at temperatures beyond 10C is screeching on slightly harsher loads. UG9 is much much better than UG8 in this respect especially accelerating and braking , getting very close to WRD4 but still behind it for sure.
Wet Asphalt - well since i drive very carefully in heavy rains i can't say much probably WRD4 has better aquaplaning resistance compared to UG8 but i didn't have the chance with UG9 to put it on high speed through deep water patch.
Cold Clean Asphalt Grip (-5 and under) - WRD4 and UG9 have similar behavior they are exceptional on cold asphalt , UG8 suffers in longitudinal loads especially accelerating i believe this is due to the thread pattern design mostly but is on par in side loads with the other 2.
Wet snow covered Asphalt - WRD4 is suffering on wet snow that is above 2cm in any direction it is inferior to UG9 and UG8.
Damp Fresh snow more than 5cm - WRD4 is inferior to both UG9 and UG8 it is struggling to gain grip in acceleration and in side loading it is rapidly going into a slide where both UGs are much more progressive. In general i think UG8 was better in longitudinal loads compared to UG9 (both accelerating & braking) , in side loads i believe UG8 and UG9 are almost the same and are very progressive when they start loosing grip and start side sliding.
Powder like very cold snow - well still no -10C here but UG8 was definitely better than WRD4 will see about the UG9 but given the fact how soft the compound feels i believe it will be as good as UG8.
Conclusion : Well in general I think the UG9 is the better all round tire for where I live 3 months of the year snowy roads outside the city (Sofia , Bulgaria) , uncleaned small streets -15C is not impossible during the night , mountain passes that can be snowy (the city is locked between 4 mountains). Nokian WRD4 is superb on a bit warmer weather and specially in regard of ride comfort I'm still amazed how smooth my car can be. UG8 is really good tire for snow but it is really weak on clean roads and I still think it is probably a notch better than UG9 on snow but it might be a romantic memory of it.
