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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 vs Michelin X Ice Snow — 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 3 + 13 road tests and 28 + 19 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Alpin 4 is ahead, 79–74

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Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
Tire AMichelin

Pilot Alpin 4

Winter

± 7

Tests 71 · 3 tests Owners 89 · 28 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2017 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test (snow handling)

Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire BMichelin

X Ice Snow

Winter

± 5

Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 79 · 19 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (comfort (tester's mark))

Category by category

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

  1. 77

    Dry

    Pilot Alpin 4 +9
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 11 tests6765
    Reviews found online9272

    Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 67.3 + 40% × 92 = 77

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 72.2 = 68

  2. 84

    Wet

    Pilot Alpin 4 +13
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests7864
    Reviews found online9481

    Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 78.4 + 40% × 93.6 = 84

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 80.6 = 71

  3. 77

    Snow

    Level
    77
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests7273
    Reviews found online8382

    Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 72.3 + 40% × 83 = 77

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 81.8 = 77

  4. 82

    Comfort

    Pilot Alpin 4 +1
    81
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 73 (est.)82
    Reviews found online8880

    Pilot Alpin 4: 40% × 72.7 (est.) + 60% × 88.3 = 82

    X Ice Snow: 40% × 82.3 + 60% × 80 = 81

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Alpin 4. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 61

    Noise

    X Ice Snow +14
    75
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 8 tests5781
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 56.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 61

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 75

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 80

    Treadwear

    Pilot Alpin 4 +3
    77
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 74 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8983

    Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 74 (est.) + 40% × 88.9 = 80

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 83.2 = 77

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Alpin 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for X Ice Snow. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 92

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Alpin 4 +16
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Reviews found online9276
  8. 66

    Efficiency

    X Ice Snow +11
    77
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 4X Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests6677
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot Alpin 4Michelin X Ice Snow
Relative Score 79 74
Dry 77 68
Wet 84 71
Snow 77 77
Comfort 82 81
Noise 61 75
Treadwear 80 77
Handling (owners) 92 76
Efficiency 66 77

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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Pilot Alpin 4

± 5

X Ice Snow

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.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Alpin 4X Ice SnowΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 95% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #3/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 92% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 93% #8/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 97% #2/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 72% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 96% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 69% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 96% #9/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 86% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 94% #9/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 86% #8/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 97% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 54% #11/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 50% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #6/11 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test #7/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Pilot Alpin 4

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and handling in snow and ice
  • Sporty, responsive handling on dry and wet pavement
  • High level of comfort and low road noise for a winter tire

Cons

  • Higher price point compared to some competitors
  • Above-average noise level reported by a few users due to the aggressive tread pattern
  • Slight initial tread squirm when brand new before settling in
All owner themes in the Pilot Alpin 4 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 · Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 B · Michelin X Ice Snow
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—100
Rim diameters—13″ – 21″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 4

Michelin X Ice Snow

Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Michelin X Ice Snow if noise and efficiency matter most to you.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 scores 92 vs 76 on handling.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 61 on noise.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 scores 84 vs 71 on wet.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 66 on efficiency.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
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Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 4, 84 vs 71 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 4, 77 vs 68 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 77 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 61 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Neither, by our numbers: 82 vs 81 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 4, 80 vs 77 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Pilot Alpin 4 or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 66 on our efficiency 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