Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Better than 94% of the winter tires we score.
Owners 73 · 5 reviews analysed Road tests 83 · 6 tests
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Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 has a Relative Score of 78 out of 100 among winter tires. In 7 road tests with an overall ranking it finished first 3 times and in the top three 5 times. Testers rate it best for wet (100) and weakest for efficiency (72). 5 owner reviews rate it 73 out of 100. 72% would buy it again.
Projected tread life in 2 wear tests: about 44,000 km (27,000 miles) on average, newest 2026.
- Strength: Wet 100 — 1st of 11 (2026 Auto Express Winter tire Test), 1st of 16 (2026 ADAC Winter tire Test - 225/50 R17)
Owners rate it 10 points lower than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
How scores work
- Relative score
- 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
- Road tests
- 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
- Owner reviews
- 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.
By owner reviews
73/100From 5 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
83/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 5 owner reviews found online.
The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 delivers exceptional winter capability, particularly shining in snow traction and dry handling while maintaining impressive comfort and quietness at lower speeds. However, mixed feedback regarding high-speed noise and efficiency, especially on electric vehicles, suggests performance varies depending on operating speeds and vehicle types.
Pros
- Outstanding grip and confidence in deep snow, ice, and mountain passes
- Remarkably quiet and comfortable ride quality at low to moderate speeds
- Surprising dry and wet handling upgrades compared to certain summer or OE tires
- Reduced rear-end slip under acceleration on compatible electric vehicle setups
Cons
- Noticeable increase in tire noise at higher speeds (typically above 100-110 km/h)
- Higher energy or fuel consumption noted on electric vehicles
- Loss of steering precision under high lateral forces due to narrow tread blocks
- Increased sensitivity to crosswinds in certain vehicle applications
Worth knowing
- Users on electric vehicles like the VW ID.3 appreciated the low-speed silence enabled by PNCS noise reduction foam on 19-inch rims, though some noted elevated high-speed noise and increased consumption.
- Subaru Forester XT owners highlighted exceptional snow and ice traction, successfully managing steep slopes and slippery roundabouts.
7 published test appearances (6 in the score)
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2027 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 · 215/65R17
6th of 7
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: NAF Motor
2026 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
2nd of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 11 | |
| Wet Circle | 2nd of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 9th of 11 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 11 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 1st of 11 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 2nd of 11 | |
| Noise | 7th of 11 |
Source: Auto Express
2026 ADAC Winter tire Test - 225/50 R17 · 225/50 R17
1st of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 7th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 9th of 16 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 1st of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 2nd of 16 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 16 | |
| Value | 13th of 16 | |
| Wear | 11th of 16 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 5th of 16 | |
| Abrasion | 11th of 16 | |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | 3rd of 16 |
Source: ADAC
2026 AvD Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
1st of 15
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 15 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 15 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 15 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 6th of 15 | |
| Value | 14th of 15 | |
| Wear | 4th of 15 |
Source: AvD
2026 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Winter tire Test · 225/55 R18
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Wet Circle | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 10 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 2nd of 10 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 3rd of 10 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 5th of 10 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 10 | |
| Snow Slalom | 4th of 10 |
Source: Auto Bild Allrad
2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter tire Test · 225/45 R18
4th of 12
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 12 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 12 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 12 | |
| Dry Handling | 5th of 12 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 12 | |
| Snow Traction | 7th of 12 | |
| Snow Handling | 9th of 12 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 3rd of 12 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 7th of 12 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 7th of 12 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 8th of 12 | |
| Noise | 8th of 12 | |
| Snow Slalom | 7th of 12 |
Source: Auto Bild Sportscars
2025 TUV Test of Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 vs Rivals · 225/45 R17
1st of 5
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 5 | |
| Wet Handling | 1st of 5 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 5 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 5 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 5 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 5 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 5 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 1st of 5 |
Source: TÜV
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| EU label: wet grip | A in 58% of sizes |
| EU label: energy | C in 61% of sizes |
| EU label: external noise | 72 dB |
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