Michelin X Ice North 4

Michelin's new studded tyre with a record number of studs is now available on the market. The X-Ice North 4 won all winter tyre tests conducted by the leading newspapers. The new stud is the only stud manufactured in Europe under controlled conditions and with 100% recycled materials.

Tyre review data from 9 tyre reviews averaging 84% over 95,006 miles driven, and 9 tests with an average result of 2nd.

Dry Grip 76%
Wet Grip 71%
Road Feedback 76%
Handling 79%
Wear 88%
Comfort 83%
Buy again 97%
Snow Grip 92%
Ice Grip 98%

The X Ice North 4 is ranked 23rd of 68 Winter Premium Touring tyres.

In Depth Tyre Comparisons

Tests Included

9

Best Result

1st

Worst Result

3rd

Average Result

2nd

Latest Tyre Test Results

2024 Studded Tyre Test
3rd of 8 tyres
  • Michelin X-Ice North 4, despite being an older design from 2018, remains highly competitive with a well-balanced performance. It combines good ice grip with relatively low noise and fuel consumption. The tyre understeers predictably in all conditions, making it user-friendly, though wet grip is its main weakness.
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The Best Studded / Friction Winter Tyres for 2024
3rd of 17 tyres
  • The Michelin X-Ice North 4, a studded tyre, performed adequately but not exceptionally in winter conditions. It provided good ice and snow grip but didn't stand out among other studded tyres in the test. Its main drawback was very poor rolling resistance, which significantly lowered its overall rating and negatively impacted fuel efficiency. The tyre offered decent comfort and stability but couldn't compete with the top performers in the test.

    The used version of the Michelin X-Ice North 4 studded tyre showed how performance changes over time. After 4,000 km, it still retained acceptable winter performance, especially on ice and snow. However, it struggled significantly with wet braking and aquaplaning resistance. The tyre's rolling resistance had improved with wear. This performance illustrates how studded tyres can maintain some winter capabilities even with significant wear.
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2023 Studded Tyre Test
2nd of 8 tyres
  • The Michelin tyre exhibits short braking distances on all types of surfaces, especially on ice. It also has a high level of initial grip on winter roads. Compared to the best, it has slightly lower cornering grip and slower steering responses. The balance is clearly understeering, which also results in a stable rear that rarely breaks into a skid.
    On dry ground, Michelin impresses with a natural steering feel. A shallower tread depth than others and many small studs have previously resulted in low noise, but this time the road noise is on par with competitors.
    A good mix of high winter grip and fine asphalt characteristics brings Michelin close to winning a gold medal. This tyre is suitable for those looking for a calm and safe option with good everyday comfort.
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2024 Tyre Tests

2023 Tyre Tests

2021 Tyre Tests

2020 Tyre Tests

2019 Tyre Tests

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Top 3 Michelin X Ice North 4 Reviews

Given 91% while driving a Toyota Corolla E140 (205/55 R16 T) on a combination of roads for 0 spirited miles
Uncompromising grip on all types of winter surfaces. Out of competition on the ice tracks. Very low noise level, audible only at low speeds when driving on a clean road. With these tires, it is very difficult to achieve ABS actuation. Perfectly copes with leaving the track. After running-in in compliance with the manufacturer's recommendations, the studs took their position and after 15,000 km remain in place. I recommend to buy, the best studded tire.
Helpful 104 - tyre reviewed on February 10, 2021
Given 89% while driving a Ford Focus (215/55 R17) on mostly town for 0 average miles
The best I have tried in winter conditions. Fantastic grip on ice and snow, comfortable ride and the studs seem to last much longer than on others I have owned. Going into the 5th winter of mostly urban driving in Reykjavik I can see that most of the studs have come loose now so they will be disappearing soon. I used to run Goodyear ultra grip ice arctic on my cars before, but the ride was rougher and noisier, the studs would be long gone by now and they did not have as much grip on snow and ice. The Goodyears had a better grip in the wet at high speeds though.
Helpful 22 - tyre reviewed on October 23, 2023
Given 82% while driving a Volkswagen 2019 Golf Variant 1.5 TSI (205/55 R16) on a combination of roads for 17,000 average miles
Very good tyres, on par with Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8, or even better when they were new. Maybe a bit faster wearing compared to Hakka8, but definitely better than Continental IceContact2. Of course these are not summer tyres, so my scoring is compared to other winter tyres.
Helpful 25 - tyre reviewed on April 22, 2023
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Latest Michelin X Ice North 4 Reviews

Given 83% while driving a Ford Focus mk2 (225/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 6 average miles
Coming from Finland, a country of winter snow and studs. Have these on two cars
- 2007 Focus Cabrio
- 1998 996 C2

In most winnter conditions amazing grip level. However, two shortcomings. 1) The modern light studs do not penetrate well if there is loose snow on top of hard snor/icy surface. Obviously this has more to do with regulations rather than the tyre brand and model. 2) These modern silica tyres seem to collect a layer of snow in slow speeds, say below 30..40 km/h . Both these properties make the tyres a bit Jekyll and Hyde. At best it gives enormous amount of grip but then you come on loose snow and you think you are driving very slow - and suddenly you have absolutely no grip. I wish we could still have the longer studs. I can tell it is not nice to get the impression of good grip for some 50 km (0.3 < muu < 0.5) and then in an open place wind has collected snow on the hard snow surface and a deer runs into your lights and you find absolutely no grip at all (like muu = 0.05). Fortunately I had my insurances. I dont think this would have happened with the old style big block, long heavy stud Hakkapeliittas. Those would have not given the level of grip on the 50 km stretch but they would have lost pretty much nothing coming to the loose snow.

What impresses me is the strong stud base. The cavity seems wrapped with a very strong compound and the studs seem to not come off at all. The construction of the tyre seems very good for winter purposes, not too stiff nor too soft side wall. Subjectively I think I would prefer a sharper shoulder but that is more like an image in my head rather than supported by my driving experience.

If I was to develop this tyre I would look into the slow speed attached snow layer phenomenom - perhaps on all the silica tyres. I also would like to try something like raised tread on the lines of studs to get the modern studs penetrate better the loose snow on top of the hard.

I know one problem with the winter tyre testing is that the tracks are always similar to get good comparability. But in real life the surfaces vary much more in winter conditions and a good winter tyre should even the grip levels to predictable. As good as the X-Ice 4 is it is not the most predictable tyre. Fortunately you can learn to predict the places where you will loose the grip. I find this all more of a result of rather compromized regulations than tyre makes development work.
Helpful 9 - tyre reviewed on March 22, 2024
Given 86% while driving a Audi 80 B4 (195/60 R15) on a combination of roads for 5,000 spirited miles
This tire was bought for my old analogue awd car for use partially on road and ice track and it has been phenomenal. It made a twitchy and understeery car much more direct and leaning towards oversteer in a very preferable manner both in thems of controllability and for road feedback. My tires are quite narrow and has a bit of a wallowy feel on dry road. The width also dictates the feel of the tire in the wet, but is very much as expected from any studded tire in this dimmension. It made my car feel much more communicative in low friction enviorements
Helpful 21 - tyre reviewed on April 9, 2023
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Given 76% while driving a Kia Motors GT limited AWD (225/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 18,000 spirited miles
I've had the North4 studded tire for 3 winters ( 20-25 000 Km) in Manitoba Canada on a 2018 Kia Stinger GT limited AWD. They have never let me down, starting and stopping driving normal, is like driving in summer, but with some light tiktac clacking from the studs. The road noise is much better than any other studded tire due to advances in technology. I can feel a certain amount of slippage in rain and dry concrete, but on snow and ice ( and that's 90% of the roads here in winter) they dig in like claws. I drive in sport mode and it splits my power 80/20 to the back, and have the best control I have ever had in very bad conditions. The tires surpass my every exception and will be purchased again!
Helpful 27 - tyre reviewed on December 4, 2022
Given 91% while driving a BMW 520d M Sport (245/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 20,000 average miles
This is by far the best Winter Tyre i have ever used. Compared to its competitors its miles better. The grip is outstanding, and the overall performance is perfect. I would never choose another Tyre, unless its he next generation.
Helpful 30 - tyre reviewed on October 18, 2022