Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 vs Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5

Test Results

Independent comparison tyre tests are the best source of data to get tyre information from, and the good news is there have been seven tests which compare both tyres directly!

While it might look like the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 is better than the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 purely based on the higher number of test wins, tyres are very complicated objects which means where one tyre is better than the other can be more important in real world use.

Let's look at how the two tyres compare across multiple tyre test categories.

Key Strengths

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3

• Best-in-class aquaplaning resistance (e.g., +16% straight, +24% curved in 2025 test)
• Top-tier wet braking/handling consistency; multiple category wins
• Excellent all-round winter: strong snow braking/traction and competitive ice
• Lower noise and slightly better fuel economy across tests

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5

• Shorter dry braking and surefooted dry feel
• Stronger pure ice performance in several tests (braking/traction)
• Engaging winter handling with stable behavior at the limit
• Low rolling resistance potential (notably in 2025 snow tyre test)

Real World Driver Reviews

Tyre Reviews also collects real world driver reviews for the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5.

In total the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 has been reviewed 3 times and drivers have given the tyre 75% overall.

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 has been reviewed 15 times and drivers have given the tyre 85% overall.

This means in real world driving, people prefer the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5.

Conclusion

Across the test set, Goodyear takes six overall wins to Nokian's one, driven by superior wet handling and braking, markedly better straight and curved aquaplaning (e.g., +16% and +24% advantages in key tests), and excellent snow metrics. It also tends to be quieter and a touch more fuel efficient. That balance makes it easier and safer to drive in variable winter weeks that swing from wet and mild to snowy and slushy.

Nokian counters with consistently shorter dry stops and a slight edge on ultimate ice traction/braking in several tests, plus very low rolling resistance in the 2025 snow tyre test. If your winters are long, cold and predominantly on compact snow and rough ice-with less rain and standing water-the R5's winter-focused tuning and calm limit behavior on ice make sense. For mixed or wet Nordic climates, daily commuting, and highway slush, the UltraGrip Ice 3 is the safer, simpler recommendation.

Key Differences

• Aquaplaning: Goodyear consistently superior; Nokian notably weaker in straight and curved tests
• Wet performance: Goodyear leads most wet braking/handling rounds; Nokian wins a few but trails overall
• Dry braking: Nokian repeatedly stops shorter
• Ice focus: Nokian often edges ice braking/traction; Goodyear close and sometimes second-best overall
• Snow: Goodyear marginally stronger on average (braking/traction/handling)
• Refinement & efficiency: Goodyear typically quieter and slightly more fuel efficient; Nokian can deliver lower rolling resistance in specific sizes/tests

Overall Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3

Based on the tyre test data and user reviews we have in our database, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 has demonstrated better overall performance in this comparison. However, as you can see from the spider diagram above, each tyre has its own strengths which should be considered in your final tyre buying choice.

Similar Comparisons

Looking for more tyre comparisons? Here are other direct comparisons involving these tyres:

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 Top Comparisons

Continental VikingContact 8 VS Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 VS Michelin X Ice Snow

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 VS Pirelli Ice Friction

View All Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 Comparisons

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 Top Comparisons

Michelin X Ice Snow VS Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5

Continental VikingContact 8 VS Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 VS Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5

View All Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 Comparisons

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Footnote

This page has been developed using tyre industry testing best practices. This means we are only comparing tests which have had both tyres in the same test.

Why is this important? Tyre testing is heavily affected by things like surface grip levels and surface temperature, which means you can only compare values from the same day. During a tyre test external condition changes are calculated into the overall results, but it is not possible to calculate this between tyre tests performed on different days or at different locations.

As a result you will see other tests on Tyre Reviews which feature both the %s and %s, but as they weren't conducted on the same day, the results are not comparable.

Lots of other websites do this sort of tyre comparison, Tyre Reviews doesn't.