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 Snow SUV — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winter i*pike RS2 leads, 71–70 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.
Tests 67 · 2 tests Owners 74 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test (noise)
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 Snow SUV +1170Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 49 70 Reviews found online 74 70 Dry Braking (% of best) 95% 93% -
74
Wet
Winter i*pike RS2 +965Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 71 56 Reviews found online 78 78 Wet Braking (% of best) 92% 88% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 99% -
76
Snow
Level76Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 76 73 Reviews found online 77 81 Snow Handling (% of best) 95% 98% Snow Traction (% of best) 96% 99% -
78
Comfort
Winter i*pike RS2 +573Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 81 – Reviews found online 75 77 -
60
Noise
X-Ice Snow SUV +1373Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 55 76 -
71
Treadwear
Winter i*pike RS2 +368Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice Snow SUV Reviews found online 75 70 -
79
Handling
Winter i*pike RS2 +871Why this score
Source Winter i*pike RS2 X-Ice Snow SUV Reviews found online 79 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 70 |
| Dry | 59 | 70 |
| Wet | 74 | 65 |
| Snow | 76 | 76 |
| Comfort | 78 | 73 |
| Noise | 60 | 73 |
| Treadwear | 71 | 68 |
| Handling | 79 | 71 |
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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
Winter i*pike RS2
70
/ 100
X-Ice Snow SUV
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 Snow SUV | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #14/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #7/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | +2.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 98% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 96% #4/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | +1.7 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 100% #2/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | +1.4 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 96% #4/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −1.9 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 84% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | −15.4 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #3/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | −0.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 67% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 61% #8/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | +5.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 8% #13/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 25% #4/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −17.3 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 95% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #5/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −3.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% #6/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | −4.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 88% #6/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | +12.3 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 60% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 60% #5/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #8/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 88% #5/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | +3.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #5/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #4/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −2.4 | 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 Snow SUV
Pros
- Outstanding traction on snow and ice
- Remarkably low road noise for a winter tire
- Excellent ride comfort
Cons
- Unsuitable for year-round use due to soft compound in warm temperatures
- Reduced handling precision compared to dedicated summer tires
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 | B · Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | — | 90 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 22″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
70
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV
Too close to call: Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 and Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV are within 2 points overall. Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 is stronger on wet, handling and comfort. Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV is stronger on noise and dry.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV scores 73 vs 60 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV scores 70 vs 59 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 74 vs 65 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 79 vs 71 on handling.
Tire A · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
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.