Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Winter tyre (Central European)
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 205/55 R16: braking distance on a wet road from 90 km/h is about 45 m (Citroën C3 IV (2024+), without reaction time; based on EU label class B · Pidurdusmaa.ee)
Magazine tests
Published braking distances (Auto Bild, auto motor und sport, Auto Zeitung, ADAC, Za Rulem and others). Rank = position in the same test on the same surface (1 = shortest). The tests use different sizes, cars and conditions, so only compare numbers within the same test.
| Test | Size | Conditions | Result | Rank | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Bild 2020 | 245/45 R18 | snow · speed not stated | 25.8 m | 21 / 30 | 24.3 m |
| Auto Bild 2020 | 245/45 R18 | wet asphalt · speed not stated | 35.2 m | 15 / 50 | 30.3 m |
| Auto Bild 2019 | 225/45 R17 | snow · speed not stated | 26.4 m | 24 / 30 | 24.0 m |
| Auto Bild 2019 | 225/45 R17 | wet asphalt · speed not stated | 31.3 m | 6 / 53 | 29.2 m |
The calculation on this page does not use these results: our check showed that a test in another size does not predict wet braking better than the EU label for your size. They are shown here as measured facts.
EU tyre label
Official data from the EU product register EPREL, by size. The class applies to each size separately. What do the classes mean?
| Size | Wet grip | Rolling resistance | Noise | Winter | Load / speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 195/55 R20 | B | C | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95 H |
| 205/40 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 84 H |
| 205/40 R18 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 86 V |
| 205/45 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 88 V |
| 205/50 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 93 H/V |
| 205/55 R16 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 91 H |
| 205/55 R17 | B | C | – | snow symbol | |
| 205/55 R19 | B | C | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 97 H |
| 205/60 R16 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 92/96 H |
| 205/60 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 93 H |
| 205/65 R16 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95 H |
| 215/40 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 87 H |
| 215/40 R18 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 89 V |
| 215/45 R16 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 86 H |
| 215/45 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 91 H |
| 215/45 R20 | B | C | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95 W |
| 215/50 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95 V |
| 215/50 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95 V |
| 215/50 R18 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 92 V |
| 215/50 R19 | B | D | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 93 H |
| 215/55 R16 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 93/97 H |
| 215/55 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 98 V |
| 215/55 R18 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95/99 H/V |
| 215/60 R16 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95/99 H |
| 215/60 R18 | B | D | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 98/102 H/T |
| 215/65 R16 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 98 H |
| 215/65 R17 | B | C | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 99 H |
| 225/40 R18 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 92 V |
| 225/40 R19 | C (variants: B, C) | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 89/93 H |
| 225/40 R20 | B | C | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 94 V |
| 225/45 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 91/94 H/V |
| 225/45 R18 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 91/95 H/V |
| 225/45 R18 | C | C | 70 dB (B) | snow symbol | 98 H |
| 225/45 R19 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 96 V |
| 225/50 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 94/98 H/V |
| 225/50 R18 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95/99 H |
| 225/55 R16 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95/99 H |
| 225/55 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 97/101 H/V |
| 225/55 R18 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 98/102 H/V |
| 225/60 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 99 H |
| 225/60 R18 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 104 H |
| 235/35 R19 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 91 V/W |
| 235/35 R20 | C (variants: B, C) | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 92 W |
| 235/40 R18 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95 V |
| 235/40 R19 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 96 V |
| 235/45 R17 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 97 V |
| 235/45 R18 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 94/98 V |
| 235/45 R19 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95/99 H/V |
| 235/50 R18 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 101 V |
| 235/50 R19 | B | C | 71 dB | snow symbol | |
| 235/55 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 99/103 H/V |
| 235/55 R18 | B | C | 70 dB (B) | snow symbol | 104 H |
| 235/60 R16 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 100 H |
| 245/30 R20 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 90 W |
| 245/35 R19 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 93 H/W |
| 245/35 R21 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 96 W |
| 245/40 R18 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 97 V |
| 245/40 R19 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 94/98 H/V |
| 245/40 R20 | B | C | – | snow symbol | |
| 245/40 R21 | B | D | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 100 V |
| 245/45 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 99 V |
| 245/45 R18 | B (variants: A, B) | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 100 H/V |
| 245/45 R19 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 98/102 V/W |
| 245/45 R20 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 103 V |
| 245/50 R18 | B | D | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 100/104 H/V |
| 245/50 R19 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 105 V |
| 255/30 R20 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 92 W |
| 255/35 R18 | B | C | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 94 V |
| 255/35 R19 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 96 H |
| 255/35 R20 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 97 V/W |
| 255/40 R17 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 98 V |
| 255/40 R18 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 95/99 H/V |
| 255/40 R19 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 96/100 V |
| 255/40 R20 | B | C | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 101 V |
| 255/45 R19 | B | C | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 104 V/W |
| 255/50 R18 | B | C | 71 dB (B) | snow symbol | 106 V |
| 265/30 R20 | B | C | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 94 W |
| 265/35 R21 | B | C | 72 dB (B) | snow symbol | 101 W |
| 265/40 R20 | B | C | 70 dB (A) | snow symbol | 104 V |
| 265/40 R21 | B | C | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 105 W |
| 265/45 R20 | C | B | 69 dB (A) | snow symbol | 108 W |
| 275/35 R19 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 96/100 V |
| 275/35 R20 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 102 V |
| 275/35 R21 | B (variants: A, B) | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 103 V/W |
| 275/40 R18 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 103 V |
| 275/40 R19 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 101/105 V/W |
| 275/40 R20 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 106 V |
| 275/45 R18 | B | D | 73 dB (B) | snow symbol | 107 V |
| 285/30 R20 | B | D | 75 dB (B) | snow symbol | 99 V |
| 285/30 R21 | B | C | 75 dB (B) | snow symbol | 100 W |
| 285/35 R20 | B | D | 75 dB (B) | snow symbol | 100/104 V/W |
| 295/30 R20 | B | C | 75 dB (B) | snow symbol | 101 W |
| 295/40 R20 | C | C | 69 dB (A) | snow symbol | 110 W |
| 305/30 R20 | B | C | 75 dB (B) | snow symbol | 103 W |
| 315/30 R21 | B | C | 75 dB (B) | snow symbol | 105 V |
Frequently asked questions
What is the wet grip class of the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3?
On the EU tyre label, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 has wet grip class B to C, depending on the size. A is the best and E the worst. The difference between class A and class E is about 18 m of braking distance from 90 km/h on a wet road.
How long is the braking distance of the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 on a wet road?
According to the Pidurdusmaa.ee calculation, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 205/55 R16 stops from 90 km/h on a wet road in about 45 metres (Citroën C3 IV (2024+), without reaction time). The calculation is based on wet grip class B on the EU tyre label.
Is the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 suitable for an Estonian winter?
Better suited to milder winters. The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is a Central European winter tyre made for wet and slushy roads. On ice and snow it needs a longer braking distance than a Nordic friction or studded tyre.
What sizes is the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 available in?
In the EU tyre register, our database has the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 in 93 sizes, for example 195/55 R20, 205/40 R17, 205/40 R18, 205/45 R17, 205/50 R17 and 205/55 R16. As a main factory size it fits cars such as the Audi A6 C9 (2025+), Audi Q3 III (2025+) and BYD Atto 2 (2025+).