Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 vs Michelin X Ice Snow
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 finished ahead 3 times and the X Ice Snow not once, with one level. The Hakkapeliitta R3 was stronger in wet, snow and ice, the X Ice Snow in value.
Performance profile
11 measurements from the 4 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Hakkapeliitta R3
X Ice Snow
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 5 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Hakkapeliitta R3
X Ice Snow
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Hakkapeliitta R3
X Ice Snow
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Hakkapeliitta R3 80% from 15 reviews and the X Ice Snow 85% from 19. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | Hakkapeliitta R3 | Gap | X Ice Snow | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 30.41 | 3.2% | 31.4 | 2-1 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | 16.7% | scored | 0-1 |
| Wet Hakkapeliitta R3 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 35.85 | 6.5% | 38.31 | 3-0 |
| Wet Handling s | 38.26 | 0.4% | 38.4 | 1-1 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 62.5 | 4.5% | 65.3 | 0-1 |
| Snow Hakkapeliitta R3 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking m | 37.93 | 0.4% | 38.1 | 2-1 |
| Snow Traction s | 5.95 | = | 5.95 | 1-1 |
| Snow Handling s | 58.15 | 0.7% | 58.58 | 3-0 |
| Subj. Snow Handling pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Ice Hakkapeliitta R3 ahead | ||||
| Ice Braking m | 31.78 | 2.8% | 30.16 | 2-1 |
| Ice Traction s | 5.5 | 4.5% | 5.25 | 0-2 |
| Ice Handling s | 58.56 | 3.7% | 60.71 | 3-0 |
| Subj. Ice Handling pts | scored | 14.3% | scored | 1-0 |
| Comfort Level | ||||
| Subj. Noise pts | scored | 12.5% | scored | 1-1 |
| Value X Ice Snow ahead | ||||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 6.03 | 2.3% | 5.89 | 0-1 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 4 tests, 2020 to 2021
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Hakkapeliitta R3 | Field | X Ice Snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | P3 of 6 | P4 of 6 | |
| 2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | P2 of 8 | P6 of 8 | |
| The Best Winter Tyres for 2020 | P1 of 19 | P1 of 19 | |
| 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | P1 of 12 | P3 of 12 |
Hakkapeliitta R3 vs X Ice Snow: your questions
Is the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 or the Michelin X Ice Snow the better tyre?
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 finished ahead 3 times and the X Ice Snow not once, with one level. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Hakkapeliitta R3 scores 7.6 and the X Ice Snow 7.9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Hakkapeliitta R3 or the X Ice Snow?
The Hakkapeliitta R3 led 4 of the 8 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 6.5% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 2-2 between the Hakkapeliitta R3 and the X Ice Snow.
Which is better in snow?
The Hakkapeliitta R3 led 6 of the 9 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it lapped the snow handling course 0.7% faster across 3 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.7/10 for the Hakkapeliitta R3 and 8.8/10 for the X Ice Snow.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Hakkapeliitta R3 80% from 15 reviews and the X Ice Snow 85% from 19. 92% of Hakkapeliitta R3 owners would buy it again, against 88% for the X Ice Snow.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the X Ice Snow was the dearer tyre in 2 of them, by 6.7% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Hakkapeliitta R3 is made in 71 sizes (14 to 21 inch) and the X Ice Snow in 100 (13 to 21 inch). 58 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Hakkapeliitta R3 is graded E for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the X Ice Snow E and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The X Ice Snow is the newer design: it reached the market in 2020, the Hakkapeliitta R3 in 2018. The Hakkapeliitta R3 replaced the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2. The X Ice Snow replaced the Michelin X Ice Xi3.
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Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.