Tests 67 · 5 tests Owners 71 · 28 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2017 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Winter i cept evo2 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 5 + 10 road tests and 28 + 68 owner reviews. How we score
Winter Sottozero 3 leads, 73–69 Narrow edge
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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 4 tests that measured dry braking for both, Winter i cept evo2 won 0 and Winter Sottozero 3 won 4 (average 94% vs 98% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured dry handling for both, Winter i cept evo2 won 4 and Winter Sottozero 3 won 0 (average 100% vs 99% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured wet braking for both, Winter i cept evo2 won 0 and Winter Sottozero 3 won 4 (average 90% vs 98% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured wet handling for both, Winter i cept evo2 won 0 and Winter Sottozero 3 won 4 (average 95% vs 99% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured snow braking for both, Winter i cept evo2 won 4 and Winter Sottozero 3 won 0 (average 96% vs 92% of the best).
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67
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +976Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 8 tests 65 73 Reviews found online 71 82 Dry Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 94% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 4–0 100% 99% Winter i cept evo2: 60% × 64.8 + 40% × 70.8 = 67
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 81.7 = 76
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71
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +1283Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 10 tests 70 80 Reviews found online 73 87 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 94% 97% Wet Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 90% 98% Wet Handling (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 95% 99% Winter i cept evo2: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 73.4 = 71
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.4 + 40% × 86.5 = 83
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70
Snow
Winter i cept evo2 +565Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 10 tests 72 56 Reviews found online 66 79 Snow Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 4–0 96% 92% Snow Handling (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–3 98% 98% Winter i cept evo2: 60% × 72 + 40% × 66.1 = 70
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.5 + 40% × 78.8 = 65
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70
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +474Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 69 (est.) 72 Reviews found online 71 75 Winter i cept evo2: 40% × 69 (est.) + 60% × 70.6 = 70
Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72.1 + 60% × 74.5 = 74
No road tests of comfort for Winter i cept evo2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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55
Noise
Winter Sottozero 3 +1671Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 7 tests 47 64 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) 82 Noise (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–1 98% 98% Winter i cept evo2: 60% × 47.4 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 55
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.4 + 40% × 81.6 = 71
No owner ratings of noise for Winter i cept evo2. 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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70
Treadwear
Winter i cept evo2 +664Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests 67 57 Reviews found online 73 75 Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 72% 61% Winter i cept evo2: 60% × 67.3 + 40% × 72.8 = 70
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 57.1 + 40% × 74.6 = 64
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73
Handling (owners)
Winter Sottozero 3 +982Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 73 82 -
59
Efficiency
Winter Sottozero 3 +1776Why this score
Source Winter i cept evo2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 7 tests 59 76 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 88% 87%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i cept evo2 | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 73 |
| Dry | 67 | 76 |
| Wet | 71 | 83 |
| Snow | 70 | 65 |
| Comfort | 70 | 74 |
| Noise | 55 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 64 |
| Handling (owners) | 73 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 59 | 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
69
/ 100
Winter i cept evo2
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 7 tests that ran both, Hankook Winter i cept evo2 finished ahead 1 times and Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 6 times.
| Discipline | Category | Winter i cept evo2 | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% | 98% | −4.1 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% | 99% | +1.2 | 4–0 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 94% | 97% | −2.2 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 90% | 98% | −7.6 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% | 99% | −4.1 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% | 92% | +3.7 | 4–0 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% | 98% | −0.5 | 0–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 98% | −0.2 | 1–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| 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 | 88% | 87% | +1.0 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 75% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 54% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #11/20 | #20/20 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Value | Cost | 61% | 45% | +15.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/50 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #8/10 | #6/10 | – | 1–6 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
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 |
| Sizes in common | 61 | 61 |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Hankook Winter i cept evo2
73
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Narrow edge: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better efficiency, noise and wet. Pick the Hankook Winter i cept evo2 if treadwear and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 59 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 71 vs 55 on noise.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 71 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 67 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is dry handling
Hankook Winter i cept evo2 won 4 of 4 shared dry handling tests.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i cept evo2
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Which is better in the wet, Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 83 vs 71 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 67 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Hankook Winter i cept evo2, 70 vs 65 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 71 vs 55 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 74 vs 70 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Hankook Winter i cept evo2, 70 vs 64 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Winter i cept evo2 or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 59 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