BFGoodrich gGrip vs Gislaved Ultra Speed
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tyres, the BFGoodrich gGrip finished ahead 4 times and the Ultra Speed once. The gGrip was stronger in dry, the Ultra Speed in wet.
Performance profile
Their shared tests recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart starts from each tyre's Tyre Reviews Score categories: its whole record, not shared tests.
Where each scores higher
gGrip
Not ahead in any category
Ultra Speed
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
gGrip
Ultra Speed
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the gGrip 84% from 47 reviews and the Ultra Speed 71% from 10. 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 | gGrip | Gap | Ultra Speed | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry gGrip ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 36.5 | 4.5% | 38.2 | 1-0 |
| Wet Ultra Speed ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 36 | 4.7% | 34.3 | 0-1 |
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 5 tests, 2013 to 2019
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 | gGrip | Field | Ultra Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | P31 of 53 | P32 of 53 | |
| 2018 AutoBild Summer Tyre Overview | P20 of 51 | P34 of 51 | |
| 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Shootout | P27 of 51 | P35 of 51 | |
| 2016 Market Overview - Braking Test | P18 of 50 | P20 of 50 | |
| 2013 54 Tyre Braking Test | P31 of 54 | P16 of 54 |
gGrip vs Ultra Speed: your questions
Is the BFGoodrich gGrip or the Gislaved Ultra Speed the better tyre?
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tyres, the BFGoodrich gGrip finished ahead 4 times and the Ultra Speed once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the gGrip scores 6.6 and the Ultra Speed 6.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the gGrip or the Ultra Speed?
The Ultra Speed led 1 of the 1 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The gGrip led 1 of the 1 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.5/10 for the gGrip and 6.7/10 for the Ultra Speed.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the gGrip 84% from 47 reviews and the Ultra Speed 71% from 10. 87% of gGrip owners would buy it again, against 70% for the Ultra Speed.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The gGrip is made in 32 sizes (14 to 19 inch) and the Ultra Speed in 13 (14 to 18 inch). 5 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the gGrip is graded B for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ultra Speed C and D.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Ultra Speed is the newer design: it reached the market in 2011, the gGrip in 2009.
More comparisons with these tyres
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.