Tests 69 · 1 test Owners 74 · 10 reviews
Best test result: #4 of 12 in 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test (wet handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli P Zero Winter 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 1 + 10 road tests and 10 + 68 owner reviews. How we score
Winter Sottozero 3 leads, 73–71 Narrow edge
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Tests 67 · 10 tests Owners 80 · 68 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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68
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +876Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 8 tests 68 73 Reviews found online 68 82 P Zero Winter: 60% × 68.1 + 40% × 68.1 = 68
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 81.7 = 76
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76
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +783Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 10 tests 75 80 Reviews found online 77 87 P Zero Winter: 60% × 74.8 + 40% × 76.8 = 76
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.4 + 40% × 86.5 = 83
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69
Snow
P Zero Winter +465Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 10 tests 65 56 Reviews found online 75 79 P Zero Winter: 60% × 64.5 + 40% × 75.2 = 69
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.5 + 40% × 78.8 = 65
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72
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +274Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 70 (est.) 72 Reviews found online 74 75 P Zero Winter: 40% × 69.6 (est.) + 60% × 73.5 = 72
Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72.1 + 60% × 74.5 = 74
No road tests of comfort for P Zero Winter. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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68
Noise
Winter Sottozero 3 +371Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 7 tests 70 64 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) 82 P Zero Winter: 60% × 69.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 68
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.4 + 40% × 81.6 = 71
No owner ratings of noise for P Zero Winter. 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.
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73
Treadwear
P Zero Winter +964Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests ≈ 70 (est.) 57 Reviews found online 77 75 P Zero Winter: 60% × 70.3 (est.) + 40% × 77 = 73
Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 57.1 + 40% × 74.6 = 64
No road tests of treadwear for P Zero Winter. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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70
Handling (owners)
Winter Sottozero 3 +1282Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews found online 70 82 -
66
Efficiency
Winter Sottozero 3 +1076Why this score
Source P Zero Winter Winter Sottozero 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 7 tests 66 76
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli P Zero Winter | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 73 |
| Dry | 68 | 76 |
| Wet | 76 | 83 |
| Snow | 69 | 65 |
| Comfort | 72 | 74 |
| Noise | 68 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 73 | 64 |
| Handling (owners) | 70 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 66 | 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
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
P Zero Winter
73
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
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 | P Zero Winter | Winter Sottozero 3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #11/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 96% #2/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #10/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 99% #11/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 88% #10/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 94% #15/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #8/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 86% #18/48 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #4/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 95% #17/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 88% #11/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 94% #22/30 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #8/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 97% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 91% #11/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #6/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 97% #11/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% #8/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #9/12 2024 Auto Bild SUV 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 P Zero Winter
Pros
- Superior noise control and high levels of ride comfort
- Excellent snow and ice traction for appropriate sports car and sedan applications
- Good lateral dry grip and cornering confidence
Cons
- Unpredictable handling and poor wet performance reported by some sports car drivers
- Struggles to fully harness extremely high torque outputs in deep snow
- Performance falls short of top-tier competitors like Michelin for certain drivers
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 P Zero Winter | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 56 | 98 |
| Rim diameters | 18″ – 23″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | 50 psi |
| Sizes in common | 30 | 30 |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Pirelli P Zero Winter
73
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Narrow edge: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, efficiency and dry. Pick the Pirelli P Zero Winter if treadwear and snow matter most to you. Pirelli P Zero Winter rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 82 vs 70 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 66 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Pirelli P Zero Winter scores 73 vs 64 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 68 on dry.
Tire A · Pirelli P Zero Winter
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Which is better in the wet, P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 83 vs 76 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 68 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli P Zero Winter, 69 vs 65 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 71 vs 68 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 74 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli P Zero Winter, 73 vs 64 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, P Zero Winter or Winter Sottozero 3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 66 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