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 Snow — 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 + 20 owner reviews. How we score
X Ice Snow is ahead, 73–63
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Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 78 · 20 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (comfort (tester's mark))
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
Key facts
- In 5 tests that measured ice handling for both, Blizzak Ice won 3 and X Ice Snow won 2 (average 87% vs 83% of the best).
- In 5 tests that measured snow handling for both, Blizzak Ice won 2 and X Ice Snow won 2 (average 91% vs 95% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured wet handling for both, Blizzak Ice won 0 and X Ice Snow won 3 (average 85% vs 90% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured ice traction for both, Blizzak Ice won 0 and X Ice Snow won 4 (average 72% vs 83% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured snow traction for both, Blizzak Ice won 0 and X Ice Snow won 4 (average 86% vs 94% of the best).
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65
Dry
X Ice Snow +267Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 11 tests 64 65 Reviews found online 67 71 Dry Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 92% 81% Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–2 53% 77% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 63.6 + 40% × 66.8 = 65
X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 70.7 = 67
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54
Wet
X Ice Snow +1771Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 12 tests 44 65 Reviews found online 70 79 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–2 85% 89% Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 60% 70% Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–2 72% 76% Wet Handling (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–3 85% 90% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 43.6 + 40% × 69.6 = 54
X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 79.2 = 71
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62
Snow
X Ice Snow +1476Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 12 tests 63 73 Reviews found online 62 81 Ice Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–2 80% 86% Ice Handling (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 3–2 87% 83% Ice Traction (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 72% 83% Snow Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 86% 100% Snow Handling (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 2–2 91% 95% Snow Traction (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 86% 94% Deep Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 60% 100% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 62.6 + 40% × 61.9 = 62
X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 81.1 = 76
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67
Comfort
X Ice Snow +1380Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests 70 81 Reviews found online 65 79 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 100% 100% Blizzak Ice: 40% × 70 + 60% × 65.3 = 67
X Ice Snow: 40% × 81 + 60% × 78.8 = 80
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76
Noise
Blizzak Ice +175Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 8 tests 83 81 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 99% Exterior Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 100% 100% Noise (tester's mark) (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–0 80% 74% Blizzak Ice: 60% × 82.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 76
X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 75
No owner ratings of noise for Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow. 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 Snow +976Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 67 81 Blizzak Ice: 60% × 66.7 (est.) + 40% × 67.1 = 67
X Ice Snow: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 81.4 = 76
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 Snow. 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 Snow +1075Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Reviews found online 65 75 -
48
Efficiency
X Ice Snow +2977Why this score
Source Blizzak Ice X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests 48 77 Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 92% 93% Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 83% 100%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak Ice | Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 63 | 73 |
| Dry | 65 | 67 |
| Wet | 54 | 71 |
| Snow | 62 | 76 |
| Comfort | 67 | 80 |
| Noise | 76 | 75 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 76 |
| Handling (owners) | 65 | 75 |
| Efficiency | 48 | 77 |
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
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Important
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Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
63
/ 100
Blizzak Ice
73
/ 100
X Ice Snow
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 10 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak Ice finished ahead 0 times and Michelin X Ice Snow 10 times.
| Discipline | Category | Blizzak Ice | X Ice Snow | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% | 81% | +11.0 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 53% | 77% | −23.4 | 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 85% | 89% | −4.4 | 0–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 72% | 76% | −3.4 | 0–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 85% | 90% | −4.7 | 0–3 in 4 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 |
| Deep Snow Traction | Snow | 60% | 100% | −40.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 80% | 86% | −5.8 | 0–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 87% | 83% | +4.0 | 3–2 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 72% | 83% | −10.2 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 86% | 100% | −14.4 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 91% | 95% | −4.6 | 2–2 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 86% | 94% | −8.4 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 100% | 100% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16 |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 100% | 100% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Noise | Noise | 100% | 99% | +1.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test · 225/45 R17 |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 80% | 74% | +5.6 | 1–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 92% | 93% | −0.9 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test · 225/45 R17 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 83% | 100% | −17.5 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 43% | 44% | −1.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test · 205/60 R16 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/7 | #3/7 | – | 0–10 in 10 shared tests Newest: 2025 Moottori Studless 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 Snow
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, packed snow, and slush
- High confidence and predictable handling on icy and freezing roads
- Impressive tread wear longevity and minimal wear over multiple seasons
Cons
- Average performance on dry and wet pavement compared to dedicated non-winter tires
- Slightly noisier on dry pavement as the tread wears down
- Can feel slightly twitchy at the limit or less comfortable than older X-Ice generations
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak Ice | B · Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 60 | 100 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 19″ | 13″ – 21″ |
| Sizes in common | 51 | 51 |
Which one should you actually buy?
63
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak Ice
73
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
Winner: Michelin X Ice Snow — better efficiency, wet and snow. Where the Bridgestone Blizzak Ice is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 48 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 71 vs 54 on wet.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 62 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 67 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is dry braking
Bridgestone Blizzak Ice won 3 of 3 shared dry braking tests.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak Ice
Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Which is better in the wet, Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 71 vs 54 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 67 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 62 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 75 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 80 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 67 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Blizzak Ice or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 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