Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 64 · 21 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 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 1 + 13 road tests and 21 + 19 owner reviews. How we score
X Ice Snow is ahead, 74–68
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Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 79 · 19 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.
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73
Dry
Blizzak WS90 +568Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 11 tests 85 65 Reviews found online 55 72 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 81% Dry Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 91% 91% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 85 + 40% × 55.1 = 73
X Ice Snow: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 72.2 = 68
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67
Wet
X Ice Snow +471Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 12 tests 65 64 Reviews found online 69 81 Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 79% 72% Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 81% 81% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 69 = 67
X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 80.6 = 71
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73
Snow
X Ice Snow +477Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 12 tests 69 73 Reviews found online 79 82 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 98% Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 99% Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 70% 69% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 85% 86% Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 55% 56% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 69.1 + 40% × 79.2 = 73
X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 81.8 = 77
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61
Comfort
X Ice Snow +2081Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests 68 82 Reviews found online 56 80 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 94% 97% Blizzak WS90: 40% × 68.5 + 60% × 56 = 61
X Ice Snow: 40% × 82.3 + 60% × 80 = 81
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63
Noise
X Ice Snow +1275Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 8 tests 70 81 Reviews found online 52 ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 91% 88% Blizzak WS90: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 51.7 = 63
X Ice Snow: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 75
No owner ratings of noise for X Ice Snow. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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61
Treadwear
X Ice Snow +1677Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 58 83 Blizzak WS90: 60% × 63.2 (est.) + 40% × 57.8 = 61
X Ice Snow: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 83.2 = 77
No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS90. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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 0.35).
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62
Handling (owners)
X Ice Snow +1476Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Reviews found online 62 76 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison77Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests – 77
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 74 |
| Dry | 73 | 68 |
| Wet | 67 | 71 |
| Snow | 73 | 77 |
| Comfort | 61 | 81 |
| Noise | 63 | 75 |
| Treadwear | 61 | 77 |
| Handling (owners) | 62 | 76 |
| Efficiency | – | 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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
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Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
Blizzak WS90
74
/ 100
X Ice Snow
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 2 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 finished ahead 1 times and Michelin X Ice Snow 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | Blizzak WS90 | X Ice Snow | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 90% | 81% | +9.5 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Dry Circle | Dry | 91% | 91% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 79% | 72% | +7.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 81% | 81% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 100% | 98% | +1.7 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 100% | 99% | +1.4 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 70% | 69% | +1.5 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 85% | 86% | −1.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 55% | 56% | −1.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 94% | 97% | −3.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 91% | 88% | +3.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Road Rating (tester's mark) | Other | 79% | 97% | −18.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #8/10 | #7/10 | – | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
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 Snow
Pros
- Exceptional traction and lateral grip in deep snow and slush
- High level of confidence and stability on icy surfaces
- Excellent tread life and durability over multiple seasons
Cons
- Average performance and handling on dry or wet pavement
- Increased road noise as the tires wear over time
- Can feel slightly 'twitchy' or less stable at the absolute limit of handling
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | B · Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 45 | 100 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | 13″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 36 | 36 |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
74
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
Winner: Michelin X Ice Snow — better comfort, treadwear and handling. Pick the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 if dry matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 81 vs 61 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 61 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 62 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 63 on noise.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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Blizzak WS90 or X Ice Snow?
Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 71 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or X Ice Snow?
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 68 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 73 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Blizzak WS90 or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 63 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 81 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or X Ice Snow?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 61 on our treadwear 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