Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3

The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is a Ultra High Performance Winter tire designed to be fitted to Passenger Cars.

Tire review data from 50 tire reviews averaging 84% over 659,786 miles driven, and 34 tests with an average result of 7th.

Dry Grip 89%
Wet Grip 92%
Road Feedback 82%
Handling 87%
Wear 79%
Comfort 80%
Buy again 88%
Snow Grip 83%
Ice Grip 75%

First On MarketMarch 2013
Wheel Size16 - 21"
Width195 - 355mm
Profile25 - 65
Rolling ResistanceB - D
Wet GripA - C
Noise (dB)68 - 75
Winter Rating3PMSF Rated

The Winter Sottozero 3 is ranked 19th of 43 Winter Ultra High Performance tires.

In Depth Tire Comparisons

Tests Included

34

Best Result

1st

Worst Result

20th

Average Result

7th

Latest Tire Test Results

2021 ADAC 17 Inch Winter Tire Test
12th of 18 tires
  • Good dry braking, best drivability in the snow.
  • Low drivability in the dry, weak in the wet.
View Full Test >>
2020 Winter Tire Market Overview - 52 Tire Braking Test
20th of 49 tires
View Full Test >>
2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tire Test
19th of 21 tires
  • Good in the snow and dry, low fuel use.
  • Average wet grip, high price, high wear.
View Full Test >>

2021 Tire Tests

2020 Tire Tests

2019 Tire Tests

2018 Tire Tests

2017 Tire Tests

2016 Tire Tests

2015 Tire Tests

2014 Tire Tests

2013 Tire Tests

SizeFuelWetNoise
16 inch
215/60R16 95 HDB72
205/60R16 96 H XLCB72
205/60R16 92 HCB71
205/60R16 92 HDB71
205/60R16 96 H XLCB72
205/55R16 91 HDB71
205/60R16 96 H XLCB72
205/55R16 91 HDB71
215/60R16 99 H XLCB72
205/55R16 91 HDB72
205/55R16 91 HCB68
205/60R16 96 H XLCB68
205/60R16 96 H XLCB68
205/60R16 96 H XLCB72
17 inch
225/45R17 91 HCB72
225/50R17 98 H XLDB72
225/60R17 99 HCB72
225/45R17 94 H XLCB72
215/45R17 91 H XLDB72
225/45R17 94 H XLCB70
225/50R17 98 H XLBB72
215/55R17 98 H XLCB72
225/45R17 91 HCB70
225/50R17 98 H XLBB70
205/50R17 93 H XLCB71
225/45R17 91 HCB69
225/45R17 94 V XLCB72
205/50R17 93 V XLDB72
225/50R17 94 HDB72
225/45R17 91 HCB72
215/55R17 98 H XLCB72
225/60R17 99 HCB69
225/50R17 98 H XLCB68
225/50R17 98 H XLCB72
205/50R17 93 V XLCB72
215/55R17 98 V XLCB72
215/55R17 94 HCB72
225/50R17 98 V XLCB72
225/50R17 94 HCB72
225/45R17 94 V XLCB72
18 inch
255/35R18 94 V XLCB73
245/45R18 96 VCB72
245/45R18 100 H XLCA72
245/40R18 97 V XLDB72
225/40R18 92 V XLCB70
225/40R18 92 V XLCB72
225/40R18 92 V XLDB72
225/40R18 92 V XLDB72
225/40R18 92 V XLDB72
245/40R18 97 V XLDB70
245/40R18 97 V XLDB72
245/45R18 100 V XLDB72
245/45R18 100 V XLCB72
225/40R18 92 H XLDB72
245/45R18 100 V XLBB72
245/40R18 97 H XLDB72
225/40R18 92 V XLDB72
19 inch
235/35R19 91 V XLDB72
235/35R19 91 W XLCB72
235/35R19 91 W XLCB72
235/35R19 91 V XLDB72
20 inch
255/45R20 105 V XLCB73
View All Sizes and EU Label Scores for the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 >>

Questions and Answers for the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3

2017-02-15 - I have a se of four Sottozero 3 tires on my Mazda 6 Estate. These are just four months old. When I brake the car experiences juddering through the brake pedal with less judder through the steering wheel but judder nonetheless. This is more severe as speed ncreases. have had the car checked thoroughly including a brake test and the car passed the MOT test recently. No mechanical faults are evident. Why am I experiencing this judder as I find it unbelievable that Pirelli would make a tire that does this !

It would be surprising if the tire is at fault. Sometimes, with certain tire patterns and car suspension you can get "stepping" on the tire, where the tread wears unevenly and causes noise and vibration, but it would have to be severe to be caused by a tire like the SottoZero3. A more likely cause would be a very slightly warped brake disc which would only show up when braking.

2019-11-11 - I was wondering if the difference between the Sottozero 3 and the Sottozero 3 Runflat could be explained, or at least more tangible. I know there will be a noticeable difference, but any clue on how noticable? If I choose to order the winterset they come on Run Flats as most products of MINI/BMW.

Runflat vs non-runflat is difficult, as it varies by brand. I've not tested these back to back, but as a rule you'll lose a significant amount of comfort and noise, and usually there's a slight reduction in grip too.

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Size Price Range  
225/40 R19 $313.78 - $313.78 (1 Prices) Compare Prices >>
225/45 R17 $182.99 - $227.93 (4 Prices) Compare Prices >>
225/45 R18 $183.99 - $275.43 (9 Prices) Compare Prices >>
225/50 R17 $160.97 - $252.98 (3 Prices) Compare Prices >>
225/55 R16 $159.49 - $167.97 (3 Prices) Compare Prices >>
235/45 R17 $238.74 - $238.74 (1 Prices) Compare Prices >>
Available in 57 tire sizes - View all.

Top 3 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews

(225/45 R17) on for 0 miles
If you drive soft winter tires in the summer, and then complain that they wear quickly...
Helpful 1199 - tire reviewed on July 12, 2016
Given 89% while driving a Audi a3 s line (225/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 62,000 average miles
These are the only winter tires I have used on my car. My new car was registered in January 2015 and I had the tires fitted on a different set of alloys. Almost 9 years later, I am going to replace them with the exactly the same tire ! They have been an excellent all round winter tire, used every year from November to April (5 months) If you use them all year round, then I do believe they wear quite fast in the summer months.
Grip has been very good in the dry, wet and snow/ice. Handling has also been very good indeed. Comfort has been adequate, since my tire mechanic told me that all winter tires are quite noisy compared to the best summer tires.
Highly recommended in my opinion.
Helpful 32 - tire reviewed on November 11, 2023
Given 84% while driving a Honda CRV (225/60 R18) on a combination of roads for 5,000 average miles
Excellent winter/Snow and ice and wet tire, performance, very responsive too (I immediately noticed the response change, changing from "Saferich" summer tire)
These sottozero 3 tires are expensive, but they Really deliver in the winter,
I will keep to These tires for many winters to come
Dean
Helpful 30 - tire reviewed on December 3, 2023
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Latest Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 Reviews

Given 80% while driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI MK7 (225/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 19,000 spirited miles
The best UHP winter tires I ever had. Excellent handling, you really feel these are UHP tires, not just winter tires. Initially they were noisy, but improved a lot. Beautiful design, the biggest rim protector. Wear is bad, after 30 000 kms just above the wear indicator (TWI). But it worths, I recently purchased a new set of Sottozero 3 (A01) for my new car.
Helpful 10 - tire reviewed on October 5, 2024
Given 73% while driving a Subaru WRX Limited (225/50 R17) on mostly town for 5,000 spirited miles
I had a set as winter tires for Subaru WRX AWD. Although there is not a lot of snow where I live, they work well in dry, wet and occasional snow weather. Compared to a summer set of OEM Dunlop, steering feeling is a little fuzzy because of tall blocks and soft compounds but they are good tire even in subzero temp. Tire wear is acceptable and it makes more noise than summer tires around 60-70 mph range on dry freeway surface.
Helpful 6 - tire reviewed on September 25, 2024
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Given 81% while driving a BMW M240i (255/35 R19) on a combination of roads for 5,000 spirited miles
Great overall UHP winter tire. They go on my 2022 BMW M240i xDrive in the fall and come off in the spring using 2 sets of identical wheels year-round. During the summer I run on Michelin PS4S so for several days each year I get to A/B compare this tire against one of the best tires ever made. The only difference in the tires being the front winters are 225/40/19's and the front summers are 245/35/19's. Rears are all 255/35/19's as I run a staggered setup. The major differences between the two tires are the road noise (higher on the Pirelli's) and a little more "sway" in the Pirelli's when pushing the car around bends. What I find impressive though is how well the Pirelli's communicate what they are doing. They have a very linear and predictable feel like the PS4S so I always know how much grip I have left which makes using them in winter more enjoyable as you can really drive the car as intended in the dry. The tires also don't need to be warmed up and feel compliant right out of the gate on a cold start and go. In the rain they behave as expected and hydroplane less than the PS4S do when driving in heavy rain with water accumulation on the road. I also had the chance to drive over a challenging mountain pass road during a snow storm in my first winter on them and really got to experience the difference. The tire was very predictable and kept me out of trouble. Combined with AWD, I felt completely safe and confident and drove right through the storm without any issues.
Helpful 16 - tire reviewed on March 13, 2024
Given 83% while driving a Porsche (285/35 R20) on mostly town for 6,000 spirited miles
Outstanding dry performance , which is 85% of our winter driving in northern metropolitan cities . The snow and ice is 80% as good as a snow /ice only low performance tire . But with my AWD sedan that is fine . Love these . P285 on back ; P245 on front . I am a car conniseur and could buy any tire period and i choose these . Mine are W rated look for that , though the V rated are great too I am sure .
Helpful 25 - tire reviewed on January 18, 2024
Given 93% while driving a Peugeot 3008 (215/60 R16) on a combination of roads for 2,000 average miles
Best winter tires I have driven yet! They are so soft and comfortable (non run-flat) I love driving my car in the winter more than ever. Responsive, great handling and you never loose control even on snow or ice. I am talking about regular driving in a regular car (not performance and drifting or racing) but a family Peugeot 3008. I have confidence climbing on hills or uphill without doubt.
Previously I had driven Michelins (also not bad but comfort and noise is so much better with these), Sava, Tigar and Sailun. Sotozzero 3 were the absolute best among all my previous tires. Highly recommended.
Helpful 13 - tire reviewed on January 15, 2024
Given 96% while driving a Chevrolet (245/40 R20) on mostly country roads for 250 spirited miles
Driving a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro RS with staggered fitment. 245/40/20 up front and 275/35/20 on the back. I swapped over from Continentals Extreme Contact DWS06+ early-mid November and got a bit of dry driving bellow 50 degrees. In the dry and rainy conditions, they handle extremely similar to the Continentals, similar traction, sound, and handling around corners. We got a snow storm during Thanksgiving weekend and got some snow/ice driving early! The massive surprise is driving on Ice, you can feel the tires biting into the ice and giving you some tractions, although it feels rough compared to driving on snow. But the rough-ish ride on ice makes acts as an indicator for when you've cleared the ice and back on snow/pavement. The tires also grab and go in snow/slush, providing a comfortable ride that gives you plenty of feedback to what kind/type of snow your tires are hitting. Overall, these tires have done great and haven't made me regret buying them in any condition. Weather its dry conditions before snow falls and you need to quickly accelerate, driving in rainy conditions, or safely driving a muscle car through a snow storm, Pirelli Sottozero 3's have got you covered!
Helpful 24 - tire reviewed on November 24, 2023
Given 89% while driving a Audi a3 s line (225/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 62,000 average miles
These are the only winter tires I have used on my car. My new car was registered in January 2015 and I had the tires fitted on a different set of alloys. Almost 9 years later, I am going to replace them with the exactly the same tire ! They have been an excellent all round winter tire, used every year from November to April (5 months) If you use them all year round, then I do believe they wear quite fast in the summer months.
Grip has been very good in the dry, wet and snow/ice. Handling has also been very good indeed. Comfort has been adequate, since my tire mechanic told me that all winter tires are quite noisy compared to the best summer tires.
Highly recommended in my opinion.
Helpful 24 - tire reviewed on November 8, 2023
Given 89% while driving a Audi a3 s line (225/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 62,000 average miles
These are the only winter tires I have used on my car. My new car was registered in January 2015 and I had the tires fitted on a different set of alloys. Almost 9 years later, I am going to replace them with the exactly the same tire ! They have been an excellent all round winter tire, used every year from November to April (5 months) If you use them all year round, then I do believe they wear quite fast in the summer months.
Grip has been very good in the dry, wet and snow/ice. Handling has also been very good indeed. Comfort has been adequate, since my tire mechanic told me that all winter tires are quite noisy compared to the best summer tires.
Highly recommended in my opinion.
Helpful 23 - tire reviewed on November 7, 2023
Given 53% while driving a Mercedes Benz E 200 ( W210 ) (275/40 R18) on mostly town for 6,000 average miles
I have this tire part of the original equipment from the car. I didn't know when I imported the car from Germany it already has European winter tire attached so I bought another set to cover it since the car arrived during winter in Finland. I fit the tire during spring 2021 and since then has covered 1 winter and 2 summer. So around 10,000 kms driven already. When I got the tire mostly has around 5,0 - 5,5 mm thread depth. Now it went down to 4,5 mm front tires and 3,0-3,5 mm rear tires. My car is RWD and has wider rear tires hence the 275 width. In the spring, summer and autumn the tire held pretty well even during rain and on wet motorways. Sometimes I can feel the aquaplanning but if you are aware and slow down a bit there wasn't any problem still maneuverable. On smooth asphalt it gives quiet noise level but on a little bit harsher surface the noise level goes up quite a lot. In the winter however it is particularly bad, especially for Nordic winter, which I understand it is not what this tire is intended for. But the rear of my car always wiggling everywhere on every corner, as the temperature dips to under -10 C the tire struggle to grip even it has compact snow layer not on ice. My winter set has same European winter tire spec from Dunlop Wintersport 4D and it still perform better despite 1 year older and has same thread depth. So comparing both tire sets and considering that both of them are not in their natural habitat I can say that the Pirelli one perform worse in this condition. If I live in central European country I would consider buying this Pirelli if there are no other comparable branded options.
Helpful 32 - tire reviewed on January 25, 2023
Given 43% while driving a Ford Mondeo Titanium 2.0 TCDI (235/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 5,000 easy going miles
One of the worst tires I have ever driven. After 7-8 thousands km start steering wheel vibrations, changed my front tires with Fulda much better. Then my both rear wheels got baloons o the side profile of the tire, of course trow them in the bin. I suggest you not to buy Pirelli Sottozero 3!
Helpful 36 - tire reviewed on January 12, 2023
Given 86% while driving a Volkswagen Golf MK7 GTI (225/45 R17) on mostly town for 10,000 spirited miles
Braking is the big difference here. Will buy again.
Helpful 30 - tire reviewed on November 16, 2022
Given 92% while driving a BMW 320D xDrive Gran Turismo (225/55 R17) on a combination of roads for 18,000 spirited miles
Got these on BMW xdrive GT (f34). Safety is my concern so I don't care about the wear. I put them on when its generally drops 10°C) as expected - these are winter tires. Have tested on snow of +15cms and I really trust them both on cornering and braking, where all-wheel-drive is not in case. I'd recommend these tires without any glitch. They cost a bit more comparing to others, but 50 cm braking distance would make a real cost and time/life if you can't stop. If you have the budget, these are the trustable winter tires that would worth.
Helpful 41 - tire reviewed on January 24, 2022