Michelin X-Ice Snow+ Resets the Winter Tire Benchmark

NOTRE-DAME-DE-LA-MERCI, Quebec – If you really want to evaluate a winter tire, the following three things are essential: snow, ice, and freezing cold temperatures. And if those elements are contained in a fun track, such as Mecaglisse, a motorsport complex nestled in the Laurentian mountains two hours north of Montreal, so much the better. 

Such was the case when AutoGuide was recently invited to frigid Mecaglisse to test out the all-new Michelin X-Ice Snow+, the next-generation winter tire from the French tiremaker that will replace the current X-Ice Snow. The X-Ice Snow is the fourth-generation tire for the X-Ice line, which began in 2004. 

The landscape, with its snow-covered peaks and valleys, bright sunshine, made the bitter cold (-4F / -20C) seem inviting. Mecaglisse is a sprawling complex of circuits, access roads, and skid pads, all of which are blanketed in thick layers of snow and ice. Some are hard-packed, others have loose snow. Perfect for winter tire testing. 

So, we laced up our winter boots, zipped up our warmest jacket, and spent a day driving a variety of machinery shod in these new Michelins to put them to the test.

Here’s what we learned.

Michelin X-Ice Snow+ Design

For the X-Ice Snow+, Michelin seeks to address the address two broad areas of consumer expectations when it comes to winter tires: safety in all winter driving conditions, and confidence and mobility, such as braking, grip, and control.

To achieve this Michelin didn’t change the tread design. The pattern from the X-Ice Snow carries over to the X-Ice Snow+. The difference is the latter uses Michelin’s new Flex-Ice 3.0 tread compound, which is designed to be long-lasting and adaptable to extreme cold. The objectives are to maintain flexibility and grip on icy, snow-covered surfaces, and wet and dry roads.

For grip and control, the tire features a V-shaped tread pattern for balancing wet and snowy winter roads, wide transversal grooves to resist hydroplaning and high performance in slush. The tire also has two types of full depth sipes. Micheline calls the sipes “3D active notched”. They are variable thickness designed for long-lasting grip on snow and ice. 

Michelin X-Ice Snow+ Sizes and Warranty

The Michelin X-Ice Snow+ will be offered in a range of sizes spanning 15 to 23 inches beginning in May 2026. Michelin reps say that 80 sizes will go on sale this year, and another 65 sizes will launch in 2027. The tiremaker indicated the most common sizes will launch first, with lower demand sizes coming later.

Interestingly, Michelin is offering a limited mileage warranty for the X-Ice Snow+, which is unusual for a winter tire. Additionally, the Michelin Promise Plan, includes a 60-day satisfaction guarantee and 24/7 roadside assistance. 

The X-Ice you know, only better

Michelin may not have changed the tread pattern for the X-Ice Snow+, but it has changed the tire’s construction. Compared to the current X-Ice Snow, the new tire uses a different formula of rubber, silica and elastomers. Much like KFC with its 11 herbs and spices chicken recipe, Michelin reps were tight-lipped about its new compound. A rep said the new Flex-Ice 3.0 compound is the tire’s “secret sauce” and specifics must remain confidential. 

However, Michelin revealed, in a slide deck, results from third-party testing that shows the X-Ice Snow+ has better braking distances on winter roads (snow, ice, wet, and dry) compared to the X-Ice Snow. The improvements range from one (snowy roads) to 14 percent (wet roads). 

Another slide says the X-Ice Snow+ lasts 26 percent longer than winter tires from “three leading competitors”, which are Bridgestone, Continental, and Nokian. The same slide also says the X-Ice Snow+ is more efficient, with 34 percent lower rolling resistance than tires from the same three competitors. These claims are also based on third-party testing.

Bashing through the snow, gripping the ice

As the saying goes about claims, talk is cheap. 

And Michelin is eager to back up its words regarding the X-Ice Snow+, so it devised a series of tests in vehicles outfitted with its tires, along with competitor tires from Bridgestone, Continental, and Nokian. The competitor tires are Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, Continental VikingContact 8, and Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 EV.  

AutoGuide began its evaluations on ice and ended in deep snow, and two things became clear. One, there isn’t a world of difference between the Ice-X Snow+ and its competitors. The differences are small. All four tiremakers offer products consumers should feel confident in purchasing.

However, in each instance, whether in deep snow, or on an icy track covered in a thin layer of snow, the X-Ice Snow+ performed a bit better. Each vehicle we drove equipped with Michelins had a smidge more grip on ice, and better traction in deep snow. 

The second thing that’s clear is Michelin is very confident the X-Ice Snow+ is the best winter tire on the market. The first deep snow exercise really drives the point home. In this exercise, we drove two identical front-wheel drive Toyota Corollas with shaved tires to simulate wear. 

To prove Michelin is confident the X-Ice Snow+ will be a reliable, high-performing winter tire throughout its life cycle, they shaved tires on both vehicles down to 4/32nds of an inch. This tread depth is near the end of a tire’s usable life. The legal standard for end of life in North America is 2/32nds of an inch.

And while both cars struggled at times to drive down a road with roughly four to six inches (10-15 cm) of loose snow, the X-Ice Snow+ handled it better than the Blizzak WS90. The former had noticeably better traction and control. Bottom line, it was the more confidence inspiring tire to drive.     

Michelin X-Ice Snow+ Verdict

Michelin has been making tires since 1889. For a company with such a long history, with all the knowledge and experience that entails, not to mention its sterling reputation for quality, one wouldn’t raise an eyebrow if it just rolled out the X-Ice Snow+ without much fanfare. 

Sure, there would be a marketing campaign, and some new signage at tire shops, but maybe not much beyond that. That Michelin instead chose to invite press to experience the X-Ice Snow+ in demanding exercises at a circuit like Mecaglisse in frigid conditions against its top competitors proves it has ultimate confidence in letting its product speak for itself. 

And based on our experience, it speaks very well.

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