Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 64 · 21 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 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 1 + 0 road tests and 21 + 14 owner reviews. How we score
Blizzak WS90 leads, 68–66 Narrow edge
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
73
Dry
Blizzak WS90 +865Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 85 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 55 63 Blizzak WS90: 60% × 85 + 40% × 55.1 = 73
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 65.8 (est.) + 40% × 62.6 = 65
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 0.42).
-
67
Wet
Level67Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 65 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 69 66 Blizzak WS90: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 68.9 = 67
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 66.3 = 67
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).
-
73
Snow
Blizzak WS90 +469Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 69 ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 79 68 Blizzak WS90: 60% × 69.1 + 40% × 79.1 = 73
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 69.6 (est.) + 40% × 67.6 = 69
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 0.37).
-
61
Comfort
X-Ice Xi3 +566Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 68 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 56 64 Blizzak WS90: 40% × 68.5 + 60% × 56 = 61
X-Ice Xi3: 40% × 68.3 (est.) + 60% × 64.4 = 66
No road tests of comfort for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
63
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 70 – Reviews found online 52 – Blizzak WS90: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 51.6 = 63
-
61
Treadwear
X-Ice Xi3 +566Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 58 65 Blizzak WS90: 60% × 63.1 (est.) + 40% × 57.6 = 61
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 65.9 (est.) + 40% × 65.4 = 66
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 Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
-
62
Handling (owners)
Blizzak WS90 +557Why this score
Source Blizzak WS90 X-Ice Xi3 Reviews found online 62 57
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | Michelin X-Ice Xi3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 66 |
| Dry | 73 | 65 |
| Wet | 67 | 67 |
| Snow | 73 | 69 |
| Comfort | 61 | 66 |
| Noise | 63 | – |
| Treadwear | 61 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 62 | 57 |
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
68
/ 100
Blizzak WS90
66
/ 100
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 WS90 finished ahead 1 times and Michelin X-Ice Xi3 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Blizzak WS90 | X-Ice Xi3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #1/17 | #5/17 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test · 215/60 R16 |
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 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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 | B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 45 | 37 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 20 | 20 |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
66
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice Xi3
Narrow edge: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 — better dry and snow. Pick the Michelin X-Ice Xi3 if comfort and treadwear matter most to you. Michelin X-Ice Xi3 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 73 vs 65 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X-Ice Xi3 scores 66 vs 61 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X-Ice Xi3 scores 66 vs 61 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 scores 73 vs 69 on snow.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Blizzak WS90 or X-Ice Xi3?
Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS90 or X-Ice Xi3?
Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 67 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS90 or X-Ice Xi3?
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 65 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS90 or X-Ice Xi3?
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, 73 vs 69 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS90 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin X-Ice Xi3, 66 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS90 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin X-Ice Xi3, 66 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