Tests 76 · 3 tests Owners 85 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (snow handling (tester's mark))
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Ice Friction vs Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV — 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 3 + 2 road tests and 4 + 4 owner reviews. How we score
Ice Friction is ahead, 79–72
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Tests 68 · 2 tests Owners 76 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)
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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83
Dry
Ice Friction +1172Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 2 tests 81 70 Reviews found online 85 74 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 93% Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 60% Ice Friction: 60% × 81 + 40% × 85 = 83
X-Ice Snow SUV: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 73.7 = 72
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76
Wet
Ice Friction +967Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 2 tests 70 57 Reviews found online 86 80 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 92% Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 95% 88% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 99% 96% Ice Friction: 60% × 69.8 + 40% × 86.3 = 76
X-Ice Snow SUV: 60% × 57.4 + 40% × 80.3 = 67
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81
Snow
Ice Friction +576Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests 80 73 Reviews found online 82 81 Ice Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 96% 96% Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 96% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 99% Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 100% Ice Friction: 60% × 79.5 + 40% × 82.3 = 81
X-Ice Snow SUV: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 80.7 = 76
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84
Comfort
Ice Friction +1074Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 86 ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 83 77 Ice Friction: 40% × 86.1 + 60% × 82.5 = 84
X-Ice Snow SUV: 40% × 70.3 (est.) + 60% × 76.9 = 74
No road tests of comfort for X-Ice Snow SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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61
Noise
X-Ice Snow SUV +1273Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 2 tests 57 77 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 98% 100% Ice Friction: 60% × 57.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 61
X-Ice Snow SUV: 60% × 76.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 73
No owner ratings of noise for Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV. 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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78
Treadwear
Ice Friction +870Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 73 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 85 72 Ice Friction: 60% × 73.1 (est.) + 40% × 84.8 = 78
X-Ice Snow SUV: 60% × 68.6 (est.) + 40% × 72.2 = 70
No road tests of treadwear for Ice Friction. 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 X-Ice Snow SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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87
Handling (owners)
Ice Friction +1473Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Reviews found online 87 73 -
63
Efficiency
X-Ice Snow SUV +1073Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests 63 73 Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 98% 98%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Ice Friction | Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 72 |
| Dry | 83 | 72 |
| Wet | 76 | 67 |
| Snow | 81 | 76 |
| Comfort | 84 | 74 |
| Noise | 61 | 73 |
| Treadwear | 78 | 70 |
| Handling (owners) | 87 | 73 |
| Efficiency | 63 | 73 |
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
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Important
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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
79
/ 100
Ice Friction
72
/ 100
X-Ice Snow SUV
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, Pirelli Ice Friction finished ahead 1 times and Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Ice Friction | X-Ice Snow SUV | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% | 93% | +7.2 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 100% | 60% | +40.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 100% | 92% | +7.8 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% | 88% | +7.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% | 96% | +3.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 96% | 96% | +0.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 96% | 99% | −3.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% | 99% | +1.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% | 100% | +0.5 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 100% | −2.3 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 98% | 98% | −0.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/8 | #5/8 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test · 235/60 R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ice Friction
Pros
- Exceptional traction and predictable handling on snow and ice
- High level of steering feedback and control during slides
- Impressively quiet and smooth ride quality
Cons
- Ice grip, while excellent for a studless tire, does not fully match the absolute performance of dedicated studded tires
- Limited long-term data available regarding tread wear rates
- Higher price point compared to budget-tier winter tire options
Tire B X-Ice Snow SUV
Pros
- Outstanding traction on snow and ice
- Remarkably low road noise for a winter tire
- Excellent ride comfort
Cons
- Unsuitable for year-round use due to soft compound in warm temperatures
- Reduced handling precision compared to dedicated summer tires
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Ice Friction | B · Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 51 | 90 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 20″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Sizes in common | 26 | 26 |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Friction
72
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV
Winner: Pirelli Ice Friction — better handling, dry and comfort. Pick the Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV if noise and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Ice Friction scores 87 vs 73 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV scores 73 vs 61 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Ice Friction scores 83 vs 72 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Ice Friction scores 84 vs 74 on comfort.
Tire A · Pirelli Ice Friction
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV
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Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Which is better in the wet, Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Pirelli Ice Friction, 76 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Pirelli Ice Friction, 83 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Pirelli Ice Friction, 81 vs 76 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV, 73 vs 61 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Pirelli Ice Friction, 84 vs 74 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Pirelli Ice Friction, 78 vs 70 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Ice Friction or X-Ice Snow SUV?
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV, 73 vs 63 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