Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 88 · 55 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (wet braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Alpin A4 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 55 + 14 owner reviews. How we score
Alpin A4 is ahead, 80–66
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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80
Dry
Alpin A4 +1664Why this score
Source Alpin A4 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 75 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 87 62 Alpin A4: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.6 = 80
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 65.5 (est.) + 40% × 62.1 = 64
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 0.41).
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82
Wet
Alpin A4 +1567Why this score
Source Alpin A4 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 75 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 93 66 Alpin A4: 60% × 75.3 + 40% × 93.2 = 82
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 66 = 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).
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74
Snow
Alpin A4 +569Why this score
Source Alpin A4 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 69 ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 82 67 Alpin A4: 60% × 69 + 40% × 81.9 = 74
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 69.4 (est.) + 40% × 67.2 = 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 0.32).
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81
Comfort
Alpin A4 +1665Why this score
Source Alpin A4 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 88 64 Alpin A4: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 87.5 = 81
X-Ice Xi3: 40% × 67.7 (est.) + 60% × 63.7 = 65
No road tests of comfort for Alpin A4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for X-Ice Xi3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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80
Treadwear
Alpin A4 +1466Why this score
Source Alpin A4 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 89 66 Alpin A4: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80
X-Ice Xi3: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 65.6 = 66
No road tests of treadwear for Alpin A4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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 0.36).
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91
Handling (owners)
Alpin A4 +3556Why this score
Source Alpin A4 X-Ice Xi3 Reviews found online 91 56 -
64
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alpin A4 X-Ice Xi3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 64 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Alpin A4 | Michelin X-Ice Xi3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 80 | 66 |
| Dry | 80 | 64 |
| Wet | 82 | 67 |
| Snow | 74 | 69 |
| Comfort | 81 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 91 | 56 |
| Efficiency | 64 | – |
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
80
/ 100
Alpin A4
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.
| Discipline | Category | Alpin A4 | X-Ice Xi3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/16 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test | #5/17 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Alpin A4
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
- High level of confidence and stability in wet, cold conditions
- Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons
Cons
- Reduced steering feedback and 'numb' handling feel
- Performance decline in dry conditions when temperatures exceed 10°C
- Occasional reports of increased rolling resistance
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 · Michelin Alpin A4 | B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 9 | 37 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 17″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 4 | 4 |
Which one should you actually buy?
80
/ 100
Michelin Alpin A4
66
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice Xi3
Winner: Michelin Alpin A4 — better handling, dry and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin X-Ice Xi3 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 91 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 80 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 81 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 82 vs 67 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Alpin A4
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice Xi3
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Alpin A4 or X-Ice Xi3?
Which is better in the wet, Alpin A4 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin Alpin A4, 82 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Alpin A4 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin Alpin A4, 80 vs 64 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Alpin A4 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin Alpin A4, 74 vs 69 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Alpin A4 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin Alpin A4, 81 vs 65 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Alpin A4 or X-Ice Xi3?
Michelin Alpin A4, 80 vs 66 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