Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 review
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.
Owners rate it 8.7 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
85.1%By road tests
76.4%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 61 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
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.
Worth knowing
- 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.
9 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2021 ADAC 17 Inch Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
14th of 18
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2020 ADAC Winter tire Test - 235/55 R17 · 235/55 R17
9th of 13
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter tire Test · 245/45 R18
19th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 16th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 17th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 18th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 18th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 12th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 15th of 20 | |
| Noise | 11th of 20 | |
| Value | 20th of 20 | |
| Wear | 13th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 5th of 20 |
2020 Winter tire Market Overview - 52 tire Braking Test · 245/45 R18
20th of 48
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 18th of 48 | |
| Snow Braking | 22nd of 48 |
2019 Auto Express Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
9th of 12
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch tire Test · 225/45 R17
18th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 13th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 20th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 20th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 16th of 20 | |
| Noise | 13th of 20 | |
| Value | 19th of 20 | |
| Price | 13th of 20 | |
| Wear | 19th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 14th of 20 |
2019 Winter tire Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17
16th of 45
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 45 | |
| Snow Braking | 24th of 45 |
2019 AMS Winter SUV tire Test · 215/55 R17
9th of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 7th of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 10th of 11 | |
| Snow Braking | 10th of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 8th of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 7th of 11 | |
| Straight Aqua | 10th of 11 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 6th of 11 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 2nd of 11 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 6th of 11 | |
| Noise | 11th of 11 | |
| Price | 8th of 11 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 8th of 11 |
2018 Autobild UHP Winter tire Test · 195/65 R15
7th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 8th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 2nd of 10 | |
| Noise | 4th of 10 | |
| Price | 9th of 10 |
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Tread depth | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi |
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