69
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
65/100
4 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic vs Michelin X-Ice North 4 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
79
/ 100
Objective (60%)
68/100
8 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
11 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better treadwear, dry and handling. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic if comfort matters most to you.
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 78 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 93% | 96% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip Ice Arctic leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 93 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 75 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 100% | 93% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 95% | 98% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | 86 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 92 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 97% | 99% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 95% | 92% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 95% | 97% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip Ice Arctic leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 12 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 53 | 85 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 29
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 89 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | UltraGrip Ice Arctic | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 81 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 79 |
| Dry | 64 | 82 |
| Wet | 82 | 81 |
| Snow | 83 | 89 |
| Comfort | 53 | 41 |
| Noise | – | 86 |
| Treadwear | 60 | 89 |
| Handling | 68 | 81 |
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
69
/ 100
Tire A
79
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Test data
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 | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 96% #11/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -2.9 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 94% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 92% #7/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | +2 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 91% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 92% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -1.2 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 94% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 88% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +6.2 | Same test |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 73% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 54% #1/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +19.4 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 17% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -83.3 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #10/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -1.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 92% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +3 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% #7/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #2/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | -2.6 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 98% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +4.5 | Same test |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 80% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -20 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +7.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | -2.6 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is highly regarded for its exceptional initial performance on packed snow and ice, particularly in extreme winter conditions. However, users consistently report a significant decline in reliability and safety after the second season, primarily due to premature stud loss and a sharp degradation in grip despite having substantial tread depth remaining.
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on packed snow
- Strong performance on ice during the first two seasons
- Reliable winter grip in extreme arctic conditions
Cons
- Significant stud loss after two seasons of use
- Abrupt and dangerous decline in grip performance by the third year
- Poor longevity relative to competitors despite remaining tread depth
Observations
- Users noted that the tire's performance longevity is notably inferior when compared directly to competitors like the Continental IceContact 2.
The Michelin X-Ice North 4 is widely regarded as a top-tier studded winter tire, offering class-leading traction on ice and packed snow. While users consistently praise its superior noise suppression and handling compared to competitors, long-term stud retention remains a point of contention for some owners.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and confidence on icy and snow-covered surfaces
- Significantly lower road noise compared to traditional studded winter tires
- High tread longevity and durability over multiple winter seasons
- Predictable handling and improved vehicle feedback in adverse conditions
Cons
- Inconsistent long-term stud retention reported by some users
- Slightly wallowy or vague handling feel on dry pavement
- Tendency to collect snow in the tread pattern at low speeds
- Reduced performance in deep, loose snow over hard-packed surfaces
Observations
- Users noted that narrower tire dimensions can contribute to a wallowy feel on dry roads.
- Performance is highly regarded across diverse vehicle types, ranging from AWD sedans like the Kia Stinger to older, analog sports cars.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic | B · Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Premium Touring Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Goodyear
79
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better treadwear, dry and handling. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic if comfort matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 89 vs 60 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 82 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 81 vs 68 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic scores 53 vs 41 on comfort.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice North 4
More comparisons
Also compared with
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic also compared with
Michelin X-Ice North 4 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.