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 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 20 + 3 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: X Ice Snow and Cinturato Winter 2 are level at 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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67
Dry
Cinturato Winter 2 +370Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 14 tests 65 73 Reviews found online 71 66 X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 70.7 = 67
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 72.7 + 40% × 66.4 = 70
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71
Wet
Cinturato Winter 2 +1384Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 19 tests 65 92 Reviews found online 79 73 X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 79.2 = 71
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 91.6 + 40% × 73 = 84
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76
Snow
X Ice Snow +274Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 19 tests 73 76 Reviews found online 81 71 X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 81.1 = 76
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 75.7 + 40% × 71 = 74
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80
Comfort
X Ice Snow +1268Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 3 tests 81 75 Reviews found online 79 64 X Ice Snow: 40% × 81 + 60% × 78.8 = 80
Cinturato Winter 2: 40% × 75 + 60% × 63.9 = 68
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75
Noise
X Ice Snow +867Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 12 tests 81 67 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 75
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67
No owner ratings of noise for X Ice Snow 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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76
Treadwear
X Ice Snow +1363Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests ≈ 72 (est.) 68 Reviews found online 81 57 X Ice Snow: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 81.4 = 76
Cinturato Winter 2: 60% × 67.7 + 40% × 56.9 = 63
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).
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75
Handling (owners)
X Ice Snow +867Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Reviews found online 75 67 -
77
Efficiency
X Ice Snow +2156Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Cinturato Winter 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 12 tests 77 56
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin X Ice Snow | Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 73 |
| Dry | 67 | 70 |
| Wet | 71 | 84 |
| Snow | 76 | 74 |
| Comfort | 80 | 68 |
| Noise | 75 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 63 |
| Handling (owners) | 75 | 67 |
| Efficiency | 77 | 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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
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
73
/ 100
X Ice Snow
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 3 tests that ran both, Michelin X Ice Snow finished ahead 0 times and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 3 times.
| Discipline | Category | X Ice Snow | Cinturato Winter 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 96% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 92% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #3/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 78% #5/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 97% #6/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 72% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 94% #7/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | – | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/10 · 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 80% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 91% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 98% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 96% #2/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 69% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 94% #19/31 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 86% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 96% #8/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 56% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 94% #5/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 97% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 70% #6/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 99% #2/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 95% #8/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 97% #10/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 97% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless 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 | 50% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 87% #5/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #16/15 | #10/15 | – | 0–3 in 3 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 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 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 Snow | B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 100 | 41 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 21″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
| Sizes in common | 29 | 29 |
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
73
/ 100
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
Too close to call: Michelin X Ice Snow and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 are within 2 points overall. Michelin X Ice Snow is stronger on efficiency, treadwear and comfort. Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 is stronger on wet and dry.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 56 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 63 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 scores 84 vs 71 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 68 on comfort.
Tire A · Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
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X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Which is better in the wet, X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, 84 vs 71 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, 70 vs 67 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 74 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 67 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 80 vs 68 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 63 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, X Ice Snow or Cinturato Winter 2?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 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