Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 vs Pirelli Ice Zero 2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter Sottozero 3 is ahead, 72–67
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Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 58 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test (straight aqua)
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 +372Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 73 81 Reviews found online 79 58 Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 97% -
81
Wet
Winter Sottozero 3 +873Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 80 Reviews found online 83 61 Wet Braking (% of best) 100% 100% Wet Handling (% of best) 100% 98% -
65
Snow
Ice Zero 2 +671Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 57 75 Reviews found online 77 64 Snow Braking (% of best) 96% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) 97% 99% Snow Traction (% of best) 91% 98% -
73
Comfort
Winter Sottozero 3 +1063Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 72 Reviews found online 74 50 -
67
Noise
Winter Sottozero 3 +166Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 60 65 Reviews found online 78 – -
62
Treadwear
Winter Sottozero 3 +458Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 56 – Reviews found online 71 52 -
80
Handling
Winter Sottozero 3 +2456Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Ice Zero 2 Reviews found online 80 56
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 67 |
| Dry | 75 | 72 |
| Wet | 81 | 73 |
| Snow | 65 | 71 |
| Comfort | 73 | 63 |
| Noise | 67 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 62 | 58 |
| Handling | 80 | 56 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
67
/ 100
Ice Zero 2
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 | Ice Zero 2 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +2.5 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #4/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | +0.6 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 71% #13/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 55% #10/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +16.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 6% #18/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 73% #5/15 · 2025 Teknikens Värld Winter Tire Test R17 | −67.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% #6/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 99% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −3.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #6/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −1.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −7.1 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 95% #3/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | −5.4 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 60% #12/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +30.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 80% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 89% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −8.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 80% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 90% #6/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | −10.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 70% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 60% #6/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | +10.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +2.2 | 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 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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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
67
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, comfort and wet. Pick the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 80 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 73 vs 63 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 81 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 71 vs 65 on snow.
Tire A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
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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.