tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Michelin X-Ice Xi3 vs Michelin Alpin A4 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Alpin A4 is ahead, 78–68

Check price on Amazon · Alpin A4 or X-Ice Xi3 on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Tire AMichelin

X-Ice Xi3

Winter

Tests – · none yet Owners 68 · 14 reviews

Best test result: #5 of 17 in 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Tire BMichelin

Alpin A4

Winter

Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 83 · 54 reviews

Best test result: #6 of 16 in 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 67

    Dry

    Alpin A4 +11
    78
    Why this score
    SourceX-Ice Xi3Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)–75
    Reviews found online6682
  2. 70

    Wet

    Alpin A4 +10
    80
    Why this score
    SourceX-Ice Xi3Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)–75
    Reviews found online7087
  3. 70

    Snow

    Alpin A4 +4
    74
    Why this score
    SourceX-Ice Xi3Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)–69
    Reviews found online7082
  4. 69

    Comfort

    Alpin A4 +8
    77
    Why this score
    SourceX-Ice Xi3Alpin A4
    Reviews found online6984
  5. 67

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceX-Ice Xi3Alpin A4
    Reviews found online68–
  6. 67

    Treadwear

    Alpin A4 +8
    75
    Why this score
    SourceX-Ice Xi3Alpin A4
    Reviews found online6881
  7. 63

    Handling

    Alpin A4 +23
    86
    Why this score
    SourceX-Ice Xi3Alpin A4
    Reviews found online6386
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin X-Ice Xi3Michelin Alpin A4
Relative Score 68 78
Dry 67 78
Wet 70 80
Snow 70 74
Comfort 69 77
Noise 67 –
Treadwear 67 75
Handling 63 86

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

X-Ice Xi3

Alpin A4

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 Xi3Alpin A4ΔHead-to-head
Overall Ranking Overall #5/17 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test #6/16 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A X-Ice Xi3

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Long-lasting treadwear and durability over multiple seasons
  • Good stability and grip on dry pavement and cold winter roads

Cons

  • Squirmy feel and delayed, sluggish steering response on dry and wet roads
  • Lacks cornering grip and confidence during sharp turns
  • Performs poorly in heavy mountain snow, wet ice, and milder above-freezing temperatures
All owner themes in the X-Ice Xi3 review

Tire B Alpin A4

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
  • High level of confidence and stability in wet, cold conditions
  • Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Reduced steering feedback and 'numb' handling feel
  • Performance decline in dry conditions when temperatures exceed 10°C
  • Occasional reports of increased rolling resistance
All owner themes in the Alpin A4 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin X-Ice Xi3 B · Michelin Alpin A4
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available379
Rim diameters14″ – 20″14″ – 17″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin X-Ice Xi3

Michelin Alpin A4

Winner: Michelin Alpin A4 — better handling, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 86 vs 63 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 78 vs 67 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 80 vs 70 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 77 vs 69 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin X-Ice Xi3
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Alpin A4
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

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.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

78

Leads

Alpin A4

Amazon