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 Nexen WinGuard — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 72–65
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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.
-
75
Dry
Winter Sottozero 3 +1659Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 73 – Reviews found online 79 54 -
81
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +1764Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 80 – Reviews found online 83 62 -
65
Snow
WinGuard +1075Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 57 – Reviews found online 77 78 -
73
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +865Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 72 – Reviews found online 74 61 -
67
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 60 – Reviews found online 78 – -
62
Treadwear
WinGuard +365Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 WinGuard Professional tests (TWG score) 56 – Reviews found online 71 65 -
80
Handling
Winter Sottozero 3 +2357Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 WinGuard Reviews found online 80 57
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | Nexen WinGuard |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 65 |
| Dry | 75 | 59 |
| Wet | 81 | 64 |
| Snow | 65 | 75 |
| Comfort | 73 | 65 |
| Noise | 67 | – |
| Treadwear | 62 | 65 |
| Handling | 80 | 57 |
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.
Important
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Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
65
/ 100
WinGuard
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | WinGuard | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 18% #10/10 · 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test R18 | 3% #34/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test | +15.2 | 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 WinGuard
Pros
- Strong traction and handling in snow-covered conditions
- Noticeable improvement in grip over summer tires in cold weather
- Confidence-inspiring braking performance on mountain passes
Cons
- Mediocre performance on ice
- Poor dry-weather handling when temperatures exceed 10°C
- Occasional difficulty with uphill starts in deep snow
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | B · Nexen WinGuard |
|---|---|---|
| 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?
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
65
/ 100
Nexen WinGuard
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Nexen WinGuard if snow and treadwear matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 64 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 75 vs 59 on dry.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Nexen WinGuard scores 75 vs 65 on snow.
Tire A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire B · Nexen WinGuard
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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.