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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Winter Sottozero 3 leads, 72–71 Narrow edge

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Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 70

    Dry

    Winter Sottozero 3 +5
    75
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-25 RFTWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–73
    Reviews found online7179
  2. 75

    Wet

    Winter Sottozero 3 +6
    81
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-25 RFTWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–80
    Reviews found online7783
  3. 73

    Snow

    Blizzak LM-25 RFT +8
    65
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-25 RFTWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–57
    Reviews found online7576
  4. 68

    Comfort

    Winter Sottozero 3 +5
    73
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-25 RFTWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–72
    Reviews found online6874
  5. 66

    Noise

    Winter Sottozero 3 +1
    67
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-25 RFTWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–60
    Reviews found online6678
  6. 67

    Treadwear

    Blizzak LM-25 RFT +5
    62
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-25 RFTWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–56
    Reviews found online6871
  7. 69

    Handling

    Winter Sottozero 3 +11
    80
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-25 RFTWinter Sottozero 3
    Reviews found online6980
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFTPirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Relative Score 71 72
Dry 70 75
Wet 75 81
Snow 73 65
Comfort 68 73
Noise 66 67
Treadwear 67 62
Handling 69 80

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Blizzak LM-25 RFT

Winter Sottozero 3

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Blizzak LM-25 RFT

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep, fresh, or compacted snow and ice
  • Transforms rear-wheel-drive vehicles into capable winter drivers
  • Softer, quieter, and more comfortable ride compared to standard summer run-flat tires

Cons

  • Longer braking distances on dry roads when temperatures rise above freezing
  • Reduced braking performance and handling when temperatures exceed 20 degrees Celsius
  • Prone to ABS and ESP activation on slick ice surfaces
All owner themes in the Blizzak LM-25 RFT review

Tire B Winter Sottozero 3

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather performance and resistance to hydroplaning.
  • Strong dry-road handling and steering precision for a winter tire.
  • Excellent traction and stability in snow and slush.

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear, particularly if driven in temperatures above 15°C or year-round.
  • Susceptibility to sidewall damage and bubbling when encountering road hazards.
  • Increased noise levels as the tire ages and tread depth decreases.
All owner themes in the Winter Sottozero 3 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—98
Rim diameters—16″ – 21″
Tread depth—10/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3

Too close to call: Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT and Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 are within 2 points overall. Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT is stronger on snow and treadwear. Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is stronger on handling, wet and dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 69 on handling.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT scores 73 vs 65 on snow.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 75 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT scores 67 vs 62 on treadwear.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT
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Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

72

Narrow edge

Winter Sottozero 3

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