Comparison: GoodYear UltraGrip 9+ vs. Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 W452 (2026)

Wet performance is where this comparison becomes more nuanced. The overall wet scores are close — Goodyear 85 versus Hankook 85.2 — but the detail tells a different story. In the AutoBild 2021 braking test, the Hankook stopped in 33.4 metres on a wet surface against the Goodyear's 35.2 metres, a near two-metre advantage that recurs across evaluations. Aquaplaning resistance is actually marginally better on the Goodyear (90.2 vs 89.7), and its wet circle cornering score of 89.5 is strong. Real-world owners echo this: multiple UltraGrip 9+ users report reassuring behaviour in cold rain and sleet, describing the tyre as barely feeling like a winter tyre in wet above-zero conditions. The Hankook has stronger overall wet braking (83.3 vs 75.6 on the scored average), but the Goodyear is genuinely competitive in standing water and cornering — it simply concedes ground when stopping in a straight line.

On dry roads, the performance gap between these two tyres is real and measurable. The Hankook's dry braking score of 85.4 is substantially ahead of the Goodyear's 69.8 — a difference that translates directly to shorter stopping distances in emergency situations. In the AutoBild 2021 50-tyre group test, the Hankook finished 3rd overall against the Goodyear's 6th, with the Korean tyre consistently praised for confident dry handling. The Goodyear is not dangerous on dry roads — testers note safe, predictable behaviour — but minor imprecision in steering response is a recurring theme, and the braking deficit is difficult to overlook. For drivers who spend significant time on dry winter roads, the Hankook's edge here is meaningful.

Snow is the Hankook's clearest strength in this comparison. Its snow score of 90.1 is significantly ahead of the Goodyear's 80.5, driven by outstanding snow handling — scoring 100 in the measured snow handling assessment — and strong snow traction (88.3) and snow braking (86.7). The one exception is straight-line snow braking distance: in the AutoBild 2021 test, the Goodyear actually stopped marginally shorter at 27.5 metres versus the Hankook's 28.2 metres on snow. But this is the outlier — across the full body of snow evaluations, the Hankook is the more confident winter performer, particularly in cornering and traction scenarios. Goodyear owners do report solid snow grip in real-world conditions, with one SEAT Arona owner describing the ability to drive up and down hills past stranded vehicles in proper snowfall. The Goodyear holds its own but the Hankook belongs in a higher tier when serious winter conditions are a regular reality. It is also worth noting that the W452 has been succeeded by the Hankook W462 Winter i*cept RS3, so availability of the W452 may be limited in newer size offerings.

Comfort and efficiency reveal the clearest reason to choose the Goodyear. Its rolling resistance score of 80.3 is dramatically better than the Hankook's 59.5 — one of the largest gaps between these two tyres. ADAC testers specifically highlighted the UltraGrip 9+ for best-in-test efficiency and low fuel consumption, a result confirmed by its EU label data leaning strongly toward the C and E fuel ratings. Noise is quiet on both, with a slight edge to the Hankook (77.8 vs 75.8), and ride comfort scores are close. Real owners of the Goodyear consistently praise its low noise level — it appears among the most frequently mentioned positives with ten separate mentions in customer feedback. The Hankook scores well for quality and road grip in owner reviews, but fuel running costs over a winter season will favour the Goodyear noticeably.