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 Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus — 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 + 12 road tests and 20 + 3 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: X Ice Snow and Wintrac Pro plus are level at 73.
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Tests 69 · 12 tests Owners 75 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 30 in 2026 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 50 Sets (snow braking)
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
Wintrac Pro plus +572Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 10 tests 65 70 Reviews found online 71 74 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 81% 90% Dry Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 91% 97% X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 70.7 = 67
Wintrac Pro plus: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 73.8 = 72
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71
Wet
Wintrac Pro plus +1687Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 12 tests 65 91 Reviews found online 79 80 Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 72% 93% Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 81% 96% X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 79.2 = 71
Wintrac Pro plus: 60% × 91.5 + 40% × 79.7 = 87
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76
Snow
X Ice Snow +175Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 12 tests 73 75 Reviews found online 81 76 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 98% 73% Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 99% 83% Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 69% 77% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 86% 91% Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 56% 64% X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 81.1 = 76
Wintrac Pro plus: 60% × 74.9 + 40% × 76.2 = 75
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80
Comfort
X Ice Snow +278Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 5 tests 81 85 Reviews found online 79 73 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 97% 97% X Ice Snow: 40% × 81 + 60% × 78.8 = 80
Wintrac Pro plus: 40% × 84.6 + 60% × 72.9 = 78
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75
Noise
X Ice Snow +1362Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 9 tests 81 60 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Noise (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 88% 88% X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 75
Wintrac Pro plus: 60% × 59.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 62
No owner ratings of noise for X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus. 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 +2650Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests ≈ 72 (est.) 37 Reviews found online 81 70 X Ice Snow: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 81.4 = 76
Wintrac Pro plus: 60% × 37.2 + 40% × 70 = 50
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)
Wintrac Pro plus +277Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Reviews found online 75 77 -
77
Efficiency
X Ice Snow +4037Why this score
Source X Ice Snow Wintrac Pro plus Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 8 tests 77 37
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin X Ice Snow | Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 73 |
| Dry | 67 | 72 |
| Wet | 71 | 87 |
| Snow | 76 | 75 |
| Comfort | 80 | 78 |
| Noise | 75 | 62 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 50 |
| Handling (owners) | 75 | 77 |
| Efficiency | 77 | 37 |
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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
X Ice Snow
73
/ 100
Wintrac Pro plus
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 Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | X Ice Snow | Wintrac Pro plus | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 81% | 90% | −9.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Dry Circle | Dry | 91% | 97% | −5.8 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 92% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #11/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 78% #5/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #3/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #4/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 72% | 93% | −20.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 81% | 96% | −14.9 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 80% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 98% #2/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 98% | 73% | +25.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 99% | 83% | +15.2 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 69% | 77% | −8.6 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 86% | 91% | −4.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 56% | 64% | −8.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 97% #8/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 97% | 97% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 98% #14/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 88% | 88% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 93% #14/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 97% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | 85% #20/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Road Rating (tester's mark) | Other | 97% | 85% | +12.2 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #7/10 | #10/10 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
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 Wintrac Pro plus
Pros
- Excellent quietness and stability on heavy electric vehicles
- Strong performance in cold wet and cold dry conditions
- Long-lasting tread life under demanding vehicle weights
Cons
- Pricing compared to alternative options like the Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
- Some users question the performance jump of dedicated winter tires over top-tier all-season tires
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin X Ice Snow | B · Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Sizes available | 100 | — |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 21″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Michelin X Ice Snow
73
/ 100
Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus
Too close to call: Michelin X Ice Snow and Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus are within 2 points overall. Michelin X Ice Snow is stronger on efficiency, treadwear and noise. Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus is stronger on wet and dry.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 37 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 50 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus scores 87 vs 71 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 62 on noise.
Tire A · Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire B · Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus
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X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Which is better in the wet, X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus, 87 vs 71 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus, 72 vs 67 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 75 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 62 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Neither, by our numbers: 80 vs 78 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 50 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, X Ice Snow or Wintrac Pro plus?
Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 37 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