Full review

This article reviews the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, designed to help you decide if these tires are for your vehicle. 

We have researched Pirelli’s manufacturer specs and taken a deeper look at how the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 performed in a variety of tests. We also looked at customer reviews to compile a full-spectrum look at the tire’s capabilities.

Don’t have time to read everything? Here’s a quick summary of our review as well as pros & cons listed.

To learn more about how we reached our conclusion, please read the rest of the article as we break down the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 into three categories:

• Overview
• Performance Breakdown
• Recommendations & Conclusions

Now strap yourself in as we take a look at the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 to decide if it’s the right tire for you.  

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 Overview

The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is a performance winter/snow tire designed for safe driving in winter conditions for your luxury, high-performance car. The tire was designed with maximum performance in the snow and ice in low temperatures in mind. 

The Sottozero 3 is a high-priced tire for this category. 

Pirelli has a reputation as one of the lead tire manufacturers based on its performance, the output of tire options, durability, and positive customer reviews—the Winter Sottozero 3 tire backs that reputation.  

The tires are also sold in sets of four, which is typical of the snow tire class. The reason that snow tires are sold in fours is that the snow treads need to be equivalent to function properly at their highest level. 

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 Performance Breakdown

Now, let’s dive into a comprehensive breakdown of the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 to evaluate these tires based on their performance, noise, durability, and price.   

Performance 

The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 offers impressive performance in wet or dry conditions, and its specialty, in freezing temperatures. 

Wet

According to TireRack.com, the Sottozero 3 excelled in wet conditions for a winter tire. Pirelli molded the tire’s progressive compound into an arrow-like directional tread shape with greater contact points to grasp the road in wet conditions.

The rounded shoulders with a unique polymer blend increase wet traction by moving water away from the tire/road contact points with the help of the high-density 3D sipes.

Users claimed that one of the best parts of the Winter Sottozero 3 is the wet and slush grip, and how surprising it was.

Dry

The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 was designed to bridge the gaps between snow, wet, and dry surfaces, and it appears to have done so seamlessly by using its compound and specialized polymers, which have increased traction on all three weather types—dry roads being the odd man out for a winter tire.

Some customers reported that the tires were impressive in dry conditions, even at highway speeds, though the noise became a factor in these environments.  

Snow

This is where the Winter Sottozero 3 shines. From light to deep snow and ice, the tire can hold its own in any winter environment. 

The directionally molded treads create large center blocks and work with the high-density 3D sipes to maximize traction in snow, even when snow is packed into the tire grooves. The Sottozero 3 also has dual steel belts inside the tires which enhance the strength of the tire and allow it to be sensitive and flexible when the temperatures change. 

The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 tires are branded with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol. This is because they meet the industry’s standards for severe snow. The (3PMSF) symbol signifies that the tires have been tested thoroughly in snowy and icy conditions for acceleration and traction.  

Snow tires also need to be equivalent in all four positions to work, so these tires come in sets of four only.

User reviews confirm that these tires perform as intended in winter conditions, if not the best they ever had.

Handling

The handling of the Pirelli Winter Sottozero is what it’s all about. The manufacturer designed every element of the tire for winter condition handling. 

From the unique, snow and ice-focused blend designed to maximize pliability to increase confident traction, to the directional tread pattern with extensive circumferential channels, broad side grooves, and accessible elbow notches to keep snow, water, and slush moving from the tire’s traction points. 

Customer satisfaction with the Sottozero’s handling was high, and in many cases, the users felt a lot of trust in the tire’s handling abilities. 

Noise and comfort

Noise

For a snow tire, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 creates an average amount of noise. In general, it is important to note that snow tires are louder than your average all-season or summer tires on dry roads, which is the case for the Sottozero 3 as well. 

User reviews reflected these sentiments but there were no standout noise complaints about the tire.

Comfort

The Sottozero 3 performed extremely well in ride quality also. 

The tire’s interior structure is fastened with dual metal bands on a polyester shell to combine muscle with class.

Customer reviews described a smooth transition from snow to dry road.

Durability

The Sottozero 3 comes with a 1-year uniformity warranty, but it is backed with great construction.

From its progressive tread compound that includes mechanical, thermal, and dynamic properties, to its dual steel belts strengthening the tire along with spirally wrapped polyamide to keep thermal consistency, the tire is a fortress ready for the cold terrains at any level. 

Users reviewed that the Sottozero 3 lasted as long as expected, and there were no reports of the tires expiring prematurely.

Price

The price point on the Pirelli Winter Sottozero is higher than average but performs as a top-quality snow tire should, plus more. And with its ratings and user-reviewed performance, there aren’t many options that can compete. 

As well, the durability of the tires is sufficient and long-lasting for a snow tire’s sticker price. 

Recommendations & Conclusions

Recommendations

Overall, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is a very good snow tire that we highly recommend. For its price, performance, longevity, and user recommendations, we don’t think there’s a better tire on the market for your luxury high-performance vehicle without paying much more. 

If there are any variables about the Winter Sottozero 3 that you are not convinced by, we recommend looking at any of these competitor models from the same class:

• Continental WinterContact TS 870
• Dunlop Winter Response 2
• Toyo Snowprox S952
• Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
• Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 

Conclusions

Based on the research of performance data and user reviews, we believe that the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is one of the best winter tires on the market. 

There are cheaper, more expensive, and similarly priced options that are also good (as mentioned above), but for its fantastic grip, solid drive quality, and unmatched comfort, the Sottozero 3 is a tire we think you’ll be happy with and feel safe driving.

Its shortcomings are few, with noise increasing on dry roads as the tire ages. We hope you enjoyed this review of the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3. Happy driving. 

References

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 Review | Tirerack.com