Tests – · none yet Owners 65 · 5 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot 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 5 + 69 owner reviews. How we score
Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 74–66
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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.
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66
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +1076Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 73 Reviews found online 65 81 Pilot Alpin: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 64.5 = 66
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 80.8 = 76
No road tests of dry for Pilot Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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70
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +1383Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 10 tests ≈ 70 (est.) 80 Reviews found online 70 87 Pilot Alpin: 60% × 70.2 (est.) + 40% × 69.8 = 70
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.4 + 40% × 86.6 = 83
No road tests of wet for Pilot Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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63
Snow
Winter Sottozero 3 +366Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 10 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 57 Reviews found online 57 79 Pilot Alpin: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 57.4 = 63
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.5 + 40% × 79 = 66
No road tests of snow for Pilot Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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64
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +1074Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 72 Reviews found online 62 75 Pilot Alpin: 40% × 67.4 (est.) + 60% × 62.3 = 64
Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72 + 60% × 74.5 = 74
No road tests of comfort for Pilot Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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–
Noise
No comparison71Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests – 64 Reviews found online – 81 Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.3 + 40% × 81.4 = 71
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68
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin +464Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 57 Reviews found online 68 75 Pilot Alpin: 60% × 67.2 (est.) + 40% × 68.3 = 68
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 57.1 + 40% × 74.6 = 64
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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67
Handling (owners)
Winter Sottozero 3 +1582Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 67 82 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison76Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests – 76
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 74 |
| Dry | 66 | 76 |
| Wet | 70 | 83 |
| Snow | 63 | 66 |
| Comfort | 64 | 74 |
| Noise | – | 71 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 64 |
| Handling (owners) | 67 | 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
66
/ 100
Pilot Alpin
74
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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.
| Discipline | Category | Pilot Alpin | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #8/8 2009 Sport Auto Performance Winter Tyre Test | #13/15 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Pilot Alpin
Pros
- Amazing dry-road performance for a winter tire
- Extremely long-lasting tread wear and high mileage potential
- Even wear characteristics across the tire profile
Cons
- Not the best option for deep snow or ice conditions
- Grip on winter surfaces can feel somewhat ordinary
- Supply availability and stock issues reported by some users
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Alpin | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 98 |
| Rim diameters | 450″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin
74
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Michelin Pilot Alpin if treadwear matters most to you. Michelin Pilot Alpin rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 5 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 82 vs 67 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 70 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 66 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 74 vs 64 on comfort.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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Pilot Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 83 vs 70 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 66 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Pilot Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 66 vs 63 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 74 vs 64 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Alpin or Winter Sottozero 3?
Michelin Pilot Alpin, 68 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