Tests 78 · 6 tests Owners 57 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 vs Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — 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 6 + 17 road tests and 3 + 22 owner reviews. How we score
Winter i cept evo3 is ahead, 78–67
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Tests 76 · 17 tests Owners 82 · 22 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)
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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72
Dry
Winter i cept evo3 +678Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 13 tests 82 75 Reviews found online 57 82 Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 56.9 = 72
Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 75.3 + 40% × 81.9 = 78
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73
Wet
Winter i cept evo3 +1790Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 17 tests 81 92 Reviews found online 61 86 Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81 + 40% × 60.9 = 73
Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 92.1 + 40% × 86.2 = 90
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70
Snow
Winter i cept evo3 +1080Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 17 tests 76 80 Reviews found online 63 80 Ice Zero 2: 60% × 75.6 + 40% × 62.6 = 70
Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 80.1 + 40% × 79.5 = 80
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58
Comfort
Winter i cept evo3 +1573Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests 72 72 Reviews found online 50 74 Ice Zero 2: 40% × 71.9 + 60% × 49.5 = 58
Winter i cept evo3: 40% × 71.6 + 60% × 73.7 = 73
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66
Noise
Ice Zero 2 +3333Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 13 tests 65 10 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Ice Zero 2: 60% × 64.8 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 66
Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 10 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 33
No owner ratings of noise for Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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56
Treadwear
Winter i cept evo3 +2379Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests ≈ 61 (est.) 77 Reviews found online 49 81 Ice Zero 2: 60% × 60.5 (est.) + 40% × 49.4 = 56
Winter i cept evo3: 60% × 77 + 40% × 81.1 = 79
No road tests of treadwear for Ice Zero 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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53
Handling (owners)
Winter i cept evo3 +2881Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Reviews found online 53 81 -
70
Efficiency
Ice Zero 2 +862Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter i cept evo3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 13 tests 70 62
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 | Hankook Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 78 |
| Dry | 72 | 78 |
| Wet | 73 | 90 |
| Snow | 70 | 80 |
| Comfort | 58 | 73 |
| Noise | 66 | 33 |
| Treadwear | 56 | 79 |
| Handling (owners) | 53 | 81 |
| Efficiency | 70 | 62 |
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
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Ice Zero 2
78
/ 100
Winter i cept evo3
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 | Ice Zero 2 | Winter i cept evo3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #10/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 84% #14/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 81% #10/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 97% #7/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 78% #13/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 87% #21/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #5/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 99% #5/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 99% #2/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 97% #6/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 60% #12/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 94% #4/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 98% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 94% #12/12 · 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 93% #14/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 98% #10/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 55% #10/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 90% #3/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/6 2027 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | #8/12 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ice Zero 2
Pros
- Very good traction and performance on snow
- Reasonably quiet for a studded winter tire
- Adequate performance on wet and salty roads
Cons
- Dangerous slipping on ice at low speeds in cold climates
- Strong, intrusive howling noise at speeds above 95 km/h
- Poor overall handling compared to competing studded winter tires like the Nokian Hakkapeliitta
Tire B Winter i cept evo3
Pros
- Exceptional wet grip and outstanding aquaplaning resistance
- Outstanding snow and ice traction providing high confidence in winter storms
- Great value for money compared to Tier-1 brands like Michelin or Goodyear
Cons
- Slightly increased noise levels or humming compared to summer tires
- Mixed feedback on ride comfort, with some finding them stiffer
- Longer braking distances reported by a few users in specific conditions
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 | B · Hankook Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 86 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 22″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Zero 2
78
/ 100
Hankook Winter i cept evo3
Winner: Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — better handling, treadwear and wet. Pick the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 if noise and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 66 vs 33 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 81 vs 53 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 79 vs 56 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 90 vs 73 on wet.
Tire A · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Tire B · Hankook Winter i cept evo3
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Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Which is better in the wet, Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 90 vs 73 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 78 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 80 vs 70 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Pirelli Ice Zero 2, 66 vs 33 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 73 vs 58 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Hankook Winter i cept evo3, 79 vs 56 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Ice Zero 2 or Winter i cept evo3?
Pirelli Ice Zero 2, 70 vs 62 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