Tests 60 · 5 tests Owners 66 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (exterior noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Blizzak Ice vs Michelin X-Ice North 4 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 5 + 13 road tests and 3 + 12 owner reviews. How we score
X-Ice North 4 is ahead, 74–63
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Tests 74 · 13 tests Owners 75 · 12 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (ice traction)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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65
Dry
X-Ice North 4 +1176Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 10 tests 64 81 Reviews found online 67 70 Dry Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–1 88% 90% Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 80% 80% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 63.6 + 40% × 66.8 = 65
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 80.8 + 40% × 69.8 = 76
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54
Wet
X-Ice North 4 +1165Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 12 tests 44 60 Reviews found online 70 74 Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 60% 70% Wet Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–1 73% 76% Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 78% 83% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 43.6 + 40% × 69.6 = 54
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 59.6 + 40% × 74 = 65
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62
Snow
X-Ice North 4 +2183Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 11 tests 63 87 Reviews found online 62 77 Ice Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 76% 95% Ice Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 77% 95% Ice Traction (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 56% 95% Snow Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–1 88% 90% Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 88% 94% Snow Traction (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–1 83% 84% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 62.6 + 40% × 61.9 = 62
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 87.1 + 40% × 77.4 = 83
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67
Comfort
X-Ice North 4 +875Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests 70 76 Reviews found online 65 74 Blizzak Ice: 40% × 70 + 60% × 65.3 = 67
X-Ice North 4: 40% × 76 + 60% × 74 = 75
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76
Noise
Blizzak Ice +1660Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 10 tests 83 55 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Exterior Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 60% Noise (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 67% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 82.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 76
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 55.4 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 60
No owner ratings of noise for Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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67
Treadwear
X-Ice North 4 +774Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 67 79 Blizzak Ice: 60% × 66.7 (est.) + 40% × 67.1 = 67
X-Ice North 4: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 78.8 = 74
No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak Ice. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for X-Ice North 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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65
Handling (owners)
X-Ice North 4 +1277Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Reviews found online 65 77 -
48
Efficiency
X-Ice North 4 +1260Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 7 tests 48 60 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 70% 70%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak Ice | Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 63 | 74 |
| Dry | 65 | 76 |
| Wet | 54 | 65 |
| Snow | 62 | 83 |
| Comfort | 67 | 75 |
| Noise | 76 | 60 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 74 |
| Handling (owners) | 65 | 77 |
| Efficiency | 48 | 60 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
63
/ 100
Blizzak Ice
74
/ 100
X-Ice North 4
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
In the overall rankings of 4 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak Ice finished ahead 0 times and Michelin X-Ice North 4 4 times.
| Discipline | Category | Blizzak Ice | X-Ice North 4 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 88% | 90% | −1.5 | 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 80% | 80% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | 79% #17/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 73% | 76% | −3.0 | 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 78% | 83% | −4.5 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 60% | 70% | −10.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 76% | 95% | −18.8 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 77% | 95% | −18.2 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 56% | 95% | −38.6 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 88% | 90% | −1.3 | 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 88% | 94% | −6.8 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 83% | 84% | −1.6 | 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | 50% #13/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 100% | 60% | +40.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Noise | Noise | 100% #1/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 100% | 67% | +33.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 92% #8/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | 93% #15/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 70% | 70% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 43% #7/8 · 2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 46% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #16/15 | #3/15 | – | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2024 Aftonbladet Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Blizzak Ice
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Tire B X-Ice North 4
Pros
- Outstanding grip and traction on ice and snow
- Significantly lower road noise compared to competing studded tires
- Comfortable ride quality
Cons
- Premature stud loss reported by some users over multiple seasons
- Slightly slippery feel on rain and dry concrete
- Light studs can struggle to penetrate loose snow sitting on top of hard ice
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak Ice | B · Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 60 | — |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 19″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
63
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak Ice
74
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice North 4
Winner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better snow, handling and efficiency. Pick the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 83 vs 62 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Bridgestone Blizzak Ice scores 76 vs 60 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 77 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 60 vs 48 on efficiency.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak Ice
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice North 4
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Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Which is better in the wet, Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 65 vs 54 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 76 vs 65 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 83 vs 62 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Bridgestone Blizzak Ice, 76 vs 60 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 75 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 74 vs 67 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Blizzak Ice or X-Ice North 4?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 60 vs 48 on our efficiency score.
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology