Firestone Firehawk Sport vs Vredestein Ultrac Pro
- TR Score
- 8.6/10
- Owners say
- 79% · 6
- TR Score
- 9.0/10
- Owners say
- 83% · 7
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Vredestein Ultrac Pro finished ahead 4 times and the Firehawk Sport once. The Firehawk Sport had 17.6% lower rolling resistance; the Ultrac Pro lasted 15.2% longer in the wear tests.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Buy the Vredestein Ultrac Pro. It won four of the five shared tests, brakes shorter in the wet, resists aquaplaning better and lasts longer. The Firestone Firehawk Sport is worth it only if fuel economy is your priority, where its rolling resistance advantage of up to 18.2 percent is the biggest number in this comparison.
Where the Firehawk Sport is stronger
- 18.2 percent lower rolling resistance at Auto Bild Sports Cars, 7.2 against 8.8 kg/t
- Lower fuel consumption at ADAC, 5.5 against 5.7 l/100km
- Shorter dry braking in four of five tests, though by small margins
Where the Ultrac Pro is stronger
- Finished ahead in four of the five shared tests, 13th of 50 against 23rd in the braking super test
- Shorter wet braking in three of five tests, by 9.3 percent at Auto Bild Sports Cars
- Longer life in both wear tests and better curved aquaplaning in all three measurements
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.
Firehawk Sport vs Ultrac Pro at a glance
| Category | Firehawk Sport | Gap | Ultrac Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won5 shared tests | 1 | 4 | |
| Dry7 measurements | 4 | The Firehawk Sport stopped 0.5% shorter in the dry (5 tests) | 3 |
| Wet15 measurements | 5 | The Ultrac Pro held 9.4% more grip in curved aquaplaning (3 tests) | 9 |
| Comfort5 measurements | 1 | 4 | |
| Value6 measurements | 3 | Level between the two. | 3 |
| Tyre Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.6/10 | The Ultrac Pro by 0.4 | 9.0/10 |
| Owner rating6 and 7 reviews | 79% | The Ultrac Pro by 4 points | 83% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 67% | The Ultrac Pro by 4 points | 71% |
| Pricein the 3 tests that listed prices | Cheaper | The Ultrac Pro was dearer in 3 of 3 | +9.9% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 35 | 34 sizes made in both | 98 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tyres; a tick marks the tyre 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 5 tests, 2025 to 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Firehawk Sport | Field | Ultrac Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | P23 of 50 | P13 of 50 | |
| 2025 Sports Cars Tyre Test | P6 of 8 | P5 of 8 | |
| 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test | P20 of 20 | P13 of 20 | |
| 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | P7 of 18 | P5 of 18 | |
| 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | P15 of 52 | P18 of 52 |
Performance profile
10 measurements from the 5 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Firehawk Sport
Ultrac Pro
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. 4 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Firehawk Sport
Ultrac Pro
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Firehawk Sport
Not ahead in any category
Ultrac Pro
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Firehawk Sport 79% from 6 reviews and the Ultrac Pro 83% from 7. 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 tyres 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 | Firehawk Sport | Gap | Ultrac Pro | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35.72 | 0.5% | 35.9 | 4-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 112.3 | 0.4% | 112.7 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 38 | 2.4% | 36.92 | 3-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 38 | 1.3% | 37.5 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 73.1 | 3.5% | 75.7 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 15.08 | 1% | 15.24 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 77.4 | 1% | 78.17 | 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2.96 | 9.4% | 3.24 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 15.3% | scored | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 73.27 | 0.2 dB | 73.1 | 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 31,680 | 15.2% | 36,515 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 7.41 | 17.6% | 9 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.5 | 3.5% | 5.7 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 81.1 | 6.9% | 75.5 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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 tyres 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 Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Firehawk Sport scores 8.6 and the Ultrac Pro 9 out of 10.
| Firehawk Sport | Category | Ultrac Pro | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | Dry | 86 | ||
| 66 | Wet | 82 | ||
| 54 | Comfort | 80 | ||
| 56 | Value | 27 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| Firehawk Sport | Category | Ultrac Pro | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | Dry Grip | 9.1 | ||
| 8.5 | Wet Grip | 8.9 | ||
| 7.8 | Road Feedback | 8.3 | ||
| 8.4 | Handling | 9 | ||
| 5 | Wear | 6 | ||
| 8 | Comfort | 8.1 | ||
Owners rate the Firehawk Sport 79% from 6 reviews and the Ultrac Pro 83% from 7. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Firestone Firehawk Sport
- 79%from 6 reviews
- 67%would buy again
- 18,510 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers generally report the Firestone Firehawk Sport delivers strong wet and dry grip with confident aquaplaning resistance, making it feel secure in heavy rain. Many also highlight low road noise and improved fuel economy/MPG versus prior tyres, with stable handling and reduced tramlining. A smaller share of reviews raise concerns about faster-than-expected wear or durability on rough/potholed roads, though most feedback remains clearly positive.
- Excellent wet grip and rain confidence (including aquaplaning resistance)
- Strong dry grip/traction and stable handling
- Low road noise/quiet ride
- Improved fuel economy/MPG
- Some reports of faster wear or reduced durability on rough/potholed roads
Summarised by AI from 6 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 6 Firehawk Sport reviewsI came from a hankook ventus s1 evo3 . But they had pretty bad dry cracks even before the tire ran out of life . I have 245/35/20 tires . the comfort on the firestones are a little bit worse then the hankooks . i could run the hankooks on 2.5 bar , these on 2.3 for the same comfort . i think the firestones are a bit more fuel efficient , even when they are on a lower tire pressure . Dry grip is very good , never lost any traction , even in the rain . aquaplanning is also very good , never had any feel of losing controle .
So far i ran the tires around 15.000 km and lost 1.5mm out of the 5.5mm tread on the front , and only lost 0.5 on the back . so i think ill get aroud 60.000km out of it if i switch them every year . Found out they have like 0 traction on snow , keep that in mind .
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
- 83%from 7 reviews
- 71%would buy again
- 34,100 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers largely praise the Vredestein Ultrac Pro for strong dry and wet grip, confident handling, and notably good ride comfort, with several noting premium feel and value. High-scoring reviews highlight short braking distances, stability, and decent wear for aggressive or heavy vehicles. A minority report concerns include poor performance in very cold (sub-5°C) conditions and one case of premature wear/delamination. Overall, the Ultrac Pro delivers balanced performance with comfort-focused tuning and attractive design.
- dry grip
- wet grip
- handling/steering feel
- ride comfort
- reduced grip in very cold temperatures
Summarised by AI from 6 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 7 Ultrac Pro reviewsI've had them for two summers and about 10k kms on a Ford Focus ST250. When I was buying them I was looking for good tires at a fair price and these were the newest model available at the time.
Dry: In the dry they have good traction, predictable handlings and good comfort for a UHP tire. Breakaway is communicated well and they don't surprise you out of nowhere. Lift of oversteer is easily achieved and controlled. They do wheelspin a bit in first gear if you are a bit more enthusiastic with the throttle but that's expected on a more powerful fwd car.
Wet: They have good and predictable grip in the wet, good aquaplaning resistance and stop quite well.
Others: Rim guard is somewhere in the middle, not as big as Bridgestone but better than Hankook. Sidewall design is good, comfort and noise are good for a uhp tire. Wear has also been good for me, I expect to change them due to age and not wear but then again I don't do that many miles a year.
It's a tire I like and would recommend. Price to performance is good. Would consider buying. I got their Wintrac Pro Plus to try this winter so I've been satisfied with Vredesteins as a whole.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tyre: 35 sizes of the Firehawk Sport and 98 of the Ultrac Pro, 34 of them made in both.
| Category | Firehawk Sport | Ultrac Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 35 sizes, 18 to 20 inch | 98 sizes, 18 to 24 inch |
| Made in both | 34 sizes 215/35 R18225/40 R18225/45 R18235/40 R18245/40 R18245/45 R18255/35 R18255/40 R18225/35 R19225/45 R19235/35 R19235/40 R19and 22 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A100% | A97%B3% |
| EU label rolling resistance | B77%C20%A3% | C73%D18%B6%A3% |
| EU label noise | 70 dB B54%A46% | 69-73 dB B97%A3% |
| On the market since | 2023 | 2024 |
| Replaced | Firestone Firehawk SZ90 | Vredestein Ultrac Vorti+ (2020) |
| Price in the shared tests | The Ultrac Pro was the dearer tyre in 3 of the 3 tests that listed prices, by 9.9% on average. Each test priced the tyres 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.
Five shared tests, four wins for the Vredestein Ultrac Pro. It was 13th of 50 against the Firestone Firehawk Sport's 23rd in Auto Bild's 2026 braking super test, 13th of 21 against 20th at Auto Bild in 2025, 5th of 18 against 7th at ADAC and 5th of 8 against 6th at Auto Bild Sports Cars. The Firestone's only win came in Auto Bild's 2025 shootout, 15th of 52 against 18th.
Wet grip decides it. The Vredestein braked shorter in the wet in three of five tests, by 9.3 percent at Auto Bild Sports Cars, 44.8m against 49.4m, won the only wet handling comparison by a wide margin, 80.1 against 74.9 km/h, and it resisted curved aquaplaning better in all three measurements.
The Firestone's answer is efficiency. It rolled with 18.2 percent less resistance at Auto Bild Sports Cars, 7.2 against 8.8 kg/t, and 17.1 percent less in the 2025 performance test, and it used less fuel at ADAC, 5.5 against 5.7 l/100km.
Conclusion
The Vredestein Ultrac Pro is the better tyre here, winning four of the five shared tests: 13th of 50 against 23rd in Auto Bild's 2026 braking super test, 13th of 21 against the Firestone Firehawk Sport's 20th in the 2025 performance test, 5th of 18 against 7th at ADAC and 5th of 8 against 6th at Auto Bild Sports Cars. It braked shorter in the wet in three of five tests, most clearly 44.8m against 49.4m at Sports Cars, a 4.6m difference, won the only wet handling comparison, 80.1 against 74.9 km/h, and it resisted curved aquaplaning better in all three measurements. It also lasted longer in both wear tests, 40,100km against 34,500km at ADAC and 32,930km against 28,860km at Auto Bild, was cheaper per 1000km in both calculations, abraded less, 75.5 against 81.1mg/km/t, and both panels rated it more comfortable, 8 points against 7 and 5 against 4.3.
The Firestone Firehawk Sport is the efficiency specialist, and by a big margin. It rolled with 18.2 percent less resistance at Auto Bild Sports Cars, 7.2 against 8.8 kg/t, and 17.1 percent less at Auto Bild in 2025, 7.62 against 9.19 kg/t, and it used less fuel at ADAC, 5.5 against 5.7 l/100km. It also braked shorter in the dry in four of five tests, though the margins are small, 2.6 percent at Sports Cars and 1.1 percent in the shootout.
Note that the dry braking advantage did not translate into placings: the Firestone won only the braking-only shootout, where nothing else is scored. If your priority is fuel economy the Firestone has a genuine and large edge. For everything else the Vredestein is the better tyre, safer in the wet and longer-lasting.
Firehawk Sport vs Ultrac Pro: your questions
Is the Firestone Firehawk Sport or the Vredestein Ultrac Pro the better tyre?
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Vredestein Ultrac Pro finished ahead 4 times and the Firehawk Sport once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Firehawk Sport scores 8.6 and the Ultrac Pro 9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Firehawk Sport or the Ultrac Pro?
The Ultrac Pro led 9 of the 15 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it held 9.4% more grip in curved aquaplaning across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Firehawk Sport led 4 of the 7 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 0.5% shorter in the dry across 5 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Firehawk Sport had 17.6% lower rolling resistance (2 tests); the Ultrac Pro lasted 15.2% longer in the wear tests (2 tests). Owners rate wear 5/10 for the Firehawk Sport and 6/10 for the Ultrac Pro.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8/10 for the Firehawk Sport and 8.1/10 for the Ultrac Pro.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Firehawk Sport 79% from 6 reviews and the Ultrac Pro 83% from 7. 67% of Firehawk Sport owners would buy it again, against 71% for the Ultrac Pro.
Which is more expensive?
In the 3 tests that listed prices, the Ultrac Pro was the dearer tyre in 3 of them, by 9.9% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Firehawk Sport is made in 35 sizes (18 to 20 inch) and the Ultrac Pro in 98 (18 to 24 inch). 34 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Firehawk Sport is graded A for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ultrac Pro A and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Ultrac Pro is the newer design: it reached the market in 2024, the Firehawk Sport in 2023. The Firehawk Sport replaced the Firestone Firehawk SZ90. The Ultrac Pro replaced the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti+.
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Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre 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 tyres 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 Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.
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