Tests 72 · 1 test Owners 64 · 21 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 vs Michelin X-Ice North 4 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
X-Ice North 4 leads, 69–67 Narrow edge
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Tests 73 · 13 tests Owners 65 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2023 Studded 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.
-
72
Dry
Blizzak WS90 +270Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 84 80 Reviews found online 54 55 Dry Braking (% of best) 90% 96% -
67
Wet
Blizzak WS90 +760Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 65 58 Reviews found online 69 64 Wet Braking (% of best) 79% 92% Wet Circle (% of best) 81% 97% -
73
Snow
X-Ice North 4 +982Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 69 86 Reviews found online 78 75 Snow Braking (% of best) 70% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) 85% 99% -
64
Comfort
X-Ice North 4 +872Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 68 76 Reviews found online 59 67 -
64
Noise
Blizzak WS90 +460Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 56 Reviews found online 55 – -
62
Treadwear
X-Ice North 4 +668Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice North 4 Reviews found online 60 69 -
63
Handling
Level63Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice North 4 Reviews found online 63 63
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 69 |
| Dry | 72 | 70 |
| Wet | 67 | 60 |
| Snow | 73 | 82 |
| Comfort | 64 | 72 |
| Noise | 64 | 60 |
| Treadwear | 62 | 68 |
| Handling | 63 | 63 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Blizzak WS90
69
/ 100
X-Ice North 4
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Blizzak WS90 | X-Ice North 4 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 90% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 96% #11/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −5.7 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 100% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 70% #12/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +29.5 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 100% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/17 · 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | 78% #5/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | +22.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 70% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | −29.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 85% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −13.2 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 94% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 60% #4/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | +33.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 91% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 70% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +20.6 | Different tests |
| Subj. Road Score | Subj | 79% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 60% #13/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +18.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 55% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 90% #17/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | −35.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 79% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 92% #7/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | −12.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 81% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 97% #8/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | −15.6 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Blizzak WS90
Pros
- Outstanding grip and acceleration on ice and hard-packed snow
- Excellent braking performance in hazardous winter conditions
- Strong capability in slush and deep snow
Cons
- Increased road noise during highway driving
- Less responsive or 'softer' handling feel on dry pavement
- Potential for minor rubbing depending on vehicle fitment
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 WS90 | B · Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 45 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
69
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice North 4
Winner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better snow, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 if wet and noise matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 82 vs 73 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 72 vs 64 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 67 vs 60 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 68 vs 62 on treadwear.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice North 4
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.