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Head-to-head Updated

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 vs Pirelli Scorpion Winter — 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 + 3 road tests and 66 + 20 owner reviews. How we score

Winter Sottozero 3 leads, 74–70 Narrow edge

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Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire APirelli

Winter Sottozero 3

Winter

± 6

Tests 67 · 10 tests Owners 81 · 66 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (dry braking)

Pirelli Scorpion Winter
Tire BPirelli

Scorpion Winter

Winter

± 6

Tests 72 · 3 tests Owners 68 · 20 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test (dry handling)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 77

    Dry

    Winter Sottozero 3 +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 3 tests7376
    Reviews found online8267

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 82.3 = 77

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 75.9 + 40% × 67 = 72

  2. 83

    Wet

    Winter Sottozero 3 +10
    73
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 3 tests8171
    Reviews found online8775

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 80.7 + 40% × 87.4 = 83

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 75.4 = 73

  3. 66

    Snow

    Scorpion Winter +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 3 tests5769
    Reviews found online7973

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.8 + 40% × 79.2 = 66

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 69.4 + 40% × 72.5 = 71

  4. 74

    Comfort

    Winter Sottozero 3 +5
    69
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests72≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7669

    Winter Sottozero 3: 40% × 72.3 + 60% × 75.9 = 74

    Scorpion Winter: 40% × 69.1 (est.) + 60% × 69.2 = 69

    No road tests of comfort for Scorpion Winter. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 72

    Noise

    Winter Sottozero 3 +9
    63
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 3 tests6567
    Reviews found online8258

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 64.6 + 40% × 81.9 = 72

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 67 + 40% × 58 = 63

  6. 64

    Treadwear

    Winter Sottozero 3 +3
    61
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests56≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online7558

    Winter Sottozero 3: 60% × 56.2 + 40% × 74.6 = 64

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 63.3 (est.) + 40% × 58.1 = 61

    No road tests of treadwear for Scorpion Winter. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 83

    Handling (owners)

    Winter Sottozero 3 +12
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Reviews found online8371
  8. 76

    Efficiency

    Winter Sottozero 3 +4
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 3 tests7672
Scores at a glance
CategoryPirelli Winter Sottozero 3Pirelli Scorpion Winter
Relative Score 74 70
Dry 77 72
Wet 83 73
Snow 66 71
Comfort 74 69
Noise 72 63
Treadwear 64 61
Handling (owners) 83 71
Efficiency 76 72

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
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Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Winter Sottozero 3

± 6

Scorpion Winter

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinter Sottozero 3Scorpion WinterΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 96% #2/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 97% #4/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #11/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 94% #15/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 88% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 86% #18/48 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test 87% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 95% #17/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 96% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 94% #22/30 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test 95% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 97% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 96% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 97% #11/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 96% #7/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test 86% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 54% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test 80% #6/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #13/15 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires #2/7 2025 Autobild Pirelli All-Terrain Tire Test R19 – 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.
All owner themes in the Winter Sottozero 3 review

Tire B Scorpion Winter

Pros

  • Exceptional wet grip and resistance to aquaplaning
  • Strong dry road handling and high-speed stability
  • Comfortable and quiet ride quality for highway cruising

Cons

  • Reduced performance on mud, heavy slush, and hard ice
  • Faster tread wear, particularly when driven in warmer temperatures
  • Vague high-speed handling at extreme velocities (over 130 mph)
All owner themes in the Scorpion Winter review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 B · Pirelli Scorpion Winter
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverSUV and 4x4
Sizes available9888
Rim diameters16″ – 21″16″ – 22″
Tread depth10/32″10/32″
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure50 psi50 psi
Sizes in common1616

Which one should you actually buy?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3

Pirelli Scorpion Winter

Narrow edge: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, wet and noise. Pick the Pirelli Scorpion Winter if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 71 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 73 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 72 vs 63 on noise.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 77 vs 72 on dry.

Tire A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
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Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion Winter
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Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Which is better in the wet, Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 83 vs 73 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 77 vs 72 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Pirelli Scorpion Winter, 71 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 72 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 74 vs 69 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 64 vs 61 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Winter Sottozero 3 or Scorpion Winter?

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 76 vs 72 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