Tests 74 · 13 tests Owners 75 · 12 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (ice traction)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin X-Ice North 4 vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 — 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 13 + 19 road tests and 12 + 3 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: X-Ice North 4 74, Cinturato Winter 2 73.
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Tests 76 · 19 tests Owners 67 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test (wet handling)
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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76
Dry
X-Ice North 4 +670Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 14 tests 81 73 Reviews found online 70 66 X-Ice North 4: 60% × 80.8 + 40% × 69.8 = 76
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 72.7 + 40% × 66.4 = 70
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65
Wet
Cinturato Winter 2 +1984Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 19 tests 60 92 Reviews found online 74 73 X-Ice North 4: 60% × 59.6 + 40% × 74 = 65
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 91.6 + 40% × 73 = 84
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83
Snow
X-Ice North 4 +974Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 19 tests 87 76 Reviews found online 77 71 X-Ice North 4: 60% × 87.1 + 40% × 77.4 = 83
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 75.7 + 40% × 71 = 74
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75
Comfort
X-Ice North 4 +768Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 3 tests 76 75 Reviews found online 74 64 X-Ice North 4: 40% × 76 + 60% × 74 = 75
Cinturato Winter 2: 40% × 75 + 60% × 63.9 = 68
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60
Noise
Cinturato Winter 2 +767Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 12 tests 55 67 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) X-Ice North 4: 60% × 55.4 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 60
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67
No owner ratings of noise for X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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74
Treadwear
X-Ice North 4 +1163Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests ≈ 71 (est.) 68 Reviews found online 79 57 X-Ice North 4: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 78.8 = 74
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 67.7 + 40% × 56.9 = 63
No road tests of treadwear for X-Ice North 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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77
Handling (owners)
X-Ice North 4 +1067Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Reviews found online 77 67 -
60
Efficiency
X-Ice North 4 +456Why this score
Source X-Ice North 4 Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 12 tests 60 56
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin X-Ice North 4 | Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 73 |
| Dry | 76 | 70 |
| Wet | 65 | 84 |
| Snow | 83 | 74 |
| Comfort | 75 | 68 |
| Noise | 60 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 74 | 63 |
| Handling (owners) | 77 | 67 |
| Efficiency | 60 | 56 |
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
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Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
X-Ice North 4
73
/ 100
Cinturato Winter 2
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.
In the overall rankings of 2 tests that ran both, Michelin X-Ice North 4 finished ahead 0 times and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 2 times.
| Discipline | Category | X-Ice North 4 | Cinturato Winter 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #6/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 96% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 93% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 79% #17/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 97% #6/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #7/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 94% #7/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | – | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #8/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 98% #4/10 · 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #6/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 98% #6/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 50% #17/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 91% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 82% #4/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 96% #2/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #5/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 94% #19/31 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #2/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 96% #8/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 90% #17/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 94% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 50% #13/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 70% #6/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 96% #3/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 95% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 98% #3/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | 97% #10/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 93% #15/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 96% #6/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 80% #8/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 46% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 87% #5/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #11/15 | #10/15 | – | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 Teknikens Värld Winter Tire Test R17 · 225/50R17 |
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 Cinturato Winter 2
Pros
- Excellent traction and confidence in wet and snowy conditions
- Strong braking performance on dry surfaces
- High level of subjective road feedback and handling security
Cons
- Rapid tread wear and concerns regarding overall tire longevity
- Less precise handling and feedback compared to sportier winter tires
- Increased road noise and fuel consumption noted by some users
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin X-Ice North 4 | B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 41 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice North 4
73
/ 100
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
Too close to call: Michelin X-Ice North 4 and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 are within 2 points overall. Michelin X-Ice North 4 is stronger on treadwear, handling and snow. Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 is stronger on wet and noise.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 scores 84 vs 65 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 74 vs 63 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 77 vs 67 on handling.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 83 vs 74 on snow.
Tire A · Michelin X-Ice North 4
Tire B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
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X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Which is better in the wet, X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, 84 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 76 vs 70 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 83 vs 74 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, 67 vs 60 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 75 vs 68 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 74 vs 63 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, X-Ice North 4 or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X-Ice North 4, 60 vs 56 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