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Voyager HP: UHP Performance and Quality Drivers can Depend On

Product, Culture | 05/22/2026

What is in this blog:

  • What Makes a Good Ultra-High Performance Tire?
  • Who can Benefit from UHP Tires?
  • Are UHP Tires Good in Rain and Snow?
  • UHP Tires vs All-Season vs Grand Touring Tires
  • Do UHP tires wear out faster?
  • Finding a quiet UHP tire
  • Groundspeed’s Voyager HP Ultra-High Performance Tire

Ultra-High Performance, or UHP, tires are designed with enhanced handling, braking, and traction for performance vehicles. Performance vehicles need tires that can support precision handling, high-speed turns, and harder braking, while hugging the road for outstanding traction. Although UHP tires are designed for high speeds, fast cornering, and sudden braking, many drivers question how long they last on vehicles that are driven daily, and how well they will perform in cold weather, rain, and even snow. The good news is that many of today's UHP tires are designed to give sport performance, while still providing good mileage and traction when the seasons change.

How to Find the Best Ultra-High Performance Tires

When looking for UHP tires, many customers want to know how to find a tire that will give them high-quality results for an economical price. Great quality, budget-friendly UHP tires can be found, and here are some ways to spot them.

  • Look for features that will provide high traction, which is essential for performance driving. This includes tread pattern designs, as well as high-silica tread compounds. 
  • Look for design features that will maintain driving stability at high speeds, especially when cornering.
  • Look for tread patterns designed to help prevent hydroplaning and efficiently remove water from the tread grooves for better control in rain or snow.
  • Check for tire features that promote even tread wear.
  • Look for a tire designed to enhance the precision handling of performance vehicles.
  • Check that tires are speed-rated W, Y, or that the tire size contains ZR, showing that the tires are constructed and rated for high-speed performance.
  • Look for tires with tread patterns designed to reduce or absorb road noise.
  • Check for a mileage warranty, or any other kind of tire coverage.
  • Look for a tire that has the Mud + Snow Rating, indicating that it can provide traction in light mud and snow conditions.

What to Look for in a Good Quality Ultra-High Performance Tire

  • High-traction tread features
  • Silica tread compound
  • Speed rated W, Y or ZR
  • Wear-Resistance
  • Noise-Reducing design
  • High-speed cornering stability
  • Excellent wet and dry braking performance
  • Asymmetrical or directional tread pattern
  • Water evacuation/hydroplaning prevention
  • Additional rain and snow traction features

Who are UHP Tires a Good Option For?

Since Ultra-High Performance tires are made to (legally) push the envelope at higher speeds, they’re ideal for assertive drivers who love to feel the road beneath them, and value responsive, confident handling and control on the road. Drivers who enjoy going beyond their daily commute to drive mountain roads or canyon runs, and like to feel what their tires are doing on the road instead of masking it typically want a tire that supports and enhances their vehicle’s horsepower. A UHP tire designed to grip the road at high speeds, and provide driving stability and excellent braking performance does just that. For vehicles driven mostly in cities, or on long, straight stretches of highway, a UHP tire will still provide excellent handling and performance, but may not provide ideal tread wear or ride comfort for daily drivers. Popular vehicles that typically use Ultra-High Performance tires include Mustangs, Corvettes, BMWs, and Tesla Model 3s.

Are UHP Tires Good in Rain and Snow?

UHP tires may often be referred to as “Summer tires” because they excel in hot and dry weather conditions, however many UHP tires are also designed to provide good traction in rainy weather, and even light to moderate snow. Look for the M+S stamp on the tire sidewall to indicate that it is Mud + Snow Rated, meaning it can provide good traction even in light mud and snow, and check the tire’s tread pattern to see if it has features designed especially for increased rain or snow traction. For vehicles driven in areas with severe winter weather, drivers would be better off switching to Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rated tires or studded snow tires once the weather gets colder.

UHP Tires vs Grand Touring vs All-Season Tires: How to Choose

Although these are distinct tire categories, the differences between them have increasingly blurred in the last decade. For instance, UHP tires used to be thought of as uncomfortable and quick to wear down, but now many UHP tires offer very comfortable rides and longer tread wear. In the same way, Grand Touring (GT) tires now often provide much more responsive handling, and All-Season tires now provide the luxury comfort level overlapping with entry-level GT tires.

Each type of tire has distinct benefits for different drivers and vehicles:

  • Ultra-High Performance Tires UHP tires are made to hug the road, with more of the tread making contact with the ground, and silica tread compounds that increase traction. They are constructed to withstand high-speed driving, and designed to increase driving stability at higher speeds, and to deliver precise control and handling. While many UHP tires now come with water-evacuation and even snow traction features, many UHP tires are not suitable for wet surfaces or snow driving. Check the tire for the M+S rating to find a UHP tire that can maintain traction on wet roads or snow. 
  • Grand Touring Tires  Grand Touring (GT) tires are popular because they provide a high level of ride comfort and low road noise to drivers who spend a lot of time in their vehicles, but don’t necessarily need sport-performance level handling. They usually are designed to be extremely fuel-efficient, and resist tread wear, and they perform well for highway commutes in both wet, dry and sometimes snowy weather, depending on their rating. While there are many GT tires that also provide good handling, drivers who are looking for superior responsiveness, handling, and braking performance may prefer UHP tires. GT tires are ideal for highway drivers who value comfort and economy above high-speed handling.
  • All-Season Tires  All-Season tires are another popular tire category, because they are versatile and reliable through all seasons in areas with moderate weather patterns. In many areas of the country, All-Season tires can be left on vehicles year-round instead of being switched out in winter, making them convenient and economical. Compared to UHP and GT tires, All-Season tires usually have extra tread features and tread compounds designed to stay flexible in colder weather, and are more geared towards traction on wet or snowy roads. They tend to perform well across the board, giving good handling, gas mileage, and tread wear, but are less focused towards comfort and economy than GT tires, and provide less dry traction, precision control, and responsive handling than UHP tires. 

Do UHP Tires Wear Out Faster?

Traditionally, UHP tires were known to wear down faster than other tires, due to the higher ratio of tread making contact with the road, and the softer rubber compound. However, now many tire companies have added new tread compounds and design features that maintain performance grip, while preventing the tread from wearing down so quickly. While they may still wear down slightly faster than other tires, UHP tires now last much longer than they used to, and many drivers find it easy to sacrifice a little tread for the performance, handling, and traction of UHP tires. Look for UHP tires that are backed with mileage warranties, which indicates that the tire is of good quality and most likely will have good longevity.

Finding a Quiet UHP Tire

Ultra-High Performance tires have a reputation for being loud due to more rigid sidewalls, softer tread compounds, and specialized tread patterns, but many newer UHP tires are designed to reduce or absorb road noise. If road noise is a concern when shopping for a UHP tire, make sure to check tires for noise-reducing or noise-absorbing features.

Groundspeed’s Voyager HP Ultra-High Performance Tire

Groundspeed has innovated the UHP tire to design the Voyager HP; an Ultra-High Performance tire built for high-traction and high-speed handling, with wear-resistant tread and traction features for wet and snowy roads.
For responsive handling and stability, the Voyager HP is designed with stabilized shoulder blocks, and an asymmetrical tread pattern with larger tread blocks to enhance dry grip handling and steering. The asymmetrical tread pattern also provides wet skid resistance, and improves performance in all types of weather conditions. The 3D shoulder grooves help prevent uneven tread wear during hard braking, and improves braking performance overall. Rounding out the Voyager HP’s performance features is Groundspeed’s GX Silica Compound, formulated to give maximum high-traction, increase fuel-economy, and increase ride comfort. Fine grooves on the tread absorb road vibration and keep road noise to a minimum.

On wet surfaces, the Voyager HP’s tread features three wide grooves that run the circumference of the tire, improving performance in rain and wet road conditions, and fighting against hydroplaning at higher speeds. In snowy conditions, this UHP tire doesn’t quit! Wide arc-shaped grooves on the tread improve grip on snowy roads, and the Voyager HP’s Mud + Snow Rating means that the tread pattern’s block and groove ratio provide good traction in packed snow and mud, and increase wet grip and traction in all seasons. With design that goes beyond the basic performance features, the Voyager HP is an Ultra-High Performance tire drivers can rely on. Groundspeed backs that up with a 40,000 mile GroundUp! Mileage Warranty, and Road Hazard Coverage.

Watch these videos to learn more about the Voyager HP: