Tests 68 · 4 tests Owners 57 · 8 reviews
Best test result: #5 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Firestone Winterhawk 3 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 4 + 10 road tests and 8 + 68 owner reviews. How we score
Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 73–63
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Tests 67 · 10 tests Owners 80 · 68 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.
Key facts
- In 3 tests that measured wet braking for both, Winterhawk 3 won 0 and Winter Sottozero 3 won 3 (average 85% vs 93% of the best).
-
62
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +1476Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 8 tests 66 73 Reviews found online 57 82 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 98% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 98% 98% Winterhawk 3: 60% × 66.1 + 40% × 56.7 = 62
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 81.7 = 76
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62
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +2183Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 10 tests 64 80 Reviews found online 60 87 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 92% 95% Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 85% 93% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 95% 100% Winterhawk 3: 60% × 64 + 40% × 59.7 = 62
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.4 + 40% × 86.5 = 83
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64
Snow
Winter Sottozero 3 +165Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 10 tests 71 56 Reviews found online 55 79 Snow Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 94% 89% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 96% 95% Winterhawk 3: 60% × 70.7 + 40% × 54.6 = 64
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.5 + 40% × 78.8 = 65
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60
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +1474Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 72 Reviews found online 56 75 Winterhawk 3: 40% × 66 (est.) + 60% × 55.7 = 60
Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72.1 + 60% × 74.5 = 74
No road tests of comfort for Winterhawk 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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67
Noise
Winter Sottozero 3 +471Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 7 tests 67 64 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) 82 Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 98% 97% Winterhawk 3: 60% × 66.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.4 + 40% × 81.6 = 71
No owner ratings of noise for Winterhawk 3. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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65
Treadwear
Winterhawk 3 +164Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests 70 57 Reviews found online 59 75 Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 72% 61% Winterhawk 3: 60% × 69.6 + 40% × 59.2 = 65
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 57.1 + 40% × 74.6 = 64
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56
Handling (owners)
Winter Sottozero 3 +2682Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 56 82 -
62
Efficiency
Winter Sottozero 3 +1476Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 7 tests 62 76 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 84% 88%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 63 | 73 |
| Dry | 62 | 76 |
| Wet | 62 | 83 |
| Snow | 64 | 65 |
| Comfort | 60 | 74 |
| Noise | 67 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 65 | 64 |
| Handling (owners) | 56 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 62 | 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 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
63
/ 100
Winterhawk 3
73
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
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 5 tests that ran both, Firestone Winterhawk 3 finished ahead 0 times and Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 5 times.
| Discipline | Category | Winterhawk 3 | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 98% | 100% | −2.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% | 98% | −0.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 92% | 95% | −3.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 85% | 93% | −8.4 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test · 245/45 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% | 100% | −4.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 94% | 89% | +4.6 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 96% | 95% | +0.4 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 97% | +0.8 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 72% | 61% | +10.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 84% | 88% | −3.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 87% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 54% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #14/20 | #20/20 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Value | Cost | 60% | 45% | +15.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #32/48 | #20/48 | – | 0–5 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test · 245/45 R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winterhawk 3
Pros
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Good longevity and tread wear resistance
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Inconsistent or poor grip on snow and ice
- Unreliable wet weather performance and braking
- Pronounced understeering tendencies
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 · Firestone Winterhawk 3 | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 39 | 98 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 18″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
| Sizes in common | 18 | 18 |
Which one should you actually buy?
63
/ 100
Firestone Winterhawk 3
73
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, wet and dry. Where the Firestone Winterhawk 3 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 82 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 62 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 62 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 74 vs 60 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is snow braking
Firestone Winterhawk 3 won 2 of 2 shared snow braking tests.
Tire A · Firestone Winterhawk 3
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Which is better in the wet, Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 83 vs 62 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 62 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 64 vs 65 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 71 vs 67 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 74 vs 60 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 64 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
Which rolls more easily, Winterhawk 3 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 62 on our efficiency 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