Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #10 of 10 in 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test R18 (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 vs Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
SP Winter Sport 4D leads, 74–72 Narrow edge
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Tests – · none yet Owners 77 · 38 reviews
Best test result: #4 of 14 in 2011 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
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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75
Dry
Level75Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 SP Winter Sport 4D Professional tests (TWG score) 73 – Reviews found online 79 79 -
81
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +180Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 SP Winter Sport 4D Professional tests (TWG score) 80 – Reviews found online 83 83 -
65
Snow
SP Winter Sport 4D +570Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 SP Winter Sport 4D Professional tests (TWG score) 57 – Reviews found online 77 70 -
73
Comfort
SP Winter Sport 4D +174Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 SP Winter Sport 4D Professional tests (TWG score) 72 – Reviews found online 74 80 -
67
Noise
SP Winter Sport 4D +370Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 SP Winter Sport 4D Professional tests (TWG score) 60 – Reviews found online 78 74 -
62
Treadwear
SP Winter Sport 4D +971Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 SP Winter Sport 4D Professional tests (TWG score) 56 – Reviews found online 71 75 -
80
Handling
Level80Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 SP Winter Sport 4D Reviews found online 80 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 74 |
| Dry | 75 | 75 |
| Wet | 81 | 80 |
| Snow | 65 | 70 |
| Comfort | 73 | 74 |
| Noise | 67 | 70 |
| Treadwear | 62 | 71 |
| Handling | 80 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
74
/ 100
SP Winter Sport 4D
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 | Winter Sottozero 3 | SP Winter Sport 4D | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 18% #10/10 · 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test R18 | 25% #4/14 · 2011 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | −6.8 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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.
Tire B SP Winter Sport 4D
Pros
- Exceptional grip and stability in wet, slushy, and cold dry conditions.
- Remarkably low road noise, often quieter than summer tire counterparts.
- High level of ride comfort and refined road manners.
Cons
- Noticeable 'squirm' or lack of sharpness during high-speed cornering.
- Occasional reports of understeer in specific wet or icy conditions.
- Some users noted a 'hard' ride quality compared to previous iterations like the 3D.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 98 | 20 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 21″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
74
/ 100
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
Winner: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D — better treadwear, snow and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 71 vs 62 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 70 vs 65 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 70 vs 67 on noise.
Tire A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
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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.