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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 vs Michelin X-Ice Xi3 — 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 0 + 0 road tests and 45 + 14 owner reviews. How we score

Blizzak WS80 is ahead, 71–66

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Michelin X-Ice Xi3
Tire BMichelin

X-Ice Xi3

Winter

± 8Provisional

Tests – · none yet Owners 65 · 14 reviews

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 66

    Dry

    Blizzak WS80 +2
    64
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6462

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.2 = 66

    X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 65.5 (est.) + 40% × 62.1 = 64

    No road tests of dry for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 72

    Wet

    Blizzak WS80 +5
    67
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 72 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online7366

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.7 = 72

    X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 66 = 67

    No road tests of wet for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 77

    Snow

    Blizzak WS80 +8
    69
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 74 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online8267

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 74.2 (est.) + 40% × 82.2 = 77

    X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 69.4 (est.) + 40% × 67.2 = 69

    No road tests of snow for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 68

    Comfort

    Blizzak WS80 +3
    65
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online6864

    Blizzak WS80: 40% × 68.6 (est.) + 60% × 68.2 = 68

    X-Ice Xi3: 40% × 67.7 (est.) + 60% × 63.7 = 65

    No road tests of comfort for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 65

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)–
    Reviews found online64–

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 63.8 = 65

    No road tests of noise for Blizzak WS80. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 67

    Treadwear

    Blizzak WS80 +1
    66
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6766

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 66.6 = 67

    X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 65.6 = 66

    No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS80. 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 Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 68

    Handling (owners)

    Blizzak WS80 +12
    56
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3
    Reviews found online6856
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS80Michelin X-Ice Xi3
Relative Score 71 66
Dry 66 64
Wet 72 67
Snow 77 69
Comfort 68 65
Noise 65 –
Treadwear 67 66
Handling (owners) 68 56

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

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Blizzak WS80

± 8

X-Ice Xi3

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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 1 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 finished ahead 1 times and Michelin X-Ice Xi3 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS80X-Ice Xi3ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #6/9 #9/9 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 Autofil 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 WS80

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and grip in deep snow, slush, and ice
  • High confidence and safety during severe winter weather and mountain driving
  • Surprisingly low road noise on dry and wet pavement

Cons

  • Reduced fuel economy / lower gas mileage
  • Slightly squishy handling and reduced braking performance on dry roads
  • May feel less responsive than standard all-season or newer model compounds in non-winter conditions
All owner themes in the Blizzak WS80 review

Tire B X-Ice Xi3

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Long-lasting treadwear and durability over multiple seasons
  • Good stability and grip on dry pavement and cold winter roads

Cons

  • Squirmy feel and delayed, sluggish steering response on dry and wet roads
  • Lacks cornering grip and confidence during sharp turns
  • Performs poorly in heavy mountain snow, wet ice, and milder above-freezing temperatures
All owner themes in the X-Ice Xi3 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3
CategoryWinter Premium Touring tiresWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2137
Rim diameters15″ – 18″14″ – 20″
Tread depth11/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—
Sizes in common77

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80

Michelin X-Ice Xi3

Winner: Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 — better handling, snow and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin X-Ice Xi3 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 scores 68 vs 56 on handling.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 scores 77 vs 69 on snow.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 scores 72 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 scores 68 vs 65 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
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Tire B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3
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Blizzak WS80 or X-Ice Xi3?

Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS80 or X-Ice Xi3?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80, 72 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS80 or X-Ice Xi3?

Neither, by our numbers: 66 vs 64 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS80 or X-Ice Xi3?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80, 77 vs 69 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS80 or X-Ice Xi3?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80, 68 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS80 or X-Ice Xi3?

Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 66 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

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