tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D vs Yokohama AVID Ascend — 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 0 + 0 road tests and 45 + 81 owner reviews. How we score

AVID Ascend leads, 70–67 Narrow edge

Check price on Amazon · AVID Ascend or SP Winter Sport 3D on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Category by category

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

  1. 63

    Dry

    AVID Ascend +8
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSP Winter Sport 3DAVID Ascend
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 65 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online6073

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 64.6 (est.) + 40% × 59.9 = 63

    AVID Ascend: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.6 = 71

    No road tests of dry for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for AVID Ascend. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 73

    Wet

    AVID Ascend +2
    75
    Why this score
    SourceSP Winter Sport 3DAVID Ascend
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 72 (est.)≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online7477

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 72.3 (est.) + 40% × 73.7 = 73

    AVID Ascend: 60% × 73.9 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 75

    No road tests of wet for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for AVID Ascend. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 70

    Snow

    SP Winter Sport 3D +7
    63
    Why this score
    SourceSP Winter Sport 3DAVID Ascend
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online6958

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 70 (est.) + 40% × 68.8 = 70

    AVID Ascend: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 58.1 = 63

    No road tests of snow for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for AVID Ascend. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 64

    Comfort

    AVID Ascend +7
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSP Winter Sport 3DAVID Ascend
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online6173

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 40% × 67.1 (est.) + 60% × 61.1 = 64

    AVID Ascend: 40% × 69.4 (est.) + 60% × 72.5 = 71

    No road tests of comfort for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for AVID Ascend. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 63

    Noise

    AVID Ascend +7
    70
    Why this score
    SourceSP Winter Sport 3DAVID Ascend
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online5874

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 57.8 = 63

    AVID Ascend: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 74.4 = 70

    No road tests of noise for SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 62

    Treadwear

    AVID Ascend +6
    68
    Why this score
    SourceSP Winter Sport 3DAVID Ascend
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 64 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online6068

    SP Winter Sport 3D: 60% × 64.1 (est.) + 40% × 59.9 = 62

    AVID Ascend: 60% × 67.1 (est.) + 40% × 68.2 = 68

    No road tests of treadwear for SP Winter Sport 3D. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for AVID Ascend. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 67

    Handling (owners)

    AVID Ascend +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceSP Winter Sport 3DAVID Ascend
    Reviews found online6772
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop SP Winter Sport 3DYokohama AVID Ascend
Relative Score 67 70
Dry 63 71
Wet 73 75
Snow 70 63
Comfort 64 71
Noise 63 70
Treadwear 62 68
Handling (owners) 67 72

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

SP Winter Sport 3D

± 7

AVID Ascend

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A SP Winter Sport 3D

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and traction in deep and packed snow
  • Confident handling and braking performance on cold, wet roads
  • Great dry-road handling and steering response during winter temperatures

Cons

  • High and sometimes unbearable road noise as the tires age
  • Degradation of grip and hardening of rubber compound over multiple seasons
  • Faster or below-average tread life reported by some drivers
All owner themes in the SP Winter Sport 3D review

Tire B AVID Ascend

Pros

  • Exceptionally low road noise and quiet ride
  • High level of ride comfort and shock absorption
  • Strong wet and dry traction, inspiring confidence in heavy rain

Cons

  • Isolated reports of premature tread wear or not meeting expected mileage
  • Slightly spongy initial feel requiring a brief break-in period
  • Occasional minor wheel slip during hard acceleration in wet or dry conditions
All owner themes in the AVID Ascend review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D B · Yokohama AVID Ascend
CategoryWinterAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available211
Rim diameters16″ – 20″17″
Tread depth10/32″12/32″
UTQG—740 A A
Treadwear warranty—75,000 mi
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure50 psi51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D

Yokohama AVID Ascend

Narrow edge: Yokohama AVID Ascend — better dry, comfort and noise. Pick the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Yokohama AVID Ascend scores 71 vs 63 on dry.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D scores 70 vs 63 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Yokohama AVID Ascend scores 71 vs 64 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Yokohama AVID Ascend scores 70 vs 63 on noise.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Yokohama AVID Ascend
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend?

Which is better in the wet, SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 75 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend?

Yokohama AVID Ascend, 71 vs 63 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend?

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D, 70 vs 63 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend?

Yokohama AVID Ascend, 70 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend?

Yokohama AVID Ascend, 71 vs 64 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, SP Winter Sport 3D or AVID Ascend?

Yokohama AVID Ascend, 68 vs 62 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