6Rank 06 of 8 · Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17
Pirelli Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
The only tyre we found in 225/45 R17 with EU wet grip class A. Every other model here is B or worse — and on the EU scale that is a meaningful gap.
- €139Price
- Wet grip A — the only one in this sizeIndependent test result in 225/45 R17
- 6 of 8in Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17
- 8.1BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
The one tyre in this size whose label genuinely stands out.
Wet grip class A means a wet grip index of 1.55 or above under the EU scale, against class B's 1.40–1.54 and class C's 1.25–1.39. Every other tyre in this ranking is B, and the Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ in the same size is C. ADAC quantifies the extremes: braking to a standstill from 80 km/h on an average-grip surface, a class A tyre can stop up to 18 metres shorter than a class E tyre.
In a mild European winter, wet roads account for far more kilometres than snow does. If your winter driving is mostly cold rain on motorways rather than Alpine passes, this is the specification that matters most.
The label in 225/45 R17 94V XL MFS reads rolling resistance C, wet grip A, 72 dB. The noise class letter is not published; 72 dB is the joint loudest here.
The gap in the evidence is significant and we will not paper over it. We found no test result for the Cinturato Winter 3 in 225/45 R17 from ADAC, Auto Express or any other programme. Its predecessor, the Cinturato Winter 2, finished twelfth of sixteen in the ADAC 2023 test in this size at "befriedigend". That is a poor result, and the successor was a substantial redesign — in 205/55 R16 the Cinturato Winter 3 finished second at Auto Express 2025 while the Winter 2 was graded 3.9 and not recommended in the same size.
So the pattern is consistent: the Winter 2 was weak, the Winter 3 is much stronger. We just cannot show you that measured in this size.
Buy it for the wet grip A, knowing it is a label-led rather than a test-led recommendation. Pirelli also offers the older Winter Sottozero 3 in 94H XL at €123.73 with a C/B/70 dB label — a proven performance fitment at €15 less.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Size and index
- 225/45 R17 94V XL MFS
- EU label - rolling resistance
- C
- EU label - wet grip
- A - the only one in this size
- EU label - noise
- 72 dB (class letter not published)
- Markings
- 3PMSF
- Test result in this size
- None found
- Predecessor in this size
- Cinturato Winter 2 - 12th of 16, befriedigend (ADAC 2023)
- Successor evidence elsewhere
- 2nd of 8 at Auto Express 2025 in 205/55 R16
- Alternative
- Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, 94H XL, C/B/70 dB, EUR 123.73
- Price
- EUR 138.91
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- Wet grip class A — the only tyre we found in this size with it
- Class A means a wet grip index of 1.55 or above, against B's 1.40-1.54
- The successor generation finished 2nd at Auto Express 2025 in 205/55 R16
- Relevant for mild European winters where wet roads dominate
- €138.91, below the Continental
- M+S and 3PMSF
Worth knowing
- No test result in 225/45 R17 from any programme
- The predecessor Cinturato Winter 2 finished 12th of 16 in ADAC 2023 in this size
- 72 dB — joint loudest here
- Noise class letter and EPREL number not published
- Rolling resistance C
- A label-led recommendation rather than a test-led one
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17.
| Product | Score | Independent test result in 225/45 R17 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental WinterContact TS 870Top score | 8.8 | 1st of 16 — 2.0 gut (ADAC 2023) and 1st of 8 (Auto Express 2025) | €144 |
| Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3This product | 8.1 | Wet grip A — the only one in this size | €139 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 8.2 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much difference does wet grip A make over B?
The EU classes are defined by a wet grip index: A is 1.55 or above, B is 1.40 to 1.54, C is 1.25 to 1.39. ADAC quantifies only the extremes — a class A tyre can stop up to 18 metres shorter than a class E from 80 km/h on an average-grip surface. We did not find an authoritative figure for A against B specifically, and we are not going to pro-rate that 18 metres, because that would be an invention. What is certain is that A is the top class and that only one tyre in this size reaches it.
Should I worry that it has never been tested in this size?
It is a genuine gap. What we can say is that in 205/55 R16 the same generation finished second at Auto Express 2025, while the previous generation was graded 3.9 and not recommended in that size — the redesign clearly worked. The wet grip A label in 225/45 R17 is a manufacturer declaration under EU rules, which is verifiable but self-tested. If you want a tyre proven in this exact size, the Continental won it twice.
From the same ranking
Other products in Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
-
No. 018.8/ 10
Continental WinterContact TS 870
The only tyre here to win in this exact size in both test programmes — ADAC 2023 and Auto…
-
No. 028.6/ 10
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
Second at Auto Express 2025 in this size, and the outright winner of the ADAC 2025 test — in…
-
No. 038.5/ 10
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
Third at Auto Express 2025 in this size, at €125.58 — €18 below the Continental. The Enliten…
-
No. 048.2/ 10
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Fourth in the ADAC 2023 test in this exact size at 2.4 "gut", for €111.64 — €32 below the…