Michelin X Ice Snow vs Yokohama iceGUARD iG53
Ahead in each discipline
The Michelin X Ice Snow and the Yokohama iceGUARD iG53 have met in one independent test so far, and the X Ice Snow finished ahead. The X Ice Snow was stronger in dry, wet, snow, ice and value.
Performance profile
20 measurements from the one shared test, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
X Ice Snow
iceGUARD iG53
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 90%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
X Ice Snow
iceGUARD iG53
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.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tyres' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tyre that did better.
| Measurement | X Ice Snow | Gap | iceGUARD iG53 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry X Ice Snow ahead | |||
| Dry Braking m | 47.88 | 3.3% | 49.49 |
| Dry Handling s | 73.01 | 0.4% | 73.31 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | 98 | 3.2% | 95 |
| Wet X Ice Snow ahead | |||
| Wet Braking m | 35.59 | 8.1% | 38.72 |
| Wet Handling s | 81.55 | 3.1% | 84.16 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | 100 | 33.3% | 75 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 80.11 | 5.4% | 75.99 |
| Curved Aquaplaning m/sec2 | 63.8 | 7.4% | 59.4 |
| Snow X Ice Snow ahead | |||
| Snow Braking m | 15.81 | 2.8% | 15.37 |
| Snow Traction s | 5.66 | 4.4% | 5.92 |
| Snow Handling s | 88.56 | 2.7% | 90.99 |
| Subj. Snow Handling pts | 95 | 18.8% | 80 |
| Snow Circle s | 29.09 | 4.2% | 30.35 |
| Ice X Ice Snow ahead | |||
| Ice Braking m | 10.14 | 7.6% | 10.97 |
| Ice Traction s | 6.12 | 4.5% | 6.41 |
| Ice Handling s | 52.92 | 3.3% | 54.74 |
| Subj. Ice Handling pts | 100 | 11.1% | 90 |
| Comfort Level | |||
| Subj. Comfort pts | 95 | 5.3% | 100 |
| Noise dB | 62.1 | 1.3 dB | 63.4 |
| Value X Ice Snow ahead | |||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.25 | 3.3% | 7.5 |
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 1 test in 2022
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 | X Ice Snow | Field | iceGUARD iG53 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter Tyre Test | P1 of 7 | P5 of 7 |
X Ice Snow vs iceGUARD iG53: your questions
Is the Michelin X Ice Snow or the Yokohama iceGUARD iG53 the better tyre?
The Michelin X Ice Snow and the Yokohama iceGUARD iG53 have met in one independent test so far, and the X Ice Snow finished ahead. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the X Ice Snow scores 7.9 and the iceGUARD iG53 3.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the X Ice Snow or the iceGUARD iG53?
The X Ice Snow led 5 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The X Ice Snow led 3 of the 3 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The X Ice Snow led 4 of the 5 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.8/10 for the X Ice Snow and 8/10 for the iceGUARD iG53.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the X Ice Snow 85% from 19 reviews and the iceGUARD iG53 50% from 1.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The X Ice Snow is made in 100 sizes (13 to 21 inch) and the iceGUARD iG53 in 44 (15 to 21 inch). 33 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the X Ice Snow is graded E for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the iceGUARD iG53 E and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The X Ice Snow is the newer design: it reached the market in 2020, the iceGUARD iG53 in 2019. The X Ice Snow replaced the Michelin X Ice Xi3.
More comparisons with these tyres
Every Michelin vs Yokohama test → All comparisons → Compare three or more tyres →
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.

