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Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Winter i*cept RS vs Michelin X Ice Snow — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

X Ice Snow leads, 71–70 Narrow edge

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Tire AHankook

Winter i*cept RS

Winter

Tests – · none yet Owners 71 · 6 reviews

Best test result: #9 of 42 in 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)

Tire BMichelin

X Ice Snow

Winter

Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 75 · 19 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 6 in 2020 Teknikens Värld Studless Winter Tire Test R17 (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 69

    Dry

    Winter i*cept RS +2
    67
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*cept RSX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)–65
    Reviews found online6970
  2. 71

    Wet

    Winter i*cept RS +2
    69
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*cept RSX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)–64
    Reviews found online7277
  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*cept RSX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)–73
    Reviews found online–80
  4. 70

    Comfort

    X Ice Snow +10
    80
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*cept RSX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)–82
    Reviews found online7178
  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*cept RSX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)–80
  6. 70

    Treadwear

    X Ice Snow +2
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*cept RSX Ice Snow
    Reviews found online7376
  7. 72

    Handling

    X Ice Snow +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter i*cept RSX Ice Snow
    Reviews found online7274
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Winter i*cept RSMichelin X Ice Snow
Relative Score 70 71
Dry 69 67
Wet 71 69
Snow – 76
Comfort 70 80
Noise – 74
Treadwear 70 72
Handling 72 74

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
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Important
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Important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Winter i*cept RS

X Ice Snow

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

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinter i*cept RSX Ice SnowΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 11% #9/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test 80% #2/6 · 2020 Teknikens Värld Studless Winter Tire Test R17 −68.9 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Winter i*cept RS

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and performance in medium to heavy snow conditions
  • Low rolling resistance contributing to great fuel economy
  • Durable wear rate given the winter conditions

Cons

  • Very soft rubber compound reduces performance and handling on dry, hot roads
  • Less suited for extended high-speed motorway driving
All owner themes in the Winter i*cept RS review

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
All owner themes in the X Ice Snow review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Winter i*cept RS B · Michelin X Ice Snow
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available17100
Rim diameters13″ – 16″13″ – 21″

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Winter i*cept RS

Michelin X Ice Snow

Too close to call: Hankook Winter i*cept RS and Michelin X Ice Snow are within 2 points overall. Michelin X Ice Snow is stronger on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 70 on comfort.

Tire A · Hankook Winter i*cept RS
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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.

71

Narrow edge

X Ice Snow

Amazon