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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 10 road tests and 21 + 66 owner reviews. How we score

Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 74–68

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Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire BPirelli

Winter Sottozero 3

Winter

± 6

Tests 67 · 10 tests Owners 81 · 66 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 73

    Dry

    Winter Sottozero 3 +4
    77
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 8 tests8573
    Reviews found online5582

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 85 + 40% × 55.1 = 73

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 82.3 = 77

  2. 67

    Wet

    Winter Sottozero 3 +16
    83
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 10 tests6581
    Reviews found online6987

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 68.9 = 67

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.7 + 40% × 87.3 = 83

  3. 73

    Snow

    Blizzak WS90 +7
    66
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 10 tests6957
    Reviews found online7979

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 69.1 + 40% × 79.1 = 73

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.8 + 40% × 79.2 = 66

  4. 61

    Comfort

    Winter Sottozero 3 +13
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6872
    Reviews found online5676

    Blizzak WS90: 40% × 68.5 + 60% × 56 = 61

    Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72.3 + 60% × 75.9 = 74

  5. 63

    Noise

    Winter Sottozero 3 +9
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 7 tests7065
    Reviews found online5282

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 51.6 = 63

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.6 + 40% × 81.9 = 72

  6. 61

    Treadwear

    Winter Sottozero 3 +3
    64
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 63 (est.)56
    Reviews found online5875

    Blizzak WS90: 60% × 63.1 (est.) + 40% × 57.6 = 61

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.2 + 40% × 74.5 = 64

    No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS90. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 62

    Handling (owners)

    Winter Sottozero 3 +21
    83
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Reviews found online6283
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    76
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests–76
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS90Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Relative Score 68 74
Dry 73 77
Wet 67 83
Snow 73 66
Comfort 61 74
Noise 63 72
Treadwear 61 64
Handling (owners) 62 83
Efficiency – 76

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

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Blizzak WS90

± 6

Winter Sottozero 3

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 finished ahead 1 times and Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS90Winter Sottozero 3ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #1/15 #13/15 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires · 215/60R16

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Blizzak WS90

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and acceleration on ice and hard-packed snow
  • Excellent braking performance in hazardous winter conditions
  • Strong capability in slush and deep snow

Cons

  • Increased road noise during highway driving
  • Less responsive or 'softer' handling feel on dry pavement
  • Potential for minor rubbing depending on vehicle fitment
All owner themes in the Blizzak WS90 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 WS90 B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available4598
Rim diameters15″ – 19″16″ – 21″
Tread depth11/32″10/32″
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure44 psi50 psi
Sizes in common2828

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3

Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, wet and comfort. Pick the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 62 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 74 vs 61 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 72 vs 63 on noise.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
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Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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Blizzak WS90 or Winter Sottozero 3?

Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or Winter Sottozero 3?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 83 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or Winter Sottozero 3?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 77 vs 73 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or Winter Sottozero 3?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Blizzak WS90 or Winter Sottozero 3?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 72 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or Winter Sottozero 3?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 74 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or Winter Sottozero 3?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 64 vs 61 on our treadwear score.

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.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

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