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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Alpin 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 0 + 10 road tests and 10 + 69 owner reviews. How we score

Alpin leads, 78–74 Narrow edge

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Michelin Alpin
Tire AMichelin

Alpin

Winter

± 8Provisional

Tests – · none yet Owners 82 · 10 reviews

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire BPirelli

Winter Sottozero 3

Winter

± 6

Tests 67 · 10 tests Owners 80 · 69 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.

  1. 76

    Dry

    Level
    76
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests≈ 73 (est.)73
    Reviews found online8181

    Alpin: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 80.6 = 76

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 80.8 = 76

    No road tests of dry for Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 83

    Wet

    Level
    83
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 10 tests≈ 80 (est.)80
    Reviews found online8887

    Alpin: 60% × 80 (est.) + 40% × 87.6 = 83

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.4 + 40% × 86.6 = 83

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

  3. 75

    Snow

    Alpin +9
    66
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 10 tests≈ 73 (est.)57
    Reviews found online7879

    Alpin: 60% × 72.8 (est.) + 40% × 77.7 = 75

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.5 + 40% × 79 = 66

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

  4. 77

    Comfort

    Alpin +3
    74
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 71 (est.)72
    Reviews found online8175

    Alpin: 40% × 71.2 (est.) + 60% × 80.8 = 77

    Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72 + 60% × 74.5 = 74

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

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    71
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests–64
    Reviews found online–81

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.3 + 40% × 81.4 = 71

  6. 77

    Treadwear

    Alpin +13
    64
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 73 (est.)57
    Reviews found online8475

    Alpin: 60% × 72.8 (est.) + 40% × 83.9 = 77

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 57.1 + 40% × 74.6 = 64

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

  7. 77

    Handling (owners)

    Winter Sottozero 3 +5
    82
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Reviews found online7782
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    76
    Why this score
    SourceAlpinWinter Sottozero 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests–76
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin AlpinPirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Relative Score 78 74
Dry 76 76
Wet 83 83
Snow 75 66
Comfort 77 74
Noise – 71
Treadwear 77 64
Handling (owners) 77 82
Efficiency – 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 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
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Alpin

± 6

Winter Sottozero 3

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Alpin

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in snow and ice
  • Greatly improved wet weather and cold-condition performance
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • High initial cost when purchased new
  • Can feel overly responsive or aggressive on gravel-strewn city roads
All owner themes in the Alpin review

Tire B Winter Sottozero 3

Pros

  • Excellent wet and slush performance, with strong resistance to aquaplaning and confident, stable braking
  • Very good snow traction, with several owners saying it beat previous winter tires such as Nokian, Michelin and Sottozero 2, including on rear-wheel-drive and performance cars
  • Sharp, precise steering and dry grip that feels close to a summer tire in cold conditions, which fits its UHP character

Cons

  • Tread wear can be fast, especially when the tires are used in warm weather or all year. Some reported 3 mm left after about 27k km, and others reported wear near the indicator after 30,000 km
  • Road noise is higher than on summer tires, particularly on the highway, and a few said it increased as the tires wore. Others reported feedback becoming vague and the tires getting louder above about 15°C
  • Sidewalls can be vulnerable. Reviewers reported cuts from curb contact, tires that broke on rough roads, and bulges in the sidewall
All owner themes in the Winter Sottozero 3 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Alpin B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—98
Rim diameters—16″ – 21″
Tread depth—10/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Alpin

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3

Narrow edge: Michelin Alpin — better treadwear, snow and comfort. Where the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Michelin Alpin rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Alpin scores 77 vs 64 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Alpin scores 75 vs 66 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Alpin scores 77 vs 74 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Alpin
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Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?

Which is better in the wet, Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?

Neither, by our numbers: 83 vs 83 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 76 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?

Michelin Alpin, 75 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?

Michelin Alpin, 77 vs 74 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?

Michelin Alpin, 77 vs 64 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