Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 58 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 72–67
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Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Winter 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.
-
72
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +375Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 81 73 Reviews found online 58 79 Dry Braking (% of best) 97% 100% -
73
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +881Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 80 Reviews found online 61 83 Wet Braking (% of best) 100% 100% Wet Handling (% of best) 98% 100% -
71
Snow
Ice Zero 2 +665Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 75 57 Reviews found online 64 77 Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 96% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 97% Snow Traction (% of best) 98% 91% -
63
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +1073Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 72 Reviews found online 50 74 -
66
Noise
Winter Sottozero 3 +167Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 65 60 Reviews found online – 78 -
58
Treadwear
Winter Sottozero 3 +462Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 56 Reviews found online 52 71 -
56
Handling
Winter Sottozero 3 +2480Why this score
Source Ice Zero 2 Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 56 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 72 |
| Dry | 72 | 75 |
| Wet | 73 | 81 |
| Snow | 71 | 65 |
| Comfort | 63 | 73 |
| Noise | 66 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 58 | 62 |
| Handling | 56 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Ice Zero 2
72
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
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 | Ice Zero 2 | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −2.5 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 99% #4/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | −0.6 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 55% #10/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 71% #13/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | −16.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 73% #5/15 · 2025 Teknikens Värld Winter Tire Test R17 | 6% #18/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | +67.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #6/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +3.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #6/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +1.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 98% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +7.1 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 95% #3/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +5.4 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 60% #12/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | −30.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 89% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 80% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | +8.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 90% #6/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 80% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | +10.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 60% #6/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 70% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | −10.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #3/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −2.2 | 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 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 · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger 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?
67
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Zero 2
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, comfort and wet. Pick the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 73 vs 63 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 71 vs 65 on snow.
Tire A · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
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.