Nobody really enjoys driving in winter conditions, but sometimes just staying at home isn’t possible and you have no choice but to get out there and brave the elements. If you’ve ever tried to get around using all-season tires on roads that have a few inches of snow on them, you most likely soon found out that they’re just not up to the job. All-season tires are great for mild winter conditions, but they just are not designed to deliver the kind of traction you need for safe acceleration, braking, handling, and control. That means lots of slipping and sliding and tricky maneuvering and hopefully not getting stuck someplace, but the odds are against you on that.

If you have to get around in that kind of weather and road conditions, winter tires might be the only way to go. Winter tires are purpose-built for that kind of driving, with specialty tread features, construction, tread compound, and other specs. The Cinturato Winter 2 from Pirelli is a great example of what a next-generation winter tire should be about in terms of design, performance, and value. Let’s get in and get a closer look at this Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 tire review, shall we?

Features and Benefits

Here are some of the great design features and innovations that give the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 a real advantage in challenging winter driving and road conditions:

• Directional winter tread pattern with sweeping V-shaped grooves and sub-grooves that deliver aggressive grip and resist hydroplaning by routing water and slush away from the tire’s contact patch
• Interlocking 4D sipes multiply the tread’s surface area and traction with hundreds of hair-thin slits and biting edges that chew through water, slush, and snow
• The redesigned contact patch is fatter and more squared-off for improved road contact, weight distribution, wear properties
• The tread compound is designed to stay flexible and deliver great traction in subfreezing weather
• Tread pitch is randomized and computer-tuned to help keep road noise muted by negating certain frequencies and overtones
• Groove edges are chamfered for enhanced water evacuation and low-noise
• 3D sipe design gives the Cinturato Winter 2 enhanced stiffness for better handling and braking as well as improved winter traction
• Reinforced shoulder blocks help to boost cornering performance and control on dry or wet pavement
• Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for severe winter service
• Internal construction features polyester casing with high-tensile steel belt package and nylon cap ply

Pros and Cons

In the case of the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, this is a tire where the Pros definitely outweigh the Cons:

PROS:

• Ride quality is comfortable and quiet, especially for a winter tire
• Handling is consistent and predictable
• Dependable and safe grip for acceleration, cornering, braking, and control on wet or snowy roads
• Durable construction and design

CONS:

• Not an all-season tire; not suitable for warmer weather
• No limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty

SimpleTire’s view on Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 tires

Are you familiar with SimpleScore? SimpleScore is the rating method developed by the SimpleTire team to give you a quick, at-a-glance idea of any tire’s strengths and weaknesses. We take into account the tire’s technical details, specs, manufacturer information, customer reviews, and other data points, then process that to a 1-10 numerical score for the categories of traction, handling, and longevity, as well as an overall average SimpleScore number. In the case of the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, the SimpleScore numbers break down this way:

Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2:

• Traction: 9.5
• Handling: 9.5
• Longevity: 8.5
• Overall average SimpleScore: 9.1

Those would be a pretty impressive set of SimpleScore numbers for any tire, and it looks even better when you remember that this Pirelli is a winter tire.

With the Cinturato Winter 2, Pirelli has developed a winter tire that offers the kind of handling, ride quality, road manners, braking, and control that you’d expect with a Grand Touring all-season tire. That sounds like a pretty big claim, but the Cinturato Winter 2 lives up to those expectations handily.

On dry pavement, road noise is muted (although pattern noise can get a bit louder on some pavement surfaces) and ride quality is refined and composed. Cornering is precise and accurate, and the Cinturato Winter 2 stays on track even when handling rough or irregular pavement surfaces. Straight-line stability is solid and secure at highway speed, but never dead or sluggish as the Cinturato Winter 2 responds to driver inputs with a light and direct feel.

Even in deeper snow, the Cinturato Winter 2 is confident with little tendency toward “snowplowing” and building up snow in front of the tire’s contact patch. Its 4D sipes dig into snow and slush for dependable acceleration and braking performance, and its specialized winter tread compound is designed to stay flexible in extreme cold to deliver great winter performance. Like many other winter tread compounds, the formulation of the Cinturato Winter 2 is hydrophilic, meaning it actually soaks up a film of water like a sponge on slushy or wet pavement to enhance grip and control.

It’s true that the Cinturato Winter 2 doesn’t come from the factory with a limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty; many winter tires do not offer a mileage warranty. It’s also true that this tire isn’t designed for warmer weather. Like all winter tires, the tread compound of the Cinturato Winter 2 is softer and more pliable for winter traction but will wear quickly on warmer days. Pirelli advises against using this tire if temperatures are above 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit.

The tire industry sets the bar pretty high for the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake rating for severe winter service, but the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 meets that standard with ease. If you really need a tire that’s up to the challenges of winter driving, we’re confident that the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 is a tire we can recommend without reservation. SimpleTire’s price on the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 runs from $127.70/tire to $243.70/tire, depending on the tire size selected.

Vehicles the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 is a good replacement tire for

As a winter tire, the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 isn’t featured as an OEM tire on any vehicle. However, Pirelli developed this tire in conjunction with automakers and designed it around the handling, power, torque, suspension and overall performance of today’s SUVs and crossovers. It would make a great option for a winter tire for vehicles such as these:

• Dodge Durango
• Ford Excursion
• GMC Sierra
• Honda Ridgeline
• Jeep Gladiator
• Nissan Titan
• Toyota 4Runner
• Ford Expedition
• Honda CR-V
• Kia Sportage
• Mitsubishi Montero
• Kia Sorento
• Hyundai Palisade
• Buick Envista
• Chevrolet Trax
• Chevrolet Equinox
• GMC Acadian
• Hyundai Kona
• Kia Niro
• Mazda CX30
• Subaru Crosstrek
• Volkswagen Taos
• BMW X1
• Volvo XC40
• Ford Maverick
• Ford Bronco Sport
• Mazda CX-5
• Mazda CX-50
• Volkswagen Tiguan
• BMW X3
• Genesis GV70
• Porsche Macan
• Porsche Cayenne
• Mercedes-Benz GLC-class
• Volvo XC60
• Alfa-Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
• Honda Passport
• Kia Telluride
• Mazda CX-90
• Audi SQ7
• Land Rover Range Rover