Tests 74 · 7 tests Owners 75 · 10 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test (ice handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental VikingContact 8 vs Michelin X Ice Snow — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
VikingContact 8 leads, 74–71 Narrow edge
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Tests 67 · 13 tests Owners 75 · 19 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (rolling resistance)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
74
Dry
VikingContact 8 +1262Why this score
Source VikingContact 8 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 75 56 Reviews found online 72 70 Dry Braking (% of best) 69% 96% Dry Circle (% of best) 94% 91% Dry Handling (% of best) 93% 92% -
68
Wet
Level68Why this score
Source VikingContact 8 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 60 62 Reviews found online 80 77 Longitudinal Aquaplaning (% of best) 70% 75% Wet Braking (% of best) 92% 80% Wet Circle (% of best) 85% 81% Wet Handling (% of best) 93% 70% -
78
Snow
VikingContact 8 +276Why this score
Source VikingContact 8 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 79 73 Reviews found online 76 80 Snow Braking (% of best) 72% 69% Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 80% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 97% -
88
Comfort
VikingContact 8 +880Why this score
Source VikingContact 8 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 94 82 Reviews found online 79 78 -
78
Noise
VikingContact 8 +375Why this score
Source VikingContact 8 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 78 81 Reviews found online 77 – Exterior Noise (% of best) 98% 99% -
70
Treadwear
X Ice Snow +272Why this score
Source VikingContact 8 X Ice Snow Reviews found online 73 76 -
74
Handling
Level74Why this score
Source VikingContact 8 X Ice Snow Reviews found online 74 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental VikingContact 8 | Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 71 |
| Dry | 74 | 62 |
| Wet | 68 | 68 |
| Snow | 78 | 76 |
| Comfort | 88 | 80 |
| Noise | 78 | 75 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 72 |
| Handling | 74 | 74 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
VikingContact 8
71
/ 100
X Ice Snow
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 | VikingContact 8 | X Ice Snow | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 69% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 96% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −27.1 | Different tests |
| Dry Circle | Dry | 94% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 91% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | +3.5 | Same test |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 93% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 92% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | +1.1 | Same test |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 95% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | −5.4 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 99% #8/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | −1.2 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 89% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 98% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | −8.9 | Same test |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 100% #1/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 63% #5/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | +37.5 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 89% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | −9.4 | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 98% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #2/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | −0.4 | Same test |
| Noise | Other | 100% #4/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 99% #7/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | +0.6 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 14% #7/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 25% #4/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | −10.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 72% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 69% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | +3.9 | Same test |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #3/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 80% #4/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | +19.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 97% #4/8 · 2023 Studless vs Studded Snow Tyre Test | +2.9 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 73% #10/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 75% #3/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | −2.7 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 100% #7/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 80% #5/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 70% #9/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | +10.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Ice Handling | Subj | 100% #7/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 60% #11/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | +40.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 97% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 89% #12/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +8.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Road Score | Subj | 91% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 97% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | −6.1 | Same test |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 56% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | +43.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 60% #9/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 78% #5/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −17.8 | Different tests |
| Longitudinal Aquaplaning | Wet | 70% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | −5.7 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #3/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | +12.4 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 85% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | +4.1 | Same test |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 93% #3/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 70% #7/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | +23.2 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A VikingContact 8
Pros
- Exceptional ice and snow traction that rivals studded tires
- High level of ride comfort and ability to soak up potholes
- Very low noise levels and quiet operation
Cons
- Slightly loose grip or slipping behavior on completely dry roads
- Lack of steering feel and a noticeable gap in response on straightaways
- Occasional underperformance reports regarding rear-end stability at low speeds on specific SUVs
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 · Continental VikingContact 8 | B · Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 123 | 100 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 13″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 - 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Continental VikingContact 8
71
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
Winner: Continental VikingContact 8 — better dry, comfort and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental VikingContact 8 scores 74 vs 62 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental VikingContact 8 scores 88 vs 80 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental VikingContact 8 scores 78 vs 75 on noise.
Tire A · Continental VikingContact 8
Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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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.