Tests 73 · 13 tests Owners 65 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin X-Ice North 4 vs Firestone Destination Winter SUV — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
X-Ice North 4 is ahead, 69–61
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Tests 65 · 1 test Owners 57 · 1 review
Best test result: #3 of 10 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test (noise)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
70
Dry
X-Ice North 4 +1456Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Destination Winter SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 80 58 Reviews found online 55 55 Dry Braking (% of best) 80% 90% -
60
Wet
Destination Winter SUV +464Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Destination Winter SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 58 65 Reviews found online 64 61 Wet Braking (% of best) 77% 91% Wet Handling (% of best) 97% 96% -
82
Snow
X-Ice North 4 +1765Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Destination Winter SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 86 69 Reviews found online 75 58 Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 92% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 96% -
72
Comfort
X-Ice North 4 +1161Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Destination Winter SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 76 – Reviews found online 67 53 -
60
Noise
Destination Winter SUV +1171Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Destination Winter SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 56 74 -
68
Treadwear
X-Ice North 4 +761Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Destination Winter SUV Reviews found online 69 58 -
63
Handling
X-Ice North 4 +954Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Destination Winter SUV Reviews found online 63 54
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin X-Ice North 4 | Firestone Destination Winter SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 61 |
| Dry | 70 | 56 |
| Wet | 60 | 64 |
| Snow | 82 | 65 |
| Comfort | 72 | 61 |
| Noise | 60 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 61 |
| Handling | 63 | 54 |
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
69
/ 100
X-Ice North 4
61
/ 100
Destination Winter 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 | X-Ice North 4 | Destination Winter SUV | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 80% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 90% #10/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | −9.7 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 70% #10/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 91% #7/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | −21.0 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 96% #8/8 · 2021 Nordic Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | −3.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 46% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 72% #3/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | −26.0 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 33% #3/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | 7% #15/16 · 2017 ADAC SUV Winter Tyre Test - 215/65 R16 | +26.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #4/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 92% #6/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | +7.5 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #2/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 96% #5/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | +3.1 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 92% #8/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #6/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | −2.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 77% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 91% #10/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | −13.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #8/8 · 2021 Nordic Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #10/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test | +1.4 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
Tire B Destination Winter SUV
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin X-Ice North 4 | B · Firestone Destination Winter SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice North 4
61
/ 100
Firestone Destination Winter SUV
Winner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better snow, dry and comfort. Pick the Firestone Destination Winter SUV if noise and wet matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 82 vs 65 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 70 vs 56 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 72 vs 61 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Firestone Destination Winter SUV scores 71 vs 60 on noise.
Tire A · Michelin X-Ice North 4
Tire B · Firestone Destination Winter SUV
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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.