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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D vs Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 — Compared (May 2026)

Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.

Tire A Dunlop

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
86/100
38 owner reviews
Dry
90
Wet
93
Snow
75
Comfort
93
Treadwear
88
Handling
88
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Dunlop

Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3

Winter Ultra High Performance tires

Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
79/100
22 owner reviews
Dry
86
Wet
87
Snow
–
Comfort
83
Treadwear
81
Handling
85
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D — better comfort, treadwear and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown

6 categories, side by side

Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.

Dry

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 4
A
90
B
86
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DSP Winter Sport M3
Tyre Reviews owners 90 84

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 6
A
93
B
87
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DSP Winter Sport M3
Tyre Reviews owners 93 91

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
75
B
–
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DSP Winter Sport M3
Tyre Reviews owners 75 –

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 10
A
93
B
83
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DSP Winter Sport M3
Tyre Reviews owners 93 83

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 7
A
88
B
81
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DSP Winter Sport M3
Tyre Reviews owners 88 88

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Winter Sport 4D leads by 3
A
88
B
85
Why this score
SourceSP Winter Sport 4DSP Winter Sport M3
Tyre Reviews owners 88 85

Scores at a glance

CategoryDunlop SP Winter Sport 4DDunlop SP Winter Sport M3
Relative Score 90 84
Dry 90 86
Wet 93 87
Snow 75 –
Comfort 93 83
Treadwear 88 81
Handling 88 85

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D

The Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in cold, wet, and slushy conditions while maintaining impressive comfort and low noise levels. While most users praise its stability and traction in snow and ice, a minority of drivers report a 'squirmy' handling sensation during high-speed cornering, likely due to the softer tread compound.

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and stability in wet, slushy, and cold dry conditions.
  • Remarkably low road noise, often quieter than summer tire counterparts.
  • High level of ride comfort and refined road manners.
  • Strong performance in deep snow and on icy inclines.
  • Good tread longevity for a dedicated winter compound.

Cons

  • Noticeable 'squirm' or lack of sharpness during high-speed cornering.
  • Occasional reports of understeer in specific wet or icy conditions.
  • Some users noted a 'hard' ride quality compared to previous iterations like the 3D.
  • Potential for clearance issues if incorrect aspect ratios are selected for specific vehicle fitments.

Observations

  • Users with wider tire setups noted that while traction is excellent, they may be slightly less effective in deep snow compared to narrower configurations.
  • Drivers of heavier vehicles (e.g., Mercedes S-Class, E-Class) reported high satisfaction with comfort and grip, though they noted the 'squirm' sensation more prominently during aggressive maneuvers.
  • Fitment caution: Owners of vehicles like the Mercedes W213 should ensure correct aspect ratios to avoid clearance issues with suspension components.
Tire B Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3

The Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 is highly regarded as a top-tier winter performance tire that excels in deep snow, ice, and cold, wet conditions. While some users note that its performance in dry, warm weather can be compromised, it is frequently praised for maintaining a 'sporty' feel and quiet ride that rivals many summer performance tires.

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and handling in deep snow and icy conditions.
  • Impressive wet weather performance with minimal risk of aquaplaning.
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality compared to other performance tires.
  • Predictable and progressive handling characteristics during spirited driving.

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear if used in temperatures above the intended winter range.
  • Reduced braking performance on dry pavement when the tire is cold.
  • Potential for accelerated wear on high-horsepower vehicles.
  • Not suitable for year-round use in warmer climates.

Observations

  • Users report that the tire maintains excellent grip and stability on high-performance vehicles, provided they are used within the correct temperature range.
  • Drivers of front-wheel-drive vehicles noted surprising longevity and traction, even when running remapped, high-torque engines.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3
Category—Winter Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Dunlop

Winner: Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D — better comfort, treadwear and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 93 vs 83 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 88 vs 81 on treadwear.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 93 vs 87 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D scores 90 vs 86 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3
Check price on Amazon

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.