Winter tire Updated October 2026

Michelin X Ice Snow review

Name: Michelin X Ice Snow
Brand: Michelin

Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners

Owners 75 · 19 reviews analysed Road tests 70 · 26 tests

How scores work

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The Michelin X-Ice Snow is widely regarded as a top-tier studless winter tire, offering exceptional traction in deep snow, slush, and icy conditions. While users note a slight compromise in dry-road handling and noise levels compared to previous iterations or summer tires, the consensus highlights its superior longevity and confidence-inspiring performance in severe winter climates.

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

How scores work

Relative score: 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
Road tests: 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
Owner reviews: 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.

By owner reviews

75/100

From 19 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.

Would buy again 98%

Dry

Overall dry

69.6

Corner stability

75.9

Dry traction

Steering response

Wet

Overall wet

76.6

Wet traction

76.3

Snow & ice

Overall snow & ice

79.9

Ice

71.1

Comfort

Overall comfort

77.7

Treadwear

Overall treadwear

75.8

Handling

Overall handling

73.5

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By road tests

70/100

Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.

Dry

65.3

Wet

64.3

Snow

73.2

Comfort

82.1

Noise

79.7

Michelin X Ice Snow specs & sizes

Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.

Size	Retailer
155/65 R13	Amazon
155/65 R14	Amazon
165/70 R14	Amazon
175/65 R14	Amazon
175/70 R14	Amazon
185/65 R14	Amazon
185/70 R14	Amazon
165/55 R15	Amazon
175/65 R15	Amazon
185/60 R15	Amazon
185/65 R15	Amazon
195/60 R15	Amazon
195/65 R15	Amazon
205/65 R15	Amazon
175/60 R16	Amazon
185/55 R16	Amazon
185/60 R16	Amazon
195/55 R16	Amazon
195/60 R16	Amazon
195/65 R16	Amazon
205/50 R16	Amazon
205/55 R16	Amazon
205/60 R16	Amazon
205/65 R16	Amazon
215/55 R16	Amazon
215/60 R16	Amazon
215/65 R16	Amazon
225/55 R16	Amazon
225/60 R16	Amazon
225/65 R16	Amazon
195/60 R17	Amazon
205/50 R17	Amazon
205/55 R17	Amazon
205/60 R17	Amazon
205/65 R17	Amazon
215/45 R17	Amazon
215/50 R17	Amazon
215/55 R17	Amazon
215/60 R17	Amazon
215/65 R17	Amazon
225/45 R17	Amazon
225/50 R17	Amazon
225/55 R17	Amazon
225/60 R17	Amazon
235/45 R17	Amazon
235/50 R17	Amazon
235/55 R17	Amazon
245/45 R17	Amazon
215/45 R18	Amazon
215/50 R18	Amazon
215/55 R18	Amazon
225/40 R18	Amazon
225/45 R18	Amazon
225/50 R18	Amazon
225/55 R18	Amazon
225/60 R18	Amazon
235/40 R18	Amazon
235/45 R18	Amazon
235/50 R18	Amazon
245/40 R18	Amazon
245/45 R18	Amazon
245/50 R18	Amazon
255/35 R18	Amazon
255/40 R18	Amazon
255/45 R18	Amazon
195/50 R19	Amazon
215/50 R19	Amazon
225/40 R19	Amazon
225/45 R19	Amazon
225/50 R19	Amazon
235/35 R19	Amazon
235/40 R19	Amazon
235/45 R19	Amazon
245/35 R19	Amazon
245/40 R19	Amazon
245/45 R19	Amazon
255/35 R19	Amazon
255/40 R19	Amazon
255/45 R19	Amazon
265/35 R19	Amazon
275/35 R19	Amazon
275/40 R19	Amazon
235/35 R20	Amazon
235/60 R20	Amazon
245/35 R20	Amazon
245/40 R20	Amazon
255/35 R20	Amazon
255/40 R20	Amazon
265/40 R20	Amazon
265/60 R20	Amazon
275/35 R20	Amazon
285/35 R20	Amazon
315/35 R20	Amazon
225/45 R21	Amazon
235/50 R21	Amazon
245/35 R21	Amazon
245/40 R21	Amazon
255/35 R21	Amazon
255/50 R21	Amazon
275/35 R21	Amazon

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What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 19 owner reviews found online.

Pros

Exceptional traction and lateral grip in deep snow and slush
High level of confidence and stability on icy surfaces
Excellent tread life and durability over multiple seasons
Quiet and comfortable ride quality for a dedicated winter tire

Cons

Average performance and handling on dry or wet pavement
Increased road noise as the tires wear over time
Can feel slightly 'twitchy' or less stable at the absolute limit of handling
Higher price point compared to some competitors

Worth knowing

Tesla owners report that the tire maintains a quiet cabin environment, effectively managing road noise despite the vehicle's lack of engine sound.
Users with performance-oriented vehicles like the Lexus IS 350 noted that the tire provides a comfortable ride even in larger 19-inch fitments.
Drivers of smaller vehicles, such as the Fiat Panda and Mazda MX-5, report high confidence in extreme sub-zero conditions and long-distance winter touring.

26 published test appearances

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter tire Test · 215/55 R17

7th of 10

Best: Snow Braking · 6th Weakest: Wet Braking · 10th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	10th of 10
Wet Circle	10th of 10
Dry Braking	10th of 10
Snow Braking	6th of 10
Snow Handling	8th of 10
Ice Braking	7th of 10
Subj. Comfort	7th of 10
Ice Traction	7th of 10
Subj. Noise	9th of 10
Subj. Road Score	6th of 10
Subj. Snow Handling	7th of 10
Dry Circle	10th of 10

Source: Tire Rack

2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter tire Test · 235/45 R18

9th of 20

Best: Subj. Comfort · 1st Weakest: Straight Aqua · 13th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Straight Aqua	13th of 20
Subj. Comfort	1st of 20
Subj. Wet Handling	6th of 20
Fuel Consumption	1st of 20
Subj. Snow Handling	11th of 20
Subj. Ice Handling	11th of 20

2025 Friction and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

6th of 14

Best: Ice Braking · 1st Weakest: Wet Braking · 7th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	7th of 14
Wet Handling	6th of 14
Dry Braking	6th of 14
Snow Braking	4th of 14
Snow Traction	7th of 14
Ice Braking	1st of 14
Subj. Dry Handling	5th of 14
Subj. Wet Handling	5th of 14
Ice Traction	3rd of 14
Subj. Noise	1st of 14

Source: Tekniikan Maailma

2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 · 225/45R17

4th of 7

Best: Ice Braking · 1st Weakest: Snow Traction · 6th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	4th of 7
Longitudinal Aquaplaning	3rd of 7
Dry Braking	3rd of 7
Dry Handling	4th of 7
Snow Braking	3rd of 7
Snow Traction	6th of 7
Snow Handling	4th of 7
Ice Braking	1st of 7
Ice Handling	5th of 7
Exterior Noise	2nd of 7
Rolling Resistance	3rd of 7
Subj. Wet Handling	3rd of 7
Ice Traction	1st of 7

Source: NAF Motor

2025 Teknikens Värld Winter Tire Test R17 · 225/50R17

16th of 15

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Teknikens Värld

2025 UTAC Ivalo Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

4th of 7

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: UTAC Ivalo

2025 Moottori Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

3rd of 7

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Moottori

2024 Nordic Friction Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17

4th of 8

Best: Ice Traction · 1st Weakest: Noise · 7th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Handling	4th of 8
Snow Traction	6th of 8
Snow Handling	4th of 8
Ice Handling	5th of 8
Straight Aqua	3rd of 8
Subj. Dry Handling	3rd of 8
Noise	7th of 8
Ice Traction	1st of 8
Fuel Consumption	5th of 8

Source: Vi Bilägare

The Best Studded / Friction Winter tires for 2024 · 225/50 R17

13th of 17

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

2024 Moottori Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

3rd of 8

Best: Wet Braking · 2nd Weakest: Snow Braking · 6th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	2nd of 8
Wet Handling	2nd of 8
Dry Braking	3rd of 8
Snow Braking	6th of 8
Snow Traction	5th of 8
Snow Handling	6th of 8
Ice Braking	5th of 8
Ice Handling	6th of 8
Ice Traction	2nd of 8

Source: Moottori

2024 Aftonbladet Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

11th of 15

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Aftonbladet

2024 Teknikens Värld Big Winter Tire Test R17 · 225/50R17

9th of 16

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Teknikens Värld

2023 Studless Friction Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17

4th of 8

Best: Ice Traction · 1st Weakest: Noise · 7th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Handling	4th of 8
Snow Traction	4th of 8
Snow Handling	6th of 8
Ice Handling	6th of 8
Straight Aqua	2nd of 8
Subj. Dry Handling	4th of 8
Noise	7th of 8
Ice Traction	1st of 8
Fuel Consumption	7th of 8

Source: Vi Bilägare

2023 Studless vs Studded Snow tire Test · 205/55 R16

3rd of 8

Best: Snow Braking · 3rd Weakest: Wet Handling · 7th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Handling	7th of 8
Snow Braking	3rd of 8
Snow Traction	4th of 8
Snow Handling	3rd of 8
Ice Handling	3rd of 8
Ice Traction	7th of 8

2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

9th of 17

Best: Snow Braking · 1st Weakest: Dry Braking · 12th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	9th of 17
Wet Handling	7th of 17
Dry Braking	12th of 17
Snow Braking	1st of 17
Snow Traction	7th of 17
Snow Handling	1st of 17
Ice Braking	8th of 17
Ice Handling	8th of 17
Exterior Noise	1st of 17
Rolling Resistance	1st of 17
Subj. Dry Handling	9th of 17
Subj. Wet Handling	5th of 17
Ice Traction	9th of 17

Source: UTAC

2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/60R16

4th of 5

Best: Snow Braking · 1st Weakest: Dry Braking · 5th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	2nd of 5
Longitudinal Aquaplaning	2nd of 5
Dry Braking	5th of 5
Snow Braking	1st of 5
Snow Traction	1st of 5
Snow Handling	4th of 5
Ice Braking	1st of 5
Ice Handling	5th of 5
Subj. Comfort	1st of 5
Ice Traction	1st of 5
Deep Snow Traction	1st of 5

Source: Autoreview

2023 Moottori Studless Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

2nd of 6

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Moottori

2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires · 215/60R16

2nd of 15

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Consumer Reports

2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

8th of 16

Best: Subj. Noise · 3rd Weakest: Wet Braking · 14th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	14th of 16
Wet Handling	9th of 16
Dry Braking	8th of 16
Snow Braking	13th of 16
Snow Traction	10th of 16
Snow Handling	12th of 16
Ice Braking	10th of 16
Ice Handling	13th of 16
Ice Traction	11th of 16
Subj. Noise	3rd of 16
Price	14th of 16

2021 Test World Large Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

13th of 15

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Test World

2021 Za Rulem Winter Tire Test R16 · 215/65R16

4th of 5

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Za Rulem

2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter tire Test · 205/60 R16

6th of 8

Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st Weakest: Ice Handling · 7th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Handling	3rd of 8
Snow Handling	5th of 8
Ice Handling	7th of 8
Rolling Resistance	1st of 8
Straight Aqua	2nd of 8
Subj. Dry Handling	4th of 8
Subj. Noise	6th of 8
Price	6th of 8

Source: Vi Bilägare

2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

8th of 20

Best: Snow Braking · 2nd Weakest: Dry Braking · 16th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	15th of 20
Wet Handling	13th of 20
Dry Braking	16th of 20
Snow Braking	2nd of 20
Snow Traction	7th of 20
Snow Handling	4th of 20
Ice Braking	8th of 20
Ice Handling	8th of 20
Ice Traction	7th of 20
Subj. Noise	12th of 20