The Michelin X-Ice North 4 ranks second, delivering high levels of grip on ice and snow, along with impressive dry pavement handling. Notable for its reduced tread depth and multitude of small studs, the tire initially stood out for its low noise levels, though it now aligns with competitors in this aspect. The tire's drawbacks include its performance in snow braking and wet pavement handling, along with considerations regarding economy.

This tire guarantees safety and comfort on both ice and snow. While its steering might not be the sharpest on ice, its traction compensates for it, especially on snowy roads. Plus, its performance on wet asphalt is commendable, and it promises quiet rides.

• Pros: Exceptional grip and handling on icy terrains and snowy roads.
• Cons: None noted.

Armed with numerous spikes, the Michelin X–Ice North 4 is very effective on ice — the handling response is consistent, and the grip is retained in any situation — and on snow the tire also ensures a high level of driving safety, even though there are models out there with higher traction in similar conditions. The Michelin tire also rather quickly stops the car on wet pavement, but the lateral grip is not so good, which shows up in the tire’s behavior during emergency maneuvers. On dry pavement, the tire also demonstrates stable behavior without making any unpleasant surprises to the driver. The noise level and rolling resistance are average.

Strong traction, short braking distance, and good handling response on ice and snow.

Positive: Good handling on ice and snow. Good stability on uneven surfaces.
Negative: Poor grip on wet asphalt.

Positive: Excellent grip and handling on ice and snow, increased ride comfort.
Negative: Average braking distance on wet roads, noisy.

Positive: Excellent grip on ice and snow. Good dry stability. Low noise level.
Negative: Poor wet grip.

Excellent grip and very good handling response on snow and ice. Weak lateral grip and a long braking distance on wet pavement. High noise emission.

Positive: Good combination of winter performance and stability on dry pavement. Low noise.
Negative: Poor hydroplaning resistance and wet braking.

Performance on ice and snow: Easy handling in any conditions. Excellent traction on ice. Cornering stability, confident behavior during acceleration.
Performance on asphalt: Long stopping distance on wet pavement. Poor lateral grip on wet pavement. The quietest tires out of the top three.

Positive: Excellent handling response on ice — the tires maintain dependable grip in any situation, for example, when unexpectedly hitting an ice-covered surface while cornering. Good handling response and high safety level on snow. On wet pavement, the tires keep reliable grip during an emergency maneuver.
Negative: Prone to understeer on dry pavement. Increased rolling resistance.

In this test dimension (205/60 R16), Michelin has equipped its X-Ice North 4 with no less than 255 studs.

Positive: Grip on ice and driving stability on dry asphalt. Little road noise.
Negative: Aquaplaning, braking on wet asphalt.

Positive: Good results on snow and ice (the fact that Michelin did not score the first place only speaks about how tough the competition was this year). Negative: Long braking distance on wet pavement. Poor hydroplaning resistance. Weak results in the elk test.

With its 257 spikes, the Michelin tire stands out in its segment, and, although this time it was only able to come second, in actuality this tire ensures a very high level of safety on ice and snow. Besides, the Michelin designers were also able to combine improved riding properties in winter conditions with good handling response on dry pavement. Plus, Michelin turned out to be the quietest tire on test: after the test, it showed the least signs of wear out of all. Generally, it can be said that this time around Michelin showed the best-balanced performance.

New Michelin studded tires are the best we've ever ridden on ice. The grip is very good, it behaves steadily without a sudden release in difficult conditions and is therefore very safe. It slows down a little worse in the snow. The noise level is average for studded tires, and the directional stability is very good.