2Rank 02 of 8 · Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17
Goodyear Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
Second at Auto Express 2025 in this size, and the outright winner of the ADAC 2025 test — in 225/40 R18, a different size. Best-in-class wet braking, with high projected tread life.
8.6BPR score
- €134Price
- 2nd of 8 (Auto Express 2025, 225/45 R17)Independent test result in 225/45 R17
- 2 of 8in Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17
- 8.6BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
The most decorated winter tyre of the 2025–26 season, with an important caveat about where the decorations were earned.
In this size, its result is second of eight at Auto Express 2025 — a strong showing behind the Continental. That is the size-correct evidence.
Its headline win is from elsewhere. The ADAC / ÖAMTC / TCS 2025 test made it the outright winner of 31 tyres, with the best wet braking of the entire field and second-best fuel efficiency. That test was conducted in 225/40 R18 — a lower-profile tyre on a larger rim, with different construction and different behaviour. It is genuinely good evidence about the compound and the tread pattern; it is not a result in your size.
The EU label in 225/45 R17 94V XL reads rolling resistance C, wet grip B, 71 dB. The noise class letter was not printed on the pages we could reach, so we have not stated one. Both M+S and 3PMSF are confirmed.
Wet braking is the recognised strength, and ADAC's 2024 assessment also noted high projected tread life — which matters more in this size than in a compact fitment, because the tyres cost more to replace.
At €134.49 it is €9 below the Continental and offers a comparable evidence base if you are willing to weight the 225/40 R18 result. If you are not, the Continental's double win in this exact size is the stronger card.
Note also that the predecessor UltraGrip Performance + finished third in the ADAC 2023 test in this size at 2.2 "gut", which suggests the line has been consistently competitive here.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Size and index
- 225/45 R17 94V XL EVR/MFS
- EU label - rolling resistance
- C
- EU label - wet grip
- B
- EU label - noise
- 71 dB (class letter not published)
- Markings
- M+S and 3PMSF
- Auto Express 2025 (225/45 R17)
- 2nd of 8
- ADAC/OeAMTC/TCS 2025
- 1st of 31 - but in 225/40 R18, a DIFFERENT SIZE
- ADAC 2025 sub-results
- #1 of 31 wet braking, #2 of 31 fuel efficiency
- Wear
- ADAC 09/2024 noted high projected tread life
- Price
- EUR 134.49
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- 2nd of 8 at Auto Express 2025 in this exact size
- Outright winner of ADAC 2025 (31 tyres) — though in 225/40 R18
- Best wet braking of the entire ADAC 2025 field
- Second-best fuel efficiency in that test
- ADAC noted high projected tread life
- €134.49 — €9 below the Continental
- Predecessor finished 3rd in the ADAC 2023 test in this size
Worth knowing
- Its headline win was measured in 225/40 R18, not this size
- Rolling resistance only C despite the fuel-efficiency praise
- 71 dB, and the noise class letter is not published
- EPREL registration number not published on the pages we reached
- Not tested by ADAC in 225/45 R17 in its current generation
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17.
| Product | Score | Independent test result in 225/45 R17 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental WinterContact TS 870Top score | 8.8 | 1st of 16 — 2.0 gut (ADAC 2023) and 1st of 8 (Auto Express 2025) | €144 |
| Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3This product | 8.6 | 2nd of 8 (Auto Express 2025, 225/45 R17) | €134 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 8.2 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does a win in 225/40 R18 tell me anything about 225/45 R17?
Something, but less than it appears. The compound and tread pattern carry across, so a tyre that brakes well in one size generally brakes well in another. What changes is construction: a 40-profile sidewall on an 18-inch rim is stiffer and behaves differently under load than a 45-profile on a 17. Our 205/55 R16 ranking has a clear example — the Continental TS 870 scored 2.0 and won in that size, while the TS 870 P variant managed only 2.5 in 225/40 R18. Weight size-correct results more heavily.
From the same ranking
Other products in Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
-
No. 018.8/ 10
Continental WinterContact TS 870
The only tyre here to win in this exact size in both test programmes — ADAC 2023 and Auto…
-
No. 038.5/ 10
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
Third at Auto Express 2025 in this size, at €125.58 — €18 below the Continental. The Enliten…
-
No. 048.2/ 10
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Fourth in the ADAC 2023 test in this exact size at 2.4 "gut", for €111.64 — €32 below the…
-
No. 058.2/ 10
Nokian WR Snowproof P
The only tyre here with rolling resistance class B, at €103.69 — and ADAC noted good wear. But…