Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 vs Hankook Winter i cept evo3
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Hankook Winter i cept evo3 finished ahead 2 times and the Winter Sottozero 3 not once. The Winter Sottozero 3 was stronger in comfort and value, the Winter i cept evo3 in wet and snow.
Performance profile
11 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winter Sottozero 3
Winter i cept evo3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 95%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Winter Sottozero 3
Winter i cept evo3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Winter Sottozero 3
Winter i cept evo3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Winter Sottozero 3 83% from 59 reviews and the Winter i cept evo3 86% from 23. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | Winter Sottozero 3 | Gap | Winter i cept evo3 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 43.7 | 0.5% | 43.9 | 1-0 |
| Dry Handling km/h | 109.5 | 0.5% | 110 | 0-1 |
| Wet Winter i cept evo3 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 45.1 | 8.2% | 41.4 | 0-2 |
| Wet Handling km/h | 70.5 | 3.8% | 73.2 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 86 | 3% | 88.6 | 0-1 |
| Snow Winter i cept evo3 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking m | 25.8 | 3.1% | 25 | 0-2 |
| Snow Traction N | 2,825 | 2.3% | 2,890 | 0-1 |
| Snow Handling km/h | 59.9 | 0.5% | 60.2 | 0-1 |
| Comfort Winter Sottozero 3 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 71.7 | 2.5 dB | 74.2 | 1-0 |
| Value Winter Sottozero 3 ahead | ||||
| Wear km | 39,770 | = | 39,770 | 0-0 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 6.95 | 19.1% | 8.59 | 1-0 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 2 tests in 2020
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Winter Sottozero 3 | Field | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | P19 of 20 | P6 of 20 | |
| 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | P20 of 51 | P5 of 51 |
Winter Sottozero 3 vs Winter i cept evo3: your questions
Is the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 or the Hankook Winter i cept evo3 the better tyre?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Hankook Winter i cept evo3 finished ahead 2 times and the Winter Sottozero 3 not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter Sottozero 3 scores 7.9 and the Winter i cept evo3 9.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winter Sottozero 3 or the Winter i cept evo3?
The Winter i cept evo3 led 4 of the 4 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 8.2% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 1-1 between the Winter Sottozero 3 and the Winter i cept evo3.
Which is better in snow?
The Winter i cept evo3 led 4 of the 4 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.1% shorter on snow across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.6/10 for the Winter Sottozero 3 and 7.8/10 for the Winter i cept evo3.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winter Sottozero 3 83% from 59 reviews and the Winter i cept evo3 86% from 23. 81% of Winter Sottozero 3 owners would buy it again, against 91% for the Winter i cept evo3.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Winter Sottozero 3 is made in 98 sizes (16 to 21 inch) and the Winter i cept evo3 in 86 (17 to 22 inch). 57 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winter Sottozero 3 is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter i cept evo3 B and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Winter i cept evo3 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the Winter Sottozero 3 in 2013. The Winter i cept evo3 replaced the Hankook Winter i cept evo2.
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Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.