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Head-to-head Updated

Pirelli Scorpion Winter vs Michelin X Ice Snow — 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 + 13 road tests and 20 + 20 owner reviews. How we score

X Ice Snow leads, 73–69 Narrow edge

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Pirelli Scorpion Winter
Tire APirelli

Scorpion Winter

Winter

± 6

Tests 72 · 3 tests Owners 67 · 20 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test (dry handling)

Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire BMichelin

X Ice Snow

Winter

± 5

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))

Category by category

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

  1. 72

    Dry

    Scorpion Winter +5
    67
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 11 tests7665
    Reviews found online6671

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 75.9 + 40% × 66.4 = 72

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 70.7 = 67

  2. 72

    Wet

    Scorpion Winter +1
    71
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests7165
    Reviews found online7579

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 70.7 + 40% × 75.1 = 72

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.9 + 40% × 79.2 = 71

  3. 70

    Snow

    X Ice Snow +6
    76
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests6973
    Reviews found online7281

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 69.4 + 40% × 72 = 70

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 81.1 = 76

  4. 69

    Comfort

    X Ice Snow +11
    80
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 69 (est.)81
    Reviews found online6979

    Scorpion Winter: 40% × 68.6 (est.) + 60% × 68.5 = 69

    X Ice Snow: 40% × 81 + 60% × 78.8 = 80

    No road tests of comfort for Scorpion Winter. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 63

    Noise

    X Ice Snow +12
    75
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 8 tests6781
    Reviews found online58≈ 66 (est.)

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 67.1 + 40% × 57.6 = 63

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 75

    No owner ratings of noise for X Ice Snow. 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.

  6. 61

    Treadwear

    X Ice Snow +15
    76
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online5881

    Scorpion Winter: 60% × 63.5 (est.) + 40% × 58.1 = 61

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 81.4 = 76

    No road tests of treadwear for Scorpion Winter. 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. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 70

    Handling (owners)

    X Ice Snow +5
    75
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Reviews found online7075
  8. 72

    Efficiency

    X Ice Snow +5
    77
    Why this score
    SourceScorpion WinterX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests7277
Scores at a glance
CategoryPirelli Scorpion WinterMichelin X Ice Snow
Relative Score 69 73
Dry 72 67
Wet 72 71
Snow 70 76
Comfort 69 80
Noise 63 75
Treadwear 61 76
Handling (owners) 70 75
Efficiency 72 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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Scorpion Winter

± 5

X Ice Snow

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.

DisciplineCategoryScorpion WinterX Ice SnowΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 97% #4/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 100% #1/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 92% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 88% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 87% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 72% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 96% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 95% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 95% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 69% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 96% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 86% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 95% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 96% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Noise Noise 96% #7/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 86% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 97% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 80% #6/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 50% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #2/7 2025 Autobild Pirelli All-Terrain Tire Test R19 #7/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Scorpion Winter

Pros

  • Exceptional wet grip and resistance to aquaplaning
  • Strong dry road handling and high-speed stability
  • Comfortable and quiet ride quality for highway cruising

Cons

  • Reduced performance on mud, heavy slush, and hard ice
  • Faster tread wear, particularly when driven in warmer temperatures
  • Vague high-speed handling at extreme velocities (over 130 mph)
All owner themes in the Scorpion Winter review

Tire B 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
All owner themes in the X Ice Snow review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Pirelli Scorpion Winter B · Michelin X Ice Snow
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available88100
Rim diameters16″ – 22″13″ – 21″
Tread depth10/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—
Sizes in common99

Which one should you actually buy?

Pirelli Scorpion Winter

Michelin X Ice Snow

Narrow edge: Michelin X Ice Snow — better treadwear, noise and comfort. Pick the Pirelli Scorpion Winter if dry matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 61 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 63 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 69 on comfort.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 70 on snow.

Tire A · Pirelli Scorpion Winter
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Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Which is better in the wet, Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 71 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Pirelli Scorpion Winter, 72 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 70 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 80 vs 69 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 61 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Scorpion Winter or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 72 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