Tests 74 · 13 tests Owners 65 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2020 Moottori Winter Studded Tire Test R17 (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin X-Ice North 4 vs Michelin X Ice Snow — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
X Ice Snow leads, 71–69 Narrow edge
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Tests 67 · 13 tests Owners 75 · 19 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (rolling resistance)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
71
Dry
X-Ice North 4 +962Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 81 56 Reviews found online 55 70 Dry Braking (% of best) 80% 96% -
60
Wet
X Ice Snow +868Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 58 62 Reviews found online 64 77 Longitudinal Aquaplaning (% of best) 94% 80% Wet Braking (% of best) 91% 70% Wet Circle (% of best) 97% 81% Wet Handling (% of best) 97% 70% -
82
Snow
X-Ice North 4 +676Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 86 73 Reviews found online 75 80 Snow Braking (% of best) 80% 100% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 80% Snow Traction (% of best) 97% 95% -
72
Comfort
X Ice Snow +880Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 76 82 Reviews found online 67 78 -
60
Noise
X Ice Snow +1575Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 X Ice Snow Professional tests (TWG score) 56 81 Exterior Noise (% of best) 60% 100% -
68
Treadwear
X Ice Snow +472Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 X Ice Snow Reviews found online 69 76 -
63
Handling
X Ice Snow +1174Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 X Ice Snow Reviews found online 63 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin X-Ice North 4 | Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 71 |
| Dry | 71 | 62 |
| Wet | 60 | 68 |
| Snow | 82 | 76 |
| Comfort | 72 | 80 |
| Noise | 60 | 75 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 72 |
| Handling | 63 | 74 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
69
/ 100
X-Ice North 4
71
/ 100
X Ice Snow
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 | X Ice Snow | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 80% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 96% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −15.7 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 70% #10/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | −30.0 | Same test |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 93% #15/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | −6.6 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 70% #12/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 85% #1/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −14.8 | Same test |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 99% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 94% #8/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +5.3 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 81% #4/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | −17.2 | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 60% #11/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | −40.0 | Same test |
| Noise | Other | 98% #3/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | −1.1 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 46% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 50% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −3.9 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/8 · 2020 Moottori Winter Studded Tire Test R17 | 14% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | +85.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 80% #8/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | −20.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #9/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 80% #4/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | +18.6 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 97% #2/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 95% #7/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +2.3 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 94% #4/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | 98% #2/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | −5.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 60% #4/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 97% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | −36.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 89% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 78% #5/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +11.1 | Same test |
| Subj. Ice Handling | Subj | 80% #13/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 60% #11/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | +20.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 60% #5/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 89% #12/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −28.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Road Score | Subj | 60% #13/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 97% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | −37.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 90% #6/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 80% #11/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | +10.0 | Same test |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 78% #12/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 70% #5/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | +7.8 | Different tests |
| Longitudinal Aquaplaning | Wet | 94% #4/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | +13.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #13/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 70% #9/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | +20.7 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #8/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | +15.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 70% #7/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | +27.3 | 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 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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin X-Ice North 4 | B · Michelin X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 100 |
| Rim diameters | — | 13″ – 21″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice North 4
71
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
Winner: Michelin X Ice Snow — better noise, handling and wet. Pick the Michelin X-Ice North 4 if dry and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 60 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 74 vs 63 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 71 vs 62 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 68 vs 60 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin X-Ice North 4
Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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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.