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Head-to-head Updated

Pirelli Ice Zero 2 vs Pirelli Sottozero Serie II — 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 + 0 road tests and 3 + 31 owner reviews. How we score

Sottozero Serie II leads, 71–68 Narrow edge

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Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Tire APirelli

Ice Zero 2

Winter

± 6

Tests 78 · 6 tests Owners 57 · 3 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 72

    Dry

    Ice Zero 2 +2
    70
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests82≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5772

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81.7 + 40% × 56.8 = 72

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 71.8 = 70

    No road tests of dry for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 73

    Wet

    Sottozero Serie II +4
    77
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / – tests81≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online6179

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81.1 + 40% × 60.8 = 73

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 75.4 (est.) + 40% × 79.2 = 77

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

  3. 71

    Snow

    Ice Zero 2 +5
    66
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests76≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online6363

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 75.6 + 40% × 62.9 = 71

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68.2 (est.) + 40% × 63.4 = 66

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

  4. 58

    Comfort

    Sottozero Serie II +14
    72
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests72≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online4974

    Ice Zero 2: 40% × 72.1 + 60% × 49 = 58

    Sottozero Serie II: 40% × 69.8 (est.) + 60% × 74.1 = 72

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

  5. 65

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests65–
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)–

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 64.8 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 65

    No owner ratings of noise for Ice Zero 2. 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.

  6. 56

    Treadwear

    Sottozero Serie II +14
    70
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 60 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online4972

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 60.4 (est.) + 40% × 49.3 = 56

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 71.6 = 70

    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 0.36).

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

  7. 53

    Handling (owners)

    Sottozero Serie II +21
    74
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Reviews found online5374
  8. 70

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests70–
Scores at a glance
CategoryPirelli Ice Zero 2Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
Relative Score 68 71
Dry 72 70
Wet 73 77
Snow 71 66
Comfort 58 72
Noise 65 –
Treadwear 56 70
Handling (owners) 53 74
Efficiency 70 –

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
± 6

Ice Zero 2

± 8

Sottozero Serie II

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.

DisciplineCategoryIce Zero 2Sottozero Serie IIΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #4/6 2027 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 #2/9 2012 Auto Bild Performance 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
All owner themes in the Ice Zero 2 review

Tire B Sottozero Serie II

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and standing water grip with strong resistance to aquaplaning
  • Surprisingly confident, communicative handling and short braking distances on dry roads
  • High levels of ride comfort and remarkably low road noise, even on low-profile sizes

Cons

  • Subpar traction and grip in deep snow or severe ice according to a minority of reviewers
  • High initial purchase price
  • Soften up and exhibit slightly reduced predictability or increased noise in warmer temperatures above 7°C (45°F)
All owner themes in the Sottozero Serie II review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 B · Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Pirelli Ice Zero 2

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II

Narrow edge: Pirelli Sottozero Serie II — better handling, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II scores 74 vs 53 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II scores 72 vs 58 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II scores 70 vs 56 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 71 vs 66 on snow.

Tire A · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
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Tire B · Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
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Ice Zero 2 or Sottozero Serie II?

Which is better in the wet, Ice Zero 2 or Sottozero Serie II?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 77 vs 73 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ice Zero 2 or Sottozero Serie II?

Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 70 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Ice Zero 2 or Sottozero Serie II?

Pirelli Ice Zero 2, 71 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Ice Zero 2 or Sottozero Serie II?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 72 vs 58 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ice Zero 2 or Sottozero Serie II?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 70 vs 56 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