tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II 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 0 + 13 road tests and 31 + 20 owner reviews. How we score

X Ice Snow leads, 73–71 Narrow edge

Check price on Amazon · X Ice Snow or Sottozero Serie II 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.

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. 70

    Dry

    Sottozero Serie II +3
    67
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 11 tests≈ 70 (est.)65
    Reviews found online7271

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 71.8 = 70

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

    No road tests of dry for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 77

    Wet

    Sottozero Serie II +6
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 12 tests≈ 75 (est.)65
    Reviews found online7979

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 75.4 (est.) + 40% × 79.2 = 77

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

    No road tests of wet for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 66

    Snow

    X Ice Snow +10
    76
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 12 tests≈ 68 (est.)73
    Reviews found online6381

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68.2 (est.) + 40% × 63.4 = 66

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 81.2 = 76

    No road tests of snow for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 72

    Comfort

    X Ice Snow +8
    80
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 70 (est.)81
    Reviews found online7479

    Sottozero Serie II: 40% × 69.8 (est.) + 60% × 74.1 = 72

    X Ice Snow: 40% × 80.8 + 60% × 78.7 = 80

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

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    75
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests–80
    Reviews found online–≈ 66 (est.)

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 80.2 + 40% × 66.3 (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. 70

    Treadwear

    X Ice Snow +6
    76
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online7281

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 71.6 = 70

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 81.4 = 76

    No road tests of treadwear for Sottozero Serie II. 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. 74

    Handling (owners)

    Level
    74
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Reviews found online7474
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    77
    Why this score
    SourceSottozero Serie IIX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests–77
Scores at a glance
CategoryPirelli Sottozero Serie IIMichelin X Ice Snow
Relative Score 71 73
Dry 70 67
Wet 77 71
Snow 66 76
Comfort 72 80
Noise – 75
Treadwear 70 76
Handling (owners) 74 74
Efficiency – 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

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Sottozero Serie II

± 5

X Ice Snow

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.

DisciplineCategorySottozero Serie IIX Ice SnowΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/9 2012 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test #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 Sottozero Serie II

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and standing water grip with strong resistance to aquaplaning
  • Surprisingly confident, communicative handling and short braking distances on dry roads
  • High levels of ride comfort and remarkably low road noise, even on low-profile sizes

Cons

  • Subpar traction and grip in deep snow or severe ice according to a minority of reviewers
  • High initial purchase price
  • Soften up and exhibit slightly reduced predictability or increased noise in warmer temperatures above 7°C (45°F)
All owner themes in the Sottozero Serie II 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 Sottozero Serie II B · Michelin X Ice Snow
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—100
Rim diameters—13″ – 21″

Which one should you actually buy?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II

Michelin X Ice Snow

Narrow edge: Michelin X Ice Snow — better snow, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Sottozero Serie II if wet and dry matter most to you.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 66 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 80 vs 72 on comfort.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II scores 77 vs 71 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 76 vs 70 on treadwear.

Tire A · Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
Check price on Amazon

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

Sottozero Serie II or X Ice Snow?

Which is better in the wet, Sottozero Serie II or X Ice Snow?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 77 vs 71 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Sottozero Serie II or X Ice Snow?

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II, 70 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Sottozero Serie II or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Sottozero Serie II or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 80 vs 72 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Sottozero Serie II or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 76 vs 70 on our treadwear 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