Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 78 · 20 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (comfort (tester's mark))
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin X Ice Snow vs Nokian Nordman 8 — 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 + 2 road tests and 20 + 1 owner reviews. How we score
X Ice Snow is ahead, 73–61
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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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67
Dry
X Ice Snow +958Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 1 tests 65 60 Reviews found online 71 56 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 70% 70% Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 70% 70% X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 70.7 = 67
Nordman 8: 60% × 60.1 + 40% × 55.8 = 58
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71
Wet
X Ice Snow +1160Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 2 tests 65 62 Reviews found online 79 56 Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 70% 60% Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 70% 70% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 70% 70% X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 79.2 = 71
Nordman 8: 60% × 62 + 40% × 56.1 = 60
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76
Snow
X Ice Snow +868Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 2 tests 73 70 Reviews found online 81 65 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 70% 70% Ice Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 70% 70% Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 60% 70% Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 70% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 80% Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 80% 80% X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 81.1 = 76
Nordman 8: 60% × 69.9 + 40% × 64.6 = 68
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80
Comfort
X Ice Snow +2258Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 81 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 79 54 X Ice Snow: 40% × 81 + 60% × 78.8 = 80
Nordman 8: 40% × 65.6 (est.) + 60% × 53.6 = 58
No road tests of comfort for Nordman 8. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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75
Noise
X Ice Snow +1560Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 2 tests 81 55 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Exterior Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 60% X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 75
Nordman 8: 60% × 55.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 60
No owner ratings of noise for X Ice Snow or Nordman 8. 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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76
Treadwear
X Ice Snow +1462Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 64 (est.) Reviews found online 81 59 X Ice Snow: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 81.4 = 76
Nordman 8: 60% × 63.7 (est.) + 40% × 58.6 = 62
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 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for Nordman 8. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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75
Handling (owners)
X Ice Snow +1659Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Reviews found online 75 59 -
77
Efficiency
X Ice Snow +374Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Nordman 8 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 1 tests 77 74 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 90%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin X Ice Snow | Nokian Nordman 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 61 |
| Dry | 67 | 58 |
| Wet | 71 | 60 |
| Snow | 76 | 68 |
| Comfort | 80 | 58 |
| Noise | 75 | 60 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 62 |
| Handling (owners) | 75 | 59 |
| Efficiency | 77 | 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 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
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Important
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Less important
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Neutral
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
X Ice Snow
61
/ 100
Nordman 8
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 1 tests that ran both, Michelin X Ice Snow finished ahead 1 times and Nokian Nordman 8 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | X Ice Snow | Nordman 8 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 70% | 70% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 70% | 70% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 70% | 70% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 70% | 70% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 70% | 60% | +10.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 70% | 70% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 70% | 70% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 60% | 70% | −10.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% | 70% | +30.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% | 80% | +20.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 80% | 80% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 100% | 60% | +40.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 96% #7/8 · 2021 Nordic Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% | 90% | +10.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #9/17 | #12/17 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A X Ice Snow
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, packed snow, and slush
- High confidence and predictable handling on icy and freezing roads
- Impressive tread wear longevity and minimal wear over multiple seasons
Cons
- Average performance on dry and wet pavement compared to dedicated non-winter tires
- Slightly noisier on dry pavement as the tread wears down
- Can feel slightly twitchy at the limit or less comfortable than older X-Ice generations
Tire B Nordman 8
Pros
- Exceptional grip on ice
- Strong performance-to-price ratio
- Reliable handling characteristics
Cons
- Performance diminishes on slushy or thawing roads
- Less effective on deep snow compared to ice
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin X Ice Snow | B · Nokian Nordman 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 100 | — |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 21″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
61
/ 100
Nokian Nordman 8
Winner: Michelin X Ice Snow — better comfort, handling and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 58 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 59 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 60 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 62 on treadwear.
Tire A · Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire B · Nokian Nordman 8
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X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Which is better in the wet, X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 71 vs 60 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 67 vs 58 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 68 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 60 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 80 vs 58 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 62 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, X Ice Snow or Nordman 8?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 74 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