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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin X Ice Snow vs Pirelli Sottozero Serie II — 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 + 0 road tests and 19 + 31 owner reviews. How we score

X Ice Snow leads, 74–71 Narrow edge

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Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire AMichelin

X Ice Snow

Winter

± 5

Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 79 · 19 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (subj. comfort)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 68

    Dry

    Sottozero Serie II +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / – tests65≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online7272

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 72.2 = 68

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.3 = 71

    No road tests of dry for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 71

    Wet

    Sottozero Serie II +6
    77
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / – tests64≈ 76 (est.)
    Reviews found online8179

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 80.6 = 71

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 75.5 (est.) + 40% × 79.4 = 77

    No road tests of wet for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 77

    Snow

    X Ice Snow +11
    66
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / – tests73≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online8264

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 81.8 = 77

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 63.6 = 66

    No road tests of snow for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 81

    Comfort

    X Ice Snow +8
    73
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests82≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online8075

    X Ice Snow: 40% × 82.3 + 60% × 80 = 81

    Sottozero Serie II: 40% × 70.2 (est.) + 60% × 74.7 = 73

    No road tests of comfort for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 75

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests81–
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)–

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 75

    No owner ratings of noise for X Ice Snow. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 77

    Treadwear

    X Ice Snow +8
    69
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 72 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online8371

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 83.2 = 77

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68 (est.) + 40% × 71.4 = 69

    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 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 76

    Handling (owners)

    X Ice Snow +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Reviews found online7675
  8. 77

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceX Ice SnowSottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests77–
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin X Ice SnowPirelli Sottozero Serie II
Relative Score 74 71
Dry 68 71
Wet 71 77
Snow 77 66
Comfort 81 73
Noise 75 –
Treadwear 77 69
Handling (owners) 76 75
Efficiency 77 –

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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

X Ice Snow

± 8

Sottozero Serie II

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryX Ice SnowSottozero Serie IIΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #7/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test #2/9 2012 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A 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
All owner themes in the X Ice Snow review

Tire B Sottozero Serie II

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and standing water grip with strong resistance to aquaplaning
  • Surprisingly confident, communicative handling and short braking distances on dry roads
  • High levels of ride comfort and remarkably low road noise, even on low-profile sizes

Cons

  • Subpar traction and grip in deep snow or severe ice according to a minority of reviewers
  • High initial purchase price
  • Soften up and exhibit slightly reduced predictability or increased noise in warmer temperatures above 7°C (45°F)
All owner themes in the Sottozero Serie II review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin X Ice Snow B · Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available100—
Rim diameters13″ – 21″—

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin X Ice Snow

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II

Narrow edge: Michelin X Ice Snow — better snow, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II if wet and dry matter most to you.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 66 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 81 vs 73 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 69 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II scores 77 vs 71 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin X Ice Snow
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Tire B · Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
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X Ice Snow or Sottozero Serie II?

Which is better in the wet, X Ice Snow or Sottozero Serie II?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 77 vs 71 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, X Ice Snow or Sottozero Serie II?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 71 vs 68 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, X Ice Snow or Sottozero Serie II?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, X Ice Snow or Sottozero Serie II?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 81 vs 73 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, X Ice Snow or Sottozero Serie II?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 69 on our treadwear 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