Tests 74 · 1 test Owners 76 · 5 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 6 in 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test (rolling resistance)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact 8 S vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
WinterContact 8 S leads, 74–72 Narrow edge
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Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test (rolling resistance)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
77
Dry
WinterContact 8 S +275Why this score
Source WinterContact 8 S Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 75 73 Reviews found online 79 79 Dry Braking (% of best) 96% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 99% -
77
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +481Why this score
Source WinterContact 8 S Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 75 80 Reviews found online 81 83 Wet Braking (% of best) 96% 91% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 97% -
74
Snow
WinterContact 8 S +965Why this score
Source WinterContact 8 S Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 74 57 Reviews found online 74 77 Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 93% Snow Handling (% of best) 98% 99% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 91% -
70
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +373Why this score
Source WinterContact 8 S Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 72 Reviews found online 71 74 -
69
Noise
WinterContact 8 S +267Why this score
Source WinterContact 8 S Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 60 Reviews found online – 78 -
68
Treadwear
WinterContact 8 S +662Why this score
Source WinterContact 8 S Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 56 Reviews found online 69 71 -
78
Handling
Winter Sottozero 3 +280Why this score
Source WinterContact 8 S Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 78 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact 8 S | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 72 |
| Dry | 77 | 75 |
| Wet | 77 | 81 |
| Snow | 74 | 65 |
| Comfort | 70 | 73 |
| Noise | 69 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 62 |
| Handling | 78 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
74
/ 100
WinterContact 8 S
72
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact 8 S | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% #3/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | −2.0 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #3/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #11/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +1.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 97% #3/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #8/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | −2.0 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 20% #5/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 5% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +14.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #3/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 93% #8/10 · 2017 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | +6.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #5/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #6/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | −1.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +8.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 96% #5/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 91% #9/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | +5.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #6/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 97% #3/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | −1.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A WinterContact 8 S
Pros
- Excellent grip and handling on both dry and wet asphalt
- High level of ride comfort and noticeable reduction in road noise
- Good steering feedback and confidence-inspiring handling at the limit
Cons
- Lower-than-expected grip and occasional rear-end sliding in snow and slush conditions
- Terrible performance on ice reported by some drivers
- Softer tread compound raises potential concerns about long-term treadwear
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.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact 8 S | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 36 | 98 |
| Rim diameters | 19″ – 22″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Continental WinterContact 8 S
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Continental WinterContact 8 S — better snow and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 if wet and comfort matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental WinterContact 8 S scores 74 vs 65 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Continental WinterContact 8 S scores 68 vs 62 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 77 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 73 vs 70 on comfort.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact 8 S
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.