Pirelli Ice Friction review
The Pirelli Ice Friction is highly regarded by Nordic-region drivers for its exceptional snow and ice performance, offering a level of predictability and handling precision that rivals top-tier competitors. Users consistently praise its ability to provide a secure, quiet, and comfortable driving experience, often noting that it eliminates the need for studded tires in challenging winter conditions.
Owners rate it 21.7 points higher 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 on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
97%By road tests
75.3%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 4 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Pirelli Ice Friction is highly regarded by Nordic-region drivers for its exceptional snow and ice performance, offering a level of predictability and handling precision that rivals top-tier competitors. Users consistently praise its ability to provide a secure, quiet, and comfortable driving experience, often noting that it eliminates the need for studded tires in challenging winter conditions.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and predictable handling on snow and ice
- High level of steering feedback and control during slides
- Impressively quiet and smooth ride quality
- Strong performance in dry and wet conditions compared to typical Nordic winter tires
Cons
- Ice grip, while excellent for a studless tire, does not fully match the absolute performance of dedicated studded tires
- Limited long-term data available regarding tread wear rates
- Higher price point compared to budget-tier winter tire options
Worth knowing
- Rear-wheel drive vehicle owners reported a significant improvement in stability and a reduction in snap oversteer compared to previous studded tire setups.
- Drivers of hybrid vehicles noted consistent performance in extreme cold temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius.
2 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2025 Friction Winter tire Test · 235/60 R18
2nd of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Noise | 8th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 5th of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 7th of 8 |
2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter tire Test · 235/45 R18
8th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|