Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 76 · 5 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 vs Michelin X-Ice North 4 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter i*pike RS2 leads, 71–69 Narrow edge
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Tests 73 · 13 tests Owners 65 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (subj. dry handling)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
59
Dry
X-Ice North 4 +1170Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 49 80 Reviews found online 74 55 Dry Braking (% of best) 90% 96% -
74
Wet
Winter i*pike RS2 +1460Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 71 58 Reviews found online 78 64 Wet Braking (% of best) 85% 77% Wet Handling (% of best) 99% 95% -
76
Snow
X-Ice North 4 +682Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 76 86 Reviews found online 77 75 Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 100% Snow Traction (% of best) 98% 97% -
78
Comfort
Winter i*pike RS2 +672Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 81 76 Reviews found online 75 67 -
60
Noise
Level60Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice North 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 55 56 -
71
Treadwear
Winter i*pike RS2 +368Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice North 4 Reviews found online 75 69 -
79
Handling
Winter i*pike RS2 +1663Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice North 4 Reviews found online 79 63
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 69 |
| Dry | 59 | 70 |
| Wet | 74 | 60 |
| Snow | 76 | 82 |
| Comfort | 78 | 72 |
| Noise | 60 | 60 |
| Treadwear | 71 | 68 |
| Handling | 79 | 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
71
/ 100
Winter i*pike RS2
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 | Winter i*pike RS2 | X-Ice North 4 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 90% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #11/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −6.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 98% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 96% #6/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | +2.4 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 100% #2/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #15/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +6.5 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 79% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 70% #12/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +8.6 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 93% #6/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 97% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −4.0 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 93% #6/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 80% #3/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | +12.3 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #3/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 98% #3/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | +1.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 67% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 46% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +20.5 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 14% #7/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 9% #11/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +5.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #7/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #4/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −0.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #4/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/8 · 2021 Nordic Studded Winter Tyre Test | −0.6 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 98% #8/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #2/8 · 2021 Nordic Studded Winter Tyre Test | +0.8 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #4/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | +6.5 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 80% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 60% #4/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | +20.0 | Same test |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 60% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −40.0 | Same test |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 60% #3/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 70% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −10.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 85% #4/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 77% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +7.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #4/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #20/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +3.6 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter i*pike RS2
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking on snow and ice
- Strong side grip and predictable cornering limits
- High durability with secure stud retention over multiple years
Cons
- Poor steering feedback on dry tarmac
- Noticeable understeer in dry road conditions
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 · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | B · Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
69
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice North 4
Winner: Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — better handling, wet and comfort. Pick the Michelin X-Ice North 4 if dry and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 79 vs 63 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 74 vs 60 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 70 vs 59 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 78 vs 72 on comfort.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
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.