Tests – · none yet Owners 71 · 6 reviews
Best test result: #9 of 42 in 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Winter i*cept RS vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter Sottozero 3 leads, 74–70 Narrow edge
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Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #10 of 10 in 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test R18 (overall ranking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
69
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +675Why this score
Source Winter i*cept RS Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 73 Reviews found online 69 79 -
71
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +1081Why this score
Source Winter i*cept RS Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 80 Reviews found online 72 83 -
–
Snow
No comparison65Why this score
Source Winter i*cept RS Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 57 Reviews found online – 77 -
70
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +373Why this score
Source Winter i*cept RS Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 72 Reviews found online 71 74 -
–
Noise
No comparison67Why this score
Source Winter i*cept RS Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 60 Reviews found online – 78 -
70
Treadwear
Winter i*cept RS +862Why this score
Source Winter i*cept RS Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 56 Reviews found online 73 71 -
72
Handling
Winter Sottozero 3 +880Why this score
Source Winter i*cept RS Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 72 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i*cept RS | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 74 |
| Dry | 69 | 75 |
| Wet | 71 | 81 |
| Snow | – | 65 |
| Comfort | 70 | 73 |
| Noise | – | 67 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 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
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Important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Winter i*cept RS
74
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 RS | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 11% #9/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test | 18% #10/10 · 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test R18 | −7.1 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter i*cept RS
Pros
- Exceptional grip and performance in medium to heavy snow conditions
- Low rolling resistance contributing to great fuel economy
- Durable wear rate given the winter conditions
Cons
- Very soft rubber compound reduces performance and handling on dry, hot roads
- Less suited for extended high-speed motorway driving
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 RS | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 17 | 98 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 16″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Hankook Winter i*cept RS
74
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better wet, handling and dry. Pick the Hankook Winter i*cept RS if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 71 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Winter i*cept RS scores 70 vs 62 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 72 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 75 vs 69 on dry.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i*cept RS
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.