Tests 75 · 3 tests Owners 82 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Ice Friction vs Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ice Friction is ahead, 77–70
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Tests 67 · 2 tests Owners 74 · 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.
-
81
Dry
Ice Friction +1170Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 80 70 Reviews found online 83 70 Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 93% -
74
Wet
Ice Friction +965Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 69 56 Reviews found online 83 78 Wet Braking (% of best) 95% 88% Wet Handling (% of best) 99% 96% -
79
Snow
Ice Friction +376Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 79 73 Reviews found online 80 81 Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 98% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 100% -
85
Comfort
Ice Friction +1273Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 88 – Reviews found online 81 77 -
61
Noise
X-Ice Snow SUV +1273Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 58 76 -
74
Treadwear
Ice Friction +668Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Reviews found online 80 70 -
85
Handling
Ice Friction +1471Why this score
Source Ice Friction X-Ice Snow SUV Reviews found online 85 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Ice Friction | Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 70 |
| Dry | 81 | 70 |
| Wet | 74 | 65 |
| Snow | 79 | 76 |
| Comfort | 85 | 73 |
| Noise | 61 | 73 |
| Treadwear | 74 | 68 |
| Handling | 85 | 71 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
77
/ 100
Ice Friction
70
/ 100
X-Ice Snow SUV
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Ice Friction | X-Ice Snow SUV | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 93% #7/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | +7.2 | Same test |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 98% #7/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | −0.8 | Same test |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 96% #3/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −1.5 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 96% #5/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 96% #2/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −0.3 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #8/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 98% #2/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −0.5 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 25% #4/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | +25.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 98% #5/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | +1.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 79% #15/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | 88% #6/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | −9.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 60% #5/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | +40.0 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% #2/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 88% #5/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | +7.1 | Same test |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | 96% #5/8 · 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test | +2.9 | Same test |
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″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Friction
70
/ 100
Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV
Winner: Pirelli Ice Friction — better handling, comfort and dry. Pick the Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Ice Friction scores 85 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Ice Friction scores 85 vs 73 on comfort.
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 81 vs 70 on dry.
Tire A · Pirelli Ice Friction
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV
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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.