Tests 67 · 5 tests Owners 70 · 28 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 10 in 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Winter i cept evo2 vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter Sottozero 3 leads, 72–68 Narrow edge
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.
Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Winter 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.
-
67
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +875Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 65 73 Reviews found online 71 79 Dry Braking (% of best) 91% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 99% -
71
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +1081Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 80 Reviews found online 72 83 Wet Braking (% of best) 91% 99% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 99% -
69
Snow
Winter i cept evo2 +465Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 57 Reviews found online 65 77 Snow Braking (% of best) 95% 87% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 98% -
70
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +373Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 72 Reviews found online 71 74 -
55
Noise
Winter Sottozero 3 +1267Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 47 60 Reviews found online – 78 -
68
Treadwear
Winter i cept evo2 +662Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 67 56 Reviews found online 70 71 -
72
Handling
Winter Sottozero 3 +880Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 72 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i cept evo2 | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 72 |
| Dry | 67 | 75 |
| Wet | 71 | 81 |
| Snow | 69 | 65 |
| Comfort | 70 | 73 |
| Noise | 55 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 62 |
| Handling | 72 | 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.
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
Winter i cept evo2
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 | Winter i cept evo2 | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 91% #11/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −8.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #3/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 99% #7/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | +1.3 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 89% #7/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | −11.3 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #9/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 98% #10/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +1.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 75% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 51% #9/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | +24.5 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 61% #11/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 65% #19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | −4.9 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 72% #13/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 70% #19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | +1.7 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 13% #8/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 7% #14/18 · 2021 ADAC 17 Inch Winter Tyre Test | +5.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 95% #7/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 87% #20/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +8.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #5/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/10 · 2017 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | +1.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 92% #7/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 95% #5/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −3.8 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #11/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #20/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #8/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −8.2 | Same test |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #7/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 99% #4/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −2.7 | Same test |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter i cept evo2
Pros
- Impressive grip and traction on snow and ice
- High level of ride comfort and low noise levels
- Good value for money compared to higher-priced premium alternatives
Cons
- Soft sidewalls or goofy feel on dry roads, particularly in warmer winter temperatures
- Performance and grip degrade significantly as the tire ages over multiple seasons
- Can struggle to put down high torque/power on rear-wheel-drive vehicles
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 · Hankook Winter i cept evo2 | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 79 | 98 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Hankook Winter i cept evo2
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better noise, wet and dry. Pick the Hankook Winter i cept evo2 if treadwear and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 67 vs 55 on noise.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 71 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 75 vs 67 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 72 on handling.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i cept evo2
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
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.