The Pirelli Sottozero Serie II is a premium, ultra high performance winter tire with a distinctly sporty bias. Real-world drivers rate it very highly for secure wet-road grip, stable high-speed handling and a refined, quiet ride. Independent tests find it a capable performer with occasional podiums, but not consistently class-leading across all conditions and sizes.
The quick answer
Owners say80%from 31 owner reviews90% would buy againRead the reviews
Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tire - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated January 2026.
What do owners say about the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II?
Across 31 owner ratings the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II averages 80%. Owners rate Road Feedback highest at 8.8 out of 10 and Ice Grip lowest at 6. 7 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 96% of owners score it 70% or better.
How comfortable and quiet are the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II?
Owners rate the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II 8.6 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 26 reviews.
How well do the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II 8.1 out of 10 for wear across 26 reviews. 7 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 3,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II again?
90% of owners say they would buy the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II again, based on the 31 owner reviews that answered the question. 58% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What do owners say about the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II's snow traction?
Of the 26 owner reviews analyzed for the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 16 mention snow traction: 13 praise it (strong snow traction) and 3 criticise it (weak snow traction). One owner wrote: "In the snow they will provide excellent grip on fresh snow, slush and compacted snow". Read those reviews
More questions about the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II(2)
What do owners say about the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II's wet grip?
Of the 26 owner reviews analyzed for the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 11 mention wet grip: 10 praise it (confident wet grip) and 1 criticise it (weak wet grip). One owner wrote: "very impressive wet grip even in standing water". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II's ice grip?
Of the 26 owner reviews analyzed for the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 8 mention ice grip: 6 praise it (grips on ice) and 2 criticise it (slides on ice). One owner wrote: "Stuck to the road in some very icy conditions". Read those reviews
Questions and Answers for the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
Where can I get these, I hear they are discontinued. I bought 4 for a car that has only been driven 5,000 miles since mounted. Show moreWhere can I get these, I hear they are discontinued. I bought 4 for a car that has only been driven 5,000 miles since mounted. Got a flat and now am being told that the Sottozero IIIs are not compatable and the IIs are discontinued. Is it true that they are not compatable? Does anyone carry stock of the old ones in the North Eastern US? Show less
April 28, 2017
Unfortunately we're unable to comment on stock location in the US. It's never wise to mix winter tire patterns across the axle, but you would be find having two Serie II and two Serie III on different axles.
Drivers largely praise the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II for excellent wet grip, secure handling and braking (even at higher speeds), strong comfort/low noise, and surprisingly good wear, with many keeping them on year-round in mild climates. Snow performance is generally confident-especially on packed snow and slush-transforming RWD cars in winter. A minority report the tire is only average on ice or in deeper, unplowed snow, and some note it softens and can get noisier in warmer temperatures. Overall sentiment is strongly positive with high scores dominating.
What owners mention most counted across 26 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 31 ratings
Owner score80%
Road Feedback88%
Wet Grip86%
Comfort86%
Dry Grip84%
Wear81%
Handling81%
Snow Grip67%
Ice Grip60%
Featured reviews
Most helpful 52%
“Got these tires 1year ago and still plenty of tread left. In dry they are ok.. but in wet i just dont feal safe. Aquaplaning is bad. In slushy snow they are actualy good, could climb a steep icy and snowy hill and felt...”
“Used as all-season tires first on Alfa 156 for 25000mi then for another 20000mi on Alfa 147 in rotation with Sottozero III on the other axis, both very good wear despite running a lot in hot summer. Grip as well as...”
Decent on wet/dry terrain. I actually use them in the summer; they have decent braking distance. No noticable wear in the 5k miles used. Pretty rubbish on snow; I barely got any traction in snow from stopped position on a 10% incline, AWD saved me.
Overall decent tires, but I wouldnt use them in areas with moderate to heavy snow.
Got these tires 1year ago and still plenty of tread left. In dry they are ok.. but in wet i just dont feal safe. Aquaplaning is bad. In slushy snow they are actualy good, could climb a steep icy and snowy hill and felt comfortable normal snow driving. Overall i won't be buying them again.
Check out how the BEST all seasons tires perform against premium summer and winter tires!
Overall, I am very satisfied with the Pirelli Scottozero 2. I have been driving it for almost three years and so far it has never let me down or disappointed me. Especially in wet road conditions (danger of aquaplaning) and my sporty driving style, the tire gives me a very safe feeling with direct response. Braking behavior is also above average on wet roads. In the snow the tire is also very grippy and energetic on the road. If the road isn't cleared, it's no problem for me to still make my way to work at 70 km/h. I haven't had any great experiences on black ice yet. However, you should generally be very careful here. Compared to other drivers, I would say that you have a clear advantage with these tires. Where others had difficulties in the snow, I continued on without any problems. I would definitely recommend the tire.
Which tires do you drive?
Researching the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II? Rate the tires you actually drive - and help the next buyer choose.
Great tire very impressive wet grip even in standing water, dry grip is good but not impressive especially above 7degrees C. fitted on my mini cooper gp2 as winter tires i would buy these again.
Very interesting winter tire.On dry you feel very confident driving fast(what is usually not normal for winter tire) you feel the road very good and brake distance is very short,they are very progressive.They are good alsow on wet,not like on dry but satisfactory.They last very long for a winter tire and they dont change the quality with wear.The only weak point is snow and ice,they are only average.I will buy them again for sure and I recomend them....
Used as all-season tires first on Alfa 156 for 25000mi then for another 20000mi on Alfa 147 in rotation with Sottozero III on the other axis, both very good wear despite running a lot in hot summer. Grip as well as comfort and safety under all conditions also very good.
Replaced with Falken HS449 which were aweful compared to these, wear twice as fast, wheel spin on almost every semaphore and very hard sidewall.
Follow up to 1000 mile review.
Have now driven over 5000 miles.
Driving in temperatures up to 100 degrees F.
Tires perform wonderfully.
They run relatively cool on 100 + degrees F highways.
Wearing evenly and not showing any signs of excessive wear.
Working fine as an all season tire.
I run them one pound under the TPMS recommended inflation pressure for Winter tires under full load.
Slight grip loss at 0.98 G on the Porsche G forces gauge. On dry pavement.
Originally ordered Pirelli scorpion verde tires but due to a mis-order got the winter tires. They have proved to be a good all rounder tire for British weather...
Handling has been great and noise more than acceptable.
Will definitely order these again... I drive quite hard and the wear is even and will last much longer than the winter months. I do NOT intend to change them for the summer months!
Initial review. 295/30R20 and 245/35R20
Bought as winter tires for cold (teens) and light snow.
Have also experienced unseasonable 70 degree weather.
Tires have performed well in all conditions.
Much quieter and more comfortable ride than the PZeros I replaced.
Not as predictable as the PZeros probably due to the assortment of tread patterns.
Appear to run cooler than the PZeros. Hope to drive them into the summer.
Good looking tires. Complement the car.
Only a V rating, however.
Porsche N0 approved.
Not cheap.
So far so good.
295/30R20 rear; 245/35R20 front
Just purchased so scores provided are based on limited driving time.
They look great.
Feel great.
Ride great.
Brake great.
And I bet they easily outlast the 16000 mile P Zeros I replaced.
Just in time for cold and snow.
Will let you know how they perform.
Great tires which haven't had a noticeable negative impact on car fuel economy since switching from Summer tires. I have left these tires on my E class Mercedes right through the Summer to maximise their wear, with a view to buying new tires for the Winter ahead.
