Winter tire Winter Premium Touring tires Updated September 2026

Michelin X Ice Snow review

Name: Michelin X Ice Snow
Brand: Michelin

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.

Relative score

80/100

tests + owners

Owner reviews

84/100

17 reviews

Road tests

71/100

14 published tests

Owners rate it 13.5 points higher than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.

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Scores

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

By owner reviews

84.2%

Would buy again 91%

Dry

Overall dry

78.6%

Corner stability

83%

Dry traction

80%

Steering response

80%

Wet

Overall wet

81.4%

Wet traction

80%

Snow & ice

Overall snow & ice

93.8%

Ice

88%

Comfort

Overall comfort

87.1%

Treadwear

Overall treadwear

90.8%

Handling

Overall handling

75%

By source

Tyre Reviews84%17 reviews Tire Rack88%

By road tests

70.7%

Dry

55.5%

Wet

70.5%

Snow

78.8%

Comfort

92.5%

Noise

73.7%

From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 17 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

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.

Test results

14 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

The Best Snow tires for 2025/26 · 205/55 R16

4th of 5

Best: Ice Traction · 1st Weakest: Wet Handling · 5th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Handling	5th of 5
Dry Handling	4th of 5
Snow Traction	3rd of 5
Snow Handling	4th of 5
Ice Handling	4th of 5
Rolling Resistance	4th of 5
Straight Aqua	3rd of 5
Curved Aquaplaning	3rd of 5
Subj. Comfort	3rd of 5
Noise	3rd of 5
Ice Traction	1st of 5

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

9th of 20

Discipline	Placement	Field position

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

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

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

13th of 17

Discipline	Placement	Field position

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

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

2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16

2nd of 9

Best: Rolling Resistance · 1st Weakest: Dry Handling · 5th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Handling	3rd of 9
Dry Handling	5th of 9
Snow Traction	5th of 9
Snow Handling	5th of 9
Ice Handling	2nd of 9
Rolling Resistance	1st of 9
Straight Aqua	2nd of 9
Subj. Comfort	5th of 9
Noise	3rd of 9
Ice Traction	4th of 9
Snow Circle	3rd of 9

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

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

The Best Winter tires for 2020 · 205/55 R16

3rd of 19

Discipline	Placement	Field position

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