Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4: the full picture
This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Firestone Winterhawk 3 and Firestone Winterhawk 4 appear in 21 tests, though they have not yet met head-to-head in the same test. Head-to-head results carry the most weight here, because surface, weather and test car all change between events and make raw numbers from different tests hard to compare directly.
How the Firestone Winterhawk 3 performs. It takes the win in dry, mileage, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 86/100, based on 4 tests.
How the Firestone Winterhawk 4 performs. It takes the win in wet, snow, ice, noise / comfort. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 89/100, based on 17 tests.
What this means for you. Category wins matter more than the overall score when your driving is weighted toward one condition — a wet-climate commuter should follow the wet braking column, while a high-mileage driver should follow wear and rolling resistance. Also check that both tires are actually offered in your size and load rating: performance can shift between sizes, and availability differs between the European and North American markets.
Verdict
The Firestone Winterhawk 4 is the stronger all-round choice, leading in wet and Tire Lab Score. The Firestone Winterhawk 3 still wins on dry, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.
Which one should you buy?
- You prioritise dry
- You prioritise mileage
- You prioritise efficiency
Choose Firestone Winterhawk 4 if
- You prioritise wet
- You prioritise snow
- You prioritise ice
Test profile
| Metric | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Firestone Winterhawk 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Winter | Winter |
| Type | Winter | Winter |
| Tests used | 4 | 17 |
| Best rank | #2 | #1 |
| Avg rank | 15.3 | 10.0 |
| Latest test | 2020 | 2025 |
| Tire Lab Score | 85.9 | 88.7 |
Tire Lab Score
Firestone Winterhawk 3
Firestone Winterhawk 4
Performance overview
Category-by-category results
| Category | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Firestone Winterhawk 4 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💧Wet | Avg rank 22.0 | Avg rank 7.6 138 | Firestone Winterhawk 4 |
| ☀️Dry | Avg rank 13.0 | Avg rank 14.3 1 | Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
| ❄️Snow | Avg rank 13.6 | Avg rank 9.2 224 | Firestone Winterhawk 4 |
| 🧊Ice | No data | Avg rank 6.7 | Firestone Winterhawk 4 |
| 🔇Noise / Comfort | Avg rank 11.0 | Avg rank 9.2 31 | Firestone Winterhawk 4 |
| 📏Mileage | Avg rank 10.5 | Avg rank 10.8 21 | Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
| 🔋Efficiency | Avg rank 4.0 1 | Avg rank 9.5 1 | Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
💧 Wet: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 7.6, compared to 22.0 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
☀️ Dry: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
The Firestone Winterhawk 3 wins this category with an average rank of 13.0, compared to 14.3 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
❄️ Snow: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 9.2, compared to 13.6 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
🧊 Ice: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 6.7, compared to no data for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
🔇 Noise / Comfort: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
The Firestone Winterhawk 4 wins this category with an average rank of 9.2, compared to 11.0 for the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
📏 Mileage: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
The Firestone Winterhawk 3 wins this category with an average rank of 10.5, compared to 10.8 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
🔋 Efficiency: Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
The Firestone Winterhawk 3 wins this category with an average rank of 4.0, compared to 9.5 for the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better in the wet, Firestone Winterhawk 3 or Firestone Winterhawk 4?
Across independent wet-braking tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 ranks higher on average than the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
Which has shorter dry braking distance?
The Firestone Winterhawk 3 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Firestone Winterhawk 4 across the tests where both appeared.
Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?
On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 ranks better than the Firestone Winterhawk 3.
Which tire lasts longer?
Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Firestone Winterhawk 3 shows better mileage performance than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
How many tests were used in this comparison?
Firestone Winterhawk 3 appears in 4 independent tests, Firestone Winterhawk 4 in 17.
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Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →