Tested 7 times by independent publications, the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 has taken 2 test wins with an average finish of 4th.
2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test P1 of 7Studded Winter Tires
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 finished top of the seven studded tires and was named the best studded tire. It earns that by being the most balanced studded tire on bare roads rather than the grippiest on ice.
Where the Pirelli Ice Zero 2 finished in each measured discipline, across every test that measured it against at least two other tires. Field beaten is the share of the other tires it outranked in that measurement.
| Discipline | Tests | Avg finish | Field beaten | Firsts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | ||||
| Dry Braking | 4 | P2 of 8 | 85% | 1 |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 3 | P1.3 of 7.7 | 95% | 2 |
| Subj. Road Score | 1 | P1 of 7 | 100% | 1 |
| Dry Lane Change | 1 | P1 of 7 | 100% | 1 |
| Wet | ||||
| Wet Braking | 4 | P1.3 of 8 | 96% | 3 |
| Wet Handling | 4 | P3.3 of 8 | 69% | 1 |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 3 | P1.3 of 7.3 | 94% | 2 |
| Straight Aqua | 4 | P1.5 of 7.8 | 92% | 3 |
| Snow | ||||
| Snow Braking | 4 | P4.3 of 8 | 54% | - |
| Snow Traction | 4 | P1.3 of 8 | 96% | 3 |
| Snow Handling | 3 | P4.7 of 8.3 | 49% | - |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 2 | P2.5 of 7.5 | 76% | - |
| Ice | ||||
| Ice Braking | 4 | P6.8 of 8 | 18% | - |
| Ice Traction | 4 | P5 of 8 | 41% | - |
| Ice Handling | 3 | P7.3 of 8.3 | 14% | - |
| Subj. Ice Handling | 2 | P5.5 of 7.5 | 30% | - |
| Comfort | ||||
| Subj. Comfort | 2 | P1 of 7.5 | 100% | 2 |
| Subj. Noise | 4 | P1.8 of 8 | 89% | 2 |
| Noise | 1 | P3 of 8 | 71% | - |
| Value | ||||
| Fuel Consumption | 4 | P3.8 of 7.8 | 60% | - |
Overall finishing position against the tires that have most often shared a test with the Pirelli Ice Zero 2. Only tires tested alongside it at least three times are listed.
| Rival | Shared tests | Ahead | Behind | Level | Finished ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Michelin X Ice North 4
7 shared: 3 ahead, 4 behind
Compare with X Ice North 4 |
7 | 3 | 4 | - | 43% |
 Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
6 shared: 2 ahead, 4 behind
|
6 | 2 | 4 | - | 33% |
 Continental IceContact 3
5 shared: 2 ahead, 3 behind
|
5 | 2 | 3 | - | 40% |
 Kumho WinterCraft Ice Wi32
4 shared: 4 ahead, 0 behind
|
4 | 4 | 0 | - | 100% |
 Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 3
4 shared: 3 ahead, 1 behind
|
4 | 3 | 1 | - | 75% |
 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
4 shared: 1 ahead, 3 behind
|
4 | 1 | 3 | - | 25% |
The same record for the tire it replaced and the tire that replaced it.
| Tire | Tests | Wins | Avg finish | Field beaten |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirelli Ice Zero Predecessor | 0 | - | - | - |
| Pirelli Ice Zero 2 This tire | 7 | 2 | 4th | 62% |
Drawn from 7 tests. Updated October 28, 2026.
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 is consistently strong on bare roads for a studded tire. It topped Teknikens Varld's studded class in 2024 and 2026, with the latter test praising class-leading road manners, wet handling and comfort. Vi Bilagare 2026 ranked it first of eight for wet braking, wet handling and aquaplaning, and second for dry braking, just 0.2% longer than best. Tekniikan Maailma 2025 also placed it first of seven studded tires for wet braking. Snow traction is another repeated strength, first in Vi Bilagare 2020 and in the studded classes of Teknikens Varld 2021 and Tekniikan Maailma 2025.
Ice grip is the recurring weakness within the studded fields. Vi Bilagare 2026 placed ice braking seventh of eight, 83.5% longer than best, and ice handling seventh; Teknikens Varld 2021 ranked ice handling last of nine studded tires. Tekniikan Maailma 2025 also noted oversteer on ice and loss of rear grip in evasive snow maneuvers. Wet handling is not uniformly strong: sixth of nine in the 2021 studded class was an unusual weaker result beside its later class-leading scores. Snow handling is often mid-field despite strong acceleration. Its bare-road strengths therefore explain its better overall placings, rather than leading ice grip.
records the shortest wet braking distance- 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tire Test (2026)
strongest of the studded tires, joint best among them in wet and dry braking- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
notably better wet braking performance than other studded tires- 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tire Test (2025)
short dry and wet braking- 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tire Test (2021)
Good handling and braking on in the dry and wet- 2020 Studded Winter Tire Test (2020)
best in wet handling- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
the quickest wet handling lap- 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tire Test (2026)
achieving the highest score among studded tires for wet handling- 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tire Test (2025)
Good handling and braking on in the dry and wet- 2020 Studded Winter Tire Test (2020)
strongest of the studded tires, joint best among them in wet and dry braking- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
brakes almost as well as the best on dry asphalt- 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tire Test (2026)
short dry- 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tire Test (2021)
Good handling and braking on in the dry and wet- 2020 Studded Winter Tire Test (2020)
resists aquaplaning better than anything else here- 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tire Test (2026)
Best snow traction in test- 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tire Test (2021)
for a studded tire, the bare pavement manners are as good as they get in this test- 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tire Test (2025)
Good handling and braking on in the dry and wet- 2020 Studded Winter Tire Test (2020)
the most comfortable and stable of the studded group- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
The stability is somewhat better than most studded competitors- 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tire Test (2025)
performed well in the moose test, indicating good stability- The Best Studded / Friction Winter Tires for 2024 (2024)
has the sharpest steering of the eight- 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tire Test (2026)
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 steers precisely- 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tire Test (2025)
the most comfortable and stable of the studded group- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
Braking and cornering grip on ice are both near the bottom of the field- 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tire Test (2026)
it lacks the ice grip of the best studded designs- 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tire Test (2026)
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 lacks the ice grip of Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic 2 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 to truly compete for the studded tire title- 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tire Test (2025)
Slowest studded tire in ice handling- 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tire Test (2021)
Weak grip on ice- 2020 Studded Winter Tire Test (2020)
its handling on ice is marked by oversteer, which can make control difficult- 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tire Test (2025)
Strong = top two of the field in that measurement. Weak = bottom two.
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 finished top of the seven studded tires and was named the best studded tire. It earns that by being the most balanced studded tire on bare roads rather than the grippiest on ice.
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 is an unusual studded tire in that ice is its weakest test rather than its strongest, a pattern it has repeated across sizes in recent years. What it offers instead is the best wet performance and the best steering feel in the field. Weak ice grip keeps it off the podium, but for a driver whose winter is mostly wet and cold rather than genuinely icy it makes a strong case.
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 lacks the ice grip of Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic 2 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 to truly compete for the studded tire title. While ice grip could be better, it performs well in all other test aspects on bare pavement, standing out positively with notably better wet braking performance than other studded tires and achieving the highest score among studded tires for wet handling. The stability is somewhat better than most studded competitors, though the rather mediocre overall directional stability when cornering gently makes the tire feel somewhat unpredictable in its reactions. This is a recurring theme across studded tires - they simply cannot match the precision and composure of the best Nordic friction tires on bare pavement. Still, for a studded tire, the bare pavement manners are as good as they get in this test, making it a reasonable compromise for those who want studs but drive frequently on cleared roads.
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 steers precisely, but its handling on ice is marked by oversteer, which can make control difficult. The steering feel on snow is good, but the rear tires may lose their grip in evasive situations. On wet asphalt, the handling becomes restless during fast maneuvers due to a low level of lateral grip, while on dry surfaces it steers slowly but consistently.
The Pirelli Ice Zero 2 emerged as the top-performing studded tire in the test. It offered good all-round performance, excelling in wet conditions for a studded tire. Its ice grip, while good, wasn't as exceptional as some other studded tires. The tire performed well in the moose test, indicating good stability. As studded tires generally are, it was noisier than the non-studded options, though its fuel use was the second lowest of the studded tires. Despite this, its balanced performance across various conditions made it the top choice among studded tires.
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