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.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 vs Toyo Snowprox S943 — 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
73
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
70/100
7 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, snow and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
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 13
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sottozero 3 | Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 88 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 76 |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sottozero 3 | Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 77 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 77 |
| SimpleTire owners | 98 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sottozero 3 | Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 71 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 60 |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sottozero 3 | Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 71 |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sottozero 3 | Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 38 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 98 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Snowprox S943 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sottozero 3 | Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 77 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Winter Sottozero 3 leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | Winter Sottozero 3 | Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 64 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | Toyo Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 82 | 73 |
| Dry | 89 | 76 |
| Wet | 83 | 77 |
| Snow | 76 | 60 |
| Comfort | 79 | 71 |
| Noise | 62 | – |
| Treadwear | 81 | 82 |
| Handling | 87 | 64 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
82
/ 100
Tire A
73
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Test data
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 | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 14% #7/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | 4% #26/51 · 2018 51 Winter Tyre Shootout | +10.4 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
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.
The Toyo Snowprox S943 receives a polarized reception, with users divided on its winter capabilities. While some drivers appreciate its fuel efficiency and handling in cold, dry, or wet conditions, others report significant safety concerns regarding traction in deep snow and on ice.
Pros
- Strong fuel efficiency and low rolling resistance
- Reliable handling in cold, dry, and wet road conditions
- Good tread longevity for some driving styles
- Competitive price-to-performance value
Cons
- Poor traction and grip in snow and icy conditions
- Increased noise levels, particularly when cornering
- Inconsistent performance in wet conditions, specifically regarding hydroplaning
- Noticeable degradation in grip when temperatures rise above 15 degrees Celsius
Observations
- Users suggested the tire may be better suited for smaller vehicles rather than midsize sedans, where snow performance was noted to be lacking.
- Drivers with sport-tuned suspensions reported a lack of road feedback, suggesting the tire may not pair well with performance-oriented chassis setups.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | B · Toyo Snowprox S943 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter Premium Touring 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?
82
/ 100
Pirelli
73
/ 100
Toyo
Winner: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — better handling, snow and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 87 vs 64 on handling.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 76 vs 60 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 89 vs 76 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 scores 79 vs 71 on comfort.
Tire A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire B · Toyo Snowprox S943
More comparisons
Also compared with
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 also compared with
Toyo Snowprox S943 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.