Tests 67 · 10 tests Owners 80 · 69 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 vs Michelin X-Ice Xi3 — 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 10 + 0 road tests and 69 + 14 owner reviews. How we score
Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 74–66
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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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76
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +1264Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests 73 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 81 62 Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 80.8 = 76
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 65.6 (est.) + 40% × 62.2 = 64
No road tests of dry for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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83
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +1667Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / – tests 80 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 87 66 Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.4 + 40% × 86.6 = 83
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 68.2 (est.) + 40% × 66.1 = 67
No road tests of wet for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
66
Snow
X-Ice Xi3 +369Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / – tests 57 ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 79 67 Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.5 + 40% × 79 = 66
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 67.3 = 69
No road tests of snow for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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74
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +965Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 72 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 75 64 Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72 + 60% × 74.5 = 74
X-Ice Xi3: 40% × 67.7 (est.) + 60% × 63.8 = 65
No road tests of comfort for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
71
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / – tests 64 – Reviews found online 81 – Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.3 + 40% × 81.4 = 71
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64
Treadwear
X-Ice Xi3 +266Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 57 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 75 66 Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 57.1 + 40% × 74.6 = 64
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 65.6 = 66
No road tests of treadwear for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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82
Handling (owners)
Winter Sottozero 3 +2656Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Reviews found online 82 56 -
76
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / – tests 76 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | Michelin X-Ice Xi3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 66 |
| Dry | 76 | 64 |
| Wet | 83 | 67 |
| Snow | 66 | 69 |
| Comfort | 74 | 65 |
| Noise | 71 | – |
| Treadwear | 64 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 82 | 56 |
| Efficiency | 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
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
74
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
66
/ 100
X-Ice Xi3
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.
| Discipline | Category | Winter Sottozero 3 | X-Ice Xi3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #13/15 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires | #5/17 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter Sottozero 3
Pros
- Excellent wet and slush performance, with strong resistance to aquaplaning and confident, stable braking
- Very good snow traction, with several owners saying it beat previous winter tires such as Nokian, Michelin and Sottozero 2, including on rear-wheel-drive and performance cars
- Sharp, precise steering and dry grip that feels close to a summer tire in cold conditions, which fits its UHP character
Cons
- Tread wear can be fast, especially when the tires are used in warm weather or all year. Some reported 3 mm left after about 27k km, and others reported wear near the indicator after 30,000 km
- Road noise is higher than on summer tires, particularly on the highway, and a few said it increased as the tires wore. Others reported feedback becoming vague and the tires getting louder above about 15°C
- Sidewalls can be vulnerable. Reviewers reported cuts from curb contact, tires that broke on rough roads, and bulges in the sidewall
Tire B X-Ice Xi3
Pros
- Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Long-lasting treadwear and durability over multiple seasons
- Good stability and grip on dry pavement and cold winter roads
Cons
- Squirmy feel and delayed, sluggish steering response on dry and wet roads
- Lacks cornering grip and confidence during sharp turns
- Performs poorly in heavy mountain snow, wet ice, and milder above-freezing temperatures
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 98 | 37 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 21″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 17 | 17 |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
66
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice Xi3
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Michelin X-Ice Xi3 if snow matters most to you. Michelin X-Ice Xi3 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 82 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 74 vs 65 on comfort.
Tire A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3
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Winter Sottozero 3 or X-Ice Xi3?
Which is better in the wet, Winter Sottozero 3 or X-Ice Xi3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 83 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Sottozero 3 or X-Ice Xi3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 64 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Winter Sottozero 3 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin X-Ice Xi3, 69 vs 66 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Winter Sottozero 3 or X-Ice Xi3?
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 74 vs 65 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Winter Sottozero 3 or X-Ice Xi3?
Neither, by our numbers: 64 vs 66 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
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