79
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
77/100
9 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Compared (September 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.
VS
82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
76/100
6 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
61 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, dry and wet. Pick the Kumho WinterCraft WP72 if snow matters most to you.
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Category breakdown
7 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
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 88 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 89 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 77 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 90 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 90 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 98 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WinterCraft WP72 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 71 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 78 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 79 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 38 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 98 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 77 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | WinterCraft WP72 | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 71 | 87 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho WinterCraft WP72 | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 82 |
| Dry | 82 | 89 |
| Wet | 78 | 83 |
| Snow | 86 | 76 |
| Comfort | 77 | 79 |
| Noise | – | 62 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 81 |
| Handling | 71 | 87 |
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
79
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 100
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.
The Kumho WinterCraft WP72 is widely regarded as a high-value performance winter tire that balances dry and wet road handling with competent snow traction. While most users praise its comfort, low noise levels, and affordability compared to premium alternatives, some report concerns regarding high-speed stability and potential issues with tire uniformity.
Pros
- Excellent value for money compared to premium winter tire brands
- Impressive noise suppression and ride comfort
- Strong performance on dry and wet surfaces
- Reliable traction in typical winter snow and slush conditions
Cons
- Vague handling and stability at higher highway speeds
- Reports of soft sidewalls leading to a 'jelly' feel
- Potential for flat-spotting and balancing issues
- Diminishing snow grip as the tread wears down
Observations
- Users with heavy EVs and RWD vehicles report good snow traction, though some note minor slippage during aggressive cornering on wet surfaces.
- Performance-oriented vehicles like the Subaru BRZ and Tesla Model 3 find the tire to be a capable, budget-friendly alternative to extreme winter tires.
The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet, slushy, and cold dry conditions. Users consistently praise its sporty handling and confidence-inspiring grip, though it is frequently noted that the tire's performance and longevity are compromised if used in warm temperatures or during summer months.
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.
- Comfortable and relatively quiet ride quality.
- Aesthetically pleasing design with effective rim protection.
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.
- High price point compared to some competitors.
Observations
- Drivers of high-torque, rear-wheel-drive performance vehicles report high satisfaction with the tire's ability to maintain traction and control.
- Users with staggered fitments on luxury sedans (e.g., BMW 5-series, M240i) note that the tire maintains its sporty character well in cold climates.
- Some owners of heavier vehicles or those with high-horsepower setups noted that the tire's longevity is significantly reduced under aggressive driving styles.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72 | B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 32 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Kumho
82
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, dry and wet. Pick the Kumho WinterCraft WP72 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 87 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 scores 86 vs 76 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 89 vs 82 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 83 vs 78 on wet.
Tire A · Kumho WinterCraft WP72
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho WinterCraft WP72 also compared with
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 also compared with
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.