Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 vs Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Ahead in each discipline
The Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 and the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 have met in 6 independent tests and the record is level at 3-3. The Pilot Alpin 4 was stronger in wet, snow, comfort and value.
Performance profile
6 measurements from the 6 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Alpin 4
Winter Sottozero 3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 98%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 3 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Alpin 4
Winter Sottozero 3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Pilot Alpin 4
Winter Sottozero 3
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Alpin 4 94% from 28 reviews and the Winter Sottozero 3 83% from 59. 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 tires 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 tire did better.
| Measurement | Pilot Alpin 4 | Gap | Winter Sottozero 3 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 153 | 1.5% | 150 | 0-2 |
| Dry Handling mph | 73.4 | 0.4% | 73.1 | 2-0 |
| Wet Pilot Alpin 4 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 117 | 1.8% | 119 | 2-0 |
| Wet Handling mph | 45.9 | 0.1% | 45.8 | 1-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 53.3 | 1.9% | 54.3 | 0-1 |
| Snow Pilot Alpin 4 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 98 | 3.6% | 101 | 2-0 |
| Snow Handling mph | 34.7 | 1.4% | 34.2 | 2-0 |
| Comfort Pilot Alpin 4 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 72.5 | 0.8 dB | 73.3 | 1-0 |
| Value Pilot Alpin 4 ahead | ||||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 9 | 2.2% | 9.2 | 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 tires shared.
Head to head in 6 tests, 2014 to 2017
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Pilot Alpin 4 | Field | Winter Sottozero 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test | P3 of 10 | P6 of 10 | |
| 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tire Test | P4 of 10 | P5 of 10 | |
| 2016 AutoBild Winter UHP Tire Test | P5 of 8 | P4 of 8 | |
| 2015 Sport Auto 19 Inch Winter Tire Test | P2 of 7 | P3 of 7 | |
| 2015 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tire Test | P4 of 8 | P3 of 8 | |
| 2014 AutoBild 235/35 R19 Winter Tire Test | P2 of 6 | P1 of 6 |
Pilot Alpin 4 vs Winter Sottozero 3: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 or the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 the better tire?
The Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 and the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 have met in 6 independent tests and the record is level at 3-3. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Alpin 4 scores 8.3 and the Winter Sottozero 3 7.9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Alpin 4 or the Winter Sottozero 3?
The Pilot Alpin 4 led 3 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.8% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 2-2 between the Pilot Alpin 4 and the Winter Sottozero 3.
Which is better in snow?
The Pilot Alpin 4 led 4 of the 4 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.6% shorter on snow across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 9.1/10 for the Pilot Alpin 4 and 7.6/10 for the Winter Sottozero 3.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Alpin 4 94% from 28 reviews and the Winter Sottozero 3 83% from 59. 100% of Pilot Alpin 4 owners would buy it again, against 81% for the Winter Sottozero 3.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Alpin 4 is made in 47 sizes (17 to 21 inch) and the Winter Sottozero 3 in 98 (16 to 21 inch). 26 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Pilot Alpin 4 is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter Sottozero 3 B and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The Winter Sottozero 3 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2013, the Pilot Alpin 4 in 2012. The Pilot Alpin 4 replaced the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3.
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire 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 tires 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 Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.