TopTire Review

    Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    2026 test data · 22 independent tests · 3 head-to-head

    → See full Firestone vs Goodyear brand comparison

    Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus: the full picture

    This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 and Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus appear in 22 tests, 3 of which put both tires on the same track on the same day. Head-to-head results carry the most weight here, because surface, weather and test car all change between events and make raw numbers from different tests hard to compare directly.

    How the Firestone Winterhawk 4 performs. It takes the win in efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 89/100, based on 17 tests.

    How the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus performs. It takes the win in wet, dry, snow, ice, noise / comfort, mileage. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 91/100, based on 5 tests.

    What this means for you. Category wins matter more than the overall score when your driving is weighted toward one condition — a wet-climate commuter should follow the wet braking column, while a high-mileage driver should follow wear and rolling resistance. Also check that both tires are actually offered in your size and load rating: performance can shift between sizes, and availability differs between the European and North American markets.

    Verdict

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus is the stronger all-round choice, leading in wet and Tire Lab Score. The Firestone Winterhawk 4 still wins on efficiency, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

    Choose Firestone Winterhawk 4 if

    • You prioritise efficiency

    Choose Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus if

    Overall winner
    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise dry
    • You prioritise snow

    Test profile

    MetricFirestone Winterhawk 4Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    SegmentWinterWinter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used175
    Best rank#1#1
    Avg rank10.07.0
    Latest test20252023
    Tire Lab Score88.791

    Tire Lab Score

    88.7
    Very Good · Winter
    91
    Excellent · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryFirestone Winterhawk 4Goodyear UltraGrip 9 PlusWinner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 7.6
    138
    Avg rank 6.5
    21
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 14.3
    1
    Avg rank 10.6
    1
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 9.2
    224
    Avg rank 4.3
    321
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    🧊Ice
    Avg rank 6.7
    Avg rank 1.0
    1
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 9.2
    31
    Avg rank 6.0
    3
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 10.8
    21
    Avg rank 6.3
    Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 9.5
    1
    Avg rank 11.3
    Firestone Winterhawk 4

    Tests used in this comparison

    Both tires were measured head-to-head in these 3 independent tests:

    💧 Wet: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 6.5, compared to 7.6 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    ☀️ Dry: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 10.6, compared to 14.3 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    ❄️ Snow: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 4.3, compared to 9.2 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    🧊 Ice: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 1.0, compared to 6.7 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 6.0, compared to 9.2 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    📏 Mileage: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus wins this category with an average rank of 6.3, compared to 10.8 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    🔋 Efficiency: Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus

    The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 9.5, compared to 11.3 for the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Firestone Winterhawk 4 or Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus ranks higher on average than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus averages a better dry-braking rank than the Firestone Winterhawk 4 across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?

    On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus ranks better than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus shows better mileage performance than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Firestone Winterhawk 4 appears in 17 independent tests, Goodyear UltraGrip 9 Plus in 5, with 3 head-to-head tests where both were measured.

    Also compare

    Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →