BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
In the 7 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ finished ahead 6 times and the gForce Winter 2 once. The gForce Winter 2 was stronger in dry, the UltraGrip 9+ in wet, ice, comfort and value.
Performance profile
12 measurements from the 7 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
gForce Winter 2
UltraGrip 9+
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. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 5 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
UltraGrip 9+
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
gForce Winter 2
UltraGrip 9+
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the UltraGrip 9+ 88% from 6. 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. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | gForce Winter 2 | Gap | UltraGrip 9+ | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry gForce Winter 2 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 45.87 | 1.2% | 46.4 | 2-1 |
| Dry Handling km/h | 124.6 | 0.3% | 124.3 | 1-1 |
| Wet UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 40.83 | 1.4% | 40.2 | 1-3 |
| Wet Braking - Concrete m | 41 | 2% | 40.2 | 0-1 |
| Wet Handling km/h | 70.35 | 1.8% | 71.6 | 0-2 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.85 | 1.5% | 12.66 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 82.9 | 1.4% | 84.1 | 1-2 |
| Curved Aquaplaning m/sec2 | 3.14 | 8.7% | 3.41 | 0-3 |
| Snow Level | ||||
| Snow Braking m | 24.53 | 0.7% | 24.4 | 1-3 |
| Snow Traction N | 1,014 | 0.3% | 1,032 | 1-1 |
| Snow Handling km/h | 55.95 | 2.7% | 54.5 | 2-0 |
| Ice UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Ice Braking m | 21 | 11.4% | 18.6 | 0-1 |
| Comfort UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 71.37 | 0.4 dB | 71.8 | 1-2 |
| Value UltraGrip 9+ ahead | ||||
| Wear km | 37,800 | 6.6% | 40,250 | 0-2 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 9.52 | 13.1% | 8.28 | 0-2 |
| Fuel Consumption l/100km | 5.7 | 1.8% | 5.6 | 0-1 |
| Abrasion mg/km/t | 56 | 24.3% | 74 | 1-0 |
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.
Head to head in 7 tests, 2020 to 2023
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 | gForce Winter 2 | Field | UltraGrip 9+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | P8 of 16 | P3 of 16 | |
| 2022 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | P5 of 15 | P1 of 15 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | P11 of 20 | P7 of 20 | |
| 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | P4 of 10 | P6 of 10 | |
| 2021 ADAC 15 Inch Winter Tyre Test | P5 of 16 | P1 of 16 | |
| 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview | P7 of 50 | P6 of 50 | |
| The Best Winter Tyres for 2020 | P4 of 19 | P2 of 19 |
gForce Winter 2 vs UltraGrip 9+: your questions
Is the BFGoodrich gForce Winter 2 or the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ the better tyre?
In the 7 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ finished ahead 6 times and the gForce Winter 2 once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the gForce Winter 2 scores 8.3 and the UltraGrip 9+ 9.4 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the gForce Winter 2 or the UltraGrip 9+?
The UltraGrip 9+ led 12 of the 14 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it held 8.7% more grip in curved aquaplaning across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The gForce Winter 2 led 3 of the 5 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.2% shorter in the dry across 3 tests.
Which is better in snow?
Across the shared tests the snow measurements are split 4-4 between the gForce Winter 2 and the UltraGrip 9+.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The UltraGrip 9+ lasted 6.6% longer in the wear tests (2 tests) and had 13.1% lower rolling resistance (2 tests). Owners rate wear 8.7/10 for the gForce Winter 2 and 9.7/10 for the UltraGrip 9+.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 9.2/10 for the gForce Winter 2 and 8.5/10 for the UltraGrip 9+.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the gForce Winter 2 89% from 30 reviews and the UltraGrip 9+ 88% from 6. 100% of gForce Winter 2 owners would buy it again, against 100% for the UltraGrip 9+.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the two were priced within 1% of each other on average.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The gForce Winter 2 is made in 75 sizes (14 to 20 inch) and the UltraGrip 9+ in 19 (14 to 16 inch). 17 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 UltraGrip 9+ B and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The UltraGrip 9+ is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the gForce Winter 2 in 2016. The UltraGrip 9+ replaced the Goodyear UltraGrip 9.
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Run either of these?
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.